Cork v Cavan: Rebels reveal team for league opener
Brian Hurley is named to start for Cork against Cavan. Picture: INPHO
Cork manager John Cleary has named his team for the opening Allianz Division 2 Football League encounter this weekend.
The Rebels will hope to start on a positive note when they take on Cavan on Sunday afternoon at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh with throw-in at 1.30pm.
There are no new faces down to start with the management sticking to the tried and trusted.
10 of the team that started the All-Ireland preliminary quarter-final loss to Dublin last year are named to start in this upcoming game.
The starting team shows three changes from the side that started the McGrath Cup final success over Kerry at Fitzgerald Stadium in Killarney last Saturday afternoon.
The Leesiders won by a point thanks to Chris Óg Jones’ late white flag.
Tommy Walsh comes in at corner-back instead of Jacob O’Driscoll. The latter impressed during pre-season and can count himself unlucky to drop out of the starting team.
There’s a change at wing-forward with Paul Walsh replacing Conor Cahalane.
The third and final change is the most interesting one. It comes in the full-forward line with Brian Hurley set to start his first competitive game of the season.
The former captain of the Rebels is named at number 14 with Jones moving to corner-forward.
Steven Sherlock drops to the bench with the St Finbarr’s star back involved for the 2026 campaign having taken a break last year.
The inclusion of Hurley may be a surprising one for many, but he did change the game when he was introduced last weekend against Kerry. He scored 0-5 in the second half including two orange flags and a free.
While it was only a pre-season competition, the performance and the win would have given Cork a boost.
The 0-16 to 0-15 triumph was Cork’s first win at senior level in Killarney since 1995.
While the Rebels did have a stronger side than the Kingdom, Jack O’Connor didn’t exactly field a weak team with a number of Kerry's star players featuring including David Clifford and Seán O’Shea.
Cleary and his management are well aware though that while winning last Saturday afternoon was nice, it would have been quickly forgotten about as attention turned to Cavan.
The objective is clear for this year and that is to achieve promotion. With only three home games in the league in 2026, picking up two points this weekend is hugely important.
Despite Cleary saying in the build-up to this game that new captain Ian Maguire has just recently returned to training and isn’t "ready at the moment", he is amongst the substitutes for the upcoming game.
Newcomers Dara Sheedy and Conor Daly are named on the bench. Sheedy made an impact when he came on against Kerry with the forward setting up Jones for the winning score.
Patrick Doyle (Knocknagree);
Seán Brady (Ballygarvan), Daniel O’Mahony (Knocknagree), Tommy Walsh (Kanturk);
Brian O’Driscoll (Carrigaline), Rory Maguire (Castlehaven), Luke Fahy (Ballincollig);
Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg), Seán Walsh (Mitchelstown);
Paul Walsh (Kanturk), Seán McDonnell (Mallow), Ruairí Deane (Bantry Blues);
Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers), Brian Hurley (Castlehaven), Chris Óg Jones (Uibh Laoire).
Micheál Aodh Martin (Nemo Rangers), Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty), Jacob O’Driscoll (Valley Rovers), Seán Meehan (Kiskeam), Matty Taylor (Mallow), Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s), Dara Sheedy (Bantry Blues), David Buckley (Newcestown), Conor Cahalane (Castlehaven), Steven Sherlock (St Finbarr’s), Conor Daly (Clonakilty).
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