There are no changes to either of next Sunday's Guinness All-Ireland hurling finalists. The news is slightly more surprising in the case of Cork as it had been thought a possibility that Alan Browne might have replaced Neil Ronan in the attack.

The announcement of the Munster champions' team was delayed by two and a half hours in order to allow the county board ratify the selection in accordance with protocol. According to county PRO Jim Forbes, this did not mean there had been any debate over the composition of the team. "No. It was just to allow ratification by the county board," he said last night.

The unchanged team also means that any lingering doubts over the fitness of captain Mark Landers have been dispelled as he is named to partner Micky O'Connell at centrefield.

Kilkenny's manager Brian Cody and his selectors have given a vote of confidence to the team which so impressively defeated Clare in last month's semi-final. This means that Philly Larkin and Pat O'Neill, who started that match as late selections, retain their places at right corner back and centre back respectively.

There had been speculation in the county that O'Neill might have been under pressure from Eamonn Kennedy, who had been the incumbent number six throughout Kilkenny's good league run and for the Leinster championship campaign.

Kennedy was injured before the All-Ireland semi-final and a vacancy was left at centre back which O'Neill filled on the day of the match. The belief at the time was that the late choice owed more to a desire to keep Clare guessing than to any ambiguity over who would play. In the event, O'Neill had a fine match, particularly in the second half when Kilkenny's half backs took control of the game.

Realistically and although there remain doubts about his pace in the face of a speedy, skilful Cork attack, O'Neill was always likely to get the nod despite Cody's respect for Kennedy's performances earlier in the season.

Larkin recovered from an indifferent start to the Clare match and by the end had shed some of the ring-rustiness caused by a lengthy lay-off. A fine hurler, whose father Fan and grandfather Paddy both won All-Irelands with the county, his selection ahead of last year's captain Tom Hickey comes as no surprise.

One other carefully considered selection was that at right corner forward. Like last year, Niall Maloney and Ken O'Shea were involved in a tussle for the place and as 12 months ago, O'Shea, whose first-minute goal set Kilkenny on the road against Clare, gets the nod - although then he was the challenger rather than the incumbent. PJ Delaney, a member of the All-Ireland winning team in 1993, was also in the frame for this position.

Martin Carey, substitute goalkeeper and brother of DJ, who broke the index finger on his left hand earlier in the week is replaced on the bench by PJ Ryan of Fenians Johnstown, a 24-year-old former minor whose club form earned him the call-up.

A minor alarm was sounded when wing forward Brian McEvoy, whose performances have been so impressive this season, had to limp off during last night's training session. He was quickly declared fit for the final.

Kilkenny are immeasurably the more experienced team with 12 survivors of last year's defeated All-Ireland finalists, including five who won All-Ireland medals in 1992 and '93. The debutants are captain Denis Byrne, goalkeeper James McGarry and full forward Henry Shefflin.

For their part, Cork have only one player, Brian Corcoran, who has previously played in an All-Ireland final - in 1992 when the counties last met.