Cork name team for Clare clash - nine changes as college players get chance

The Cork team for tonight’s Co-op SuperStores Munster Hurling League clash with Clare in Mallow (7pm) shows nine changes from the side that lost to Limerick.

A 15-point reversal at TUS Gaelic Grounds last Wednesday means that qualification for the final, which takes place next Saturday, is the tallest of orders for the Rebels.

Ben O’Connor’s team would need to win by 29 points in order to progress via scoring-difference with all three counties level on two points.

Any Cork win by less than that would send Limerick through, while any other result gives Clare top spot.

With college players prevented from lining out last week, O’Connor and his selectors have taken the opportunity to run the rule over six players who were involved in last Thursday’s Fitzgibbon Cup derby clash between UCC and MTU Cork.

Paudie O’Sullivan comes in in goal, with Darragh O’Sullivan, Shane Kingston of Ballinora Brian Keating, Ben Cunningham and Alan Walsh all included, while Dáire O’Leary, Brian O’Sullivan and Douglas’s Shane Kingston are also selected, the latter captaining the side.

While last year’s championship starters have still yet to have game-time, O’Connor reports a relatively clean bill of health as the training ratio moves more towards hurling and less fitness work.

“No, we're lucky enough,” he says.

“The knocks that we have are only muscular. We have no bone or no serious injuries. We'd expect that every fella will be good to go for the league.

"There's still a bit of running but it's turning more to hurling now. We're out Sunday week starting the league, so obviously the physical side of it is going to be cut back a small bit and we'll have to get into more hurling.

“It’s been busy – last week we were out, is it six days and four or five days this week as well. But after that then you'll settle down because it's Tuesday, Thursday and a game at the weekend.”

O’Connor is still waiting for a first victory since succeeding Pat Ryan as manager, with the Limerick game having been preceded by a scratch side losing to UCC by a point in the Canon O’Brien Cup at the end of December.

He is delighted to be availing of the experience, though.

“You'd have to be enjoying it,” he says, “you're inside with the elite of Cork hurling.

“It's busy and after tonight it's a bit frustrating because you see things that aren't happening. But again, we haven't that much done hurling-wise on game-plans and things.

“We're learning from the games.”

CORK (Munster HL v Clare): 

Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s); 

Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), Dáire O’Leary (Watergrasshill), Shane Kingston (Ballinora); 

Tom Hanley (Ballyhea), Ethan Twomey (St Finbarr’s), Ciarán Doolan (St Finbarr’s); 

Brian Keating (Ballincollig), Brian O’Sullivan (Kanturk); 

Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields), Ben Cunningham (St Finbarr’s), Cian Darcy (Sarsfields); 

Shane Kingston (Douglas), Seán Desmond (Watergrasshill), Alan Walsh (Kanturk).

Subs: Brion Saunderson (Midleton), Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s), Eoin Roche (Bride Rovers), Micheál Mullins (Glen Rovers), Jack Cahalane (St Finbarr’s), Colm McCarthy (Sarsfields).