Team News:Eoin Kelly is back in the Tipperary hurling team for Sunday's crucial showdown against Dublin in Nenagh. Kelly failed to start in the defeat to Galway last Sunday having been laid low the previous week with a stomach bug, although he did appear as a half-time substitute and contributed one of three Tipperary goals.
Now the five-time All Star is ready to resume his position in the forward line, which can only be bad news for Dublin. Manager Babs Keating has made a total of six changes from the Galway defeat in a final effort to make the play-offs, and surprisingly introduces two league debutants.
Conor O'Brien from Eire Óg Annacarty makes his first appearance at corner back, replacing Alan Byrne, while Thomas Stapleton, the Templederry player and one of last year's talented minors, is introduced at midfield alongside Shane McGrath.
Brendan Cummins also resumes duties in goal, while Ryan O'Dwyer also starts in the forward line in place of Tony Scroope.
Regardless of how Dublin get on this evening against Antrim this is still a game Tipperary need to win to be sure of a place in the play-offs. Their chances may still depend on the outcome of the Kilkenny-Galway clash at Nowlan Park, with a Galway victory sure to help Tipperary's chances of emerging form Division 1B.
Kilkenny manager Brian Cody is set to welcome back the Ballyhale players, recently crowned All-Ireland club champions, with the exception of Henry Shefflin, who is due to be married in a few weeks. But James "Cha" Fitzpatrick will be available, and is likely to play some role, given the significance of the game.
In football, Dublin manager Paul Caffrey has announced an unchanged team for Sunday's equally crucial game against Mayo in Castlebar.
Conal Keaney has been named at wing forward, where he was also listed to start against Fermanagh last Saturday, when in fact he started at top of the right, with Bernard Brogan lining out at left half forward.
Alan Brogan is still sidelined with a back injury.
Dublin have clearly regained their form after a shaky start to the league, although their last trip to Castlebar in February of 2004 resulted in the humiliating 1-10 to 0-3 defeat - just a week after they'd beaten then All-Ireland champions Tyrone. There is also the small matter of last summer's All-Ireland semi-final defeat to Mayo to motivate them.
Elsewhere, Tyrone will have Owen Mulligan and Ger Cavlan back on board for their trip to Kerry on Saturday evening, another must-win game for both sides in order to keep relegation worries at bay.
That game marks the start of another hectic weekend for Kerry manager Pat O'Shea, who is still juggling his duties with Dr Crokes, who play their All-Ireland club final replay against Crossmaglen less than 24 hours later in Portlaoise. O'Shea will be definitely be missing Kieran Donaghy for Saturday's game, but with Declan O'Sullivan also back from his extended excursion in Australia, along with Paul Galvin, there is at least some more cover than before.
TIPPERARY (SH v Dublin):B Cummins; E Buckley, P Curran, C O'Brien; B Dunne, C O'Mahony, H Maloney; S McGrath, T Stapleton; R O'Dwyer, D Egan, P Burke; E Kelly, D O'Hanlon, P Kelly.
DUBLIN (SF v Mayo):S Cluxton; D Henry, R McConnell, P Griffin; B Cahill, B Cullen, G Brennan; D Magee, S Ryan; C Moran, J Sherlock, C Keaney; B Brogan, K Bonner, T Quinn.
