Sport

Collins makes debut in Cork defence

BRIAN COLLINS from the Castlehaven club will make his debut for Cork against Limerick in the Munster senior football championship…

By PAT ROCHE
Wed May 08 1996 - 01:00

BRIAN COLLINS from the Castlehaven club will make his debut for Cork against Limerick in the Munster senior football championship in Kilmallock on Sunday evening. Collins has been selected at left half back.

Niall Cahalane has been surprisingly placed at midfield, where he replaces the suspended Liam Honohan, while John O'Driscoll is preferred to Paul McGrath in an attack led by Steven O'Brien.

Longford's hopes of a good start to the Leinster senior football championship against Wicklow at home on Sunday have been badly hit by injuries.

Experienced defenders Enda Ledwith and Liam Belton have been ruled out and centre forward Trevor Smullen is not sufficiently match-fit to start. Also missing from the attack will be Michael Kiernan.

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The selectors have redressed their problems by giving debuts to four under-21 players, all in the attack. Paul Davis has been selected at centre forward with Brendan Donoghue on the left wing. Niall Sheridan and Phil O'Hara are in the corners.

The return of Mick Harkins (St Mary's, Granard) will be welcomed by Longford supporters. He has been out of football at this level for almost five years because of a serious knee injury.

Wicklow manager Dave Foran decided to defer naming his side until tomorrow because of doubts about the fitness of team captain Hugh Kenny (ankle) and Kevin O'Brien (hamstring). Definitely out is defender Sean Miley.

Mick Dillon, who led Kilmacud Crokes (Dublin) to success in the All- Ireland club football championship last year, returns to inter-county championship action with Wexford after a one.year lapse. He partners John Harrington at midfield for the match against Carlow in Dr Cull en Park.

Meanwhile, the replay of the Leinster senior hurling championship first- round match between Carlow and Westmeath has been scheduled for Sunday week in Carlow.

Seamus McCallan will be available for Tyrone's Ulster Championship clash with Fermanagh on June 9th after receiving a suspension of just one month at last night's Games Administration Committee meeting.

There is no firm news yet of the fate of Peter Canavan and Aidan Morris, both of whom were sent off in club games on Sunday.