Mattie Murphy has elevated impressive newcomer David Tierney to Galway's starting fifteen for Sunday's Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Kilkenny. The selectors have also opted to draft lightning forward Ollie Canning to the corner of the defence, mindful of the speed and stealth which Kilkenny present in DJ Carey and Charlie Carter. Vinny Maher drops down to the bench.

Tierney, a dual player from Leitrim Kilnadeema who has also featured with distinction on John O'Mahony's roster over the summer, made a tremendous impression when brought on against Tipperary.

A spirited hurler with a devastating turn of pace, he sometimes, with his athletic style and flowing black hair, has Galway fans hankering after the days of Gerry McInerney.

His presence adds a new dimension to a deeply gifted attack that didn't fully gel last time out. However, Tierney's promotion may have its origins in the defensive shuffle. Despite a number of telling interventions, Maher endured some fairly torrid moments during the quarter-final win over Tipperary and was, perhaps unfairly, singled out as a questionable link in post-match scrutiny.

There was speculation that Canning would be called in to form the full-back line with Liam Hodgins and Brian Feeney. That Canning is no longer in the attack will be of relief to the Kilkenny defence.

But he has already a reputation as a crafty defender, a natural reader of the game who cut his teeth as a defender at under-age level. Mattie Murphy has also observed him there during recent challenge games.

Whereas other counties would consider his accomplished attacking talents indispensable, such is the depth of alternatives open to Galway that his absence does not seriously weaken the attack.

It is remarkable that even in Canning's absence, Kevin Broderick, one of Galway's most prolific attackers in recent years, has not been able to reclaim the spot he lost through injury. Like Joe Cooney, it is likely that he will be sprung from the bench.

Apart from that, the team remains unaltered. Murphy has shown commendable loyalty to Craughwell's Fergal Healy, the forward who had a muted championship debut, in the hope he can flourish now that Croke Park has been extended beyond the matchbox dimensions which made the clash with Tipperary so suffocating.