Donal Óg Cusack names his Cork minor hurling team to face Clare

Eoin Downey, the brother of Cork senior Robert, will captain the side

Ben Cunningham, St. Finbarr's, is tackled by Ballincollig's Brian Keating. Both will start for the Cork minor hurlers on Saturday. Picture: Jim Coughlan

Eoin Downey, the brother of Cork senior Robert, will captain the Cork minor hurlers from right-half-back for their Munster MHC quarter-final against Clare.

In Donal Óg Cusack's first game as manager, Downey is joined by his fellow Harty Cup finalists with CBC, Shane Kingston of Ballinora and Ballincollig's James Dwyer, in the team.

Two of St Finbarr's county champions get the nod to start, Ben O'Connor at centre-back and corner-forward Ben Cunningham, son of senior selector Ger, who scored 12 points in their final win over Sarsfields. William Buckley is also named on the bench.

There is a Ballincollig backbone to the team in midfield, where Brian Keating partners Dwyer, with Tadhg O'Connell at left-half-forward.

Midleton also have three representatives in goalkeeper Brion Saunderson, full-back Ciarmhac Smyth, and vice-captain Alex Quirke at no.10.

There are two Walshs from Kanturk included, with Colin at centre-forward and Tommy, younger brother of Aidan, among the subs. 

Cork take on Clare on Saturday at Semple Stadium, Thurles, with throw-in at 1pm. The game will be live-streamed on the Munster GAA website at a cost of €5.

Cork MHC (v Clare): Brion Saunderson (Midleton); Shane Kingston (Ballinora), Ciarmhac Smyth (Midleton), Kevin Lyon (Ballygarvan); Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers, captain), Ben O’Connor (St Finbarr's), Michael Mullins (Whitechurch); Brian Keating (Ballincollig), James Dwyer (Ballincollig); Alex Quirke (Midleton), Colin Walsh (Kanturk), Tadhg O’Connell (Ballincollig); Ben Cunningham (St Finbarr's), Mark Howell (Douglas), Eoin O’Leary (Glen Rovers). 

Subs: Eoin O’Neill (Blarney), Ben Nodwell (Sarsfields), Dáire Burke (Douglas), Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold), Jack Leahy (Kiltha Óg), Sean O’Riordan (Youghal), Tommy Walsh (Kanturk), William Buckley (St Finbarr's).

CLARE (MHC v Cork): A Shanahan (Tulla); M O'Loughlin (Corofin), A Hogan (Feakle), M Delaney (Newmarket); M Reidy (Ballyea), I MacNamara (Killanena), J Collins (Éire Óg); O O'Donnel (Crusheen), K O'Connor (Corofin); L Kavanagh (Éire Óg), O Clune (Feakle), P Crotty (Scariff); N O'Farrell (Broadford), E Guilfoyle (Clooney Quin), S Rynne (Inagh Kilnamona).

Subs: G Sheedy (Ogonelloe), S Woods (Inagh Kilnamona), D Keogh (Clooney Quin), L O'Halloran (Sixmilebridge), J Doherty (Clarecastle), O Cahill (Éire Óg), K Barry (Inagh Kilnamona).