Any similarities between the notorious injury crisis that beset Kilkenny before the 1973 All-Ireland final against Limerick and the contemporary one simmering this week is purely notional.

Noel Hickey's illness removes an experienced full back from a line that has struggled this season. But Brian Cody had a good range of choices and has opted for the promise of last year's deeply impressive under-21 full back John Tennyson.

That was the most straightforward solution. Although the edge of the square is James Ryall's club habitat he wasn't that comfortable at corner back against Wexford and would represent a risk and Brian Hogan is the replacement centre back, even if he, too, has experience at full back where he acquitted himself well in last year's club championship for O'Loughlin Gaels.

Tomorrow's opponents provide some leeway. Despite a promising start to the year Limerick were disappointing in the qualifier match against Galway. Even allowing for the late frenzy of frees dropped short as they chased top spot in the group and its prize of avoiding a match like this, Joe McKenna's side should have won comfortably.

Disastrous free-taking and a need for more huffing and puffing in the pursuit of scores than Galway evinced cost them the result and bodes ill for a match against the All-Ireland favourites.

McKenna has made some obvious changes. Andrew O'Shaughnessy has been restored to the corner of the attack and after the fuss about his positioning will be under pressure to make the best of what is generally believed to be his optimum placing.

Ollie Moran is moved back to strengthen the defence and may switch with Peter Lawlor to take on the physical threat of Martin Comerford, leaving Lawlor the unenviable task of picking up Tommy Walsh. Damien Reale's return to the full-back line is another boost in an area where the team suffered badly against Galway.

Limerick have had to make their own changes, partly forced by the loss to injury of Donal O'Grady. This is a setback as centrefield had been a modest success for the team to date.

Niall Moran drops back to partner Paul O'Grady and Limerick will be fervently hoping that the

move does something to ignite Moran's disappointing form of late. But Kilkenny's centrefield of Bryan Barry and Derek Lyng is a well-balanced unit and no place to be trying to rehabilitate yourself.

Limerick are going to need a massive improvement up front to exploit the vulnerability attacked by Wexford in the Leinster final. Their forwards have the pace, but don't look as convincing a unit as Wexford at their best.

TJ Ryan is unlikely to have such an off-day again, but Limerick will need more than that to make an impression. O'Shaughnessy and Donie Ryan will need to make their pace count, but Kilkenny are sure to be sharper four weeks on from the provincial final.

Most ominously for Limerick is the fact that the Leinster champions didn't play that well when winning their title. Henry Shefflin didn't have a bad game in that his frees were accurate and his work-rate as good as always, but no scores from play, by his standards, is unusual.

DJ Carey's return after his mysterious omission from the last match will improve the attack and set a fair task for Stephen Lucey, whose notable season to date (recognised by a provincial All Star at full back) dipped against Galway, even if the effects of work (he is a junior doctor) didn't help him that day.

It would be a fine achievement for Limerick to make this as competitive as Wexford managed at the start of the month, but it's hard to see their forwards doing the necessary damage. At the other end of the scale, Kilkenny could cut loose. Either way, it's the end for Limerick.

Meanwhile, the GAA has confirmed that it has cautioned county boards of the potential serious consequences of any repeat of last weekend's much publicised ambush marketing exercise.

This is a reference to the Cork players who advertised beer on their boots during last week's All-Ireland quarter-final with Waterford at Croke Park.

KILKENNY: J McGarry; M Kavanagh, J Tennyson, J Ryall; R Mullally, P Barry, JJ Delaney; D Lyng, B Barry; M Comerford, E Larkin, T Walsh; R Power, DJ Carey, H Shefflin.

LIMERICK: T Houlihan; D Reale, S Lucey, M Foley; O Moran, B Geary, P Lawlor; P O'Grady, N Moran; D Ryan, J O'Brien, M Cahill; P Kirby, TJ Ryan, A O'Shaughnessy.

Referee: G Harrington (Cork)