Robert Downey starts at full back for Cork as Hegarty is dropped to bench for Limerick

Pat Ryan starts nine of the team which played Galway in last year's All Ireland quarter-final as John Kiely makes one change with Gearòid Hegarty dropping to bench.

TEAM NEWS: Robert Downey starts at full back for Cork for Waterford clash.Pic: ©INPHO/Ken Sutton

Robert Downey takes his brother Eoin’s spot at full-back as Pat Ryan starts nine of the team that began last year’s All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Galway for Cork’s Munster SHC opening game against Waterford on Sunday.

Serving a one-match ban from the Division 1 semi-final loss to Kilkenny, Eoin misses out on this game with Robert shifting back from the half-back line where Ger Mellerick is introduced.

Darragh Fitzgibbon makes a welcome return to start in midfield, while Patrick Horgan is set to make his 72nd championship appearance in attack where he is joined by Declan Dalton. Hamstring injury concern Shane Kingston is named on the bench and captain Seán O’Donoghue on the stand-by list as he makes his return to fitness after a leg injury. Jack O’Connor is not available.

Of the 15 set to start in Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday (4pm throw-in), nine began the Division 1 semi-final in UPMC Nowlan Park. Tommy O’Connell and Brian Roche are set to make their championship debuts.

Tom Barron, who came on for injured Tadhg de Búrca in Waterford’s loss to Limerick, is expected to be the one change to the Waterford side for the game.

Meanwhile, Gearóid Hegarty has dropped to the bench as Limerick make one change to the team that beat Waterford for Saturday evening’s Munster SHC Round 2 clash with Clare in TUS Gaelic Grounds (7pm throw-in).

Cathal O’Neill comes in for Hegarty who was sent off against Waterford for two yellow cards, while captain Declan Hannon is named to start despite coming off in the first half of last Sunday’s match in Thurles.

Elsewhere, Pearse Stadium will host Kerry’s All-Ireland U20 semi-final against Sligo on Saturday week with a 4.45pm throw-in. The other semi-final between Kildare and Down has been fixed for Parnell Park later that day (7pm).

CORK (SHC v Waterford): P. Collins; N. O’Leary (c); R. Downey, D. Cahalane; T. O’Connell, C. Joyce, G. Mellerick; B. Roche, D. Fitzgibbon; S. Harnedy, C. Lehane, D. Dalton; L. Meade, P. Horgan, S. Barrett. 

Subs: G. Collins, C. O’Brien, T. O’Mahony, B. O’Sullivan, E. Twomey, C. Cahalane, B. Hayes, S. Twomey, R. O’Flynn, P. Power, S. Kingston. Standby: C. Beausang, A. Cadogan, S. O’Donoghue, S. Quirke.

LIMERICK (SHC v Clare): N. Quaid; S. Finn, D. Morrissey, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, D. Hannon (c), K. Hayes; D. O’Donovan, W. O’Donoghue; C. O'Neill, C. Lynch (c), T. Morrissey; A. Gillane, S. Flanagan, P. Casey. 

Subs: J. Power, C. Boylan, M. Casey, R. Connolly, C. Coughlan, R. English, G. Hegarty, G. Mulcahy, B. Murphy, D Ó Dalaigh, D. Reidy.

DERRY (SFC v Monaghan): O. Lynch; C. McKaigue, E. McEvoy, C. McCluskey; C. Doherty, G. McKinless, P. McGrogan; C. Glass, B. Rogers; Pádraig Cassidy, Paul Cassidy, E. Doherty; N. Toner, S. McGuigan, N. Loughlin. 

Subs: R. Scullion, D. Cassidy, C. McFaul, S. Downey, L. Murray, B. McCarron, P. McNeil, B. Herron, C. McGuckian, D. Baker, O. McWilliams.

CORK (U20HC v Limerick): B. Saunderson; M. Howell, S. Kingston, D. O’Sullivan; J. Dwyer, B. O’Connor, M. Mullins (c); T. O’Connell, C. Tobin; W. Buckley, B. Cunningham, D. Healy; A. O’Sullivan, C. Walsh, D. Cremin. 

Subs: P. O’Sullivan, C. Smyth, T. Wilk (Cobh), C. Doolan, M. Finn, R. O’Sullivan, D. McSweeney, B. Keating, B. Nyhan.

LIMERICK (U20HC v Cork): J. O’Reilly; R. Lyons, J. Fitzgerald, E. O’Leary; D. Fitzgerald, E. Hurley (c), C. Scully; B. Duff, M. Gavin; A. Fitzgerald, P. O’Donovan, S. O’Brien; O. O’Farrell, A. English, C. Hayes. 

Subs: K. Quaid, F. Fitzgerald, S. Whelan, J. Kirby, S. O'Neill, J. Fitzgerald, D. Langan, L. Dennehy, W. Dore.

TIPPERARY (U20HC v Waterford); J. O’Dwyer; D. Slattery, R. Doyle, L. Shanahan; C. Quinn, J. Caesar, C. McKelvey; J. Morris, D. Stakelum (c); S. Kenneally, E. Ryan, J. Leamy; P. McGarry, T. Cahill. R. Connolly. 

Subs: C. McCormack; M. Corcoran, J. Egan, S. Ferncombe, D. McCarthy, C. McCormack, P. McCormack, L. Ormond, P. Ryan.

WATERFORD (SHC v Cork): B. Nolan; C. Gleeson, C. Prunty, M. Fitzgerald; T. Barron, C. Lyons, J. Fagan; D. Lyons, J. Barron (v-c); N. Montgomery, D. Hutchinson, M. Kiely; C. Dunford, S. Bennett, J. Prendergast. 

Subs: S. O'Brien, C. Ryan, Pádraig Fitzgerald, C. Daly, P. Hogan, K. Mahony, A. Gleeson, D.J. Foran, Patrick Fitzgerald, P. Curran, P. Leavey.

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