Cork make three changes

Team newsCork manager Billy Morgan has been forced to make three changes to the side that snatched a last-minute draw against Westmeath last Saturday.

The players who picked up knocks in that match haven't recovered and won't play any part in the trip to Tralee to face old rivals Kerry under lights in Saturday's National Football League Division One A game.

Philip Clifford, just returned after a year out, injured his hip quite badly whereas Nemo Rangers pair Derek Kavanagh and Maurice McCarthy are nursing hamstrings. The indisposed trio are replaced by Padraig Griffin, Noel O'Leary and Conor McCarthy respectively.

It will be a first competitive start for Griffin and McCarthy who have made appearances as replacements. Griffin came on to score the vital goal in injury time to secure the draw last week and is a son of former Kerry All-Ireland winner Pat Griffin.

Westmeath are still assessing the cost of the draw in Cork with a number of players unable to train last night. Midfielders David O'Shaughnessy and Rory O'Connell missed out, as did Michael Ennis.

Selector Paddy Collins was unsure whether the players would have recovered for the weekend's match against Longford in Mullingar.

"We'll have to wait and see but none of them was able to train tonight. Paul Martin who got a knock in Cork is definitely out."

Better news for the county was the return to training of Dessie Dolan who has been taking regular deep-tank oxygen treatment in an effort to be fit.

"I got a belt on the quad against Carlow in the O'Byrne Cup and it has not cleared up fully," he said. "I have been getting a lot of treatment and hopefully it will be okay for Sunday."

Dolan trained last night and Collins believes he will be able to take some part in the game.

Limerick name an unchanged team for Sunday's trip to Kingscourt to play Cavan. The side that recorded such an emphatic win over Leinster champions Laois in last weekend's inaugural matches of this season's league gets the go-ahead for the county's second match in Division One, with Mayoman Maurice Horan, who scored four points against Laois, continuing in attack.

Laois, who play Sligo at home, may name a side tonight after a trial match that manager Mick O'Dwyer will monitor before cutting his training panel from 42 down to around 30. O'Dwyer has escalating injury problems with Barry Brennan (back), Kevin Fitzpatrick (dead leg) and Joe Higgins (hamstring) all giving concern.

In Division Two B, Waterford manager Billy Harty makes two changes to the side that lost to Wicklow last Sunday. Trevor Costello, who came on as a replacement for Michael Crotty in that match, keeps his place at left-corner back while Joe Hearn comes in at centre back with Edmund Rockett dropping to full back and Karl O'Keeffe moving up to centrefield in place of William Kavanagh.

Meanwhile, Cork hurlers have raised €22,000 for their Players' Fund by auctioning off the car, presented to them by Toyota, for reaching last year's All-Ireland final.

TG4 will televise two National League matches this weekend - Saturday's Kerry-Cork clash and Sunday's game between Galway and Armagh at Pearse Stadium.

CORK (SF v Kerry): K O'Dwyer; S O'Brien, G Canty, A Lynch; N O'Leary, O Sexton, M Cronin; N Murphy, D Hurley; A Cronin, M O Cróinín, C McCarthy; C Crowley, B Collins, P Griffin.

LIMERICK (SF v Cavan): S O'Donnell; M O'Riordan, D Sheehy, T Stack; P Browne, S Lucey, D Reidy; J Stokes, T Carroll; S Kelly, M Gavin, C Mullane; M Horan, J Murphy, E Keating.

WATERFORD (SF v Tipperary): P Houlihan; T Dunphy, E Rockett, T Costello; N Hennessy, J Hearn, P Fitzgerald; K O'Keeffe, A Hubbard; L Ó Lionáin, C Watt, J Coffey; N Curran, S Walsh, G Power.