Shane Barrett makes first championship start as Cork name team for Kilkenny battle

Cork's Shane Barrett celebrates scoring a goal against Clare in the qualifiers. The Blarney youngster makes his first championship start on Sunday. Picture: INPHO/Tommy Dickson

Shane Barrett will make his full Championship debut for Cork in Sunday's All-Ireland SHC semi-final clash with Kilkenny at Croke Park.

The young Blarney forward, who fired 0-3 in the delayed 2020 All-Ireland U-20 final defeat of Dublin last month, replaces Shane Kingston in the only change to the Cork team.

Barrett has been the first substitute introduced by manager Kieran Kingston in all three of Cork's Championship games so far, returning 0-2, 1-1 and 0-1 tallies against Limerick, Clare and Dublin.

His upgrade for the biggest game of Cork's season so far represents a real show of confidence from manager Kingston who has otherwise stuck with the same team that overcame Dublin in the quarter-finals.

Barrett previously started three league games for Cork and his inclusion again this weekend leaves the Rebels with a strong looking bench that includes the two Cadogans, Eoin and Alan, Shane Kingston and Colm Spillane.

Defender Niall O'Leary had been an injury doubt after a leg injury late in the Dublin game but he is named again along with Luke Meade who hobbled off against the Dubs. Conor Cahalane suffered cramp in that game too but he starts in attack.

CORK (v Kilkenny): P Collins; N O'Leary, R Downey, S O'Donoghue; T O'Mahony, M Coleman, G Millerick; D Fitzgibbon, L Meade; C Cahalane, S Harnedy, R O'Flynn; S Barrett, P Horgan, J O'Connor.

Subs: Ger Collins, Sean O'Leary Hayes, Colm Spillane, Eoin Cadogan, Niall Cashman, Damian Cahalane, Billy Hennessy, Shane Kingston, Alan Cadogan, Alan Connolly, Declan Dalton.