KILKENNY have made four changes to the team that came late to beat Dublin in the Leinster hurling semi-final last month, for Sunday's final against Wexford at Croke Park. The main news is that John Power has been selected despite uncertainty concerning a hamstring injury. That uncertainty hasn't altogether cleared and he will face a fitness test this Friday.

In the event of his not being passed fit, Power's place will go to Canice Brennan who filled the role against Dublin.

Another important change is made in goal where Joe Dermody is fit again to take his place and All-Ireland-winning forward Adrian Ronan, who deputised, drops back to the bench. Denis Byrne, the corner forward who also missed the last match, has recovered from a toe injury but has not been selected on the first fifteen.

Goalscorer PJ Delaney, whose second-half strike helped finish off Dublin, is named at right wing forward in place of Brian McEvoy. Least surprising of the lot is the change that sees Philip Larkin start at centrefield in place of Aidan Lawlor, whom he replaced in the semi-final at half-time and to such effect that he was most observers' man of the match.

Wexford have delayed naming their team until tonight.

However, one change of style that can be expected at Croke Park on Sunday is the covering of Wexford wing forward, Larry Murphy's face. Usually bare-headed, Murphy will be forced by a broken nose to wear a helmet against Kilkenny.

"It'll be a definite helmet case," he says. "I should always be wearing one so it's a good lesson. I'd say I've broken my nose five or six times so it's been pretty much reshaped. It will be alright to play although I can't breathe through one side."

Murphy was supposed to have had an operation after the last break, but was told it would mean his hurling was finished. "I said to the doctor, fine, leave it until October. But he said 'no, finished for good' because it was so badly done that if I got any tip after the operation it would break again. So I decided to leave it. I've just been unlucky with facial injuries, the way George O'Connor was always breaking his hand."

The semi-final defeat of Offaly was very significant for the team in the wake of a frequently lack-lustre League, according to Murphy. "It was a huge step for us," he says. "Confidence wasn't high after the League run and looking back we were hoping to beat Offaly rather than confident the way we had been last year.

"A lot of people were saying that if we could get over Offaly, we would go places. We didn't want to end up like Clare last year, losing the first match the season after our breakthrough. We want to do what Clare did last weekend - prove we're not pushovers and that last year wasn't a fluke.

"In some ways it's the same for us as Clare. Anthony Daly said thye weren't going to be whipping boys in Monster and we've been whipping boys to Kilkenny in Leinster finals for a long time. No disrespect to Offaly, but it's every Wexford player's dream to beat Kilkenny in a Leinster final because of the tradition and they're neighbours."

Leinster isn't the only province staging its hurling final this weekend. At Athleague, Roscommon take on Galway. The home side has already been named and champions Galway last night announced six championship newcomers in their side for the final.

Most comment will concern the selection of last year's minor captain Michael Healy at centre back, with two former incumbents of the position, Nigel Shaughnessy and Cathal Moore, flanking him right and left.

Another of last year's minors, Eugene Cloonan who was man of the match in the All-Ireland club final last March when Athenry became the fourth Galway club to bring home the title, is picked at left corner forward. His inclusion is mildly unexpected because he has only just finished his Leaving Certificate exams, but he not alone plays but is nominated as free- taker in place of Darragh Coen.

Elsewhere the team includes another championship debutant, Willie Burke, at full back. Burke was an exceptional influence on the 1994 Fitzgibbon Cup winning team from the University of Limerick which included at right corner back, beside Burke, Clare's Brian Lohan.

Vinnie Maher comes in at centre-field where, but for injury, Liam Burke would have played. Maher partners Joe Cooney who captains the side. In attack, Alan Kerins is chosen at right corner.

Cyril Farrell and his selectors had a number of injury concerns. Michael Coleman is just recovering from an injury sustained in the League against Offaly and has returned to training. Brendan Keogh has a thumb injury and Ollie Fahy a broken finger.

Finally, for Saturday's League quarter-final against Tipperary, Dublin's selectors have made four changes to the championship side which went down to Kilkenny in the Leinster semi-final. Most interestingly, Aonghus O'Grady is named at left corner forward. A prodigious dead-ball striker for a number of years on the Dublin team, he had drifted out of the senior panel and played intermediate for the county last month. He takes the place of Gerry Ennis who scored a goal for Dublin against Kilkenny in the senior semi-final.

Other changes see David McLaughlin, brother of goalkeeper Brendan, come in for the injured Ruairi Boland, Paddy Brady move to the other wing with Philip Harney coming in at centre back and Sean Duignan dropping back to the bench.

At full forward, Brian McMahon takes Colin Fetherstone's place with Connie Ring coming in on the left wing of the attack.