Wexford's selectors have left the full forward position vacant in the hope that Gary Laffan will be fit to take that position when they meet Tipperary in the second All-Ireland hurling semi-final at Croke Park on Sunday. Other than that, the team is the same as that which started in the Leinster final against Kilkenny.
Laffan has been nursing a cartilage injury since that match, but has made considerable progress under treatment. Among the remedies being used is a herbal poultice put together by the Meath football manager, Sean Boylan, and the view in Wexford is that Laffan's condition has improved within the last few days.
In the circumstances, the selectors decided that Laffan will be given every opportunity to prove his fitness.
Wexford, the reigning All-Ireland champions, thus find themselves in the enviable situation of being able to select a winning side. Standing by for inclusion at some stage of the match - possible from the start if Laffan doesn't make it - is the veteran Billy Byrne who has an extraordinary talent for scoring vital goals towards the end of important matches.
Clearly the selectors would prefer to hold Byrne in reserve and then unleash him on a defence under pressure. His value to the team as a substitute is as much psychological as valuable in scoring terms.
At the ripe old age of 37, Byrne has made an impact in every match when he has been called to the colours and none more so that against Kilkenny in the Leinster final. He came into the side in place of Larry Murphy against Kilkenny and scored 1-2.
The Meath football selectors will not make up their minds about the composition of their team for Saturday's Leinster final against Offaly until later today. Their main concerns have been centred on the unavailability of three of their top players because of suspension.
Out of the reckoning as a result of disciplinary measures in the long-running saga against Kildare are Graham Geraghty, Mark O'Reilly and Darren Fay, all of whom were sent off against Kildare and are serving varying terms of suspension.
There has been widespread speculation within the county that a line-up has already been decided and that Colm Coyle, one of the most versatile Meath players of the last decade, may be handed the number six shirt. This would allow Enda McManus to move back to Fay's position at full back, with Donal Curtis coming in at right corner back in place of O'Reilly and Martin O'Connell taking over in the left corner.
This would involve a half back line reading: Nigel Nestor, Colm Coyle and Paddy Reynolds and would leave the midfield partnership of Jim McfGuinness and John McDermott intact.
In that case the likely attack would have Trevor Giles on the right wing, Tommy Dowd on the forty and PJ Gillic on the left. The full forward line would then read - from right to left - Evan Kelly, Brendan Reilly and Ollie Murphy. This would also mean that Jody Devine would be kept on stand-by on the bench.
Limerick lost out on the toss to stage the National Hurling League semi-final against Kilkenny, but they have won the argument to have the match played on Sunday, August 24th at Nowlan Park, instead of the previous day. The throw-in time is expected to be seven o'clock.
Manager Tom Ryan has a multiplicity of problems. When the panel resumed last night after a two-month lay-off, captain Gary Kirby was unable to participate because of injury and, according to Ryan, has little prospect of being available for the semi-final. Another player certain to miss out is Ciaran Carey, whose suspension by the city board for having been sent off in the city hurling final has been deferred.
