Cork team news: Pat Ryan keeps the faith for All-Ireland final

Cork captain Seán O'Donoghue leads his team during the parade before the All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Limerick. Photo by Seb Daly/Sportsfile

Pat Ryan has shown faith in the team that started the All-Ireland semi-final win over Limerick for Sunday’s final against Clare.

Not surprisingly, the same personnel have been endorsed for the clash with The Banner, who are also expected to stick with the side that commenced the last-four win over Kilkenny.

If the named Cork team lines out, it could be the first time they have fielded the same team for consecutive games since the Munster SHC when the starting line-up remained the same for the Round 3 and 4 wins over Limerick and Tipperary.

The only difference from last Sunday week’s game is Ciarán Joyce and Tim O’Mahony swapping jersey numbers. Having been announced as a midfielder against Limerick, Joyce lined out at wing-back and O’Mahony moved to the centre of the field.

From the 15 that began the narrow defeat to Clare in April’s Munster SHC Round 2 game in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh, Mark Coleman for Ethan Twomey is the only personnel switch.

The team shows six changes from the county’s last All-Ireland SHC final in 2021. The two alterations to the announced back seven are Eoin Downey for the retired Eoin Cadogan and the aforementioned Joyce for O’Mahony flip.

Replacing Luke Meade, Conor Cahalane, Robbie O’Flynn, Jack O’Connor and Shane Kingston are Joyce, Declan Dalton, Shane Barrett, Alan Connolly and Brian Hayes. Barrett and Dalton appeared as substitutes against Limerick three years ago but it will be a first final for Joyce, Connolly and Hayes.

The substitutes’ list also remains the same as it was for the win over Limerick and includes 2021 final starters Meade, O’Connor, Kingston and O’Flynn. Damien Cahalane is again on the bench as he was three years ago.

It is the first time since 2006 that Cork have stuck with the same starting 15 for an All-Ireland final. In ’21, Kingston was brought in for Barrett from the All-Ireland semi-final starting team. For the ’13 drawn game against Clare, Brian Murphy came in for Tom Kenny, while Jamie Coughlan was a replay starter in place of Cian McCarthy.

CORK (SHC v Clare): Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig); Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons), Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers), Seán O’Donoghue (c, Inniscarra); Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr), Robert Downey (Glen Rovers), Mark Coleman (Blarney); Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum), Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville); Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neill’s), Shane Barrett (Blarney), Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s); Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers), Alan Connolly (Blackrock), Brian Hayes (St Finbarrs). 

Subs: Brion Saunderson (Midleton), Damien Cahalane (St Finbarrs), Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s), Tommy O’Connell (Midleton), Luke Meade (Newcestown), Ethan Twomey (St Finbarr’s), Conor Lehane (Midleton), Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields), Shane Kingston (Douglas), Pádraig Power (Blarney), Robbie O’Flynn (Erins Own).