Sport

O'Neill called up to replace suspended Kerrigan

LEAGUE HOLDERS Cork make two changes to the team that last week took a point in Armagh despite being down to 14 men for much …

SEÁN MORAN Reports
Fri Feb 10 2012 - 00:00

LEAGUE HOLDERS Cork make two changes to the team that last week took a point in Armagh despite being down to 14 men for much of the match. Paul Kerrigan was red carded after a confrontation with Finian Moriarty on half an hour and is suspended for Sunday’s match against Down in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

Kerrigan is replaced in the forwards by Colm O’Neill, who despite being named to start against Armagh was replaced before the throw-in by Mark Collins. The Castlehaven forward, who played a big role for UCC in last year’s Sigerson Cup victory, retains his place after a good performance which yielded three points last week including what looked like the winner late on.

The goalkeeping position is rotated with long-serving Alan Quirke lining out in place of Kenneth O’Halloran, who kept goal in Armagh.

Cork won the two encounters last year with Down, the county that came within a whisker of denying them their first All-Ireland in 20 years in 2010’s final. Last summer however, James McCartan’s team was well beaten by this weekend’s opponents in the All-Ireland qualifiers as well as the league.

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Munster champions Kerry, who won their All-Ireland re-match with Dublin in Croke Park last week, welcome back former captain Declan O’Sullivan from club duty with Dromid Pearses, which ended in last month’s controversial All-Ireland junior semi-final defeat by Derrytresk.

Manager Jack O’Connor makes two changes to the starting line-up. Veteran defender Aidan O’Mahony comes in for Peter Crowley and Brian Maguire drops back to the corner for the visit of Armagh to Tralee tomorrow evening. Anthony Maher, who had an excellent second half when introduced as a replacement for Séamus Scanlon, keeps his place at centrefield.

Armagh show four changes from the draw with Cork. Brian Mallon, Aidan Forker, Caolan Rafferty and Stefan Campbell come in for Paul Duffy, who took a knock last week, Colm Watters, Paul Carville and John Kingham.

Meanwhile Tyrone manager Mickey Harte has made three changes for Sunday’s Ulster derby clash with Derry at Healy Park.

Goalkeeper rotation continues, with Johnny Curran taking over from Pascal McConnell to become the third ’keeper to start in as many games. Damian McCaul, who impressed as a sub in last weekend’s Croke Park win over Kildare, comes into the half-back line for the suspended Seán O’Neill.

And Ronan McNabb is named in the half-forward line, with Martin Penrose moving to full forward, Mark Donnelly to centre forward, and Peter Hughes dropping to the bench. The McMahon brothers and Dermot Carlin, who were late cry-offs prior to last Saturday’s league opener, are named among the replacements.

Finally Antrim make one change for the Division Three match against Tipperary. Michael McCann, who missed the win against Sligo because of suspension, replaces Conor Murray, who was injured in last week’s match.

CORK (SF v Down):A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields, E Cadogan; N O'Leary, G Canty, P Kissane; A O'Connor, P O'Neill; F Goold, M Collins, C O'Driscoll; C O'Neill, D O'Connor, F Lynch.

KERRY (SF v Armagh):B Kealy; S Enright, M Ó Sé, B Maguire; T Ó Se, K Young, A O'Mahony; A Maher, B Sheehan; P Galvin, Darran O'Sullivan, S O'Sullivan; J O'Donoghue, K Donaghy, BJ Keane.

ARMAGH:N Geoghegan; A Mallon, B Donaghy, D McKenna; K Dyas, C McKeever, F Moriarty; C Vernon, M Mackin; A Forker, B Mallon, A Duffy; C Rafferty, S Campbell, E McVerry.

DUBLIN (SF v Mayo):S Cluxton; D Daly, R OCarroll, P McMahon; J McCarthy, G Brennan, C Dias; R McConnell, M Dara MacAuley; P Brogan, K McManamon, B Cullen; D Connolly, E OGara, T Quinn.

TYRONE (SF v Derry):J Curran; A McCrory, C Clarke, PJ Quinn; C McCarron, P Harte, D McCaul; M Murphy, A Cassidy; Mattie Donnelly, Mark Donnelly, R McNabb; O Mulligan, M Penrose, S O'Neill.

ANTRIM (SF v Tipperary):C Kerr; P Gallagher, D O'Hagan, M McAleese; T Scullion, J Crozier, J Loughery; M McCann, C Kelly; T McCann, K Brady, M Armstrong; B Neeson, M Sweeney, P Cunningham.

LIMERICK (SF v London):B Scanlon; D Quaide, J McCarthy, L O'Dwyer; J Riordan, B Fitzpatrick, P Ranahan; S Lucey, S Buckley; D Treacy, E O'Connor, J Cooke; G Collins, J O'Meara, I Ryan.