Hurling team news: Two changes each for Clare and Cork, Limerick unchanged

Robert Downey returns ahead of schedule for Cork

KEY MAN: After going off injury late against Limerick, Cork hurler Robert Downey returns to face Clare. Picture: Seb Daly/Sportsfile

David Fitzgerald and Ian Galvin have come into the Clare team for injured pair Ryan Taylor and Mark Rodgers ahead of Sunday’s Munster SHC final round game against Cork.

Rodgers had to withdraw from action in the first half of the win over Tipperary, while Taylor was replaced 10 minutes into the second half in Thurles.

Replacing Rodgers, Galvin scored 1-2 last Saturday and Fitzgerald came on for Tony Kelly with 13 minutes remaining. Captain Kelly’s ankle was strapped but he is at least named to start in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

After their 11th hour additions to the team last weekend, David McInerney and John Conlon are set to retain their places as is most recent man of the match Diarmuid Stritch.

Robert Downey is back from injury in the centre-back berth for Cork. The 2024 All-Star, who endured an injury-disrupted stint as Cork captain last year, limped off late in the win over Limerick four weeks ago.

The Glen Rovers man was diagnosed with an ankle issue and the expectation was he'd be in a race against time to make the provincial final if Cork got there.

However, he returned to training this week and his availability is a major boost for Ben O'Connor and his selectors, given captain Darragh Fitzgibbon was ruled out following an appendectomy last weekend. Tim O'Mahony was in the number six role in the victory over Waterford but can now go back to midfield alongside Tommy O'Connell.

Barry Walsh, who missed out in Walsh Park due to a load management after an U20 game with Clare four days earlier, comes in at wing-forward.

Hugh O'Connor drops to the bench having started in midfield against the Déise. Robbie O'Flynn, the first forward sub introduced the last day, is out with a hamstring injury.

Declan Dalton is part of the matchday 26 for the first time in the provincial arena this summer after an impressive performance for his club Fr O'Neill's in their league win over St Finbarr's last Sunday. Micheál Mullins, a starter in the league final loss to Limerick, is back following illness with Eoin Roche also in the squad.

Cork are down Ciarán Joyce for the rest of the year after an operation on his cruciate while Dáire O’Leary, after starting five league games at full-back, hasn't featured since March due to a succession of injuries.

Mark Coleman takes over from Fitzgibbon as captain against Clare.

Dublin have made one change to the team that commenced last Saturday’s Leinster SHC, Round 4 win over Galway for the final round clash with Kilkenny in Parnell Park.

Eoghan O’Donnell, who was named to start that game but was replaced later, is in for Conor McHugh. Ronan Hayes and John Hetherton, who were instrumental in the victory in Salthill, are at least listed among the substitutes.

Limerick have named the same side that defeated Waterford for the Round 5 clash with Tipperary in TUS Gaelic Grounds on Sunday.

Captain Cian Lynch is among the substitutes once more. The Patrickswell man came on for Adam English in the first half last Sunday.

Tipperary make five alterations to the team that began the defeat to Clare. Keith Ryan, Seamus Kennedy, Conor Stakelum, Noel McGrath and Stefan Tobin replace Michael Breen, Willie Connors, Craig Morgan, Andrew Ormond and Jason Forde.

DUBLIN (SHC v Kilkenny): E. Gibbons; P. Doyle, P. Smyth, E. O’Donnell; C. Crummey (c), L. Rushe, C. Burke; B. Hayes, C. Groarke; F. Whitely, D. Burke, C. Donohoe; D. Purcell, C. O’Sullivan, C. Ó Riain. 

Subs: S. Brennan, D. Lucey, R. Hayes, O. Gaffney, C. McHugh, J. Bellew, D. Ó Dúlaing, P. Dunleavy, D. Purcell, D. Power, J. Hetherton.

