Weekend hurling preview

 

 

The fixtures

Antrim v Offaly Sunday 3.30 pm

Cork v Tipperary Sunday 4pm (Live on RTE 2)

The Previews

Cork v Tipperary

Having defeated Cork on their own patch in the championship for the first time in 85 years two years ago, Liam Sheedy will be keen to prove on Sunday that it was no fluke and that Tipperary are to be a real force to be reckoned with in the hunt for Liam McCarthy honours this year.

While a lot of talk of this year’s championship has centred on Kilkenny’s bid for the five in a row and the emergence of Galway as a real threat, the challenge of Tipperary should not be underestimated. For a start, Sheedy has been able to name thirteen of the side that ran Kilkenny so close last September in his line up for Sunday.

They will be hoping to defeat Cork in the Munster championship for the third time in a row this weekend, a statistic that would not sit well with the proud hurlers in the Rebel ranks. They ran Tipperary extremely close in Thurles last year and that was without the benefit of a good winter behind them after their preparation was interrupted by their stand-off with the county board.

Denis Walsh’s side enjoyed a good league campaign this year but were a long way off Galway in the league final and many of their players including JOE columnist Seán Óg ó hAilpín (Read his latest column here) will be keen to atone for a number of poor individual performances.

Seán Óg ó hAilpín will be eager to atone for a poor performance in the league final

Ó hAilpín has retained his place for this encounter as part of a half back line that has been Cork’s main strength for the best part of the last decade. Their inside forward line, however, with Kieran Murphy lining up alongside Aisake ó hAilpín and Pat Horgan looks like it could cause a few problems for the Tipperary rearguard on Sunday afternoon.

Eoin Cadogan and Tom Kenny have recovered from injury to take their place in the starting fifteen. James Woodlock and Pat Kerwick miss out for the Premier County, who have switched Eoin Kelly to corner forward to accommodate newcomer Brian O’Meara at full forward with Noel McGrath dropping back to the wing.

Teams:

Cork: D Og Cusack; S O’Neill, E Cadogan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, S Og O hAilpin; T Kenny, C Naughton; B O’Connor, J O’Connor, N McCarthy; K Murphy, A O hAilpin, P Horgan.

Tipperary: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Maher, P Curran; D Fanning, C O’Mahony, M Cahill; B Maher, S McGrath; N McGrath, S Callanan, J O’Brien; E Kelly (Captain), B O’Meara, L Corbett.

Odds:

Cork 6/4, Tipperary 4/6, Draw 10/1

JOE Prediction: Tipp are slight favourites, but we fancy Cork to prevail by the slightest of margins. Cork by 1-3 points.

Antrim v Offaly

Neither of these sides impressed during their respective league campaigns; Offaly picked up only four points in the top tier, the same total amassed by Antrim in division Two, albeit against decidedly inferior opposition.

 

Offaly had plenty to spare in the relegation play off between these teams last year, but the Saffrons retained their status in the Liam McCarthy Cup after it was decided to allow them and fellow relegation fodder Wexford to compete in this year’s championship.

Thomas McCann makes his championship debut for Dinny Cahill’s Antrim side and Liam Watson may feature at some stage despite reports he was axed from the panel last week.

Like his Antrim counterpart, Offaly bainisteoir Joe Dooley has named only one championship debutant, wing back Derek Morkan, while injured trio Brendan Murphy, Ger Healion and Ger Oakley are only fit to start on the bench.

Teams:

Antrim: G McGhee; K McGourty, C Donnelly, A Graffin; N McAuley, J Campbell, C Herron; P Shiels, K Stewart; E McCloskey, T McCann, J Scullion; S McNaughton, N McManus, K McKeegan.

Offaly: Brian Mullins, David Franks, Paul Cleary, Michael Verney, James Rigney, David Kenny, Derek Morkan, Rory Hanniffy, Kevin Brady, Daniel Currams, Joe Brady, Derek Molloy, Brian Carroll, Joe Bergin, Shane Dooley.

Odds:

Antrim 8/1, Offaly 1/16, Draw 16/1

JOE Prediction: Antrim are young and inexperienced and will struggle in Parnell Park on Sunday. Offaly at a canter.

Conor Heneghan