03 June 2009
Loughgiel’s Johnny Campbell, who has been plagued by niggling injuries recently, has recovered and will take his place in the half-back line as Antrim hurlers make history against Dublin in Sunday’s Leinster Senior Hurling Championship at Croke Park.
Campbell’s recovery is one piece of good news for the Antrim management team of Terence McNaughton and Dominic McKinley who have had to select without a long list of regulars including Paul Shiels, Kieran Kelly, Ciaran Herron, Eddie McCloskey and Brendan Herron.
Goalkeeper Ryan McGarry is restored to the number 1 jersey after the Ballycastle man missed the final games of the league through suspension while in the full-back line championship debutant Kieran McGourty from St Gall’s starts in the right corner alongside team captain and full-back Neil McGarry (Loughgiel), with Arran Graffin (Cushendall) in the other corner.
Campbell takes Ciaran Herron’s position at right-half in a line which includes Cormac Donnelly in the centre and his Ballycastle clubmate Neil McAuley on the left.
Dunloy’s Paddy Richmond and Cushendall’s Karl McKeegan form a new midfield pairing while in the half-forward line Neil McManus starts on the ‘40’ with his Cushendall team-mate Sean Delargy on his right and Lamh Dhearg’s Michael Herron on the left.
In the full-forward line CJ McGourty makes his championship debut in the right corner with his fellow St Gall’s clubman Karl Stewart at full-forward and Cloney Gael’s PJ O’Connell in the other corner.
Ryan McGarry; Kieran McGourty, Neil McGarry (capt), Aaron Graffin; Johnny Campbell, Cormac Donnelly, Neil McAuley; Paddy Richmond, Karl McKeegan; Sean Delargy, Neil McManus, Michael Herron; CJ McGourty, Karl Stewart, PJ O'Connell.
Subs: Chris O'Connell, Eddie McCloskey, Joey Scullion, Shane McNaughton, Paddy McGill, Conor McKinley, Colm Duffin, Dan McKillop, Ciaran Herron, Brendan Herron, Kieran Kelly, Paul Shiels.
