Barry Walsh gets the nod as Ben O'Connor shows hand for Cork hurlers' championship opener

The Rebels face All-Ireland champions Tipperary on Sunday

GAME ON: Cork manager Ben O'Connor. Pic: INPHO/Tom O’Hanlon

The Cork team named to face Tipperary in Thurles on Sunday features 12 of the side that began last July’s All-Ireland final.

As expected, U20 starlet Barry Walsh is included in the team as is Seán O’Donoghue despite the hamstring injury he sustained in the Division 1A final defeat to Limerick earlier this month.

Mark Coleman is restored to the starting 15, replacing Micheál Mullins who is not in the squad. Also missing are Declan Dalton and Shane Kingston.

Seamus Harnedy is the other absentee from the team that commenced the Division 1A decider but the St Ita’s veteran is in the 26.

Diarmuid Healy has recovered from the quad injury that threatened to rule him out of the opening games of the provincial championship.

Of the 2025 All-Ireland final team, Dalton, Healy and the retired Patrick Horgan are the changes. Walsh and William Buckley are set to make their senior championship debuts.

CORK (SHC v Tipperary): P. Collins; N. O’Leary, C. Joyce, S. O’Donoghue; E. Downey, R. Downey, M. Coleman; T. O’Mahony, T. O’Connell; D. Fitzgibbon (c), S. Barrett, B. Walsh; W. Buckley, A. Connolly, B. Hayes. Subs: P. O’Sullivan, D. Cahalane, G. Millerick, C. O’Brien, E. Twomey, H. O’Connor, D. Healy, R. O’Flynn, S. Harnedy, P. Power, A. Walsh.