Hurling: Under siege Dublin hurling manager Humphrey Kelleher has defended his regime despite the large number of defections and retirements that decimated the panel this year.

The team travel to Antrim for Sunday's final Division One relegation play-off at Casement Park still searching for a first victory, on the eighth attempt.

"I came in with a three-year programme. The first year was to identify what was there, the second was to build the players' physically. Unfortunately, 17 guys retiring or defecting upset this.

"A brand new regime was brought in that changed the culture of training for Dublin hurlers. Speak to any of the players and none will criticise the set-up in terms of training.

"We believe that is right so the results will come in time. I'm sticking to that. Too many times in the past Dublin teams haven't followed through."

Kelleher and the panel received a boost this week as Stephen Perkins returned to take up a place amongst the replacements. It followed on from the return of experienced full back Darragh Spain after an injury lay-off.

However, the high-profile departures of Conal Keaney and David O'Callaghan, in particular, to the senior football panel were a grave blow. They killed off the idea of a senior dual player in the capital. At underage level it still exists with Ger O'Meara and Ronan Fallon doubling up this weekend for the senior hurlers and under-21 footballers.

Despite seeing his plans severely disrupted, Kelleher remains bullish about the prospects of breaking the losing streak with the current crop.

"What we have at the moment is all we can work with. I am not thinking about any additions or subtractions. I have a job to do and I can only do it with the people who are with the panel. I'll only listen to those who are with the panel also.

"My goal was to get guys fit first. Dublin weren't strong or fit enough, but now we can compete on that level with anyone. Next we must supplement that with the skills. The improvements can be seen by the increase in goals scored in the second half of the league. That comes from belief."

Regarding those who drifted away, Kelleher has not ruled anyone out of his plans. "The door was never closed in the first place as far as I am concerned."

Meanwhile, Meath have held off naming a team for the Division Two semi-final in Clones on Sunday due to 11 injuries in the panel. Nigel Crawford (ankle), Mark O'Reilly (back) and Niall McLoughlin (hamstring) are the major concerns. Trevor Giles is another key player to sit out training this week, but is expected to recover from a back problem.

Their opponents Fermanagh have selected the same line-up as last week.

As expected, Derry have named an unchanged side for Sunday's other Division Two semi-final against Monaghan, which also acts as a dress-rehearsal for the two sides' Ulster championship clash on June 5th.

Seán Marty Lockhart and Patsy Bradley are welcome additions to the replacements, but All Star forward Enda Muldoon is still a few weeks off returning to action.

Monaghan team manager Séamus McEneaney has also announced an unchanged team for the match in Clones. The postponement hasn't changed his view of the game although he feels that it favoured Derry.

"The importance of the match is still the same, it's still a huge match for us," McEneaney said, "but I suppose it will help Derry a little in that they will have a number of players back who were not available to them."

The Tipperary hurling team to play Kilkenny on Sunday shows two changes from the side which defeated Galway. Francis Devanney comes in at centre forward in place of Pa Morrissey, while Kildangan's Darragh Egan will start at full forward in place of the injured Mícheál Webster.

Waterford manager Justin McCarthy has named only seven regular starters for their Division One relegation match against Down.

The half forward selection of John Mullane, Dan Shanahan and Eoin Kelly is the only line that is likely to remain intact for the Munster championship opener against Cork on May 22nd.