Collingwood AFL player on bench as Cork name 3 debutants to start against Kerry

Páirc Uí Chaoimh hosts Sunday’s Munster senior football semi-final.

COLLINGWOOD AFL PLAYER Mark Keane is a notable inclusion in the Cork squad to face Kerry on Sunday and there are also three senior championship debutants on Ronan McCarthy’s starting side.

Keane has been named on the bench for the Munster semi-final in Páirc Uí Chaoimh, three weeks after it was announced that he had signed a new two-year contract with Collingwood.

He made his AFL debut for the Melbourne-based outfit in early August after first signing for the club in October 2018.

The Mitchelstown native last played for Cork in the 2018 Munster U20 final when they lost out to Kerry in Tralee.

Two of his team-mates from that side will make their first senior starts in championship on Sunday with Maurice Shanley named at full-back and Colm O’Callaghan selected at centre-forward. Sean Meehan completes the set of newcomers at centre-back.

fiachra-clifford-is-tackled-by-maurice-shanley Maurice Shanley (right) in action for Cork against Kerry in last year's Munster U20 final. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

That trio all won All-Ireland U20 medals with Cork in 2019, starting in the win over Dublin, while there are a couple of other emerging faces on the bench from that triumph in defender Paul Ring and forward Damien Gore.

Both Sean Powter and Brian Hurley are named to start for the Cork team after having had injury concerns of late. It will mark Powter’s first championship start for Cork since July 2017 when they lost to Mayo after he has endured a couple of injury-plagued seasons.

sean-powter-and-jason-doherty Sean Powter in action for Cork against Mayo in 2017. Cathal Noonan / INPHO Cathal Noonan / INPHO / INPHO

Overall Cork have named eight of the team that lost last year’s Munster final to Kerry in Páirc Uí Chaoimh with goalkeeper Micheal Martin, Powter, Shanley, wing-back Kevin O’Donovan, Meehan, wing-forward John O’Rourke and O’Callaghan the players brought in.

Throw-in on Sunday is 4pm with live TV coverage on RTÉ 2.

Cork

1. Micheal Martin (Nemo Rangers)

2. Sean Powter (Douglas)
3. Maurice Shanley (Clonakilty)
4. Kevin Flahive (Douglas)

5. Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers)
6. Sean Meehan (Kiskeam)
7. Mattie Taylor (Mallow)

8. Ian Maguire (St Finbarr’s)
9. Killian O’Hanlon (Kilshannig)

10. John O’Rourke (Carbery Rangers)
11. Colm O’Callaghan (Éire Óg)
12. Ruairi Deane (Bantry Blues)

13. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)
14. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
15. Luke Connolly (Nemo Rangers)

Subs

16. Anthony Casey (Kiskeam)
17. Sam Ryan (St Finbarr’s)
18. Paul Ring (Aghabullogue)
19. Michael Hurley (Castlehaven)
20. Tadhg Corkery (Cill Na Martra)
21. Paul Walsh (Kanturk)
22. Kevin O’Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)
23. Sean White (Clonakilty)
24. Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers)
25. Mark Keane (Mitchelstown)
26. Damien Gore (Kilmacabea)