Team news: Waterford manager Justin McCarthy has made two changes for Sunday's All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Kilkenny in Croke Park. Under-21 star Shane O'Sullivan is given his first championship start in the only enforced change, as John Mullane is serving a one-match ban after being shown a straight red card in the Munster final on June 27th.
Waterford's sole All Star from 2003 will be sorely missed in the attack against the All-Ireland champions but O'Sullivan, from the Ballygunner club, comes from a decent pedigree as his brother Barry is also a former intercounty hurler. He saw off stiff competition from Jack Kennedy.
Brian Wall is another unfortunate to miss out.
The other change in personnel from the Munster final victory over Cork sees Ian O'Regan also make his first championship start in goal ahead of Stephen Brenner, who's been nursing a back injury.
Michael Walsh still has a slight injury concern (hand and ankle) but is named in midfield and not wing forward, where he started against Cork. As a precaution he was pulled from the under-21 footballers' recent Munster semi-final defeat to Kerry.
The defence remains the same but in a typical McCarthy reshuffle, Eoin McGrath moves to corner forward, Dan Shanahan is finally named at full forward, and Séamus Prendergast moves to centre forward from the start.
Waterford have not played a competitive match for over six weeks but have played several challenge games, including a recent tight affair with Antrim.
Their opponents, Kilkenny, have resisted naming their team until the weekend to allow Henry Shefflin as much time as possible to recover from his eye injury. It looks promising but he visits a specialist tomorrow for confirmation.
Cork are resigned to losing John Gardiner for their All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Wexford on Sunday week. He damaged his hand while playing football for his club, Na Piarsaigh, last weekend and missed the Munster under-21 hurling final defeat by Tipperary on Wednesday night as a result.
He's not expected to recover in time and it's likely Cork will move Tom Kenny from midfield to right-half back to fill Gardiner's position and start Mickey O'Connell alongside Jerry O'Connor at midfield.
Cork confirmed Pat Mulcahy's return to the squad after his successful comeback from injury for his club Newtownshandrum a week ago. A regular in the full-back line last season, Mulcahy has missed the championship so far and must settle for a place on the bench against Wexford.
All-Ireland champions Tyrone name an unchanged line-up to face Mayo in tomorrow's All-Ireland football quarter-final at Croke Park. Goalkeeper Pascal McConnell has recovered after dental work on the two teeth he dislodged in the game against Laois.
Joe McMahon has recovered from a chest injury but, vitally, Owen Mulligan's hamstring strain has cleared up enough for him to start at full forward.
Mulligan had to come off early in the second half last week. It's unclear if Peter Canavan is fit enough to play any role.
Fermanagh manager Charlie Mulgrew has made one change from the side that beat Donegal in the qualifiers for their match against Armagh. Eamon Sherry is not considered because of injury, and his brother Peter comes in at wing back for Declan O'Reilly.
Tom Brewster, who came in and kicked a point in the matches against Cork and Donegal, again must be satisfied with a place on the bench. The forwards line out as they did in their previous three championship games.
The Tommy Murphy Cup finally sees the light of day this Saturday with Clare taking on Louth in Parnell Park (12.30 pm) and Antrim facing Sligo in Dungannon (7 pm). Although only four counties are taking part after multiple defections, the carrot of playing in Croke Park for the final and a trip to Boston still dangles.
The winners of the semi-finals will face off on the undercard of an All-Ireland football semi-final.
A combination of club commitments, injuries and holidays leaves Louth manager Val Andrews without nine of the side that took the field against Galway in the qualifiers. But several front-line players like JP Rooney and Simon Gerrard are available.
Clare have Philip Smith, Donal O'Sullivan, Michael O'Dwyer and Brian Considine all on the treatment table, while Kevin Dilleen plays for Doora-Barefield in the county hurling championship. Also, Clare's only International Rules player, Odhrán O'Dwyer, is doubtful with an ankle problem.
"The bonus of a trip to Boston has provided the players with an added incentive to do well this weekend," said Clare manager John Kennedy. "We're going to send out the strongest team available but we would never stand in the way of a player lining out for his club in their championship."
Sligo, under manager Paul Durcan, have a 23-man squad and PRO Pádraig Duffy predicts a strong side will take on Antrim.
WATERFORD (SH v Kilkenny): I O'Regan; J Murray, D Prendergast, E Murphy; B Phelan, K McGrath, T Browne; D Bennett, M Walsh; E Kelly, S Prendergast, S O'Sullivan; E McGrath, D Shanahan, P Flynn.
TYRONE (SF v Mayo): P McConnell; R McMenamin, C Gormley, M McGee; J McMahon, B Sweeney, P Jordan; K Hughes, S Cavanagh; B Dooher (capt), B McGuigan, G Cavlan; M Harte, O Mulligan, S O'Neill.
FERMANAGH (SF v Armagh): N Tinney; N Bogue, B Owens, H Brady; R Johnston, S McDermott (capt), P Sherry; M McGrath, L McBarron; E Maguire, S Maguire, M Little; C Bradley, J Sherry, C O'Reilly.
