COLM COLLINS has named his starting fifteen for Clare’s first outing of the year when the senior footballers welcome Cork to Hennessy Park in Miltown Malbay.
Kilfenora’s Cian O’Dea will captain the side from wing-back while Collins has handed senior debuts to Mark McInerney a Clare SFC winner with Éire Óg and Ennistymon defender Darragh Connely at corner forward and corner back respectively.
Fresh from serving as joint captain of the U21A championship winning Cill Cúil Gaels side, Emmet McMahon starts at wing-forward in a line that also contains Keelan Sexton and Ciaran Downes.
Regular netminder, Stephen Ryan will be between the posts with Connely, Eoghan Collins and Ciaran Morrisey in front of him.
Captain O’Dea is joined by Alan Sweeney and Daniel Walsh in the half-back line, the trio and the midfield pair of Darren O’Neill and Darragh Bohannon are the only lines of the field where all members have senior championship experience.
Listed among the substitutes and hoping to make their first appearance for the seniors are Éire Óg defenders Ronan Lanigan and Manus Doherty, St Breckans duo Maccon Byrne and Padraig Kelly, St Josephs Doora/Barefield’s Tom McDonald plus midfielders Dan Keating of Kilmihil and Cooraclare’s Brian McNamara.
For his first outing as Cork boss, Keith Ricken has included five members of the side which lost last year’s Munster final to Kerry, Sean Meehan, Cian Kiely, Sean Powter, Brian Hurley, Daniel Dineen are included in a team which has Diarmuid Phelan at centre-back, a position he held for Ricken’s U20 side.
Clare:
1: Stephen Ryan (Kilrush Shamrocks)
2: Darragh Conneely (Ennistymon)
3: Eoghan Collins (Ballyhaunis)
4: Ciaran Morrissey (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
5: Cian O’Dea (Kilfenora) (Capt)
6: Alan Sweeney (St Breckans)
7: Daniel Walsh (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
8: Darragh Bohannon (Shannon Gaels)
9: Darren O Neill (Éire Óg)
10: Emmet McMahon (Kildysart)
11: Keelan Sexton (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
12: Ciaran Downes (Kilmihil)
13: Mark McInerney (Éire Óg)
14: Joe McGann (St Breckans)
15: Aaron Griffin (Lissycasey)
16: Tom O’Brien (St Josephs Doora Barefield)
17: Ronan Lanigan (Éire Óg)
18: Jack Sheedy (St Breckans)
19: Maccon Byrne (St Breckans)
20: Dan Keating (Kilmihil)
21: Padraig Kelly (St Breckans)
22: Tom McDonald (St Josephs Doora Barefield)
23: Manus Doherty (Éire Óg)
24: Andrew Shannon (Kilmurry Ibrickane)
25: Brian McNamara (Cooraclare)
26: Cathal O’Connor (Coolmeen)
Cork:
1: Christopher Kelly (Éire Óg)
2: Seán Powter (Douglas)
3: Sean Meehan (Kiskeam)
4: Paul Ring (Aghabullogue)
5: Cian Kiely (Ballincollig)
6: Diarmuid Phelan (Aghada)
7: Tadhg Corkery (Cill na Martra)
8: Shane Merrit (Mallow)
9: Joe Grimes (Clonakilty)
10: Danial O’Connell (Kanturk)
11: Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)
12: Colm O’ Callaghan (Éire Óg)
13: Mark Cronin (Nemo Rangers)
14: Daniel Dineen (Cill na Martra)
15: Damien Gore (Kilmacabea)
16: Joe Creedon (Iveleary)
17: Paul Walsh (Kanturk)
18: Paudie Allen (Newmarket)
19: Kevin Crowley (Millstreet)
20: Kevin O’Donovan (Nemo Rangers)
21: Cillian O’Donovan (Macroom)
22: David Buckley (Newcestown)
23: Blake Murphy (St. Vincents)
24: Evan Cooke (Ballincollig)
25: Fionn Herlihy (Dohenys)
26: Luke Fahy (Ballincollig)
