Tipperary v Cork: Two debuts as Cork name team for Thurles

Thu, 16 Apr, 2026 - 22:00

Denis Hurley

Barry Walsh and William Buckley will make their Munster SHC debuts for Cork in Sunday's clash with All-Ireland champions Tipperary at FBD Semple Stadium (4pm), while Seán O'Donoghue has been passed fit to start.

The presence of the young attackers in the half- and full-forward lines respectively for Ben O'Connor's first championship match in charge represent two of the three differences from last year's All-Ireland final loss to Tipp. At midfield, Tommy O'Connell is rewarded for a strong league campaign with his first championship start in two years. O'Donoghue's recovery from a hamstring problem means that the back seven remains the same, albeit with Ciarán Joyce now at full-back and Eoin Downey in the number 5 shirt.

Declan Dalton, Diarmuid Healy and the retired Patrick Horgan are the three from last July who do not start - while it seemed that a quad injury would rule Healy out for the Tipp game and the home clash against Limerick on Sunday week, the Lisgoold man is named among the Cork substitutes.

William Buckley celebrates his goal during Cork's opening Allianz HL Division 1A game against Waterford at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in January. Picture: Inpho/Tom Maher

The team shows two changes from the six-point loss to Limerick in the league decider. Mark Coleman, named as a sub that day as a precaution due to a hamstring issue, is back at number 7 in place of Micheál Mullins, who misses out due to illness, while Walsh, who was not included that day due to upcoming U20 commitments, replaces Séamus Harnedy, who is a sub.

CORK (Munster SHC v Tipperary): Patrick Collins (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), Barry Walsh (Killeagh); William Buckley (St Finbarr's), Alan Connolly (Blackrock), Brian Hayes (St Finbarr's).

Subs: Paudie O'Sullivan (Fr O'Neill's), Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr's), Ger Millerick (Fr O'Neill's), Cormac O'Brien (Newtownshandrum), Ethan Twomey (St Finbarr's), Hugh O'Connor (Newmarket), Diarmuid Healy (Lisgoold), Robbie O'Flynn (Erin's Own), Séamus Harnedy (St Ita's), Paudie Power (Blarney), Alan Walsh (Kanturk).