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GAA team news: Start for Cork's Cormac O'Brien; Shane Dowling back in goals for Limerick

Cormac O'Brien of Cork (r) in action against Tipperary
Cormac O'Brien of Cork (r) in action against Tipperary

With captain Robert Downey deemed not fit to play, Newtownshandrum's Cormac O'Brien will make his first championship start for Cork in Sunday's crucial Munster SHC round-robin clash against Waterford at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh.

It's a game the Rebels can't afford to lose, with the Déise knowing that if they can land the spoils on Leeside, a place in the All-Ireland series will be theirs instead.

O'Brien, who replaced Downey at half-time in last Sunday's heavy defeat to Limerick, has been named at right half-back. Ciarán Joyce moves to No 6, with Shane Barrett now skippering the side.

Another change in the Rebels' defence sees Ger Mellerick named at right corner-back in place of Niall O'Leary, who was forced off in the second half at the Gaelic Grounds because of a groin injury.

In midfield, Brian Roche will start in place of Ethan Twomey, while in attack Séamus Harnedy (above), now fully recovered from an Achilles problem, replaces Declan Dalton, who had to leave the field of play last Sunday due to a hamstring problem.

The Déise show two changes from their loss to Tipperary as Kevin O'Mahony and captain Dessie Hutchinson make way for Patrick Fitzgerald and Sean Walsh.

Cork: Patrick Collins; Ger Millerick, Eoin Downey, Seán O'Donoghue; Cormac O'Brien, Ciarán Joyce, Mark Coleman; Tim O'Mahony, Brian Roche; Shane Barrett, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Séamus Harnedy; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes.

Subs: Brion Saunderson, Damien Cahalane, Eoin Roche, Tommy O'Connell, Ethan Twomey, Luke Meade, Conor Lehane, Diarmuid Healy, Jack O'Connor, William Buckley, Shane Kingston.

Waterford: Billy Nolan; Ian Kennny, Conor Prunty, Iarlaith Daly; Mark Fitgerald, Tadgh de Burca, Paddy Leavey; Darragh Lyons, Gavin Fives; Sean Walsh, Stephen Bennett, Jamie Barron; Jack Prendergast, Michael Kiely, Patrick Fitzgerald.

Subs: Shaun O'Brien, Dessie Hutchinson, Kevin Mahony, Kieran Bennett, Shane Bennett, Patrick Curran, Austin Gleeson, Conor Sheahan, Tom Barron, Padraig Fitzgerald, Carthach Daly.


After their demolition of Cork, Limerick make eight changes for the visit of Clare as they look to seal their place in the Munster final.

Notable absentees from the matchday squad include Kyle Hayes, Cian Lynch, Nickie Quaid and Aaron Gillane.

Shane Dowling (above) replaces Quaid between the posts, for his first championship appearance in six years, while former captain Declan Hannon and forwards Cathal O'Neill, Seamus Flanagan and Peter Casey makes their first starts of this Munster campaign.

The Banner, eliminated after last weekend's set of results, show two changes from their defeat to Tipp. Rory Hayes and John Conlon are named in defence in place of Conor Leen and Daithí Lohan.

Limerick: Shane Dowling; Barry Murphy, Dan Morrissey, Michael Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Colin Coughlan; Darragh O'Donovan, William O'Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, Cathal O'Neill, Tom Morrissey; Seamus Flanagan, Shane O'Brien, Peter Casey.

Subs: Jason Gillane, Adam English, Vince Harrington, Ethan Hurley, Barry Nash, Aidan O'Connor, Fergal O'Connor, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Paddy O'Donovan, David Reidy, Eddie Stokes.

Clare: Eibhear Quilligan; Adam Hogan, Darragh Lohan, Rory Hayes; Cian Galvin, John Conlon, David McInerney; Sean Rynne, Cathal Malone; Tony Kelly, Mark Rodgers, Shane Meehan; Ryan Taylor, Peter Duggan, David Reidy.

