TEAM NEWS:CORK NAME 10 of the team that defeated Dublin in last August's All-Ireland football semi-final for tomorrow's floodlit re-match in Croke Park.
Back for their first match of the league are All Star defenders Michael Shields and Paudie Kissane. The team shows five changes from that which beat Kerry two weeks ago. Dublin name their line-up this afternoon.
Cork’s dual player Eoin Cadogan lines out this weekend with the hurlers, who take on Kilkenny in Nowlan Park. Goalkeeper Donal Óg Cusack has recovered from injury and is on the bench.
All-Ireland champions Tipperary, who open tomorrow’s double bill in Croke Park against the Dublin hurlers, make four changes to the team that lost to Kilkenny last week. All Star Noel McGrath picked up an injury playing Fitzgibbon Cup for UCD and is replaced by league debutant Paddy Fanning. Seán Carey also makes his first appearance in the competition, replacing Timmy Hammersley.
At the back, Paul Curran and Michael Cahill take over from Hugh Maloney and Conor O’Brien.
Kerry footballers have, as expected, recalled Eoin Brosnan, who came out of retirement this month, at centre back for the match against Mayo in Castlebar. It’s one of six changes to the side that lost to Cork in the opening round of the league.
Mayo make six changes, three of them enforced: injuries to Alan Freeman and Enda Varley and the absence overseas of Keith Higgins.
Finally, in Division Two, Ulster champions Tyrone give a debut to Niall McKenna, son of former manager and All Star Eugene. Manager Mickey Harte is unable because of injury to name a full panel, but former All Star Owen Mulligan has returned from abroad and starts on the bench.
Meanwhile, the Munster Council has expressed its unhappiness with the commercial return from Croke Park in respect of its senior championships. In the financial report for this year’s provincial convention, written by deputy chief executive Enda McGuane and treasurer Michael Power, the revenue is described as “mediocre” and calls for the province to conclude “parallel” sponsorship deals of its own.
“Commercial income from central sponsors (€250,000) and TV companies (€350,000) remained steady,” the report reads. “At first glance this might seem to be positive, given the current recession. However, closer examination of these figures reveals that Croke Park pays Munster GAA €50,000 per televised match and approximately €27,777 per sponsor as its share of the centrally negotiated sponsorship deals.
“These figures do not include the value of complimentary tickets associated with these arrangements. Viewed from a Munster perspective and based on the actual commercial value of the Munster championships in both codes, these figures are a mediocre return for the province.
“It further highlights the need for the council to develop alternative commercial income streams. These could operate parallel to the sponsorships agreed at national level and will capitalise upon the unique brand which is the Munster championships.”
Elsewhere in the report, chief executive Pat Fitzgerald suggests the Munster senior hurling championship trophy be named after Limerick legend Mick Mackey.
CORK(NFL v Dublin): P O'Shea; R Carey, J O'Sullivan, M Shields; D O'Sullivan, P Kissane, C O'Driscoll; A O'Connor, A Walsh; P O'Neill, P Kelly, F Goold; D Goulding, C O'Neill, D O'Connor.
CORK(NHL v Kilkenny): M Coleman; S McDonnell, E Cadogan, S Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, M Ellis; G Callinan, B Murphy; M Cussen, N McCarthy, P Cronin; P O'Sullivan, P Horgan, B O'Connor.
TIPPERARY(NHL v Dublin): D Gleeson; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; D Young, C O'Mahony, P Maher; B Maher, S McGrath; G Ryan, P Bourke, P Maher; J O'Neill, P Fanning, S Carey.
DUBLIN(NHL v Tipperary): G Maguire; S Hiney, T Brady, S Lambert; N Corcoran, J Boland, S Durkin; J McCaffrey, S Ryan; C Keaney, D ODwyer, C McCormack; D OCallaghan, L Rushe, P Carton..
KERRY(NFL v Mayo): B Kealy; P Reidy, M Ó Sé, S Enright; A O'Mahony, E Brosnan, J Lyne; S Scanlon, D Moran; G O'Driscoll, D O'Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, D Geaney.
MAYO(NFL v Kerry): R Hennelly; T Cunniffe, G Cafferkey, C Barrett; P Gardiner, T Howley, K McLoughlin; J Gibbons, R McGarrity; A Campbell, A Moran, A Dillon; A O'Shea, A Kilcoyne, M Ronaldson.
TYRONE(NFL v Donegal): P McConnell; A McCrory, C McCarron, R McMenamin; D Harte, C Gormley, D Carlin; K Hughes, N McKenna; P Harte, B McGuigan, S Cavanagh; M Penrose, S O'Neill, E McGinley.
