Cork minors go with unchanged side for All-Ireland semi-final

Young Rebels face Tipperary in last four at TUS Gaelic Grounds on Saturday afternoon.

Cork manager Donal Mulcahy after the defeat of Wexford in the Electric Ireland Alll-Ireland preliminary quarter-final at FBD Semple Stadium. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

The Cork minor hurling management have kept faith with the same starting 15 for Saturday’s Electric Ireland All-Ireland MHC quarter-final against Tipperary at TUS Gaelic Grounds (2pm).

Having impressed in a 12-point quarter-final win over Kilkenny at FBD Semple Stadium a fortnight ago, Donal Mulcahy and his selectors have gone with the same team, though there are two changes to the substitutes as Midleton’s John O’Sullivan and Inniscarra’s James O’Sullivan are included.

Back in April, Cork competed well against Tipperary in the sides’ Munster MHC round-robin game in Thurles before the home side scored the game’s last five points to win by seven. 

Indicative of the dynamic nature of the U17 grade is the fact that the starting side that night shows six changes compared with Saturday’s side, while goalkeeper Marley Walsh and corner-backs Jack Batterberry and Nathan Coffey are the only players selected in the same position as on that evening.

The game will be Cork’s seventh in total, with three All-Ireland knockout ties having followed the four as they finished third in the Munster league table.

For Mulcahy, the benefits in terms of the players’ development have been huge.

“Absolutely, that's one of the most pleasing aspects of our group is that, look, they've continued to learn and improve,” he said.

“To me, that's what the minor grade is about – players make mistakes, they learn from them, they get better.

“We've seen that progression through the season and the experience gained from seven championship matches has been invaluable.

“So, that's kind of where we are at the moment. We have some injury challenges – ufortunately, CJ Barrett remains unavailable due to a long-term injury and this game is coming a little too soon for Howard O'Donovan and Sam Ring, but other than that, we have a clean bill of health and the rest of the squad is available for selection.”

Having had to dig deep to conjure a late comeback to overcome Wexford in the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final, Cork led throughout against Kilkenny, with goals from Seán Riordan and Callum Coffey in a 2-25 to 1-16 triumph.

“We kind of got ahead and we stayed ahead,” Mulcahy said.

CORK (All-Ireland MHC v Tipperary): Marley Walsh (Youghal); Jack Batterberry (Castletownroche), Finn Cahill (Midleton), Nathan Coffey (Na Piarsaigh); Eoin Considine (Sarsfields, captain), Dave Nolan (Erin’s Own), Ger Kingston (Mallow); Alfie Hennessy (Midleton), Stephen McHugh (Newtownshandrum); Cormac Murphy (Ballinora), Seán Riordan (Kilworth), Ryan Cagney (Mallow); Callum Coffey (Na Piarsaigh), Bobby Power (Ballincollig), Sam McCarthy (Castlelyons).

Subs: Will Stokes (Midleton), Cathal Barry (Bride Rovers), Liam O’Regan (St Finbarr’s), Tadhg Murphy (Cloughduv), Tadhg McCarthy (Watergrasshill), Tom Huggins (Sarsfields), Conor Ronayne (Dungourney), John O’Sullivan (Midleton), James O’Sullivan (Inniscarra).