His red card and one-match ban rescinded Pat Horgan will resume duty as usual when Cork face Kilkenny in Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling quarter-final at Thurles.
Manager Jimmy Barry-Murphy has handed him back the number 14 shirt, having been adamant Horgan was harshly sent-off just before half-time in the Munster final defeat to Limerick earlier this month.
Horgan appealed to the Central Hearings Committee (CHC), who supported his case that the contact with the back of opponent Paudie O’Brien’s helmet was accidental.
Barry-Murphy has made one change, with Jamie Coughlan starting alongside Horgan in the full-forward line, with Cian McCarthy making way – that replacement was actually made at half-time in the Munster final.
Passed fit
Shane O'Neill has been passed fit despite an ongoing hip flexor muscle problem; he lasted the 70 minutes at full back against Limerick, and although that exacerbated the injury, the absence of the injured Brian Murphy has limited the defensive options.
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody will name his team this evening, as usual, with 2011 Hurler of the Year Michael Fennelly now fully fit and expected to start again at midfield.
Mickey Harte has made one change to his Tyrone team for tomorrow’s fourth round All-Ireland football qualifier against Meath, the last of the triple-bill at Croke Park (7pm).
Ciarán McGinley returns to the half-back line in place of Errigal Ciarán club-mate Aidan McCrory, who drops to the bench.
McGinley will play at wing back, with Ryan McKenna dropping back to the right corner in a reshuffled defence, and Cathal McCarron has recovered from the dead leg injury he picked up in the closing stages of the win over Kildare to resume duties at corner back.
Harte resisted temptation for further change despite some notable alterations in the course of that game, with Aidan Cassidy once again held in reserve, despite making a big impact when coming on for Colm Cavanagh at midfield.
Likewise with Kyle Coney, as Darren McCurry’s free taking the last day also keeps him in the side.
It’s only the third time Tyrone have played Meath in the championship, and only the second time under manager Harte: their first clash was in the 1996 All-Ireland semi-final, when Meath won by 2-15 to 0-12, and Meath unexpectedly repeated that success in the 2007 All-Ireland quarter-final, winning by 1-13 to 2-8.
Whoever emerges here won’t have long to wait to discover which of the provincial football champions they will play in the All-Ireland quarter-finals next weekend, as the draw will take place on RTÉ radio immediately after this game, at around 8.30 (provided extra-time is not necessary).
Cavan manager Terry Hyland still has some injury worries ahead of their fourth-round clash with the London (the opening game, at 3pm), as key midfielder David Givney, who limped off against Derry last Saturday, is still unsure of his match fitness.
Saturday's game also puts London's star forward Lorcan Mulvey in the awkward position of facing several of his old team-mates, as Mulvey played for Cavan for seven years before moving to Britain in 2011.
Hurling and football
And while the game also marks London's first championship outing in Croke Park, captain Séamus Hannon has played hurling and football there before for his home county Longford, winning a Lory Meagher medal there in 2010.
Laois also report a fit squad ahead of tomorrow’s showdown with All-Ireland champions Donegal in Carrick-on-Shannon (5pm). But with Mark McHugh now a definite absentee for Donegal – and facing at least a month out having suffered concussion early in the Ulster final defeat to Monaghan – it’s likely his brother Ryan McHugh will be promoted to the starting line-up, although Declan Walsh and David Walsh are other options for manager Jim McGuinness.
Meanwhile, Limerick’s star substitute Kevin Downes has emerged as a major doubt for their All-Ireland hurling semi-final after breaking a toe in training. The young Na Piarsaigh player didn’t start Limerick’s Munster final victory over Cork last Sunday week, yet scored two points after being introduced late in the game, and now faces a serious race against time to be fit .
Limerick will find out who their last four opponents will be after Sunday’s two All-Ireland quarter-finals in Thurles: what is certain about the All-Ireland semi-final permutations is that the game involving Dublin will be played on August 11th, followed a week later by the semi-final featuring Limerick.
If Galway and Kilkenny both win this Sunday, the semi-final pairings will be Dublin against Kilkenny and Galway against Limerick (given Dublin played Galway in the Leinster final); if Galway and Cork both win it will be Dublin against Cork and Galway against Limerick.
If Clare and Kilkenny win it will mean Dublin against Clare and Kilkenny against Limerick; and if Clare and Cork win it will be Dublin against Cork and Clare against Limerick.
WEEKEND SELECTIONS
TYRONE (SF v Meath): P McConnell; R McKenna, C Clarke, C McCarron; C McGinley, P Harte, C Gormley; C Cavanagh, S Cavanagh; Matthew Donnelly, Mark Donnelly, Joe McMahon; D McCurry, S O'Neill, M Penrose.
CORK (SH quarter-final v Kilkenny): A Nash; S O'Neill, S McDonnell, C O'Sullivan: T Kenny, C Joyce, W Egan; L McLoughlin, D Kearney; C Lehane, S Harnedy, P Cronin; L O'Farrell, P Horgan, J Coughlan.
