GAELIC GAMES/Championship 2006: As if Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final between Cork and Clare wasn't attractive enough, Clare have added further intrigue by announcing a team as close as possible to last summer's classic All-Ireland semi-final, when Cork secured a one-point win having trailed by six going into the final quarter.
Manager Anthony Daly last night announced just one enforced change from that starting line-up, with Barry Nugent coming into the full-forward line for the injured Andrew Quinn. Nugent was himself injured for last year's clash.
Quinn suffered a leg injury in the National League clash with Offaly and has yet to return to full training.
On Tuesday night, Cork named exactly the same team that started in last year's final against Galway as they begin their quest for a third successive All-Ireland hurling. That same team also started against Clare in the semi-final.
It's thus set up for the perfect Thurles sequel to last summer's thriller in Croke Park, a game Clare still feel they were unlucky to have lost - and Cork feel lucky to have won.
There was a sneak preview of what's in store during the National League when Clare pulled off a two-point win over Cork during their eagerly-contested meeting.
Nugent's return adds some further strength to the Clare attack, as he has been showing excellent form during the league. There are a couple of minor positional switches from last summer, with Tony Carmody, who is back to full fitness after injury, named at left wing forward as opposed to centre forward, with Alan Markham named in the centre. Markham had been playing in the half-back line during that time, where he is still likely to figure during the course of Sunday's game.
Tony Griffin is named at full forward, having been selected in the left corner against Cork a year ago, with Niall Gilligan starting in the number 15 shirt this time. Both Griffin and Gilligan were also in fine form during the latter stages of the league.
The Clare defence is even more familiar, with Brian Lohan still holding down the full-back position despite some concerns about his recent fitness, alongside his brother Frank Lohan and Gerry O'Grady. Seanie McMahon will again captain the team at centre back alongside David Hoey and Gerry Quinn, with the talented Brian O'Connell again joining Colin Lynch at midfield.
Clare's preparations have also gone well since they fell to Limerick in the league semi-final after extra time, with Daly recently taking them to the training ground of the England soccer team at Bisham Abbey, where a range of facilities are available in both fitness assessment and injury recovery.
Cork did name their 2004 winning captain Ben O'Connor for Sunday's game after he made a surprise return from injury, and he is set to start at left wing forward, having started at corner forward for most of last year.
While Cork manager John Allen watched O'Connor train on Tuesday and was satisfied he had made sufficient recovery from the hamstring injury, the player will undergo another fitness test on Saturday morning to ensure his readiness to start.
In football, Paul Bealin has delayed naming his first championship team as Wexford manager for Sunday's Leinster quarter-final against Meath, the first game in the double-bill at Croke Park.
The former Dublin player is waiting on final fitness updates on several players, including full back Philip Wallace, who has only recently returned to training after sustaining a broken arm during the league. Fellow defender Niall Murphy is also carrying a quad muscle injury, and newcomer Eric Bradley is also doubtful with an Achilles tendon strain.
"I felt it was better to wait another day and make sure these three are right," said Bealin. "They are only niggling injuries so I am hopeful they will make it, but I didn't want to finalise the team until I was sure they could start."
There are still some question marks over Wexford's form after they secured just a single victory in the league and ended up relegated from Division One B. They are also looking for their first championship win over Meath since 1981, although they have only met on one occasion since - 1994 - when Meath emerged 14-point winners.
Meath manager Eamonn Barry, who has the advantage of the first-round win over Louth behind him, will finalise his starting line-up after training this evening, but few if any changes are expected from last Sunday week.
Kildare's injury problems ahead of their quarter-final meeting with Offaly have been well documented, and manager John Crofton also deferred naming his team until tomorrow evening.
Definitely ruled out at this stage are defenders Glenn Ryan and Damien Hendy, but Crofton is still hopeful David Lyons and Anthony Rainbow will make it.
With something of a defensive crisis, both Lyons and Rainbow will be given "every chance of making it," according to Crofton, as they look to overcame an Offaly team that beat them in the 2004 qualifiers, and have already secured a win over Westmeath.
Better news for Kildare in recent weeks was the return of forward John Doyle, who has overcome a stress fracture in his foot and will be available for selection.
CLARE (SH v Cork): D Fitzgerald; G O'Grady, B Lohan, F Lohan; D Hoey, S McMahon, G Quinn; B O'Connell, C Lynch; D McMahon, A Markham, T Carmody; B Nugent, T Griffin, N Gilligan.
