Sport

Fanning left out of the line-up for Tipperary

Tipperary have named two first-time starters in the half-back line for Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final against Waterford …

Thu Jun 03 2004 - 01:00

Tipperary have named two first-time starters in the half-back line for Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final against Waterford at Páirc Uí Chaoimh. In a surprising selection, Ken Hogan and his management team have named a few unexpected choices.

Diarmuid Fitzgerald is named at centre back with Colin Morrissey on the left wing. It had been anticipated that Declan Fanning, who played at centre back in the latter matches of the National Hurling League, would line out there on Sunday, but Fitzgerald, wing back in the league, played there in a recent challenge match against Laois and impressed.

Fitzgerald was also centre back on last year's under-21 side which won the Munster title, and he captains this season's.

Fanning suffered a shoulder injury in recent weeks and that may have affected his preparations, but according to county PRO Ed Donnelly, only David Kennedy wasn't considered because of injury.

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Morrissey is a versatile player who has figured in the recent league campaign at corner back and centrefield, but his inclusion wasn't widely foreseen.

In the full-back line, Martin Maher is surprisingly overlooked with 2001 All-Ireland medallist Tom Costello coming in.

Maher twisted his knee in the recent Laois challenge, but that injury isn't believed to have played a direct role in the selection.

Lar Corbett, who it was feared would miss the whole championship after an ankle injury picked up in training, is named after the injury turned out to be nowhere near as serious as initially feared.

Wexford footballers make just one enforced change for the Leinster quarter-final against Kildare at Croke Park this weekend. Former senior hurler Nicky Lambert comes into the team at centrefield, where he played as a replacement in the first round win over Louth, in an indirect switch brought about by the suspension of wing forward David Fogarty.

Lambert, who also captained the county's under-21 hurlers to a Leinster title and All-Ireland final in 2001, will be making his first championship start for the footballers.

Meanwhile, Fermanagh name a very inexperienced side for Sunday's Ulster football quarter-final against Tyrone.

Seven players will be making a first start at this level: Niall Tinney in goal, corner backs Niall Bogue and Hugh Brady, wing back Damien Kelly, wing forwards Eamonn Maguire and Mark Little and corner forward Ciaran O'Reilly.

There is some good news for the county with the return of the very experienced Liam McBarron at centrefield.

TIPPERARY (SH v Waterford): B Cummins; T Costello, P Maher, P Curran; E Corcoran, D Fitzgerald, C Morrissey; E Enright, P Kelly; P O'Brien, J Carroll, B Dunne; T Dunne, E Kelly, L Corbett.

WEXFORD (SF v Kildare): J Cooper; C Morris, P Wallace, N Murphy; D Breen, D Murphy, G Sunderland; W Carley, N Lambert; R Barry, J Hudson, P Colfer; J Hegarty, D Foran, M Forde (capt.).

FERMANAGH (SF v Tyrone): N Tinney; N Bogue, B Owens, H Brady; R Johnstone, S McDermott, D Kelly; M McGrath, L McBarron; E Maguire, J Sherry, M Little; C O'Reilly, S Maguire, C Bradley.