Cork to stick with winning formula

So accustomed have we grown to the names, and considering the Cork hurling team are just two victories away from gaining the immortality of three All-Ireland titles in succession, any change now would be a major surprise.

As you were gentlemen for the All-Ireland semi-final against Waterford this Sunday.

This means Neil Ronan did enough in the jittery one-point victory over Limerick the last day to merit retention in the half forward line alongside Timmy and Niall McCarthy.

Ronan buried the impact-replacement tag that had hung around his neck with some penetrative running early on and eventually contributed three scores from play.

The temptation to promote one of the other 14 panel members to the line-up may have flitted into the management's mindset during that edgy period early in the second half when Limerick whittled down a convincing lead.

But team manager John Allen has named his strongest side for their first visit to Croke Park this year.

Last season's two meetings between these sides went the way of the eventual All-Ireland champions but Waterford are the last team to beat Cork in a championship encounter, the 2004 Munster final.

Despite the injured Paul Flynn, who requires a groin operation as soon as the season ends, Waterford manager and Cork hurling legend Justin McCarthy will select from a full deck on Thursday evening. Like in recent games, Flynn is expected to be used as a second-half replacement.

Meanwhile, Armagh have selected the same team that proved too strong for Donegal in the Ulster football final on July 9th for Saturday's highly-anticipated All-Ireland quarter-final meeting with Kerry at Croke Park. This means Brian Mallon, despite recovering from an ankle injury, fails to regain a place in the starting line-up.

The only unavailable player is Tony McEntee who is nursing an ankle injury.

"The break has done us good," insisted Armagh manager Joe Kernan. "Brian Mallon has been able to regain full fitness after sustaining an ankle injury against Fermanagh so that is an immediate plus. It has also allowed the players to rest and regroup."

On the Kerry victory over Longford last weekend Kernan commented: "They played awful well, all the problems of recent times seemed to be addressed and the young (Kieran) Donaghy fella did a fine job on the inside.

"They still hand pass the ball out of defence before someone looks up to put it long. Similar tactics to what we tend to use. You will also see us passing the ball out of defence so there won't be too much difference there."

Cork football manager Billy Morgan will name his team tonight for their quarter-final against Donegal, also at Croke Park on Saturday.

Little change is anticipated, except, of course, the huge void in the middle of the defence caused by the career-threatening cruciate ligament injury sustained by Graham Canty in the Munster final replay.

Anthony Lynch may be forced to forsake his attacking duties at wing back and revert to the full back line.

Despite promptings to the contrary, the Donegal County Board have decided not to pursue Paddy Campbell's four-week suspension to the Disputes Resolution Authority.

The county executive met on Monday night and, following legal advice since last week's central appeals committee upheld the suspension, decided to drop the matter. A major factor in the decision was the estimated €15,000 costs, which could rise to €30,000 if unsuccessful, of pursuing the last avenue of appeal within the GAA disciplinary system.

This means Donegal must also plan without their first-choice full back for Saturday's All-Ireland quarter-final against Cork at Croke Park.

Eamon Magee played there in last Sunday's fourth-round victory over Fermanagh in Enniskillen and is expected to retain the position when manager Brian McIver names a team closer to the weekend.

Ciarán Bonner (leg) and Rory Kavanagh (hand) should recover from minor injuries but first-choice free-taker Michael Doherty is still struggling to regain match fitness after sustaining a knee injury in the Ulster football semi-final against Derry on June 18th.

CORK(SH v Waterford): D Óg Cusack; B Murphy, D O'Sullivan, P Mulcahy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; T Kenny, J O'Connor; T McCarthy, N McCarthy, N Ronan; B O'Connor, B Corcoran, J Deane. Subs: M Coleman, W Sherlock, C O'Connor, P Kelly, K Hartnett, K Murphy (Sarsfields), K Murphy (Erin's Own), C Naughton, C Cusack, P Cronin, A Nash, S O'Neill, C McGann, K Cronin.

ARMAGH(SF v Kerry): P Hearty; A Mallon, F Bellew, E McNulty; A Kernan, C McKeever, P Duffy; K McGeeney, P McGrane; M O'Rourke, J McEntee, M Mackin; S McDonnell, R Clarke, O McConville.