News: The return of Kilkenny's All-Ireland full-forward combination suggests the reigning league and champions are intent on returning to customary habits when they visit Galway at Pearse Stadium on Sunday.

DJ Carey returns at corner forward while new captain Martin Comerford returns to the full-forward berth.

Manager Brian Cody has made four changes. James Ryall returns at left-corner forward instead of Walter Burke, who played in last week's defeat by Waterford. Seán Dowling comes in at the expenses of Paddy Mullally. James "Cha" Fitzpatrick of Ballyhale is one of the forwards who has been replaced. The other, Conor Phelan, received a deep cut to his hand during yesterday's Fitzgibbon Cup competition and is expected to be out of action for at least a fortnight.

Kevin Broderick will be absent from the Galway team after aggravating a hamstring against Dublin. Alan Kerins comes in at corner forward, with Johnny O'Loughlin moving out to the wing.

Pad Joe Whelehan has considerably altered his Limerick team. The Birr man is still experimenting with his team in personnel and style and intends to hold further trials with a view to freshening his panel. Maurice O'Brien comes in at wing back in place of Ollie Moran, who is unavailable for this weekend's game against Tipperary. Tipperary were still debating on a final selection late yesterday evening.

Andrew O'Shaughnessy moves out to wing forward in place of John Meskell. O'Shaughnessy took over the free-taking responsibilities from Meskell during their defeat Cork last week. Niall Moran has been replaced on the right wing by Donie Ryan while James O'Brien remains at centre-half forward.

This alteration leaves two new names on the full-forward line, Donnacha Sheehan and Seán O'Connor. Pat Kirby stays at left-corner forward while Peter O'Reilly comes in at midfield instead of Paul O'Grady.

Donal O'Grady leaves his Cork team unchanged following last week's victory over Limerick. Cork play Wexford on Saturday evening in the first league game to be staged under floodlights. Seanie McGrath remains at full forward and Tom Kenny leads the midfield with Adrian Coughlan. Wexford are expected to name a team tonight.

CORK: D Cusack; A Fitzpatrick, D O'Sullivan, M Prendergast; G Callinan, R Curran, S Óg O hAilpín; T Kenny, A Coughlan; J O'Callaghan, M Byrne, T McCarthy; B Lombard, S McGrath, E Fitzgerald.

GALWAY: L Donoghue; D Joyce, D Cloonan, O Canning; D Hardiman, T Óg Regan, F Moore; D Healy, D Tierney; J O'Loughlin, M Kerins, D Forde; A Kerins, E Cloonan, D Hayes.

KILKENNY: J McGarry; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, J Ryall; R Mullally, JJ Delaney, S Dowling; D Lyng, J Tyrell; J Maher, H Shefflin, T Walsh; DJ Carey, M Comerford, E Brennan.

LAOIS: K Galvin; L Mahon, P Cuddy, C Cuddy;; J Fitzpatrick, F Keenan, M McEvoy; J Young, J Walsh; C Coonan, D Cuddy, S Dwyer; T Fitzgerald, L Tynan, D Culleton.

LIMERICK: J Cahill; D Reale, TJ Ryan, M Cahill; M O'Brien, P Lawlor, M Foley; P O'Reilly, C Carey; D Ryan, J O'Brien, A O'Shaughnessy; D Sheehan. S O'Connor, P Tobin.