Clare v Cork: Rory Maguire returns as Rebels name team

CORK football manager John Cleary has made one enforced change from the team which lost to Kerry in the Munster senior football championship semi-final four weeks ago for Saturday’s opening Group 3 All-Ireland tie against Clare.

Luke Fahy is out for this important game due to a hamstring injury picked up in a challenge game two weeks ago and he’s replaced by Rory Maguire. The 2023 All-Star nominee hasn’t kicked a ball since injuring his hamstring during the first half of the Allianz Division 2 football league win over Kildare at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday, March 3.

There are changes on the bench from the last championship game against Kerry with Seán Meehan and Kevin O’Donovan replaced by Neil Lordan and Killian O’Hanlon.

Cusack Park in Ennis is the venue on Saturday for a 6pm throw-in for what is a crunch fixture between the Munster rivals despite it being the first of three group matches. Considering that the other teams in this difficult group are Ulster giants Donegal and Tyrone, a win on Saturday for either team would go a long way towards securing a knockout place in the Sam Maguire competition.

Three teams out of four qualifies but for the losers of Saturday’s encounter, it would be a tall order to make it through.

It will be the Rebels first visit to Cusack Park since their shock defeat to the Banner County 13 months ago in the Munster championship quarter-final. The home side only won by a point but it was a deserved win on the day, but a lot has happened since then and you would like to think Cork have come a long way since that loss, but the proof will be in the pudding on Saturday.

The Rebels haven’t played in a month since the three-point defeat to Kerry in Killarney in the last four of the provincial championship in what was a strong showing for the majority of the contest but it did feel like a missed opportunity on a day where the Kingdom weren’t exactly pulling up trees.

Meanwhile, Mark Fitzgerald’s Clare last competitive fixture was just a fortnight ago when they fared quite well in the 0-23 to 1-13 Munster final defeat to Kerry in Cusack Park.

Cleary’s charges face Donegal at Páirc Uí Rinn in two weeks’ time in the second fixture of the group before facing Tyrone at a neutral venue on the weekend of June 15.

CORK (v Clare):

Christopher Kelly (Éire Óg);

Kevin Flahive (Douglas), Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree), Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty);

Rory Maguire (Castlehaven), Tommy Walsh (Kanturk), Matty Taylor (Mallow);

Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s), Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg);

Paul Walsh (Kanturk), Seán Powter (Douglas), Brian O’Driscoll (Carrigaline);

Chris Óg Jones (Iveleary), Conor Corbett (Clyda Rovers), Brian Hurley (Castlehaven, capt).

Subs:

Micheál Aodh Martin (Nemo Rangers), Neil Lordan (Ballinora), Darragh Cashman (Millstreet), Thomas Clancy (Clonakilty), John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers), David Buckley (Newcestown), Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig), Eoghan McSweeney (Knocknagree), Ruairí Deane (Bantry Blues), Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers), Steven Sherlock (St Finbarr’s).