Cork U20 hurlers pick team to take on Clare in Munster final
Tadhg O'Connell, Cork, controlling the sliotar against Sean Rynne, Clare. Picture: Brendan Gleeson
CORK manager Ben O'Connor and his selectors have announced their starting 15 for Monday night's Munster U20 final at the Gaelic Grounds against Limerick, 7.30pm, live on TG4.
The Rebels won all their group games while Clare pulled off a big win against Tipp in Thurles in the semi-final. The provincial champions go straight to the All-Ireland final against the Leinster victors, Offaly or Wexford.
Eoin Downey won't be involved with St Finbarr's Ben O'Connor at centre-back instead.
The current rule means a player can't tog out for the U20s and seniors within a seven-day period starting on Mondays. Cork had appealed to the Munster Council to stage the decider this weekend to free up Downey but weren't successful. Adam Hogan is in the same boat for Clare, with the players involved at senior level in the huge clash at Cusack Park on May 21.
O'Connor was at six in the last outing against Limerick but there are two changes to the team, fit-again Seán Daly and Ross O'Sullivan coming in for the injury Cillian Tobin and Ross O'Sullivan, with a few positional switches to go with them.
In the round robin series, Cork beat Clare with a strong second-half showing, a characteristic of their campaign, in Ennis. They'll be favourites again here but Banner hurling is on a roll and the minors defeated the Rebels in the Munster minor final earlier this week.
The minors are back in action next Saturday in Thurles against Leinster winners Galway as part of a double-header with Clare-Kilkenny.
Brion Saunderson (Midleton);
Sean Daly (Randal Óg), Shane Kingston (Ballinora), Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig);
James Dwyer (Ballincollig), Ben O’Connor (St Finbarr’s), Mark Howell (Douglas);
Tadhg O’Connell (Ballincollig), Michael Mullins (Whitechurch, c);
William Buckley (St Finbarr’s), Ben Cunningham (St Finbarr’s), Colin Walsh (Kanturk);
David Cremin (Midleton), Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold), Ross O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh).
Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neills), Ciarmhac Smyth (Midleton), Kevin Lyons (Ballygarvan), Ciaran Doolan (St Finbarr’s), Timmy Wilk (Cobh), Mikey Finn (Midleton), Adam O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), Jack Leahy (Dungourney), Brian Keating (Ballincollig).
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