McEneaney names same Louth team

Louth manager Eamon McEneaney has named an unchanged team for tomorrow's All-Ireland SFC third round qualifier against Cork (O'Moore Park, throw-in 2pm).

The game will see Louth bidding to reach the All-Ireland quarter-finals for the first time since the new knockout system was introduced.

McEneaney has kept faith with the fifteen players that started last weekend's surprise win over Kildare in Newbridge, but has made a number of positional switches.

In a bid to combat the attacking threats of Cork's Pearse O'Neill and James Masters, Louth have transferred Mick Fanning from centre-back from left corner back for tomorrow's game, with John Neary moving from wing back to the left corner.

Team captain Peter McGinnity, who has been a regular at centre-back in the championship, has been switched to left half-back and John O'Brien also has a new position at right half-back.

In attack, Brian White will line out at right half-forward with Martin Farrelly at centre-forward and Aaron Hoey top of the right, but further switches are expected before the throw-in in Portlaoise.

Greatly encouraged by his side's display against Kildare, Louth boss McEneaney now wants to see if his players can compete consistently at the top level.

"I think we showed (against Kildare) that we were capable of competing at the highest level but competing is one thing, winning at the same level hasn't been learned. But I think our experiences in the league in February and March have stood us in good stead," he said.

"Cork are a tall order and I suppose for Louth there was never going to be an easy draw at this stage. Realistically they are All-Ireland contenders. We are still trying to find out what level we are at. And were not sure.

"But signs were encouraging in Newbridge and the previous week in Limerick, especially in the second half."

Louth lost to Wexford at the quarter-final stage in Leinster, before grabbing a one-point win over Limerick in their first round qualifier and they had six points to spare over Kildare last Saturday.

Tomorrow marks the Wee county's first championship clash with Cork since their 1957 All-Ireland final win. The 1-9 to 1-7 victory of fifty years ago gave Louth their third and last All-Ireland SFC crown.

LOUTH (SFC v Cork) - S Reynolds; A Page, C Goss, J Neary; J O'Brien, M Fanning, P McGinnity (capt); P Keenan, R Carroll; B White, M Farrelly, M Stanfield; A Hoey, S Lennon, C Judge.