GAELIC GAMES: Ian O'Riordan talks to Tipperary manager Nicky English about thedifficulty of finding a player to take over from Declan Ryan at full forward

After a summer where Tipperary's full forward position revolved around one name only, suddenly there is the need for deeper consideration, not just for Sunday's opening game with Clare, but probably as long as Tipperary remain in the championship.

When Declan Ryan said his farewells last New Year's Day, after 15 years tireless service, the Tipperary hurling management didn't try to hide the loss, suggesting that Ryan may well be irreplaceable. Now comes the first true test of that absence.

Ahead of Sunday's game, however, manager Nicky English is playing down the notion that the full forward position should come under the spotlight. While Ryan is clearly a hard act to follow, English is not expecting any one player to carry the responsibility.

"I suppose it's natural for people and especially media people to concentrate on the full forward position right now," says English. "But for us the team is always going to be about 15 players, and we would never single out one player to carry the responsibility.

"And on top of that we would talk about a team of forwards. We would hope that every player there is in a position to carry the responsibility."

Yet it's worth remembering that it's been 15 years since Tipperary last won a trophy without Ryan in the forward line - the Munster title in 1987. Ryan's power and physique invariably stood out in their attack, and no less so this past summer, although he did fail to pick up his third All-Star.

The question remains then as to what new face will best function at full forward as Tipperary attempt their first All-Ireland title defence in 10 years. During the National League, the duty was shared between John O'Brien and Eugene O'Neill, and that appears likely to remain the case for the immediate future. O'Brien has been named there for Sunday with O'Neill in the left corner.

English admits, though, that for a while at least the comparisons with Ryan will be unavoidable: "Whoever starts for us there this year is going to live in the shadow of Declan Ryan for a while, especially since it's going to be a younger player. Of course Ryan made a huge impression in the 15 years he was around but someone else has to come in now, and that's what it's all about."

O'Brien had gradually become the number one choice during the National League until he broke his thumb in the quarter-final win over Galway last month. He showed some particularly lethal touches that day, scoring 2-1. Still only 19, the Toomevara clubman made his senior debut in last year's league and had one appearance in the championship, scoring 0-1 as a substitute against Limerick.

At 23, O'Neill is similarly youthful but has far more experience. He has already played throughout the Tipperary attack, as well as midfield, but is now a more specialised full forward. Back in 1997 he caused problems for the Clare defence in the All-Ireland final, and was subsequently named young player of the year.

While Ryan started all five games at full forward last summer, O'Neill's sole start was in the All-Ireland in the left corner. He appeared as a substitute in the other four games, most notably the semi-final replay against Wexford where he scored 2-1.

Eoin Kelly too is well capable of making the move in from the corner. It was at full forward where he scored some his highest tallies as a schoolboy with St Kieran's, Kilkenny. And if Tipperary are to achieve back-to-back wins, a feat last achieved by Kilkenny in 1992-93, Kelly may well end up playing some sort of role at full forward.