Cork v Limerick: Team news ahead of Sunday's hurling league clash

CIAN Lynch has been named at centre-forward for Limerick ahead of Sunday's Allianz Hurling League clash with Cork at 3.45pm, live on TG4.

The mercurial playmaker, harshly sent off for NUIG in last weekend's Fitzgibbon Cup final defeat, a decision which was overturned on appeal, has caused the Rebels endless problems in recent meetings and is arguably the best hurler in the modern game.

Cork, who have yet to reveal their line-up, could deploy Ger Millerick, who was injured for last year's All-Ireland final hammering, as a man-marker for Lynch at the Gaelic Grounds.

John Kiely has made eight changes to the side beaten by Galway in the last round, which came on the back of a loss to Tipperary, with Gearóid Hegarty suspended. 

There are a host of big names in reserve: Nickey Quaid, Diarmaid Byrnes, Barry Nash, Aaron Gillane, Will O'Donoghue, Richie English (a first cousin of Darragh Fitzgibbon) and Graeme Mulcahy.

Cork won their opening fixtures against Clare and Offaly but face a tougher run from here, including Galway at Páirc Uí Chaoimh and Wexford away, if they are to make the league semi-finals. After defeating Limerick in league and championship in 2019, the Rebels have lost four times in a row to their rivals.

LIMERICK (v Cork): 

Barry Hennessy (Kilmallock); 

Sean Finn (Bruff), Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Aaron Costello (Kilmallock); 

Colin Coughlan (Ballybrown), Declan Hannon (Adare), Kyle Hayes (Kildimo-Pallaskenry); 

Darragh O'Donovan (Doon), Robbie Hanley (Kilmallock); 

Cathal O'Neill (Crecora-Manister), Cian Lynch (Patrickswell), Tom Morrissey (Ahane); 

Darren O'Connell (Kildimo-Pallaskenry), Seamus Flanagan (Feohanagh-Castlemahon), David Reidy (Dromin-Athlacca). 

Subs: Nickie Quaid (Effin), Conor Boylan (Na Piarsaigh), Diarmaid Byrnes (Patrickswell), Ronan Connolly (Adare), Richie English (Doon), Aaron Gillane (Patrickswell), Graeme Mulcahy (Kilmallock), Barry Nash (South Liberties), William O’Donoghue (Na Piarsiagh), Brian O’Grady (Kilteely-Dromkeen), Pat Ryan (Doon)