Lynch wins his injury battle

Cork will start Sunday's All-Ireland football semi-final against Kerry with the same team that beat Mayo in the quarter-finals earlier this month. It means manager Larry Tompkins and his selectors have settled on an unchanged line-up for the third game in succession.

It was only after the drawn Munster final with Tipperary that Tompkins was last tempted to adjust his side, bringing Graham Canty up to midfield to partner Nicholas Murphy and putting Martin Cronin at left wing back. Maurice McCarthy was also introduced at wing forward. That combination worked a treat in the replay, and likewise in the comfortable win over Mayo.

There was considerable concern in recent days about the fitness of corner back Anthony Lynch, who had been suffering with a hamstring injury and missed all last week's training. After illustrating his full recovery last night in training, he was cleared to play, as was Eoin Sexton at wing back, who was troubled by a less serious hamstring injury. Canty's minor ankle injury has also sufficiently recovered.

There was speculation that Tompkins might change his forwards, with Colin Crowley thought to be in contention for a place. Crowley came on for Philip Clifford early in the Mayo game and scored two points, yet must be content yet again with a place on the bench.

Ciarán O'Sullivan is again named at full back, though he actually moved to the right corner the last day in a swap with Seán Levis. The positioning of Martin Cronin, Kavanagh and Canty, and wing forward McCarthy are the only changes from the team that beat Kerry in the Munster semi-final replay.

Opponents Kerry will name a team after training tomorrow night, and manager Páidí Ó Sé will have a full panel to select from.

Meanwhile, Sligo's Eamonn O'Hara was yesterday named Vodafone Player of the Month for July, and was presented with his trophy by GAA president Seán McCague in the Sligo Park Hotel.

CORK (SF v Kerry): K O'Dwyer; S Levis, C O'Sullivan, A Lynch; E Sexton, R McCarthy, M Cronin; N Murphy, G Canty; BJ O'Sullivan, J Kavanagh, M McCarthy; P Clifford, C Corkery, F Murray. Subs: A Quirke, J Miskella, N O'Donovan, P Kissane, N O'Leary, J O'Donoghue, M O'Sullivan, C Murphy, D O'Sullivan, C Crowley, M O'Croinin, A Cronin, K Murphy, N Geary, B Collins.