Brian Hurley, one of five changes rung by management, will make his first start for the Cork footballers in over two years in this Saturday’s fourth-round qualifier.
Two successive hamstring tears sidelined Hurley for almost a year and a half, the 26-year old making his inter-county return on the evening Cork dispatched of Tipperary in the Munster semi-final.
Hurley was introduced as a sub during the win over Tipperary and subsequent defeat to Kerry, but has been selected at full-forward for Saturday’s game against Tyrone.
His younger brother, Michael, has been given the nod at corner-forward, in what will be his first championship appearance of 2018.
Cian Kiely, selected at left half-back, will make his championship debut at O’Moore Park. The Ballincollig defender saw game-time during four of Cork’s Division 2 league fixtures but started only one of
those games.
The two remaining changes from the team which fell by 17 points to Kerry is James Loughrey, named at corner-back, and Brian O’Driscoll coming in to partner Ian Maguire at midfield.
Losing out are Sam Ryan, Tomás Clancy, Aidan Walsh, Kevin O’Driscoll and John O’Rourke. This is the first time since 2015 that Clancy has not been selected to start a championship game.
Donncha O’Connor, troubled by a hamstring problem in recent months, is included in the match-day 26.
Killian O’Hanlon, who lined out for the Cork juniors in last week’s Munster JFC final defeat to Kerry, is also
among the subs.
O’Hanlon started five league games for Cork this spring, but his championship involvement was blighted by a hamstring injury sustained in early May.
Cork (All-Ireland SFC round-four qualifier v Tyrone): M White; J Loughrey, J O’Sullivan, K Crowley; K Flahive, S Cronin, C Kiely; I Maguire, B O’Driscoll; S White, M Collins, R Deane; L Connolly, B Hurley, M Hurley.
Subs: A Casey, S Ryan, M Taylor, T Clancy, A Walsh, K O’Hanlon, R O’Toole, K O’Driscoll, J O’Rourke, P Kerrigan, D O’Connor.
