With the second and crucial phase of the National Hurling League beginning on Sunday it's not all plain sailing for the counties eager for some reward. Waterford are the latest county to suffer a setback, with the loss of forward Eoin McGrath, who sustained a wrist injury at the weekend and will miss the remaining three rounds and most likely the final on May 9th should Waterford qualify.

The injury occurred during a challenge match with Limerick, who are again their opponents at Walsh Park on Sunday, and came just as McGrath was returning from a three-month suspension. But it is at least partly compensated for by the recent return to training of McGrath's elder brother Ken, who had been sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Limerick emerged from that challenge game a little better off, with manager Pad Joe Whelahan rewarding several strong performances with starting places on Sunday. The most significant is the re-emergence of forward Owen O'Neill, who was not part of Whelahan's initial Limerick panel named at the start of the league.

But after collecting two goals in that game O'Neill is handed the full-forward position for Sunday. It will be the first start of note for the Murroe Boher player since the period when Eamonn Cregan was in charge, and he replaces Paul O'Grady, who started at full forward in their last league game, against Antrim.

Another interesting switch is the positioning of Croom's John Cahill in goal in place of Albert Shanahan, also partly based on a strong showing in the challenge in Kilmallock.

Ollie Moran picks up the centre-back position instead of Pat Sheehan, with Peter O'Reilly of Patrickswell joining Pat Tobin in midfield - meaning captain Ciarán Carey is once again absent.

Cork manager Donal O'Grady has delayed until tomorrow naming his team to face Galway, partly on the back of Pat Mulcahy's serious wrist injury sustained in a tragic road accident on Sunday evening.

Mulcahy underwent an operation on Monday and is expected to miss several months of competitive hurling.

The group two matches on Sunday start the race against relegation, and Wexford, who must travel to Portlaoise for their opening match, will be without midfielder Rory McCarthy. He sprained an ankle at a recent training session and is also in danger of missing the remaining rounds.

Already ruled out with knee injuries are wing back Keith Rossiter and half forward Tomás Mahon, while full forward Larry Murphy is still short of full fitness following a recent groin strain.

Centre back Declan Ruth, however, should be in contention for a game, despite coming off the last day against Offaly with a hamstring strain.

Tipperary make six changes for Sunday's National League clash against Clare at Ennis. Eoin Kelly is ruled out because of a hamstring injury. Back into the side come Brendan Cummins, Philip Maher, Eddie Enright, Brian O'Meara and Lar Corbett.

The return of full back Maher, who missed all last season with a cruciate-ligament injury, is a huge boost to Tipperary.

Back on the panel after several months working in the US is Paul Curran, who filled the full-back position for much of last year's championship in Maher's absence.

However, former Kilkenny player Denis Byrne is set to miss the last three rounds as he attempts to shake off the lingering effects of a lung infection.

It has also emerged that the Dublin County Board intends holding a vote to decide if players born outside the county should be invited into the football and hurling panels in the future.

It was a topic of much debate at the start of the year. Then at Monday's meeting in Parnell Park it was decided the matter should go to the vote at the next county board gathering, on the first Monday of May.

Either way the vote will come too late for former Fermanagh star Rory Gallagher, who was central to the debate through his performances for Dublin club champions St Brigid's, as any new policy is only likely to come into effect for next season.

LIMERICK (SH v Waterford): J Cahill; M Cahill, TJ Ryan, B Carroll; D Reale, O Moran, M Foley; P O'Reilly, P Tobin; D Sheehan, JP Sheahan, S O'Connor; A O'Shaughnessy, O O'Neill, D Ryan.

TIPPERARY (SH v Clare): B Cummins; T Costello, P Maher, J Devane; E Corcoran, D Fanning, D Fitzgerald; E Enright, P Kelly; M O'Leary, J Carroll, B Dunne; P O'Brien, B O'Meara, L Corbett.