Shanley out, Hurley named to start as Cleary reveals Cork side for Clare championship opener 

Castlehaven's Brian Hurley had been rated as 50/50 to play by manager John Cleary. 

SKIPPER: Cork’s Brian Hurley. Pic: ©INPHO/Evan Treacy

Cork football boss John Cleary has named captain Brian Hurley in his side for the Munster championship meeting with Clare in Ennis on Sunday (Throw-in, 2pm).

The Castlehaven sharpshooter has been struggling with a shoulder injury in the last number of weeks, and even told the Irish Examiner on Thursday, that he was "in limbo mode", with reference to his participation this Sunday.

As Hurley looks to have done enough to take part in Ennis, fellow West Cork native Maurice Shanley, of Clonakilty, has not been named on the 26-man panel. Shanley has been nursing a hamstring injury and will sit out this Munster opener. 

Nemo Rangers' Micheal Aodh Martin continues in goal, with his clubmate, Kevin O'Donovan deputising for the injured Shanley in the number two berth. 

Recently crowned Higher Education Footballer of the Year Daniel O'Mahony slots in at full-back, having been sent off against Louth in the penultimate round of the league campaign. Kanturk's Tommy Walsh completes the full-back line. 

The now familiar half-back trio of Luke Fahy, Rory Maguire and Matty Taylor continue after an impressive league campaign, while the ever-improving midfield duo of Ian Maguire and Éire Óg's Colm O'Callaghan wear eight and nine once again. 

Brian O'Driscoll and Knocknagree's Eoghan McSweeney will occupy the wing-forward slots with Ruairí Deane stationed on the 40. 

Hurley is joined in the full forward line by 2023 breakout man Chris Óg Jones, and Douglas' Sean Powter, who will almost certainly play further out the field than his 13 jersey would suggest. 

The Rebel bench is strong one, with Kiskeam's Sean Meehan and Kilshannig's Killian O'Hanlon taking their place among the subs. Forwards Steven Sherlock and Conor Corbett have also been kept in reserve. 

Clare: S Ryan; M Doherty, C Brennan, C Rouine; C Russell, J Malone, D Walsh; C O'Connor, C Bohannon; P Lillis, E McMahon, D Coughlan; E Cleary, K Sexton, P Collins.

Subs: D Sexton, G Cooney, M Garry, A Griffin, S Griffin, D Keating, R Lanigan, M McInerney, D O'Neill, A Sweeney, I Ugweru.

Cork: MA Martin; K O'Donovan, D O'Mahony, T Walsh; L Fahy, R Maguire, M Taylor; C O'Callaghan, I Maguire; E McSweeney, R Deane, B O'Driscoll; S Powter, B Hurley, C Óg Jones. 

Subs: C Kelly, S Meehan, P Ring, C Kiely, K O'Hanlon, P Walsh, J O'Rourke, F Herlihy, C Corbett, S Sherlock, M Cronin.