Cork v Offaly: Seven changes as Rebels name team for last round-robin clash

Ciarán Joyce has been chosen at full-back for Cork’s concluding regular-season Allianz HL Division 1A game with Offaly on Saturday night.

For the SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh clash (7pm), Ben O’Connor and his selectors have made seven changes in personnel from the defeat away to Limerick a fortnight ago. While Joyce is one of the eight starters retained, he will operate in a third different position is as many games – he was centre-back for the win away to Kilkenny and midfield at TUS Gaelic Grounds.

While Dáire O’Leary had started at number 3 for Cork’s five previous matches – the only ever-present up to now – there had been speculation that Joyce would also be trialled in the position. Otherwise, there is a strong championship feel to the team to face the already-relegated Offaly, with Robert Downey and Mark Coleman back from injury.

Of the starting 15 for last year’s All-Ireland final loss to Tipperary, 12 are picked. The back seven is the same in terms of players chosen, albeit with Joyce and Eoin Downey swapped; Tommy O’Connell at midfield, Hugh O’Connor at wing-forward and Barry Walsh in the full-forward are the three additions, instead of Declan Dalton, Diarmuid Healy and Patrick Horgan.

CORK (HL v Offaly): Patrick Colllins (Ballinhassig); Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons), Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr), Seán O’Donoghue (Inniscarra); Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers), Robert Downey (Glen Rovers), Mark Coleman (Blarney); Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum), Tommy O’Connell (Midleton); Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville, captain), Shane Barrett (Blarney); Hugh O’Connor (Newmarket); Barry Walsh (Killeagh), Alan Connolly (Blackrock), Brian Hayes (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: Paudie O’Sullivan (Fr O’Neill’s), Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neill’s), Darragh O’Sullivan (Ballinhassig), Eoin Roche (Bride Rovers), Cormac O’Brien (Newtownshandrum), Brian Keating (Ballincollig), Robbie O’Flynn (Erin’s Own), Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neill’s), Ben Cunningham (St Finbarr’s), William Buckley (St Finbarr’s), Pádraig Power (Blarney).