CLARE (SHC v Cork): E. Quilligan; D. McInerney, A. Hogan, D. Lohan; D. Ryan, J. Conlon, N. O’Farrell; T. Kelly (c), S. Rynne; C. Malone, D. Stritch, D. Fitzgerald; I. Galvin, P. Duggan, S. O’Donnell. 

Subs: E. Foudy, C. Cleary, S. Meehan, R. Hayes, C. Galvin, J. O’Neill, D. Reidy, J. Conneally, K. Smyth, C. Leen, J. Kirwan.

CORK (SHC v Clare): Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig); Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons), Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s), Seán O’Donoghue (Inniscarra); Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers), Robert Downey (Glen Rovers), Mark Coleman (Blarney, c); Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum), Tommy O’Connell (Midleton); Barry Walsh (Killeagh), Shane Barrett (Blarney), Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold); Alan Connolly (Blackrock), Brian Hayes (St Finbarr’s), William Buckley (St Finbarr’s). 

Subs: Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s), Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s), Eoin Roche (Bride Rovers), Cormac O’Brien (Newtownshandrum), Micheál Mullins (Glen Rovers), Hugh O’Connor (Newmarket), Séamus Harnedy (St Ita’s), Pádraig Power (Blarney), Shane Kingston (Douglas), Alan Walsh (Kanturk), Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neill’s).

LIMERICK (SHC v Tipperary): N. Quaid; S. Finn, D. Morrissey, B. Nash; D. Byrnes, W. O’Donoghue (c), K. Hayes; A. English, D. O’Donovan; H. Hegarty, A. O’Connor, C. O’Neill; A. Gillane, S. O’Brien, P. Casey. Subs: C. Ryan, M. Casey, C. Coughlan, F. Fitzgerald, M. Fitzgerald, H. Flanagan, E. Hurley, C. Lynch, T. Morrissey, D. Ó Dalaigh, D. Reidy.

TIPPERARY (SHC v Limerick): R. Shelly; R. Doyle, R. Maher (c), K. Ryan; E. Connolly, B. O’Mara, S. Kennedy; C. Stakelum, A. Tynan; O. O’Donoghue, J. Morris, N. McGrath; D. McCarthy, J. McGrath, S. Tobin. Subs: B. Hogan, M. Breen, J. Caesar, P. McCormack, B. McGrath, C. Morgan, G. O’Connor, S. O’Farrell, J. Ormond, J. Ryan, D. Stakelum.

OFFALY (SHC v Kildare): L. Hoare; C. Burke, B. Conneely, P. Taaffe; R. Ravenhill, K. Sampson, T. Guinan; C. King, C. Spain; S. Rigney, C. Doyle, D. Bourke; E. Cahill, B. Duignan, A. Screeney. Subs: M. Troy, O. Kelly, D. Nally, L. Watkins, J. Mahon, R. Kelly, C. Cleary, L. Nolan, E. Bourke, L. Kavanagh, E. Kelly.

GALWAY (SHC v Wexford): D. Fahy; J. Ryan, C. Travers, D. Morrissey (c); P. Mannion, D. Burke, R. Glennon; C. Daniels, G. Lee; D. Neary, T. Killeen, T. Monaghan; J. Rabbitte, Conor Whelan, E. Niland. Subs: E. Murphy, K. Hanrahan, S. Morgan, Cillian Whelan, C. Fahy, S. Linnane, J. Fleming, C. Molloy, C. Cooney, O. Lohan, B. Concannon.

KILKENNY (SHC v Dublin): E. Murphy; M. Butler, M. Carey, I. Bolger; D. Blanchfield, D. Corcoran, P. Deegan; K. Doyle, C. Kenny; L. Moore, E. Cody, T. Phelan; H. Shine, T.J. Reid, M. Keoghan. Subs: A. Tallis, S. Murphy, R. Reid, R. Garrett, C. Beirne, A. Mullen, S. Donnelly, F. Mackessy, L. Hogan, T. Clifford, J. Donnelly.