Depleted Duhallow face stern examination in Youghal

DUHALLOW face an examination of their credentials on taking on Youghal in the opening round of the County Senior Hurling Championship in Fermoy on Sunday. The divisional side offered plenty of resolve in recent years, last season overcoming Carrigdhoun before incurring narrow defeats to Blackrock and Bishopstown.

Injuries and unavailability of players will hinder Duhallow from fielding anywhere near full strength yet a management team of Jim O’Sullivan, Tom Walsh and Donal Roche are working off a committed panel.

Not surprisingly, club and inter county involvement has limited the input of players with William Egan, Brendan Withers, Aidan Walsh and Michael Vaughan key operators missing from last season whilst Darren Browne and Brendan O’Sullivan are doubtful owing to injury.

Central to the Duhallow line up are county players Anthony Nash, Mark Ellis and Lorcán McLoughlin with Kevin Tarrant and Lorcan O’Neill expected to figure. Elsewhere, exciting talent such as Jack Murphy, Séan Howard, Matt O’Sullivan and Paul Walsh are likely to be called into duty.

Opponents Youghal can draw on a host of good players including county player Bill Cooper joined by Alan Frahill O’Connor, Alan Joyce and Brendan Ring, the nucleus of a team that have built up momentum in the past few weeks and two league wins over Bandon and Bishopstown in the past 10 days is sure to provide a degree of sharpness.

An intriguing contest lay in prospect, given its club versus division, little or nothing between the pair, the Duhallow line up uncertain and the starting side will need to be committed if victory can be attained.

The winners of Duhallow or Youghal will face Glen Rovers/Bride Rovers/ Sarsfields in Round 2 while the loser comes up against Na Piarsaigh or Newtownshandrum.