Three make Cork debuts

Championship 2003/Team news: Cork hurling manager Donal O'Grady has handed championship debuts to three players for Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final against Clare.

As expected, Setanta Ó hAilpín gets a starting place among the forwards after his prolific displays during the National League, and he is joined for his first championship outing by defenders Tom Kenny and Ronan Curran.

With a fully fit panel to choose from, O'Grady wasn't expected to spring too many surprises, and the bones of last year's championship team remain in place. There are, however, six changes in total from the team that fell to Galway in last year's All-Ireland qualifier.

Gone from that starting line-up are defenders John Browne and Fergal Ryan, the midfield pairing of Alan Cummins and Neil Ronan and forwards Jerry O'Connor and Eamonn Collins. Along with Ó hAilpín, Kenny and Curran, the other changes are Pat Mulcahy, Mick O'Connell and Niall McCarthy.

Dual player Diarmuid O'Sullivan is also back in the defence, but starts at left corner back, with Mulcahy holding down the full back position. Among the players kept in reserve are Mark Prendergast, Derek Barrett and Seánie McGrath.

Joe Deane and Alan Browne complete the full forward line along with Ó hAilpín the younger, and Ben O'Connor, Niall McCarthy and Timmy McCarthy form the half forward line.

The Cork footballers, meanwhile, will later today finalise the team to play Roscommon in the first round of the All-Ireland qualifiers in Dr Hyde Park on Saturday evening. Manager Larry Tompkins has concerns over a couple of injured players, and is eager to get his best possible team on the field for such a high-pressure game.

Limerick teenager Andrew O'Shaughnessy will miss Saturday's Munster championship semi-final replay against Waterford in Thurles. O'Shaughnessy, who hit 1-2 in the drawn match, will concentrate on his Leaving Certificate, which gets under way today.

The O'Shaughnessy family discussed Andrew's position shortly after Sunday's memorable battle at Thurles and decided it was best to skip the replay.

It is understood that Pat Kirby, who also sits his Leaving Cert this week and who came on as a substitute last Sunday, is available for selection. The Limerick team will be announced after training today.

Meanwhile, there is growing concern about the availability of Limerick midfielder John Quane for Sunday week's Munster football championship semi-final against Clare at Ennis. Quane picked up a leg injury in a challenge game.

CORK (SH v Clare): D Óg Cusack; W Sherlock, P Mulcahy, D O'Sullivan; T Kenny, R Curran, Seán Ó hAilpín; J Gardiner, M O'Connell; B O'Connor, N McCarthy, T McCarthy; Setanta Ó hAilpín, J Deane, A Browne.