Tompkins continues to ring the changes

CORK'S football selectors have left out top scorer Colin Corkery and given debuts to two players for Sunday's National Football League match against Kerry in Tralee. Manager Larry Tompkins denied that Corkery had been dropped. "I wouldn't like that cliche being used. We're trying out a few different things and hoping to give everyone a run in a competitive match."

It will be the last of the regulation League matches and with both counties already in the quarter-finals, there is little at stake except pride and the opportunity to stake a claim for more pressing engagements later in the year.

Into the Cork side come Owen Sexton at left corner back and Seamus Collins at right corner forward. Both are the result of extensive trawling on the part of Tompkins and play their football with predominantly hurling clubs, Kilbrittan and Carrigtwohill.

As an indication of the breadth of the trawl, Tompkins turned up last summer at the East Cork junior football semi-final and Collins was one of the players who caught his eye. An All-Ireland minor medallist in 1993, he scored 1-1 in last weekend's McGrath Cup defeat by Clare.

Ollie O'Sullivan also comes into the starting line-up, at wing forward. This is further evidence of Tompkins's flexibility as O'Sullivan usually plays in the half backs; wing backs Ciaran O'Sullivan and Martin Cronin, on the other hand, have extensive experience of playing up front.

The three newcomers replace Ronan McCarthy in the left corner, Corkery and Podsie O'Mahony. Steven O'Brien, who played against Clare, remains on the bench and has yet to be included in the first team since recovering from injury.

Tompkins said that his plans are still fluid regarding the deployment of Ciaran O'Sullivan.

"Against Tyrone, we needed him at the back and he's a versatile player. It's too early to say where he'll be used. We'll wait and seed how the team shapes up. It's not much of a move anyway, between the half forwards and half backs. You're operating in much the same area.

Opponents Kerry will be announcing their team today. Coach Seamus MacGearailt is happy with the League so far. "We're quite pleased to be in the quarter-finals as it didn't look too good at the start of the season. We've also used a lot of players and that has strengthened the panel and put pressure on those involved in the firs cam.

The match is a re-run of last year's quarter-final, won by Cork but in a tight match that formed a major part of Kerry's preparations for the Munster championship in which they were to defeat Cork in a provincial final for the first time in 10 years.

"It showed that we were as good as them. The football was better that day than in the Munster final but the players knew they were quite capable of beating them.

"Our aim at the start was to give the League a good crack, to win it if possible but with an eye to the championship. Already we have definitely improved the squad. Barry O'Shea has worked well at full back and Liam O'Flaherty and Pa Laide have come back."

Adding to the options is the availability now of the full Laune Rangers contingent after their defeat by Crossmaglen in last Sunday's All-Ireland club semi-final. Mike Hassett has been playing for the county but last year's captain Billy O'Shea, who took a knock on Sunday, has missed a lot of county training with injury as has Liam Hassett.

Tommy Byrne, man of the match against Crossmaglen, is still not a member of the panel. MacGearailt says that this is not necessarily conclusive. "Tommy missed a lot of opportunities that he would have got last year because the club were involved up until the All-Ireland final. He would have done himself more Justice if he had been able to play. But there's nothing to stop him coming into the reckoning yet."

Both MacGearailt and manager Paidi O Se will keep an anxious watch on this afternoon's postponed Sigerson Cup quarter-final between the Garda College and UL. James O'Shea, Johnny Crowley and Declan O'Keeffe line out for Garda while Dara O Cinncide is expected to feature in Limerick's team at some stage after returning from suspension.

In one of the pivotal Division One matches next Sunday, Meath play Derry with both relegation and a quarter-final place still available to the All-Ireland champions. Meath selector Frank Foley says that there is an injury doubt, over Mark O'Reilly who pulled a hamstring in Tralee RTC's Sigerson victory over UCD last week. Trevor Giles has declared himself fit despite a strain in the front of the thigh of his kicking leg which caused him to miss the last match. Martin O'Connell who also missed the defeat by Kildare is fit again.

Kildare defer selection for their match with relegation-threatened Donegal. Wing back Derek Maher has an ankle injury and is unlikely to make the cut.