Darragh Fitzgibbon returns as Ben O'Connor shows hand for Cork's Offaly clash

The Charleville man is one of four changes. 

FIGHTING FIT: Cork player Darragh Fitzgibbon before the Munster final. Pic: Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

Cork captain Darragh Fitzgibbon is one of four changes Ben O’Connor has announced to his side to face Offaly in Sunday’s All-Ireland quarter-final.

Cork go with a new midfield pairing from the team that narrowly lost last Sunday week’s Munster final to Limerick in SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Injured pair Tim O’Mahony (dead leg) Tommy O’Connell (broken thumb) are not considered Fitzgibbon, having recovered from his appendix operation, is set to start in Thurles as is Brian Roche.

Upfront, Hugh O’Connor and Alan Walsh replace Barry Walsh and William Buckley as O’Connor assess his forward options. Both Killeagh starlet Walsh and Buckley are among the substitutes.

Ethan Twomey and Robbie O’Flynn are also included on the bench having missed out the previous day.

Dublin’s team revealed to face Clare in Saturday’s other quarter-final shows three changes from the team that began the Leinster final defeat to Galway.

Eoghan O’Donnell, Seán Currie and Ronan Hayes are named in the 15 with Liam Rushe, Darragh Power and Brendan Kenny included on the bench.

All-Star Cian O’Sullivan, who was a late withdrawal with a hamstring from the provincial decider, is also listed as a substitute. Rushe and Kenny had to retire with injury in Croke Park last Saturday week.

Meanwhile, three-time All-Ireland SFC winner Paul Murphy is the one change to the Kerry team named to face Armagh in Saturday’s All-Ireland SFC Round 3 game in Killarney, while 2025 All-Stars Shane Ryan and O’Shea return to the matchday panel.

Rathmore man Murphy came on for Evan Looney in last Saturday’s 2B win over Kildare in Newbridge. Captain Paul Geaney, a late change for Tony Brosnan, is included again.

Named on the bench, O’Shea’s bruised bone injury has kept him out of action since March’s Division 1 final defeat to Donegal, while Ryan has not played for the county in the 2026 season.

Eleven of the team that began the All-Ireland quarter-final victory over Armagh last year are announced to start. The four changes are Shane Murphy, Mike Breen, Diarmuid O’Connor and Paul Geaney for Ryan, Gavin White, Tom O’Sullivan and Conor Geaney.

Dublin have published the same side as was named to face Cavan last week before Lee Gannon and Peadar Ó Cofaigh-Byrne were late additions for Eoin Kennedy and Seán Bugler.

CORK (SHC v Offaly): P. Collins; N. O’Leary, D. Cahalane, S. O’Donoghue; E. Downey, R. Downey, M. Coleman; B. Roche, D. Fitzgibbon (c); H. O’Connor, S. Barrett, D. Healy; A. Connolly, B. Hayes. A. Walsh. Subs: P. O’Sullivan, G. Millerick, E. Roche, E. Twomey, M. Mullins, B. Walsh, R. O’Flynn, W. Buckley, S. Kingston, S. Harnedy, P. Power.

DUBLIN (SHC v Clare): E. Gibbons; C. McHugh, P. Smyth, E. O’Donnell; C. Crummey (c), P. Doyle, C. Burke; B. Hayes, C. Donohoe; F. Whitely, D. Burke, S. Currie; R. Hayes, J. Hetherton, C. Ó Riain. Subs: S. Brennan, D. Lucey, D. Power, C. Groarke, L. Rushe, J. Bellew, D. Ó Dúlaing, C. O’Sullivan, A. Dunphy, C. Ó Cathasaigh, B. Kenny.

KERRY (SFC v Armagh): S. Murphy; P. Murphy, J. Foley, D. Casey; B. Ó Beaglaoich, M. Breen, G. O’Sullivan; M. O’Shea, S. O’Brien; J. O’Connor, P. Clifford, D. O’Connor; D. Clifford, P. Geaney (c), D. Geaney. Subs: S. Ryan, E. Healy, E. Looney, K. Evans, T. Brosnan, C. Trant, A. Heinrich, G. White, K. Spillane, T. Morley, S. O’Shea, T. Kennedy.

DUBLIN (SFC v Donegal): E. Comerford; G. McEneaney, N. Doran, D. Byrne; S. MacMahon, C. McMorrow; E. Kennedy; T. Clancy, B. Howard; S. Bugler, C. O’Callaghan (c), N. Scully; P. Small, C. Kilkenny, C. Costello. Subs: H. O’Sullivan, T. Lahiff, L. Smith, L. Gannon, C. Murphy, S. Guiden, J. Bannon, R. McGarry, P. Ó Cofaigh-Byrne, C. Basquel, T. Deering.

MONAGHAN (SFC v Westmeath): R. Beggan; R. Wylie, K. Lavelle, D. Byrne; D. Ward, R. O’Toole, C. McCarthy; M. McCarville, K. Gallagher; O. McGorman, M. Bannigan (c), S. O’Hanlon; J. McCarron, A. Woods, S. Mooney. Subs: K. Mulligan, F. Carolan, R. Hanratty, C. Dowd, A. Carey, R. McAnespie, D. McElearney, T. Hughes, M. Maguire, D. Garland, T. Doherty.