Cork content to stick with their winning formula

Cork have named an unchanged team to face Offaly in the first of the Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-finals in Croke Park on Sunday. As anticipated, Jimmy Barry-Murphy has retained the 15 players who defeated Clare in the Munster final 1-15 to 0-14 on July 4th.

While the players line out as selected in that match, there may be a number of positional switches on the day. While Seanie McGrath played at corner forward against Clare, he is named in the half forward line, and Neil Ronan, who operated on the wing, has been selected at full forward.

The one blow to Cork's preparations has been the loss of substitute Pat Ryan to a foot injury he picked up at training last Saturday. Ryan, who lined out a midfield for Cork for virtually all of the league campaign, replaced Mark Landers in the second half of the Munster final. But it is no surprise that Cork have retained the Landers-Mickey O'Connell axis which has proven to be one of the summer's revelations.

Offaly's ability to stymie the seemingly irrepressible O'Connell might well prove central to the outcome of this game. The Midelton man, having watched Cork league games from the stands, has been one of the stories of the championship.

He contributed eight points to the undoing of Waterford, and was good for another five against Clare, when he performed extremely well despite the attentions of Colin Lynch.

The solid Cork full back unit - which will present the Offaly attackers with a task as formidable as that which undid them against Kilkenny - bears a familiar look, with Blackrock defender and former captain Diarmuid O'Sullivan leading a watertight unit at full back.

Cork have made it to this year's semi-final with an enviable defensive record, holding Waterford to 115 and Clare to a mere 14 points.

Offaly will name their team tomorrow night as worries grow over two of the team's most resolute defenders. Centre half back Hubert Rigney and his wing back partner Kevin Martin picked up troublesome injuries in the facile All-Ireland quarter-final win over Antrim.

Rigney, who captained the team to last year's All-Ireland title, continues to suffer from a deeply bruised shin after Jackie Carson accidentally drew across him. Offaly's woes continued as Martin then departed the field with a severely damaged hand which required immediate attention.

The pair form part of a defence which has been the cornerstone of Offaly's summer challenges in recent years. If they are unable to play, manager Michael Bond will have to improvise in creating a defence capable of stemming a Cork attack which was in blistering form against the highly-rated Clare defence. Offaly have one of the most settled sides in the country and the loss of two pivotal players could do much to upset their rhythm.

Brighter news for Offaly is the return to training of Joe Dooley, who has again shown great form this year. The experienced wing forward failed to pass fitness ahead of the Antrim match, but he should return for Sunday. The All Star will enhance the versatility of an attack which was stifled by Kilkenny in the Leinster final, despite a promising opening to the championship against Wexford.

Clare returned from Dublin yesterday with no injury worries to report. Jamesie O'Connor's rehabilitation from the broken arm he sustained against Tipperary in the Munster semi-final continues, and the panel will resume training later this week as they begin preparing for Sunday week's All-Ireland semi-final against Kilkenny.

Indeed, manager Ger Loughnane has a full panel to select from for the first time in over a year. Clare have been denied various personnel continually since last summer's Munster final replay against Waterford. Suspensions arising from that game triggered a series of absences through injuries, and the St Joseph's DooraBarefield club run which involved Ollie Baker, Sean McMahon and O'Connor.

"We will take it easy for the next few evenings and then get back in gear, but as of now everyone is just really looking forward to Sunday week," said Clare county PRO Des Crowe.

On a different note, the status DJ Carey holds within Kilkenny was further highlighted by the unveiling of a 20 ft statue of the hurler to coincide with Arts Week in the city.