Waterford forced to alter midfield pairing

Justin McCarthy has had to completely change the Waterford midfield ahead of Sunday's All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Cork in Croke Park.

Dave Bennett sustained an ankle injury against Tipperary, which looks to have ended his season, and Shane O'Sullivan has been dropped.

In their place Eoin Kelly moves from wing forward and Brian Phelan from left wing back, James Murray coming into the defence and Jack Kennedy starting at left wing forward. Both Murray and Kennedy were introduced in the quarter-final win over Tipperary.

Team captain Paul Flynn is named on the substitutes' bench - he continues to be troubled by a groin problem but is expected to make an appearance.

The Antrim hurlers must plan without Liam Watson for Sunday's Christy Ring Cup final against Carlow, also at Croke Park. The Loughgiel forward racked up 4-20 in the last three games but recently fractured a bone in a hand. Carlow have drafted in Leinster Railway Cup player Shane Kavanagh, who recently returned from the US.

Meanwhile, the Donegal footballers will announce a team at lunchtime today for tomorrow's football quarter-final against Cork, the delay due to the fact their fourth-round-qualifier win over Fermanagh in Enniskillen was only last Sunday.

Regular freetaker Michael Doherty has had knee-ligament trouble and is likely to be named among the replacements.

The Galway Football Board chairman, Pat Egan, says he expects Peter Ford will stay on for a third year in charge of the county's senior footballers.

There has been big fallout from Saturday's shock championship exit to Westmeath, and Egan was quoted in this week's Tuam Herald to the effect he had been unhappy with the set-up.

"I certainly didn't mean to come across that strongly," said Egan. "Our exit from the championship is a disaster but everyone must take responsibility for this - players, management, the football board.

"Peter Ford has another year to run as Galway manager . . . At this stage I see no reason why he wouldn't be in charge next year."

WATERFORD(SH v Cork): C Hennessy; D Prendergast, T Feeney, E Murphy; T Browne, K McGrath, J Murray; E Kelly, B Phelan; D Shanahan, S Prendergast, J Kennedy; J Mullane, M Walsh, E McGrath.

ANTRIM(SH v Carlow): D Quinn; B McAuley, J McKague, J Campbell; M Molloy, K McKeegan, C Herron; C Cunning, M Scullion; J Scullion, C Kelly, M Dallas; J McIntosh, P Richmond, B McFall.