GAELIC GAMES NEWS:CORK'S REPUTATION for having strength in depth was underlined last night as Conor Counihan and his selectors made eight changes to their side to play Mayo in the National Football League final final on Sunday.
The bulk of the switches are in the rearguard, in response to the 0-16 the Mayo men chalked up on their way to victory against Cork two weeks ago.
Paddy O’Shea gets a start in goal, while Eoin Cotter is the one constant in the full-back line: he will be joined by Ray Carey and Michael Shields. Alan O’Connor is restored to midfield and Patrick Kelly and Paul Kerrigan come back into the attack. Colm O’Neill is among those making way.
The one enforced change is that of Graeme Canty, who departed after 28 minutes of that last match between the teams, deepening the injury list Counihan has to cope with. Cork have nonetheless assembled a formidable starting XV and one which will require the Mayo backroom team to effectively wipe the slate clean in terms of how they prepare for the final.
The Mayo team was released last night and despite fears, Trevor Howley recovered from a knock to take his place at centre back. The side is the same as that which started against Cork. Midfielder Ronan McGarrity and defender Keith Higgins were among those considered doubtful starters, while Enda Varley failed in his bid to recover from a hamstring injury.
Armagh manager Paddy O’Rourke was at last able to name Ronan Clarke in his starting line-up for the Division Two final against his native county, Down. Clarke made a cameo appearance in Armagh’s last league match, when they pulverised Donegal in Letterkenny and, in limited minutes, the Pearse Óg man suggested he had lost none of the strength or sharpness with which he developed the reputation for being one of the most feared inside forwards of the past decade.
Tony Kernan can be considered unlucky in making way for Clarke.
Waterford have, unsurprisingly, kept faith with the team that dropped 0-20 on Clare as they seek to cap a fine season by winning the Division Four final outright against Limerick.
CORK (SF v Mayo) :P O'Shea, R Carey, M Shields, E Cotter; N O'Leary, P Kissane, J O'Sullivan; A O'Connor, A Walsh; F Goold, D O'Connor, P Kelly; D Goolding, C Sheehan, P Kerrigan.
MAYO (SF v Cork) :D Clarke; C Barret, G Cafferkey, L O'Malley; D Vaughan, T Howley, K McLoughlin; S O'Shea, T Parsons; A Moran, A Dillon, T Mortimer; C Mortimer, A O'Shea, M Ronaldson.
ARMAGH (SF v Down):P Hearty; A Mallon , B Donaghy, B Shannon; P Duffy, K McKeever, F Moriarty; J Lavery, K Toner; C Vernon, A Kernan, G Swift; S McDonnell, R Clarke, B Mallon.
SLIGO (SF v Antrim):P Greene; C Harrison, N McGuire, R Donovan; K Cawley, M Quinn, J Davey; T Taylor, S Gilmartin; A Costello, M Breheny, F Quinn; C McGee, K Sweeney, D Kelly.
LIMERICK (SF v Waterford):B Scanlon; M O'Riordan, C Mullane, A Long; D Carroll, P Browne, P Relihan; J O'Donovan, J Galvin; J Mullane, C Joyce Power, S Buckley; G Collins, J Ryan, I Ryan.
WATERFORD (SF v Limerick):T Wall; M O'Gorman, T O'Gorman, K Connery; T Grey (capt), S Briggs, N Hennessy; T Prendergast, M Ahearne; B Wall, C McGrath, W Hennessy; G Hurney, R Ahearne, L Ó Lionáin
