TEAM NEWS:TYRONE MANAGER Mickey Harte has been forced into two defensive changes due to slight concerns over Ryan McMenamin (hamstring) and Davy Harte (calf) for tomorrow's Ulster football semi-final against Down.
This will not, however, be viewed as a serious loss by Tyrone supporters as those coming in look more than capable of filling the void. Conor Gormley returns to centre back having recovered from a knee injury, while Peter Harte makes his championship debut as a replacement for his cousin, Davy, at right wing back.
Harte already featured for the 2009 All-Ireland champions in their impressive victory over Antrim last month when he replaced Brian Dooher. The 34-year-old captain proved that day he has plenty still to offer the Tyrone cause and is retained in the half forward line where, at just 27, Seán Cavanagh will be making his 50th championship appearance.
Cavanagh’s brother Colm anchors the midfield alongside the in form Kevin Hughes, while Stephen O’Neill has so far remained injury free to spearhead the attack.
Down boss James McCartan has shuffled his deck significantly with the selection of Dan Gordon at full forward, while Paul McComiskey is left out. The return of Ambrose Rodgers to the midfield after injury allows McCartan to experiment with Gordon’s size on the square’s edge.
Darren McCartan remains a notable absentee in defence as his suspension, dating back to the red card he received in the league final against Armagh, does not finish until Sunday. Aidan Carr is another to miss out due to injury.
The Cork team to play Limerick in the Munster hurling semi-final at Páirc Uí Chaoimh this Sunday remains unchanged from the side that dethroned provincial champions Tipperary on May 30th.
After a winter of disruption that is widely believed to have caused long-term damage to Limerick hurling, Justin McCarthy has announced a team of nine championship debutants. David Breen has been shifted to full back to mark Aisake Ó hAilpín, captain Bryan O’Sullivan is at centre back alongside Paul Browne, while James Vincent O’Brien, Paudie McNamara and Graeme Mulcahy are the other three with previous experience of championship hurling.
The unprecedented bookmakers odds show just how difficult a task this new look Limerick hurling team are facing with some outlets giving 1 to 100 on a Cork victory.
Meanwhile, both the Meath football manager Eamonn O’Brien and his Laois counterpart Seán Dempsey have kept faith in their sides for the Leinster quarter-final replay tomorrow evening in Tullamore.
That means Kevin Reilly will start at full back with Anthony Moyles moving out to wing back, while Brian Meade remains in midfield due to captain Nigel Crawford’s ongoing back problem. Crawford is named on the bench.
Joe Sheridan is again named at centre forward despite lining out the last day at full forward with Shane O’Rourke switching to the corner.
Dempsey has made no changes despite the error by goalkeeper Mickey Nolan, which almost cost Laois dearly in extra-time, and the scoring impact of Pádraic Clancy, Michael John Tierney and John O’Loughlin off the bench.
Leitrim have taken the decision not to use the number 10 jersey this season in memory of wing forward Philly McGuinness who died playing for his club Mohill in April.
CORK(SHC v Limerick): D Óg Cusack; S O'Neill, E Cadogan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Óg Ó hAilpín; T Kenny, C Naughton; B O'Connor, J O'Connor, N McCarthy; K Murphy, A Ó hAilpín, P Horgan.
LIMERICK(SHC v Cork): T Flynn; S O'Neill, D Breen, K O'Rourke; S O'Riordan, B O'Sullivan (capt), P Browne; T O'Brien, A Brennan; J V O'Brien, P McNamara, S Herlihy; G Mulcahy, A Owens, R McKeogh.
TYRONE(SFC v Down): P McConnell; M Swift, Justin McMahon, D Carlin; P Harte, C Gormley, P Jordan; C Cavanagh, K Hughes; B Dooher (capt), S Cavanagh, Joe McMahon; M Penrose, S O'Neill, O Mulligan.
DOWN(SFC v Tyrone): B McVeigh; D Rooney, B McArdle, D Rafferty; K McKernan, J Colgan, C Garvey; A Rodgers, K King; D Hughes, M Poland, B Coulter; C Maginn, D Gordon, M Clarke.
LAOIS(SFC v Meath): M Nolan; P OLeary, M Timmons, P McMahon (captain); C Healy, C Ryan, C Begley; B Quigley, K Meaney; B Sheehan, C Rogers, D Strong; P Cahillane, D Kingston, R Munnelly.
MEATH(SFC v Laois): P O'Rourke; C O'Connor, K Reilly, E Harrington; A Moyles, M Burke, C King; B Meade, M Ward; 10 S Kenny, J Sheridan, G Reilly; C Ward, S O'Rourke, S Bray.
LEITRIM(SFC v Roscommon): E Lyons; D Beck, J McKeon, D Reynolds; J Glancy (St Mary's), S Foley, W McKeon; T Beirne, S Canning; C Clarke, D O'Connor; M Foley; R Cox, J Glancy (Glencar/Manor), R Mulvey.
