GAA: TIPPERARY HAVE named an unchanged side for Sundays All-Ireland hurling final. Although strongly rumoured, the decision by manager Declan Ryan and his selectors is something of a surprise in that it means Brendan Maher, Young Hurler of the Year in 2010, will not now start the big match against Kilkenny.

Maher broke his ankle during the national league and had not recovered sufficiently to start any of the county’s championship matches to date.

But his appearance as a replacement in both the Munster final against Waterford and the All-Ireland semi-final win over Dublin had created the assumption that he would be a strong contender to start the final.

Although he had appeared to be fully recovered, recent reports on his form in training have been mixed and Ryan has decided to keep him in reserve.

Speculation had been that Maher would replace either John O’Keeffe at wing back where he played in 2009 or come in at centrefield, last year’s position, with Gearóid Ryan switching to attack and Séamus Callanan, whom Maher replaced in the Dublin match, dropping back to the bench.

O’Keeffe played well against Dublin and his most difficult match remains the Munster semi-final against Clare when he was playing out of position. Callanan was disappointing in the semi-final during a first half when few of the team’s forwards impressed, but he enjoyed a productive and impressive provincial campaign, scoring 2-10. In the event, both players survive.

Callanan also hit two points from play in the last 12 minutes of the final 12 months ago having come on as a replacement for John O’Brien. Overall, the team shows just two changes from the side that stormed to victory in last year’s final. Callanan starts instead of Maher and O’Keeffe replaces Declan Fanning, who lined out at right wing back last year but who retired at the end of the season.

Tipperary had a training camp in Fota Island in Cork last weekend, the same preparation as prior to the All-Ireland semi-final.

They also trained in Thurles last night. Current Hurler of the Year Lar Corbett, who took no part in a recent training match, is fully fit and ready to go.

Kilkenny are expected to announce their team on Friday.

TIPPERARY: B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; J O’Keeffe, C O’Mahony, P Maher; G Ryan, S McGrath; S Callanan, N McGrath, P Maher; E Kelly, J O’Brien, L Corbett.