BY SUNDAY evening it should be apparent what county are best equipped to deny Kilkenny five All-Ireland hurling titles in a row. Munster champions Waterford will also know their opponents in the All-Ireland semi-final.
If it is Tipperary it may have something to do with Shane McGrath switching to wing forward and Patrick Maher to centre forward in an otherwise unchanged configuration.
For Galway, David Burke returns to midfield after suspension with Eanna Ryan and Cyril Donnellan coming into a revamped half forward line.
Joe Canning will wear number 14 but where he is actually deployed will prove crucial.
Seán Óg Ó hAilpín and Jerry O’Connor remain Cork’s most notable injury absentees as their hurlers make a further two changes from the side that lost the Munster final replay to Waterford last Saturday night for Sunday’s clash against Antrim.
Ray Ryan comes in for his first championship start at wing back in place of the hamstrung Shane O’Neill while Paudie O’Sullivan is preferred over Patrick Horgan at corner forward. Experienced centre back Ronan Curran is deemed fit enough to start.
Antrim manager Dinny Cahill has struck with the same side that produced the shock of the championship, thus far, by beating Dublin last weekend so Colm McFall, Eddie McCloskey and Michael Herron must be content with substitute roles.
Meanwhile, Malachy O’Rourke will not be seeking a fourth year as Fermanagh football manager. The Fermanagh management committee will be meeting shortly to put in place a process to appoint a new senior team manager.
Conor Counihan has named the same Cork football side that defeated Wexford for tomorrow’s meeting with Limerick at the Gaelic Grounds.
Dublin manager Pat Gilroy is also expected to name an unchanged team this afternoon ahead of tomorrow’s game against Louth. Cian O’Sullivan remains unavailable with a hamstring problem, although the defender is back training, while Eamon Fennell’s ongoing hip problem means he will probably be again used as a second half replacement.
Defeated Connacht finalists Sligo have made just one change for their fourth round tie against Down tomorrow in Breffni Park. Eugene Mullen starts in midfield due to a knee injury sustained by Tony Taylor.
Daniel McCartan returns at corner back for Down after serving a suspension.
Kieran McGeeney has named an unchanged line-up ahead of tomorrow’s Croke Park meeting with Monaghan. It is understood Monaghan’s defender JP Mone may feature despite being carried off with a knee injury in the Ulster final loss to Tyrone.
TIPPERARY (SHC v Galway): B Cummins; P Stapleton, P Curran, M Cahill; D Fanning, C O’Mahony, Padraic Maher; B Maher, D Young; G Ryan, Patrick Maher, S McGrath; N McGrath, L Corbett, E Kelly (capt).
GALWAY (SHC v Tipperary): C Callanan; D Joyce, S Kavanagh, O Canning; D Barry, T g Regan, D Collins; G Farragher, D Burke; A Smyth, C Donnellan, E Ryan; D Hayes, J Canning, I Tannian.
CORK (SHC v Antrim): D g Cusack; S Murphy, E Cadogan, B Murphy; J Gardiner, R Curran, R Ryan; T Kenny, C Naughton; B O’Connor, M Cussen, N McCarthy; P O’Sullivan, A O hAilpin, K Murphy.
ANTRIM (SHC v Cork): C O’Connell; K McGourty, C Donnelly, S Delargy; P Shiels, J Campbell, C Herron; S McNaughton, K Stewart; S McCrory, N McManus, T McCann; PJ O’Connell, L Watson, K McKeegan.
CORK (SFC v Limerick): A Quirke; R Carey, M Shields J O’Sullivan; J Miskell, G Canty, P Kissane; A O’Connor, A Walsh; F Goold, P O’Neill, P Kelly; D Goulding, C Sheehan, C O’Neill.
SLIGO (SFC v Down): P Greene; C Harrison (capt), N McGuire, R Donovan; K Cawley, B Phillips, J Davey; E Mullen. S Gilmartin; A Costello, M Breheny, E O’Hara; C McGee, A Marren, D Kelly.
KILDARE (SFC v Monaghan): S McCormack; P Kelly, H McGrillen, A MacLochlainn; M O’Flaherty, E Bolton, B Flanagan; D Flynn, D Earley; J Kavanagh, P O’Neill, T O’Connor; J Doyle, R Sweeney, E Callaghan.
DOWN (SFC v Sligo): B McVeigh; D Rooney, D Gordon, D Rafferty; D O’Hagan, J Colgan, C Garvey; A Rodgers, K King; A Carr, M Poland, P McComiskey; B Coulter, J Clarke, M Clarke.
