Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has redesigned his team for the National Hurling League Division 1B clash against Tipperary in Thurles on Sunday. The changes highlight the Kilkenny management's concern over their dramatic collapse at home to Waterford last time out.
Pat O'Neill returns at half back for his first inter-county match since last year's All-Ireland final against Cork. All-Star pair Peter Barry and Andy Comerford will form the midfield axis and Michael Kavanagh, who came in as a substitute in the Waterford game, has been retained at half back.
Henry Shefflin has been moved to the half-forward line, joining Brian McEvoy and Stephen Grehan, who deserved retention on the grounds of his first-half display last time out.
Charlie Carter, who faded after a free-spirited first half against Waterford during which he cracked three points, is relegated along with fellow forwards Kevin Power and Ken O'Shea. Paddy Mullally vacates the midfield position and Eamon Kennedy, a solid citizen at half back, is out with injury.
Rory Moore is the other player to suffer in the shake-down. Only the goalkeeping spot and fullback unit have been left unaltered.
Denis Byrne comes back at full forward, his first start since November and, in keeping with Cody's youth policy, All-Ireland under-21 medal holder Eddie Brennan gets his chance to shine at left corner forward.
Tipperary manager Nicky English has made minimal changes, with Paul Kelly stepping in for Paddy O'Brien, who returns from holidays with Toomevara on the morning of the match. Eugene O'Neill again starts at midfield.
Cork, who visit leaders Waterford, welcome Fergal McCormack back at centre half forward. Cork have again shuffled their cards, placing Timmy McCarthy alongside Mark Landers at midfield in the absence of Mickey O'Connell. O'Connell, who has a finger injury, is named among the substitutes along with Ben O'Connor and Joe Deane.
Milltown Malbay has been confirmed as the venue for Sunday's attractive Division 1A clash between Clare and Limerick. There was speculation that the tie might be moved to a Limerick venue or to Ennis to accommodate the huge crowd expected.
"We coped with 10,000 comfortably at the county final at Milltown Malbay and there is no reason why we can't cope with the same on Sunday," said Clare county PRO Des Crowe.
He also quelled suggestions that Clare were on the verge of changing sponsors in the immediate future and denied that negotiations between the board and Eircell has caused unhappiness with the current sponsors.
"Both our present sponsors recognise that Clare teams are very marketable commodities and accept that there may be other interests," he said.
Mark Keane (19), who scored 1-11 in a senior hurling challenge against Kilkenny on Sunday, has been given a competitive call-up by Limerick manager Eamonn Cregan.
Keane comes in for Tom McLoughlin in the only change from the team which beat Offaly in the last round. Another teenager, Tim Houlihan, continues between the posts in the absence of Joe Quaid and Brian Begley is retained at full forward.
CORK (SH v Waterford): D Og Cusack; F Ryan, D O'Sullivan, J Browne; J Sheehan, B Corcoran, D Barrett; T McCarthy, M Landers; B Coleman, F McCormack, A Browne; S McGrath, K Murray, B O'Connor. Subs: B Rochford, P McCarthy, W Sherlock, N Ronan, J Deane, G O'Connor, P Ryan, A Fitzpatrick, M McConnell.
KILKENNY (SH v Tipperary): J McGarry; J Butler, S Meally, N Hickey; M Kavanagh, P O'Neill, A Cummins; A Comerford, P Barry; H Shefflin, S Grehan, B McEvoy; N Maloney, D Byrne, E Brennan.
TIPPERARY (SH): B Cummins; D Fahy, P Maher, M Ryan; B Horgan, D Kennedy, N Morris; E O'Neill, E Enright; M O'Leary, J Carroll, A Moloney; P Kelly, P Shelly, T Dunne. Subs: D Young, L Sheedy, P Ormond, E Corcoran, F Heaney, G Maguire, E Tucker, P Ryan, P O'Brien, B O'Meara.
WEXFORD (SH v Derry): D Fitzhenry; W O'Brien, B Berry, S Flood; D Ruth, D Ryan, L Dunne; A Fenlon, R Guiney; M Jordan, M Storey, R McCarthy; T Dempsey, G Laffan, C McGrath.
LIMERICK (SH v Clare): T Houlihan; S McDonogh, TJ Ryan, D Ryan; B Geary, O Moran, M Foley; J Foley, C Smith; S O'Neill, M O'Brien, J Moran; M Keane, B Begley, B Foley. Subs: F McCarthy, W Walsh, B Callanan, S Lucey, T McLoughlin, J Butler, D Stapleton, D Hennessy, J Cormican.
