Coleman gets nod to replace Cusack

MARTIN COLEMAN has been handed the daunting task of taking over Cork’s goalkeeping duties for Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League final against Kilkenny in Semple Stadium.

With Donal Óg Cusack still in the very early stages of recovery from the ruptured Achilles tendon sustained in the Division One semi-final win over Tipperary last Sunday week, Coleman has been given the responsibilities for Sunday.

Cusack is facing at least six months on the sidelines, and is thus ruled out of Cork’s remaining campaign for 2012: Coleman, from Ballinhassig, was something of a surprise selection in the Cork team named last night as it was Anthony Nash who was in fact called in to replace Cusack when he sustained the injury just 17 minutes into the Tipperary game.

However, this time Nash is named as a substitute, while Coleman is given the number one shirt and appears to be the new first-choice goalkeeper, at least for now.

It has also been agreed that forward Patrick Horgan will take over the Cork captaincy from Cusack for the rest of the season, starting with Sunday’s game.

As well as Coleman’s promotion to the number-one position, forward Conor Lehane returns to the starting 15 in place of Jamie Coghlan, and Brian Murphy comes into the corner-back position in place of Conor O’Sullivan.

“We’re going up there on Sunday to give it a right go,” said Cork manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy, “and to find out exactly where we stand with Kilkenny, because I think they are the benchmark and that’s what we want to find out.”

In the meantime Lehane, one of Cork’s new standout forwards, has spoken about the key role Cusack played in inspiring the younger players, but that it was up to the new generation of players and goalkeepers to continue that inspiration: “He (Cusack) would be the first fella to remind you that it’s not about an individual, it is all about the team and how the team performs. The message at half-time when he got injured against Tipperary was to drive on.

“The other ’keepers (Anthony Nash and Martin Coleman) are top class and I’d have no doubts in them. They have their opportunity now and they’ll take it. I couldn’t speak highly enough of them. Darren McCarthy has come in as well. He was involved in the training panel last year and is a great ’keeper as well.”

Kilkenny will, as usual, announce their team after training this evening, and manager Brian Cody will be forced to call up a replacement for Richie Power, among others.

Power is ruled out with the knee injury sustained in a club match last weekend, although with cruciate damage ruled out, he has now targeted Kilkenny’s Leinster Championship opener on June 23rd as his possible return date – where Kilkenny will face either Laois, Carlow or Dublin in the Leinster semi-final in Portlaoise.

However, Cody could yet have a ready replacement in Richie Hogan: just four weeks after breaking two ribs and suffering a punctured lung in Kilkenny’s facile league win Galway, Hogan returned to club duty last weekend, playing for Danesfort in their senior league game against Ballyhale Shamrocks.

“If Richie is fit he will certainly be considered,” explained Cody. “He is really determined, he came back strongly. He spent three days in hospital, and got a drain into the lung. So it was not a pleasant experience.

“The ribs were worrying because it obviously prolonged the thing. He says he is not feeling the pain. What I liked about it was he wanted to play with his club on Sunday. I would admire him for that.”

Still ruled out are the likes of Henry Shefflin (shoulder), Michael Rice (knee), Noel Hickey (hamstring) and Aidan Fogarty (wrist), although that hasn’t stopped the bookmakers from declaring Kilkenny as favourites, 8 to 15 to see off Cork (7 to 4).

Interestingly, they have 28 league titles between them, are both seeking their 15th success, and when the sides last met in the final, in 2002, Kilkenny won by a point.

It was announced this week that to mark the opening of the new SuperValu and Centra ticket outlets there is a special €5 discount on all adult stand tickets in advance of match day: €20 if bought in advance; €25 on the day; Town End Terrace €15 (no concessions).

CORK (SH v Kilkenny):M Coleman; S O'Neill, S McDonnell, B Murphy; S Óg Ó hAilpín, E Cadogan, W Egan; L McLoughlin, J Gardiner; C Lehane, P Cronin, N McCarthy; L O'Farrell, P O'Sullivan, P Horgan (capt). Subs:A Nash, C O'Sullivan, D Cahalane, T Kenny, C Joyce, D Sweetnam, R Cashman, J Coughlan, C Naughton, C McCarthy, B Corry.