GAELIC GAMES/Team news and interview: Clare will field 13 of the team that lost to Tipperary in last year's Munster hurling championship when the teams renew hostilities at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. John Reddan at left wing back and championship debutant Tony Griffin come into the side in place of Ollie Baker and Barry Murphy, respectively. Baker and Conor Clancy will be among the replacements.
The selection won't raise too many eyebrows as manager Cyril Lyons tries to jolt his team out of some flat recent performances, culminating in a severe beating against Limerick in the National Hurling League quarter-final. This will be the fourth successive year in which the teams have met. Clare won three years ago after a replay and All-Ireland champions Tipperary have won the two matches since, although 12 months ago the margin was only a point.
There were no injury concerns and Lyons had a full pick. The champions select tonight as manager Nicky English was in Sunderland last night for the Niall Quinn testimonial.
Connacht football champions Roscommon have named their side for the meeting with All-Ireland champions Galway in Hyde Park on Sunday. There are four changes from the side that lost heavily to Cavan in the National League semi-final last month.
John Whyte and Ian Daly are gone from the full back line. Alan Nolan - who played at wing forward in last year's meeting between the teams - moves to full back and Andrew McPadden comes into the defence for his championship debut.
Nigel Dineen, one of the players who yesterday admitted to misbehaviour on a weekend away, is named at right corner forward. The other player who owned up, Frankie Dolan, will as expected be on the bench.
Galway will name their side tonight and manager John O'Mahony waits on the fitness of goalkeeper Alan Keane who has a knee injury. John Divilly is also carrying a knock but the 1998 All-Ireland centre back would not be a contender for a first team spot this weekend.
In Tyrone last night, injury concerns over key players delayed the naming of a team for Sunday's big Ulster football championship match against Armagh at Clones. Wing back Ryan McMenamin is struggling to shake off the effects of a dead leg picked up in a club championship game, while centre back Ciaran Gourley has a knee ligament problem.
Wing forward Brian Dooher hasn't trained since the National League final win over Cavan due to cracked ribs and corner forward Brian McGuigan is nursing a hamstring injury. Pascal Canavan and Declan McCrossan are also carrying injuries. McGuigan is the greatest cause for concern, after damaging a hamstring in club training at the weekend.
"We have a few injury problems. None of these are causing us a great deal of concern, but there's always a worry that some of them might not clear up in time," said team spokesperson Pat McCartan.
"Sometimes people have injuries at this stage, injuries that have a habit of clearing up when it gets closer to match time. We would be hopeful that everyone would come through and be available for selection."
Regardless of how quickly the injuries clear up there will be a number of changes from the side that lined out against Armagh last year. Armagh announce their team tomorrow night.
