Forde and Taaffe called up by Clare

Clare have named 13 of the team which won the All-Ireland final last September to face Cork in the Munster senior hurling semi…

Clare have named 13 of the team which won the All-Ireland final last September to face Cork in the Munster senior hurling semi-final in Thurles on Sunday, introducing two newcomers to the left corner flank.

David Forde replaces Fergus Touhy in the half-forward line while Eamon Taaffe will take Ger O'Loughlin's place at left-corner forward. Sunday's match marks Taaffe's first full Championship start. He came on as a sub to score a goal during Clare's All-Ireland win three years ago.

O'Loughlin has played only 15 minutes of senior hurling since the All-Ireland final last year. Touhy was forced to serve a month's suspension following an incident in the League against Offaly and it was felt that both players needed more match practice.

Cork have named an unchanged team to that which defeated Limerick earlier this month.

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In football, Dublin have replaced Brian Barnes at left corner back with Mick Deegan in their side to face Kildare in the Leinster semi-final replay at Croke Park. Eamon Heery also comes in at wing back for Dermot Harrington, who goes to midfield in place of Paul Bealin. Although both Barnes and Bealin were carrying injuries, both were available for selection and will sit on the replacements bench.

Dublin manager Tom Carr initiated similar changes during the drawn game and has, essentially, decided to go with the side who finished the first match. While there had been doubts about the availability of Dessie Farrell, he starts at corner forward, with Jim Gavin moving into the centre-half of the attack.

Their opponents Kildare have, as expected, replaced injured full-back Davy Dalton with Ronan Quinn. Quinn came in for Dalton during the drawn match, after the long-serving defender was forced to withdraw due to injury. Mick O'Dwyer's son Karl returns to spearhead the attack at full-forward. He was taken off with an injury midway through the second half of the drawn game but has since made a full recovery. And although there was growing speculation that Martin Lynch might have to cry off the team, he has been named alongside O'Dwyer in the Kildare attack.

Donegal have made four changes to their team to face Cavan in Sunday's Ulster semi-final. Paul Callaghan was unavailable for selection due to a groin strain and will be replaced by Tony Blake, who formerly played League football for London. Callaghan, however, has been an automatic choice for Donegal since Gary Walsh retired over a year ago and Blake, based in Letterkenny, was only drafted into the panel during the League. This will be his first start for Donegal.

John Joe Doherty returns in place of Raymond Sweeney at full-back while experienced forward Manus Boyle has been named at left-corner forward.

The influential Killybegs forward rejoined the panel after Christmas and has put in increasingly impressive performances towards the Championship. John Duffy, out with injury for over a month, comes back at left-corner forward.

Clare (SH V Cork): D Fitzgerald; M O'Halloran, B Lohan, F Lohan; L Doyle, S McMahon, A Daly; O Baker, C Lynch; D Ford, J O'Connor, PJ O'Connell; E Taffe, C Clancy, N Gilligan.

Cork (SH V Clare): G Cunningham; F Ryan, J Browne, D O'Sullivan; M Landers, B Corcoran, S OhAlpin; M Daly, P Ryan; S McGrath, F McCormack, K Morrison; S O'Farrell, A Browne, J Deane.

Dublin (SF V Kildare): D Byrne; P Moran, P Christie, M Deegan; P Curran, K Barr, E Heery; B Stynes, D Harrington; C Whelan, J Gavin, I Robertson; D Farrell, D Darcy, J Sherlock. Subs: M Pender, P Croft, S Ryan, P Bealin, P Ward, B Barnes, B Irwin, J McGee.

Kildare (SF V Dublin) C Byrne; B Lacey, R Quinn, K Doyle; J Finn, G Ryan, A Rainbow; W McCreery, N Buckley; E McCormack, D Kerrigan, D Earley; M Lynch, K O'Dwyer, P Graven.

Donegal (SF V Cavan) T Blake; M Crossan, JJ Doherty, B McGowan; D Diver, M Coll, N McGinley; N Hegarty, J McGuinness; J Duffy, A Sweeney, J Gildea; B Devenney, T Boyle, M Boyle. Subs: AN Other, E Reddin, S Bradley, B Roper, J Ruane, B Murray, R Sweeney, S Carr, J McHugh.

Keith Duggan

Keith Duggan

Keith Duggan is Washington Correspondent of The Irish Times