As widely anticipated, the Cork selectors have rewarded Pat Ryan for his exemplary performance after coming off the substitutes bench in the Munster final, with a starting place for Sunday's All-Ireland semi-final showdown with Offaly.

The midfielder comes in for Mickey O'Connell, the player whom he replaced in that provincial win over Tipperary.

This selection sees the Sarsfields man reclaim the central berth he relinquished at the outset of last year's championship when he suffered a devastating loss of form, prompting Jimmy Barry Murphy to opt for the experimental pairing of O'Connell with Mark Landers.

Ryan was a steady fixture on the Cork side that won the league last year after making his debut in the 1998 championship, which Cork exited after a Munster semi-final loss to Clare.

Although it was widely expected that he would see championship action throughout last summer, so forceful were O'Connell's claims after a blistering show against Waterford that Ryan found himself marginalised.

O'Connell was retained throughout the successful All-Ireland run and, even though he never quite recaptured the standards he set himself in that initial 70-minute exhibition, he displayed tremendous battling qualities at times when the ball ran against him.

His general performance in the All-Ireland final win over Kilkenny was perhaps under-estimated and he was ignored when it came to selecting All-Star nominations.

But there was a perception that Cork took last year's championship with a less than prolific midfield and the departure of O'Connell would appear to bear that out. Last year's captain Mark Landers has already made way in the team, with the claims of Derek Barrett proving too strong to ignore.

O'Connell will, however, more than likely play a significant part for Cork should they advance again to the All-Ireland stage. He was, perhaps unfairly, under constant pressure while starting, given that some questioned his right to a starting berth.

It will be interesting to see how he performs coming in off the bench. Whatever reservations may have been expressed about him, O'Connell has performed at the highest level for Cork and has the experience of last year's All-Ireland to call upon.

Expectations will now be centred on Ryan, who made a decisive impact in the Munster final. Although Cork will be strong favourites to repeat their 1999 win over Offaly, the midlanders arguably have a stronger hand at midfield.

The form of Johnny Dooley, seemingly liberated by the freedom midfield affords him, has been the brightest aspect of Offaly's troubled campaign, with Johnny Pilkington ready to drop back from the 40 if Ger Oakley isn't on his game.

Elsewhere, the Cork team remains unchanged, with Alan Browne retaining his spot at left-half forward. His presence means that there are just three changes to the side that triumphed last September.

The Leinster Council yesterday announced that all tickets for the Leinster final replay between Dublin and Kildare will be distributed solely through the respective county boards.

This departure is understood to have upset a number of Kildare followers who traditionally obtained tickets from the provincial board.