Veteran Murphy in line for forward role as injuries mount

NICHOLAS MURPHY could be brought into the Cork attack when they take on Mayo this weekend.

The veteran midfielder is being viewed as a possible option following injuries to Cork’s attackers Daniel Goulding (ankle) and Barry O’Driscoll (jaw) in last Saturday’s qualifier win over Down. Add to that Colm O’Neill and Ciarán Sheehan’s cruciate injuries and the Rebels’ attacking options are limited.

Fiachra Lynch remains the front-runner to get the nod for what would be his first senior championship start, having come on to replace O’Driscoll against Down. However Murphy could come into the frame. Lynch has been on the Cork panel since midway through the 2009 season and appears to have an edge in experience on David Goold and Mark Collins who are other recognised attacking options available.

While Carrigaline player Murphy is regarded as a midfielder, he would serve as an ideal target man at the edge of the square. He was previously employed in that role in last season’s league when Cork travelled to Scotstown to face Monaghan and lined up against Dublin in Páirc Uí Rinn.

Murphy will fill one of the two vacancies on Cork’s 26-man panel next weekend that have been created by the absences of Goulding and O’Driscoll.

Sean Kiely and Conor O’Driscoll, who can be utilised in the half-forward line, could challenge for the remaining spot. But given that Cork currently have a lack of recognised corner-forwards in their panel, U21 duo Paul Honohan and Kevin Hallissey might come into the frame. The pair have been on the extended training panel in recent weeks with Honohan also having gained training experience with the squad last season.

Both players won Munster U21 medals earlier this year with Cork while Hallissey is part of the county junior side who face Sligo in Saturday week’s All-Ireland semi-final in Croke Park.

Meanwhile, Mayo manager James Horan has drafted Ger Cafferkey and Enda Varley into his team for Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final as he makes two changes from their Connacht final victory over Roscommon. Cafferkey replaces Alan Feeney at full-back while Varley comes in at right corner-forward as Jason Doherty drops to the bench.

Both Cafferkey and Varley were introduced as second-half substitutes in the provincial decider with Garrymore attacker Varley notching the late score that clinched their two-point success. In all there are only eight survivors in the Mayo line-up from their last clash in Croke Park against Cork, when the counties met in last year’s league final.

Cafferkey, Donal Vaughan, Trevor Mortimer, Aidan O’Shea, Seamus O’Shea, Kevin McLoughlin, Alan Dillon and Andy Moran all played in that tie.

MAYO (SF v Cork): R Hennelly; K Higgins, G Cafferkey, T Cunniffe; R Feeney, D Vaughan, T Mortimer; A O’Shea, S O’Shea; K McLoughlin, A Dillon, A Moran; E Varley, A Freeman, C O’Connor.

Subs: D Clarke, A Feeney, D Geraghty, C Barrett, L Keegan, J Kilcullen, R McGarrity, P Gardiner, A Campbell, J Doherty, M Ronaldson.