Limerick hurlers name three debutants for big Munster clash with Clare

Limerick hurling manager TJ Ryan has named three debutants in his team to take on Clare in Sunday's opening fixture of this year's Munster hurling championship. Into the team come goalkeeper Barry Hennessy, wing back Seánie O'Brien and corner forward Cian Lynch.

From the side that narrowly lost to eventual champions Kilkenny in last year’s All-Ireland semi-final there are four changes – three enforced because of injury – Hennessy for regular goalkeeper Nickie Quaid, O’Brien for David Breen and Lynch for Kevin Downes. Stephen Walsh is an indirect replacement for Wayne McNamara.

O’Brien actually made his first appearance in championship three years ago when coming as a substitute in the 32-point win over Antrim but the weekend will be his first start. Lynch is a nephew of former Limerick great, Ciarán Carey, and was a member of the county minor teams that won the last two Munster championships.

The counties last met in championship in the All-Ireland semi-final two years ago.

Monaghan have named an experienced panel for their Ulster championship opener against Cavan in Kingspan Breffni Park. The first 15 shows four changes from the team that crashed out of last year's All-Ireland quarter-final against Dublin.

Division Two league winners Roscommon include one championship newcomer in the team to take on London in Ruislip on Sunday. Mark Healy of Roscommon Gaels starts at centrefield in a team that shows four changes to the team that defeated Down at Croke Park.

Seán McDermott, Donal Ward, Healy and the experienced Donie Shine are named in John Evans’s team.

Clare footballers give a Munster championship debut to Pat Burke of Kilmacud Crokes, who qualifies to play under the parentage rule as his father Pat senior is from Quilty. Burke won an All-Ireland club medal with Kilmacud in 2009 and played in all of Dublin's championship matches that year, coming off the bench for Pat Gilroy's team, including the Leinster final win over Kildare.

LIMERICK (SHC v Clare): B Hennessy; S Walshe, R McCarthy, S Hickey; S O'Brien, G O'Mahony, T Condon; J Ryan, P O'Brien; D O'Grady, D Hannon, P Brown; G Mulcahy, S Dowling, C Lynch.

LIMERICK (SFC v Clare): B Scanlon; S O'Dea, J McCarthy, R Browne; I Corbett, C Fahy, S Cahill; T Lee, G Hegarty; J Riordan, P Ranahan, D Tracey; P Nash, S Buckley, I Ryan.

CLARE (SFC): J Hayes; C Russell, K Hartnett, M McMahon; S Hickey, G Kelly, D Ryan; C O'Connor, G Brennan; S Brennan, J Malone, S Collins; E Cleary, P Collins, P Burke.

MONAGHAN (SFC v Cavan): R Beggan; D Mone, D Wylie, R Wylie; F Kelly, V Corey, K O'Connell; N McAdam, D Clerkin; O Duffy, P Finlay, D Hughes; D Malone, K Hughes, C McManus.

ROSCOMMON (SFC v London): D O'Malley; S McDermott, N Carty, N Collins; D Ward, N Daly, C Cafferky; M Healy, C Shine; E Smith, D Shine, C Murtagh; D Murtagh, S Kilbride, C Cregg.