GAELIC GAMES:CORK DUAL star Eoin Cadogan switches his allegiance back to football this weekend and will line out for Conor Counihan's team in tomorrow evening's Division One clash against Down at Páirc Uí Rinn.
It’s not just that the game marks a high-profile repeat of last year’s All-Ireland final – which Cork won by a point – but also because Cork need to beat second-placed Down if they are to leapfrog them on the league table and keep alive their chances of defending their league title.
Down have beaten Galway and Armagh and drew with Mayo, and are therefore just ahead of Cork, who have two victories and the defeat to Dublin, who still top Division One. On that basis Counihan was always likely to name his strongest possible team, and thus gets first call on Cadogan.
Cadogan lined out with the hurlers on the previous so-called double hit of National League football and hurling last month, playing with Denis Walsh’s team in their defeat to Kilkenny. It was always likely he would play with the footballers this time, taking his usual berth at full back, although it remains to be seen what happens on the last double hit of league football and hurling, on April 2nd-3rd, where Cadogan’s allegiance may well depend on which team needs him more in order to sustain their league ambitions.
Counihan continues with a familiar team that again features Daniel Goulding, Ciarán Sheehan and Donncha O’Connor in the full- forward line.
The Cork hurling team, meanwhile, sees Eoin Dillon take over from Cadogan at full back for Sunday’s meeting with Waterford in Dungarvan. Walsh also gives starting places to Lorcán McLoughlin and Brian Murphy, with Ben and Jerry O’Connor and Ronan Curran among the subs.
Tipperary hurling manager Declan Ryan makes three changes from the team that beat Waterford last weekend for Sunday’s meeting with Offaly. Loughmore Castleiney’s Eddie Connolly makes his league debut at corner back in place of Paddy Stapleton, with Benny Dunne and Eoin Kelly also starting in place of Shane McGrath and Brian O’Meara.
Stephen O’Neill will make his first league start for Tyrone in Saturday evening’s division two football meeting with Antrim in Omagh. Tyrone recorded their first victory against Sligo in round three, and manager Mickey Harte has named his strongest team in the hope of keeping their promotion chances alive.
Kevin Hughes is now partnered by Aidan Cassidy, with both Colm and Seán Cavanagh in the half forward line, and Martin Penrose and Owen Mulligan flanking O’Neill in the full forward line.
Dublin football manager Pat Gilroy will, as usual, name his team this morning ahead of Sunday’s Division One meeting against Monaghan.
Seven Kilmacud Crokes players have been called into the panel, starting with Paul Griffin, who has missed the last year with a knee cruciate ligament injury.
CORK (SF v Down): K O’Halloran; R Carey, E Cadogan, M Shields; C O’Driscoll, P Kissane, D O’Sullivan; A O’Connor, A Walsh; F Goold, P Kelly, P O’Neill; D Goulding, C Sheehan, D O’Connor.
CORK (SH v Waterford) D Óg Cusack; S McDonnell, E Dillon, C O’Sullivan; J Gardiner, W Egan, B Murphy; L McLoughlin, P Cronin; T Kenny, C McCarthy, N McCarthy; P Horgan, P O’Sullivan, L O’Farrell.
TIPPERARY (SH v Offaly): B Cummins; M Cahill, P Curran, E Connolly; J O’Keeffe, P Maher, D Young; G Ryan, B Maher; B Dunne, N McGrath, P Maher; P Kelly, E Kelly, P Burke.
TYRONE (SF v Antrim): J Curran; PJ Quinn, D McCaul, D Carlin; D Harte, C Gormley, R McMenamin; K Hughes, A Cassidy; C Cavanagh, B McGuigan, S Cavanagh; M Penrose, S O’Neill, O Mulligan.
OFFALY (SF v Louth): A Mulhall; B Derby, S Brady, S Pender; S Sullivan, K Slattery, S Lonergan; R Dalton, J Coughlan; S Ryan, J Reynolds, C McManus; N Dunne, K Casey, N McNamee.
WEXFORD (SF v Westmeath): A Masterson; N Murphy, G Molloy, J Wadding; B Malone, D Murphy, A Doyle; R Quinlivan, D Waters; S O’Neill, R Barry, C Morris; C Lyng, S McLoughlin, B Brosnan.
