FIVE OF LAST summer’s successful Munster final team will make their seasonal debut for the Cork hurlers tomorrow night in the annual January challenge game to honour the county’s former All-Ireland winning boss Canon Michael O’Brien.
Cork have played two games to date under new manager John Meyler, losing out to Limerick and Clare in the Co-Op Superstores Munster hurling league.
Meyler is able to welcome back some big names for tomorrow night’s game against UCC with full-back Damien Cahalane, midfielder Bill Cooper, centre-forward Conor Lehane, full-forward Patrick Horgan and corner-forward Seamus Harnedy set for their opening game of the season.
Ger Collins, who was in goal for the Cork minor team in last September’s All-Ireland final, is a notable inclusion between the posts.
This is the sixth year that the Canon Michael O’Brien Cup game takes place and commemorates the hurling figure who passed away in 2014.
O’Brien managed Cork to win the 1984 and 1990 All-Ireland senior hurling titles.
He also coached Farranferris to three Croke Cup and Harty Cup titles, UCC to ten Fitzgibbon Cup crowns and was involved in the selection committee for six All-Ireland minor hurling triumphs for Cork.
There will be no admission fee for tomorrow night’s game but those attending are asked to donate to the Shine Centre for Autism, based in Carrigaline. Throw-in is 7.30pm.
Cork
1. Ger Collins (Ballinhassig)
2. Conor O’Sullivan (Sarsfields)
3. Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s)
4. William Kearney (Sarsfields)
5. Christopher Joyce (Na Piarsaigh)
6. Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum)
7. Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)
8. Brian Lawton (Castlemartyr)
9. Bill Cooper (Youghal)
10. Dean Brosnan (Glen Rovers)
11. Conor Lehane (Midleton)
12. Luke Meade (Newcestown)
13. Robert O’Shea (Carrigaline)
14. Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers)
15. Seamus Harnedy (St Ita’s)
Subs
16. Declan Dalton (Fr O’ Neills)
17. Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields)
18. Daniel Kearney (Sarsfields)
19. Conor Twomey (Newtownshandrum)
20. Evan Sheehan (Na Piarsaigh)
21. Ian Cahill (Cloyne)
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