Munster MHC: Cork make three changes for Limerick clash

There are three changes to the Cork minor team for Thursday night’s Electric Ireland Munster MHC clash with Limerick at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh (7pm).

From the side which started against Tipperary in Thurles last week, Rian O’Riordan of Blackrock and John Murphy from Mallow come into the defence, at full-back and left half-back respectively.

Cian Denis O’Connor switches from number 3 to 2 to accommodate O’Riordan while there is a positional switch in attack too - Ballymartle’s Leo Hennessy is selected at right half-forward with Michael Tadhg Brosnan moving from 10 to 15. Keenan Harrington, Dean Cosgrave and Cormac Deane are named as substitutes.

Against Tipp, Cork trailed by eight points in the first half before managing to pull to within two points by half-time and then drawing level early in the second half. The hosts were able to push on again, though, winning by 1-19 to 2-12.

Four of the sides in Munster will progress The top two will contest the provincial final, with the winners going to the All-Ireland semi-finals and the losers to the quarter-finals, but the sides in third and fourth will contest preliminary quarter-finals against the beaten Leinster semi-finalists.

It leaves it all to play for against a Limerick side beginning their campaign and Cork selector Seánie McGrath is hoping that the team can learn from the experience of the Tipp game.

“In fairness to [Tipperary manager] James Woodlock, the one thing we were doing really well coming up to half-time was running at them and getting them on the turn as we have so much pace in the forward line,” he said.

“Then they dropped a man back and you’re tested then – do you push a man on or leave someone back behind as cover? When you’re up against forwards like Tipp’s, you have to leave someone back to keep an eye on them.

“They had the extra body then and tied us up a little bit. We’re disappointed but, like I said, we’ll take the positives.

“You’re in a format where second place will get you into a Munster final and third or fourth gets you out of the group so we’ll keep everything positive and get in the right frame of mind for Thursday.”

CORK (Munster MHC v Limerick): Josh Goulding (Glen Rovers); Cian Denis O’Connor (Millstreet), Rian O’Riordan (Blackrock), Liam Kelleher (Douglas, captain); Kevin Beechinor (Éire Óg), Conor Noonan (Kanturk), John Murphy (Mallow); Oisin O’Connell (Carrigaline, vice-captain), Jack Hegarty (Ballinora); Leo Hennessy (Ballymartle), Mark O’Brien (Douglas), Luke Murphy (Barryroe); Adam Lee (Cloyne), Joe Twohig (Valley Rovers), Michael Tadhg Brosnan (Glen Rovers).

Subs: Adam Lee (Carrigtwohill), Keenan Harrington (Ballinhassig), David Enright (Inniscarra), Dean Cosgrave (Courcey Rovers), Cormac Deane (Killeagh), Conor O’Donoghue (St Finbarr’s), Peter Barrett (Midleton), Fionn Lardner (Fermoy), Eoghan O’Shea (Ballinhassig).