Walsh named in strong Cork U21 team

CORK U21 hurlers have named five senior panellists for tomorrow night’s Munster hurling championship semi-final with Tipperary in Thurles.

Captain William Egan (Kilbrin) lines out at centre-back, Midleton’s Conor Lehane, who came on and scored a point in the seniors’ defeat in the Gaelic Grounds, will play at centre-forward, Midleton’s Luke O’Farrell and Newtownshandrum’s Jamie Coughlan will start at left and right corner-forward respectively with Jamie Nagle (Midleton) at right half-back.

Interestingly, Cork senior footballer Aidan Walsh is named at left half-forward and will add considerable bulk to a county seeking its first title at U21 grade since 2007.

Tipperary show two changes from the team which started against Waterford in the quarter-final, with Sean O’Brien and Kieran Morris coming into the team in place of Stephen Maher and Joe Gallagher. Meanwhile, as reported by the Irish Examiner yesterday, the Limerick request to have next Thursday’s U21 Munster HC semi-final against Clare rescheduled has been accepted.

The game will now be played on Tuesday, July 26, in Cusack Park at 7.30pm.

The Munster U21 final will take place as planned on Wednesday, August 3.

The request was granted in respect of Limerick seniors’ All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin being fixed for Sunday week.

TIPPERARY (U21 HC v Cork): Paul Ryan; C Hough, K O’Gorman, S O’Brien; B Stapleton, P Heffernan, J Barry; N McGrath, A Ryan; S Curran, P Murphy, B O’Meara; K Morris, J O’Neill, J O’Dwyer.

CORK (U21 HC v Tipperary): D McCarthy(Ballymartle); C Joyce (Na Piarsaigh), E Finn (Ballinhassig), S Corry (Ballymartle); J Nagle (Midleton), W Egan (Kilbrin), M Ellis (Banteer); S O’Farrell (Midleton), D Roche (Sarsfields); D Brosnan (Glen Rovers), C Lehane (Midleton), A Walsh (Kanturk); L O’Farrell (Midleton), M O’Sullivan (Tracton), J Coughlan (Newtownshandrum).

Subs: M O’Neill (Bishopstown), B Withers (Banteer), B Collins (Killeagh), D Cahalane (St Finbarrs), M Sexton (Kilbrittain), D Drake (Carrigaline), E O’Sullivan (Sarsfields), S Harnedy (St Itas), S O’Brien (Carrigaline).