Cork v Limerick: One change as Rebels name team for Sunday’s semi-final

Robert Downey returns at centre-back as Cork make one change for Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC semi-final against Limerick at Croke Park (4pm).

Pat Ryan and his selectors have named the same starting 15 as they did for the quarter-final win over Dublin a fortnight ago, when Downey was a late withdrawal due to sickness and was replaced by Luke Meade.

That switch is reversed as the Glen Rovers man is named at number 6, while Ciarán Joyce – who played at centre-back against the Dubs – is again selected at midfield. There is a possibility that the Castlemartyr player could again operate in the half-back line with one of the wing-backs, Tim O’Mahony or Mark Coleman, moving to centrefield to partner Darragh Fitzgibbon.

With Luke Meade dropping to the bench, Conor Cahalane – who was promoted in the absence of Downey – misses out on the matchday squad.

The only other change in the 26-man Cork panel sees Ethan Twomey named as a sub, replacing his unrelated namesake Seán. The St Finbarr’s midfielder started against Clare, Limerick and Tipperary in the Munster championship but was forced off injured in the latter, resulting in his unavailability for the wins over Offaly Dublin.

Cork attacker Patrick Horgan goes into the game on 699 points (29-612) across his championship career – the same tally as Kilkenny’s TJ Reid (34-597), who will be in action against Clare in the first semi-final on Saturday.

Sunday’s match will be Cork’s first at Croke Park since the 16-point defeat to Limerick in the 2021 All-Ireland final – that year’s semi-final win over Kilkenny is the county’s only victory at GAA headquarters since 2013.

Limerick are expected to name their team on Friday morning, with the biggest question-mark over whether Séamus Flanagan – who scored 3-3 in the defeat to Cork at SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh in May – will be available after a hamstring injury, while Barry Nash is also a doubt.

John Kiely’s side have not lost at Croke Park since the 2019 semi-final defeat to Kilkenny.

CORK (All-Ireland SHC v Limerick): Patrick Collins (Ballinhassig); Niall O’Leary (Castlelyons), Eoin Downey (Glen Rovers), Seán O’Donoghue (Inniscarra, captain); Tim O’Mahony (Newtownshandrum), Robert Downey (Glen Rovers), Mark Coleman (Blarney); Ciarán Joyce (Castlemartyr), Darragh Fitzgibbon (Charleville); Declan Dalton (Fr O’Neills), Shane Barrett (Blarney), Séamus Harnedy (St Ita’s); Patrick Horgan (Glen Rovers), Alan Connolly (Blackrock), Brian Hayes (St Finbarr’s).

Subs: Brion Saunderson (Midleton), Damien Cahalane (St Finbarr’s), Ger Millerick (Fr O’Neills), Tommy O’Connell (Midleton), Luke Meade (Newcestown), Ethan Twomey (St Finbarr’s), Conor Lehane (Midleton), Jack O’Connor (Sarsfields), Shane Kingston (Douglas), Pádraig Power (Blarney), Robbie O’Flynn (Erin’s Own).