Connolly leads the line for Cork U20 hurlers but some big names aren't risked 

MAN of the Match in the county final Alan Connolly will wear the number 14 geansaí for the Cork U20 hurlers against Kerry.

The Blackrock forward will be flanked by Shane O'Regan and Colin O'Brien, who was a key player when Cork won the U17 All-Ireland three years ago, for the Munster quarter-final in Tralee at 6.30pm.

Pat Ryan and his selectors are without a few of their better-known hurlers, including Na Piarsaigh's Daire Connery, Courcey Rovers' Seán Twomey and Blarney's Pádraig Power and Shane Barrett.

Twomey has struggled with injury all summer and missed the bulk of Courceys' PIHC campaign, but Connery, Power and Barrett were in top form at club level and would be crucial in a provincial semi-final against Limerick.

Conor O'Callaghan is the captain, while Eoin and Brian Roche, O'Regan and Tommy O'Connell were prominent in 2019 when Cork reached the All-Ireland final against Tipp via the backdoor and were beaten.

Dáire O'Leary is picked at wing-back after helping Watergrasshill reach the PIHC semi-final recently, while Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr) and Brian O'Sullivan (Kanturk) also caught the eye on club duty.

Midfielder Sam Quirke is the brother of Cork minor vice-captain Alex, who'd a fine game at the weekend against Clare.

The bench includes some of the stand-out hurlers in the Rebel Óg Premier 1 minor campaign, Sars' Daniel Hogan, the Barrs' Jack Cahalane and Ethan Twomey and Glen Rovers' Luke Horgan. St Finbarr's Brian Hayes is a gifted dual operator.

Blarney's Declan Hanlon and Blackrock's Robbie Cotter are on the extended panel, while Pat Ryan's selectors are Wayne Sherlock, Donal O'Mahony, Brendan Coleman and Fergal Condon.

1. Eoin Davis (St Catherine’s) 

2. Conor O’Callaghan (Dromtarriffe, c), 3. Eoin Roche (Bride Rovers), 4. Aaron Walsh Barry (Carrigtwohill) 

5. Kevin Moynihan (Na Piarsaigh), 6. Ciaran Joyce (Castlemartyr), 7. Dáire O’Leary (Watergrasshill) 

8. Sam Quirke (Midleton), 9. Brian O’Sullivan (Kanturk) 

10. Brian Roche (Bride Rovers), 11. Tommy O’Connell (Midleton), 12. Eoin Carey (Kilworth) 

13. Shane O’Regan (Watergrasshill), 14. Alan Connolly (Blackrock), 15. Colin O’Brien (Liscarroll/Churchtown Gaels) 

16. Donal Maher (Douglas), 17. Darragh Moran (Castlemartyr), 18. Liam Ryan (Inniscarra), 19. Luke Horgan (Glen Rovers), 20. Ethan Twomey (St Finbarr's), 21. Daniel Hogan (Sarsfields), 22. Jack Cahalane (St Finbarr's), 23. Owen McCarthy (Inniscarra), 24. Brian Hayes (St Finbarr's)

Extended panel: Cillian O'Donovan (Douglas), Robbie Cotter (Blackrock), Daire Connery (Na Piarsaigh), Shane Barrett (Blarney), Seán Twomey (Courcey Rovers), Fenton Denny (Ballincollig), Pádraig Power (Blarney), Darragh Flynn (Ballygiblin), Diarmuid Kearney (Cobh), Declan Hanlon (Blarney), Cormac O'Brien (Newtownshandrum).