Cork make four changes as Limerick start Jason Gillane in goals

Mark Stokes comes in for injured Emmet Moloney as Philly Ryan makes one change from the Tipperary side that drew with Carlow for their clash with Longford in Clonmel Sportsfield on Saturday.

Fri, 31 Jan, 2025 - 06:40

John Fogarty

Cork have made four alterations to the team that defeated Wexford for Saturday evening’s Division 1 clash with Limerick in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Two of the changes are enforced: suspended Declan Dalton is replaced by Ethan Twomey and Eoin Roche comes in for last season’s captain Seán O’Donoghue who picked up a groin injury against Wexford.

Ciarán Joyce comes into the half-back line from where Tim O’Mahony switches to midfield to replace Luke Meade, who is named among the substitutes. Alan Connolly is selected in the full-forward line and Brian Roche also moves to the bench.

Eoin Downey and Mark Coleman are also among the reserves as well as Patrick Horgan, who was named in the squad for the trip to Chadwicks Wexford Park but didn’t travel.

Captain Robert Downey has recovered from a rolled ankle last Saturday to be selected at centre-half back. Seamus Harnedy was a second-half substitute last weekend but is not named in the panel for Saturday.

In total, Cork go with nine of the team that began last year’s All-Ireland semi-final win over Limerick – Patrick Collins, Niall O’Leary, Joyce, Robert Downey, Tim O’Mahony, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Barrett, Brian Hayes and Connolly.

Jason Gillane starts in the Limerick goal, one of eight changes from the side that lost to Cork in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final. Shane Dowling is listed as substitute goalkeeper.

While his older brother Aaron, Seamus Flanagan and David Reidy are on the bench, there are just seven starters from the previous meeting in Croke Park – Seán Finn, Dan Morrissey, Diarmuid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Gearóid Hegarty and Cian Lynch, who captains the side.

Hayes is given the number six jersey and is flanked by Byrnes and Colin Coughlan while Barry Murphy is given a corner-back berth. In-form Adam English partners William O’Donoghue in midfield while the inside forward line is a youthful one comprising Donnacha Ó Dalaigh, Shane O’Brien and Patrick O’Donovan.

Meanwhile, Mark Stokes comes in for injured Emmet Moloney as Philly Ryan makes one change from the Tipperary side that drew with Carlow for their clash with Longford in Clonmel Sportsfield on Saturday.

Elsewhere, Karl Lacey has stepped down as Kilcoo manager after two years in charge. The 2012 All-Ireland SFC winner led the Down side to a couple of county titles but they came up short in the Ulster championship, losing out to Errigal Ciarán in last season’s final.

CORK (AHL v Limerick): P. Collins (Ballinhassig); N. O’Leary (Castlelyons), G. Millerick (Fr O’Neills), E. Roche (Bride Rovers); C. Joyce (Castlemartyr), R. Downey (c, Glen Rovers), C. O’Brien (Newtownshandrum); T. O’Mahony (do.), D. Fitzgibbon (Charleville); E. Twomey (St Finbarrs), S. Kingston (Douglas), S. Barrett (Blarney); B. Hayes (St Finbarrs), P. Power (Blarney), A. Connolly (Blackrock).

Subs: B. Saunderson (Midleton), E. Downey (Glen Rovers), D. Cahalane (St Finbarrs), M. Coleman (Blarney), M. Mullins (Whitechurch), L. Meade (Newcestown), B. Roche (Bride Rovers), D. Healy (Lisgoold), C. Lehane (Midleton), P. Horgan (Glen Rovers), R. Cotter (Blackrock).

LIMERICK (AHL v Cork): J. Gillane; S. Finn, D. Morrissey, B. Murphy; D. Byrnes, K. Hayes, C. Coughlan; A. English, W. O’Donoghue; G. Hegarty, C. Lynch (c), A. O’Connor; D. Ó Dalaigh, S. O’Brien, P. O’Donovan.

Subs: S. Dowling, S. Flanagan, A. Gillane, V. Harrington, M. Houlihan, E. Hurley, D. Langan, F. O’Connor, D. Reidy, C. Scully, E. Stokes.

TIPPERARY (AFL v Longford): S. Ryan, M. McFadden, J. Feehan, J. Harney; E. Power, L. Boland, M. Stokes; C. Deeley, M. Russell; M. Freaney, S. O’Brien, B. Comerford, C. Fahey, S. O’Connor, D. Brennan.

Subs: R, McGrath, M. Barlow, T. Condon, P. Feehan, C. Horgan, K. Costello, M. Lyons, M. O’Shea, J. O’Neill, J. Madigan, C. Smith.