GAA: The Cork captain will be charged with keeping an eye on Kerry's Kieran Donaghy, writes GAVIN CUMMISKEY
CONOR COUNIHAN has switched Cork captain Graham Canty to full back for Sunday’s Munster football final against Kerry as the All-Ireland champions attempt to win a provincial title in Killarney for the first time in 16 years.
This should, presuming the sides line up as selected, see Canty take responsibility for negating the aerial threat of Kieran Donaghy, as Michael Shields shifts to left-corner back while Jamie O’Sullivan replaces Eoin Cotter in the right corner.
Noel O’Leary returns to right-wing back, where Canty lined out in the emphatic, 18-point defeat of Waterford in the semi-final on June 5th, as Eoin Cadogan, the last remaining intercounty dual player in Cork, is also dropped to the bench.
The only other change sees Pearse O’Neill returning at wing forward for Fiachra Lynch.
Kerry manager Jack O’Connor has named the same side that beat Limerick 1-26 to 3-9 in their semi-final, but the notable exclusion is that of Paul Galvin from the squad as the 2009 footballer of the year has not trained for the past three weeks due to a hamstring injury that has plagued his season.
O’Connor has also resisted tinkering with the midfield combination of Anthony Maher and Bryan Sheehan, the free-taker and usually an inside forward, despite naming Micheál Quirke and Séamus Scanlon as substitutes.
Scanlon has a cyst on his neck that has hindered his breathing and will require an operation after the championship, but, along with Quirke, he remains an option should Kerry struggle to win primary ball around the middle.
Donaghy also has licence to drop deep if Alan O’Connor and Aidan Walsh are monopolising possession.
Tomás Ó Sé is suspended and Tommy Griffin, while back training, is not yet fit enough to be considered.
Colm Cooper will lead them out.
Clare hurling manager Ger O’Loughlin has resisted releasing a team until today for Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier against Galway in Pearse Stadium, but Cormac O’Donovan is expected to replace his injured Clonlara clubmate Darach Honan (groin) in the forward line.
Wexford hurling captain Darren Stamp returns at centre back for the other Phase Two qualifier against Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds, also on Saturday night. Eoin Quigley comes into midfield alongside Michael Jacob, but Ciarán Kenny has yet to recover from injury sustained in the 11-point defeat to Kilkenny on June 11th. Willie Doran is also unavailable.
Meanwhile, the line-ups for Sunday’s Leinster hurling final at Croke Park will be released tonight. Eight-time All Star Tommy Walsh is primed to return to Kilkenny’s half-back line after recovering from recurring shoulder problems, while Dublin manager Anthony Daly is confidant Joey Boland can take his place at centre back.
“He looks like he’ll start,” said Daly. “He came through Sunday okay, we played 35 good minutes of a match. We had a good lash off each other, 15 minutes a-side, and had a few of the under-21s in. He came through fine.”
Boland’s return would certainly soften the loss of Tomás Brady, after the full back tore knee ligaments in the semi-final victory over Galway on June 18th.
“He’s a big strong guy, not the tallest ever, but he’s all there, he has done his work over the years.”
Still, the contrast in player availability from Dublin’s National League final defeat of Kilkenny shows a notable advantage going to Brian Cody’s team as Walsh, Henry Shefflin, Michael Fennelly and Richie Power return while Brady and David Treacy are injured with Ryan O’Dwyer suspended.
“There’s nearly an eight-player swing from the league final to the Leinster final,” said Daly, “with them having four back and we’ve lost options with O’Dwyer, (Stephen) Hiney, Brady and David Treacy gone.
“There’s no real pressure on us. We’re going in to have a real cut off this and get the absolute maximum out of ourselves. That’s our attitude.”
Daly was speaking yesterday at the announcement of the Guinness Hurling Greats series, which will run throughout the 2011 championship season on Newstalk FM.
The public can vote for their greatest players and greatest hurling moments on Facebook (guinnesshurling).
KERRY (SFC v Cork):B Kealy; S Enright, M Ó Sé, T O'Sullivan; A O'Mahony, E Brosnan, K Young; A Maher, B Sheehan; Darran O'Sullivan, Declan O'Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper (capt), K Donaghy, K O'Leary.
CORK (SFC v Kerry):A Quirke; J O'Sullivan, G Canty (capt), M Shields; N O'Leary, J Miskella, P Kissane; A O'Connor, A Walsh; C Sheehan, P Kelly, P O'Neill; D Goulding, D O'Connor, P Kerrigan.
WEXFORD (SHC v Limerick):N Breen; P Roche, M O'Hanlon, K Rossiter; L Prendergast, D Stamp (capt), M Travers; E Quigley, M Jacob; PJ Nolan, H Kehoe, S Banville; R Jacob, G Sinnott, J Berry.
