First Round: Kerry v Waterford

Tralee, 3.30.

Five years ago Waterford became Kerry's first championship victims since the 1920s. The historic high of those few years has now deflated. Waterford, on the other hand, look promising. Last week's NHL final defeat to Cork contained enough seeds of encouragement to suggest they have real prospects against Tipperary who face tomorrow's winners.

Kerry: J Healy; T Cronin, S McIntyre, I Brick; Pat Cronin, M McCarthy, WJ Leen; B O'Sullivan, R Gentleman; Padraig Cronin, C Walsh, T Maunsell; V Dooley, I Maunsell, M Slattery.

Waterford: B Landers; T Feeney, S Cullinane, B Flannery; S Frampton, F Hartley, B Greene; T Browne, P Queally; D Shanahan, K McGrath, D Bennett; B O'Sullivan, A Kirwan, P Flynn.

Team News: Waterford make one change from last week, dropping corner back Mark O'Sullivan. Former Tipperary under-age player Brian Flannery comes in and will be marking Vincent Dooley with whom he played for the Tipp under-21s. Kerry give championship debuts to four players.

Key Confrontation: Seamus McIntyre's clash with Anthony Kirwan will be spiced up by the news that the mercurial Sean Daly has returned to the Waterford panel and will have his eyes on the full forward spot.

View From The Camps: "We would have preferred a bit more time after a hard match, but it's been a wonderful League and we're starting the championship with a very strong panel."

- Gerald McCarthy (Waterford manager).

"It looked like the best possible draw at the time, against Waterford, and the lads really felt happy about it. Even now they still don't fear them. They're a very confident bunch."

- PJ O'Grady (Kerry manager).

Verdict: Waterford.