Cronin's inclusion a surprise

Micheal Cronin is the surprise selection by Cork for Sunday's All-Ireland football semi-final against Mayo at Croke Park. Debutant Cronin, who replaces Brendan Jer O'Sullivan at right half forward, has never previously played in a competitive match for Cork - league or championship.

It is the only change from the Cork side that beat Kerry in the Munster final. Cronin (21), who is from the Naomh Aban club in Ballyvourney, is preferred to both Fachtna Collins and Fionan Murray, both of whom scored vital goals after coming on as substitutes in the Munster final defeat of Kerry. O'Sullivan was a late call-up for the injured Aidan Dorgan for the Munster final and was replaced by Collins that day.

Cronin has played minor and under-21 for Cork and made a big impression when playing for UCC in the Cork county championship. He is also believed to have played exceptionally well in a Cork squad game last Saturday night. Cronin obviously impressed manager Larry Tompkins and selectors Conor Counihan, Paddy Sheehan and Terry O'Neill enough to warrant inclusion.

Mayo, meanwhile, will select their team tonight, although team manager John Maughan reports that he has no injury problems in a fully fit squad.

In the meantime Croke Park reports that there is a huge demand for tickets for the match and that a crowd as big if not bigger than last week's attendance of 55,141 at the Kilkenny-Clare hurling semi-final will be catered for.

As things stand, it does not appear that any tickets are coming back from the competing counties. There is exceptional interest in Cork with the prospect of a hurling-football double. Betting on such an outcome has cut the odds dramatically within the last week or so. Before the Munster football final, odds of 15 to 1 were available but have now dropped to 3 to 1.

Croke Park, meanwhile, says that it is continuing with its policy of preventing supporters of teams from running on to the pitch at full-time after matches.

Croke Park has also announced that this year's hurling final between Cork and Kilkenny will be seen on the Guinness hurling website for the first time. The address is www.guinness.com/hurling/