Subs: Eamon Foudy, Daithi Lohan, Ross Hayes, Diarmuid Ryan, Paddy Donnellan, Aron Shanagher, David Fitzgerald, Jack O'Neill, Ian Galvin, Colm O'Meara, Shane O'Donnell.


Daithí Burke back in Galway full-back line

Daithí Burke returns to the Galway starting line-up for their de-facto Leinster semi-final against Dublin at Parnell Park.

The five-time All-Star missed the victory over Wexford after his sending off against Offaly and was held in reserve for last weekend's facile win over Antrim.

He joins namesake Fintan Burke in the full-back line, with former Hurler of the Year nominee Padraic Mannion named in the other corner.

As expected, the in-form Cathal Mannion is restored to centre-forward after being rested against Antrim, and will be flanked in the half-forward line by John Fleming and Tiernan Killeen.

Anthony Burns, who bagged two goals against Antrim, retains his place at corner forward, with Colm Molloy, who impressed against Offaly dropping to the bench, while Conor Cooney is also among the subs.

Dublin manager Niall Ó Ceallacháin has made just one change to the side which almost reeled in Kilkenny at Nowlan Park last Sunday.

Ronan Hayes, who replaced Colin Currie at half-time in Kilkenny, is named to start in the forward line this Sunday, with the Na Fianna player named among the subs.

The home side, who retain an unblemished record against Galway in the capital (their only defeats coming in Tullamore and Salthill) are seeking to reach a second Leinster final on the trot.

Dublin: Eddie Gibbon; John Bellew, Paddy Smyth, Conor McHugh; Paddy Doyle, Chris Crummey, Paddy Dunleavy; Conor Burke, Conor Donohoe; Brian Hayes, Cian O'Sullivan, Darragh Power; Seán Currie, John Hetherton, Ronan Hayes.

Subs: Seán Brennan, Colin Currie, Andrew Dunphy, Daire Gray, AJ Murphy, David Lucey, James Madden, Rian McBride, Diarmuid Ó Dúlaing, Conal Ó Riain, Fergal Whitely.

Galway: Darach Fahy; Padraic Mannion, Fintan Burke, Daithí Burke; Cianan Fahy, Gavin Lee, TJ Brennan; David Burke, Tom Monaghan; John Fleming, Cathal Mannion, Tiernan Killeen; Conor Whelan, Brian Concannon, Anthony Burns.

Subs: Eanna Murphy, Jack Grealish, Joshua Ryan, Shane Cooney, Seán Linnane, Ronan Glennon, Dan Loftus, Kevin Cooney, Conor Cooney, Rory Burke, Colm Molloy.


In football, Rian O'Neill is not included in the Armagh squad for the All-Ireland series opener against Derry.

The Crossmaglen man did take part in the warm-up before the Ulster final, fuelling speculation that he may be set for his inter-county return. However, boss Kieran McGeeney has not added him to the matchday 26.

In two changes from the side that narrowly lost the provincial final, Peter McGrane in the full-back line and Jason Duffy in midfield, will start in place of Callum O'Neill and Greg McCabe.

Armagh: E Rafferty; P Burns, B McCambridge, P McGrane; R McQuillan, A Forker, J Og Burns; J Duffy, B Crealey; D McMullan, R Grugan, O Conaty; T Kelly, A Murnin, O O'Neill.

Subs: B Hughes, T McCormack, G McCabe, C Mackin, C McConville, J McElroy, N Grimley, C O'Neill, S Campbell, C Turbitt, S McPartlan.


Follow a live blog on the All-Ireland Football Championship on Saturday on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app. Watch highlights on The Saturday Game (9.30pm) on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player and listen live on Saturday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1

Watch a hurling championship double-header, Dublin v Galway (2pm) and Cork v Waterford (4pm), on Sunday from 1.30pm on RTÉ2 and RTÉ Player. Follow a live blog on rte.ie/sport and the RTÉ News app and listen to Sunday Sport on RTÉ Radio 1. Highlights on The Sunday Game from 9.30pm

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