ALL-IRELAND/HURLING: Jimmy Coogan will make his starting championship debut for Kilkenny in Sunday's All-Ireland final against Clare in Croke Park. Coogan, whose goal after coming in as a replacement in the semi-final was the decisive score in beating Tipperary, replaces Brian McEvoy on the left wing of the attack.
The move by Kilkenny manager Brian Cody and his selectors emphasises the depth of talent at Kilkenny's disposal. McEvoy is an experienced player with an abundance of pace and athleticism who is capable of three and four-point totals in matches. But he pays the price for an indifferent performance against Tipperary when he was the only Kilkenny forward of eight used not to score.
Coogan replaced him in the 55th minute and scored 1-1.
Otherwise the Leinster champions are unchanged despite some speculation that the veteran corner forward Charlie Carter would replace Eddie Brennan.
The selection rounds off a remarkable year for the 23-year old Coogan who won an All-Ireland under-21 medal at centre forward three years ago when Kilkenny defeated Galway.
He graduated to the senior team for last year's National League and ended the campaign as the county's top scorer with 1-23 from the run that brought Kilkenny to the National Hurling League semi-finals where they were defeated - coincidentally - by Clare.
A likely candidate for the 2001 championship, Coogan suffered a horrific injury to his right leg playing for his club Tullaroan. As a result he severed the cruciate ligament, did severe damage to the medial ligament, tore his cartilage so badly that it had to be removed and cracked his thigh bone.
In the aftermath he was medically advised that he might never play again. Although his career hung in the balance, he rehabilitated remarkably quickly and was jogging within six months.
This misfortune befell him in mid June just days after he had made his championship debut coming on as a replacement during the Leinster semi-final defeat of Offaly.
Cody is believed to have a high opinion of Coogan and was at pains to keep a place on the panel open for him should he make a full recovery. His recent form at club level has been very good and in the county league semi-final and subsequent replay, he scored 0-11 and 0-9 - including frees - for Tullaroan.
Coogan is one of five hurlers making a first appearance for Kilkenny in an All-Ireland final.
Richie Mullally, at right wing back, JJ Delaney, on the other side of the half back line, centrefielder Derek Lyng and Martin Comerford, full forward and brother of captain Andy.
Eddie Brennan in the right corner is making his first start in a final although he did come on as a substitute two years ago against Offaly and scored a goal.
In the other corner DJ Carey will be appearing in his seventh final. He is the only survivor of the back-to-back winning teams of 1992-93 although John Power is included among the substitutes.
All told there are six changes from the side that started Kilkenny's last All-Ireland final two years ago. McEvoy, Power and Carter will be on the substitutes' bench, which will be announced later.
That day's captain Willie O'Connor has retired whereas Denis Byrne and Eamonn Kennedy are no longer on the panel.
Mick O'Dwyer is set to be appointed manager of the Laois footballers in the next two weeks. Although there will be no official announcement until then, the deal has been done - even down to his selectors having been chosen - and the eight-times Kerry All-Ireland winning manager who quit as Kildare boss this summer will be appointed by the end of the month.
