Four from last year as Cork name minor hurling team for Munster opener

The Cork team for Friday’s Electric Ireland Munster MHC opener against Limerick features four players who featured at the grade in 2024.

TUS Gaelic Grounds is the venue for a 7pm throw-in, with Cork manager Fergal McCormack able to call upon Michael Tadhg Brosnan, Colm Garde, Cormac Deane and Eoghan O’Shea from last year’s squad.

While Glen Rovers star Brosnan operated in attack in the Rebels’ All-Ireland MHC preliminary quarter-final exit to Wexford last May, here is chosen at right half-back with Lisgoold’s Garde on the other wing, flanking the team captain, Bobby Carroll from Dromina. In the full-back line, Darragh Heavin of Russell Rovers, Denis Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers) and Midleton's Cian Lawton are chosen, with Aghada's Tom C Walsh in goal.

The netminder's namesake - Tom A Walsh of Carrigtwohill - is picked at midfield, along with Jack Counihan of Watergrasshill.

Killeagh player Deane, son of Cork legend Joe, is given the number 11 jersey while O’Shea is selected at corner-forward.

The Ballinhassig man is joined by Na Piarsaigh pair Craig O’Sullivan and Callum Coffey, both of whom excelled as Gaelcholáiste Mhuire won the Cork post-primary senior A title, the O’Callaghan Cup, for the first time in more than three decades. Ruairc Donovan of Fermoy and Erin's Own's Ryan Dineen partner Deane in the half-forward line.

Brosnan is the only representative from the Glen, last year’s beaten Rebel Óg Premier 1 U16HC finalists on the squad, while the winners of that grade, Sarsfields, do not have a starter but Cathal Galvin and Tom O’Flynn – younger brother of U20 player Barry – are named among the substitutes.

Five of the team – both Tom Walshes, Heavin, Garde and Deane – won the Dean Ryan Cup with Midleton CBS earlier this year.

Mallow native McCormack – an All-Ireland senior winner with Cork in 1999 – is assisted by selectors Trevor O’Keeffe (Aghada), Seán Barrett (Carrigtwoill), Diarmuid Corcoran (Courcey Rovers) and Mark Austin (Sarsfields).

In Friday’s other game, Tipperary take on Waterford at FBD Semple Stadium. The format for the competition is the same as that introduced for last year – the top two sides after the round-robin stage will meet in the Munster final while the third- and fourth-placed finishers will advance to the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-finals.

CORK (Munster MHC v Limerick): 

Tom Walsh (Aghada); 

Darragh Heavin (Russell Rovers), Denis Fitzgerald (Bride Rovers), Cian Lawton (Midleton); 

Michael Tadhg Brosnan (Glen Rovers), Bobby Carroll (Dromina, c), Colm Garde (Lisgoold); 

Tom Walsh (Carrigtwohill), Jack Counihan (Watergrasshill); 

Ruairc Donovan (Fermoy), Cormac Deane (Killeagh), Ryan Dineen (Erin’s Own); 

Craig O’Sullivan (Na Piarsaigh), Callum Coffey (Na Piarsaigh), Eoghan O’Shea (Ballinhassig).

Subs: Cathal Galvin (Sarsfields), Tom O’Flynn (Sarsfields), David Forde (Kinsale), Evan Connolly (Dungourney), Eoghan Hogan (Éire Óg), Darragh Winters (Courcey Rovers), Charlie Hanratty (Carrigaline), Seán Coughlan (Passage), Sam Ring (Carrigtwohill).