Cork v Donegal 2pm throw-in

[twohands!!!]

Both sides have provincial finals at U21 level during the week - Donegal on Wednesday, Cork on Thursday so that will be interesting to see how

Donegal's first championship game against Tyrone is only 5 weeks off while Cork's first championship action is 9 weeks off against the winner of the Clare/Limerick tie.

Both sides ended up with an equal scoring difference with Cork scoring 10-89 and conceding 7-90, while Donegal scored 6-75 and conceded 5-70. Basically Cork scored 26 points more than Donegal and conceded 26 more points.

The league game between the two sides ended in a one point Donegal win - Donegal 0-12 Cork 1-8

[J70]

Donegal bossed the earlier meeting until Murphy got the line.

Don't think it will have much bearing in this game though.

Will either side want a likely meeting with Dublin in a league final?

Mind you, Donegal's horrible showing against Monaghan in last year's Division 2 final didn't mean a whole lot once the real stuff started!

[twohands!!!]

The Cork Senior Football v Donegal is named:
1.   Ken O'Halloran (Bishopstown)

2.   Jamie O'Sullivan (Bishopstown)

3.   Michael Shields (St. Finbarr's) Capt.

4.   James Loughrey (Mallow)

5.   Conor Dorman (Bishopstown)

6.   Brian O'Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)

7.   Tomás Clancy (Fermoy)

8.   Eoin Cadogan (Douglas)

9.   Fintan Goold (Macroom)

10. Colm O'Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)

11. John O'Rourke (Carbery Rangers)

12. Kevin O'Driscoll (Tadhg MacCarthaigh)

13. Colm O'Neill (Ballyclough)

14. Mark Collins (Castlehaven)

15. Brian Hurley (Castlehaven)

Subs:

16.  Paddy O'Shea (St. Vincent's)

17.  Tom Clancy (Clonakilty)

18.  Noel Galvin (Ballincollig)

19.  Stephen O'Donoghue (Ballincollig)

20.  Donncha O'Connor (Ballydesmond)

21.  Paul Kerrigan (Nemo Rangers)

22.  Daniel Goulding (Éire Óg)

23.  John Hayes (Carbery Rangers)

24.  Donal Óg Hodnett (O'Donovan Rossa)

25.  Barry O'Driscoll (Nemo Rangers)

Unavailable for selection due to injury: Ian Maguire, Ruairi Deane, Kevin Crowley and Patrick Kelly.

9 changes to the starting 15 from the Derry game - if anyone had any doubt about how serious the Cork management were treating that game.

[twohands!!!]

Donegal Team



Durkan and Neil Gallagher on the bench and no sign of Mark McHugh in the panel.

[J70]

McHugh was injured in a club game on Monday.

[J70]

So much for giving some of the young lads a run out in Croke Park!

[twohands!!!]

Will be interesting to see how serious both sides are taking this with the likely reward being a final against Dublin.

For Cork a big question is  if they can cope better with Donegal's setup. The fact that Colm O'Neill got the ball 4 times in the regular league does not bode well for Cork long-term in my opinion.

13/8 for Donegal to win this looks to be on the generous side to me, even if Donegal aren't massively up for this.

I think Cork have got the bounce of the ball a lot in the league so far and I wouldnt be surprised to see the wheels start to come off for Cuthbert at this stage again this year.

The Cork 15 has 2 changes from the league game - Conor Dorman and Brian O'Driscoll in and Donnacha O'Connor and Tom Clancy out -
while the Donegal starting 15 has 5 changes from the league game - Michael Boyle, Neil McGee, Anthony Thompson, Martin McElhinney and Colm McFadden in with Paul Durkan, Eamonn Doherty, Mark McHugh, Neil Gallagher and Hugh McFadden out.

[Norf Tyrone]

If your travelling to Dublin this morning for the game, the road between Sion Mills and Victoria Bridge is closed due to an accident.

Might be better to go another route if possible.

[IolarCoisCuain]

This fixture has fairly captured the imagination, hasn't it?

If I were having a punt, I think I'd go with Donegal. It should feel like a home game to them - between the lack of interest and the weather, Croke Park must feel exactly like Lough Derg right about now.

[twohands!!!]

Tom Clancy replaces Jamie O'Sullivan on the Cork team.

[twohands!!!]

This fixture has fairly captured the imagination, hasn't it?

I know it's 15 minutes to kick-off but the pictures on TG4 show a very small looking crowd at the moment

I did think it was funny that in the two crowd heading into the stadium montages there wasnt one identifiable Cork supporter (they did show a Cork flag but no actual supporter and being a cynical soul I can't help but think they just took a picture of a Cork flag from outside a pub or maybe a hard-core flag-seller.

Edit: Good news - the camera-man managed to track down a Cork supporter or two heading in there.

[twohands!!!]

Eoin Mc Hugh in for Martin O'Reilly
Hugh McFadden in for Christy Toye
Neil Gallagher stays on the bench

[twohands!!!]

Cork's kickouts a massive issue for them.

[J70]

Good game so far. Donegal winning around the middle, hence they're ahead.

[twohands!!!]

Good game so far. Donegal winning around the middle, hence they're ahead.

With Toye and big Neil on the bench too .....