Holders Cork have case for defence

Clare v Cork:  All-Ireland champions Cork enter the lists this weekend with a Guinness Munster hurling championship semi-final against the team that most threatened them last year.

Unusually, the two sides show only one change between them from last August's enthralling encounter at Croke Park in the All-Ireland semi-final, although no sane bookmaker will give you odds against changes being made before the throw-in.

The scepticism about the Clare team named during the week is corroborated by the fact the players had been told not to expect news of the selection until last night.

And Ben O'Connor's lack of match practice (he hasn't played since last year) means there won't be huge surprise if he doesn't start for Cork.

Although there is conventional cover for the forwards in the experienced Neil Ronan and the Newtownshandrum youngster Cathal Naughton, it's believed Cian O'Connor, who has successfully converted from defence to attack recently, is in pole position to step in for O'Connor. The configuration of the team is a different matter.

As with Cork's two previous campaigns, the team will be driven from the back and the defence looks solid - all the more so for having Wayne Sherlock on hand should any of the component parts need replacement, as was the celebrated case in last year's match when manager John Allen crossed the Rubicon by replacing Ronan Curran and Brian Corcoran.

Ironically, Clare are being doubted down the middle of their defence, where Brian Lohan and Seán McMahon comprehensively got the better of Corcoran and Niall McCarthy nine months ago.

But Allen won't have forgotten Lohan looked less comfortable shepherding Joe Deane and Corcoran would have the guile McCarthy lacks for centre forward.

The rumours Lohan will be omitted are dismissed by some close to the camp on the grounds that the totemic full back is fitter and sharper than in the NHL semi-final, when he struggled so much on Brian Begley.

Whatever about changes to the starting 15, Clare can also be expected to shuffle the deck. Tony Carmody is expected to line out on the 40, with Alan Markham switching, however notionally, to full forward. Tony Griffin may start centrefield, Brian O'Connell drop to wing back, with David Hoey, rather than Brian Lohan, being the defender to lose out. Regardless, the broad issues remain the same. Cork's defence and mobility at centrefield were decisive last year.

Clare's forwards are formidably big but last year struggled to win ball in the closing stages. During the league they played well as a unit, had few difficulties getting possession and scored freely.

Cork weren't setting out to impress in the spring and they didn't. The NHL seldom teaches you anything that can't change quickly, and likewise challenge matches.

It's an intriguing prospect; neither side will want to lose and be forced onto the back roads for the coming two months.

The rationale for Cork here is that they won't start as badly as last year and consequently won't need Clare to finish as badly.

Their mobility will be even more important in Thurles than it was in Croke Park, and if the absence of Ben O'Connor's pace won't help the champions, he's a likely introduction if needed.

CORK: D Cusack; P Mulcahy, D O'Sullivan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Ó hAilpín; J O'Connor, T Kenny; B O'Connor, N McCarthy, T McCarthy; K Murphy, B Corcoran, J Deane.

CLARE: D Fitzgerald; G O'Grady, B Lohan, F Lohan; D Hoey, S McMahon, G Quinn; C Lynch, B O'Connell; D McMahon, A Markham, T Carmody; B Nugent, T Griffin, N Gilligan.

A new programme, The GAA Show, begins on Setanta Sports next Monday. Presented by Des Curran, it will air every weekday at 7pm. The station's deferred broadcasts for next week are as follows: Munster SHC - Cork v Clare: Monday, May 29th, 9.30; Tuesday, May 30th, 5.30; Friday, June 2nd, 1.50. Leinster SFC - Meath v Wexford: Tuesday, May 30th, 11.30am; Wednesday, May 31st, 1.10pm. Leinster SFC - Offaly v Kildare: Tuesday, May 30th, 1pm; Tuesday, May 30th, 7.30; Wednesday, May 31st, 2.40; Thursday, June 1st, 5pm. Connacht SFC - Galway v Sligo, Tuesday, May 30th, 4pm; Wednesday, May 31st, 9.30.