CORK BOSS KIERAN Kingston has kept faith with the players who shone in pre-season as five players will make their first league starts against Clare tomorrow night.
Shane Kingston, Mark Coleman David Griffin, Luke Meade and Darragh Fitzgibbon, all of whom are still U21, have impressed for the Rebels in recent weeks.
Cork won all five games in January en-route to winning the Munster Senior Hurling League and they’ll be hoping to bring that form into Saturday’s clash against the Banner.
Kingston and Coleman did feature off the bench in Cork’s defeat to Wexford in the qualifiers last summer, while it’s a first competitive outing for Griffin, Meade and Fitzgibbon.
UCC defender Colm Spillane starts at full-back after missing the entire campaign last year due to a cruciate injury.
Conor Lehane, Stephen McDonnell and Damian Cahalane are all absent through injury.
Meanwhile, Clare have handed league debuts to two players for the tie.
Jamie Shanahan and Cathal Malone, both from Sixmilebridge, will start for the Banner County in the league game which takes place in Pairc Uí Rinn.
Clare have also named Tubber clubman Pat O’Connor as the county’s senior hurling captain for the year, while former hurler of the year, Tony Kelly, will be the vice-captain.
O’Connor is currently on his way back from injury, so Clare’s bosses have named Kelly as the captain for this Sunday’s game.
Star forward Conor McGrath is still looking on from the sidelines as he recovers from shoulder surgery.
Cork
1. Anthony Nash (Kanturk)
2. Killian Burke (Midleton)
3. Colm Spillane (Castlelyons)
4. David Griffin (Carrigaline)
5. Christopher Joyce (Na Piarsaigh)
6. Mark Ellis (Millstreet)
7. Mark Coleman (Blarney)
8. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
9. Daniel Kearney (Sarsfields)
10. Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s)
11. Luke Meade (Newcestown)
12. Shane Kingston (Douglas)
13. Alan Cadogan (Douglas)
14. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)
15. Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville)
Subs:
16. Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig)
17. Conor O’Sullivan (Sarsfields)
18. Jack Sheehan (Erins Own)
19. Chris O’Leary (Valley Rovers)
20. Cormac Murphy (Mallow)
21. Lorcan McLoughlin (Kanturk)
22. Paul Haughney (Midleton)
23. Dean Brosnan (Glen Rovers)
24. Michael Cahalane (Bandon)
25. Robbie O’Flynn (Erins Own)
26. Shane O’Keeffe (Blackrock)
Clare
1. Donal Tuohy (Crusheen)
2. Jack Browne (Ballyea)
3. Cian Dillon (Crusheen)
4. Seadna Morey (Sixmilebridge)
5. Brendan Bugler (Whitegate)
6. Conor Cleary (Kilmaley)
7. Jamie Shanahan (Sixmilebridge)
8. Shane Golden (Sixmilebridge)
9. Tony Kelly (captain) (Ballyea)
10. John Conlon (Clonlara)
11. Podge Collins (Cratloe)
12. Cathal Malone (Sixmilebridge)
13. Aron Shanagher (Wolfe Tones)
14. David Reidy (Éire Óg)
15. Shane O’Donnell (Éire Óg)
Additional reporting by Kevin O’Brien
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