Big guns return for Munster

Cork's Nicholas Murphy and Seamus Scanlon of Kerry will form a new midfield partnership for Munster in Sunday's M Donnelly Inter-provincial final against Ulster at Ruislip.

Neither player featured in Munster's semi-final win over Connacht, but have been parachuted into the side as the southern province bids to put titles back-to-back for the first time since 1982. Cork's Patrick Kelly and Alan O'Connor patrolled the centre against Connacht, but Kelly is named in his more familiar wing forward role on this occasion while O'Connor is unable to start due to injury.

Munster manager Ger O'Sullivan told the Irish Examiner: "Looking at the Ulster line-up, we felt that we had to strengthen up around the middle of the field.

"We have also named Pearse O'Neill at number 11 which will add to that department. Robbie Costigan from Tipperary is unlucky to lose out in the backs but he is a good sub to come on.

"Pa Ranahan from Limerick got a vital goal against Connacht in the semi-final. Patrick Kelly, is back to his normal position of right-half forward, Pearse O'Neill is in at centre-forward and Donncha O'Connor will captain the side from wing-forward. The full-forward line is the same."

The only other alteration from the semi-final success is positional with Waterford's Maurice O'Gorman vacating his slot in the half-forward line in favour of a berth at wing-back.

Five counties will be represented in total with Cork enjoying the lion's share with six, Waterford providing four, Kerry and Limerick two apiece and Tipperary one.


Munster (v Ulster): P Fitzgerald (Tipperary); T O'Gorman (Waterford), J McCarthy (Limerick), P Reidy (Kerry); M O'Gorman (Waterford), M Shields (Cork), P Ranahan (Limerick); N Murphy (Cork), S Scanlon (Kerry); P Kelly (Cork), P O'Neill (Cork), D O'Connor (Cork); G Hurney (Waterford), C O'Neill (Cork), L O Lionnain (Waterford).

Subs: J Hayes (Cork), P Kerrigan (Cork), R Costigan (Tipperary), G Quinlan (Clare), A Walsh (Cork), D Goulding (Cork), A O'Connor (Cork), S Walsh (Waterford), James Ryan (Limerick).