Michael Cleary is back, after injury, in the Tipperary team for their All-Ireland semi-final clash with Wexford at Croke Park on Sunday. Also back into the Tipperary side come Declan Ryan, following suspension, and Conal Bonnar, who was declared unfit at the last minute for the quarterfinal against Down in Clones. Wexford have delayed their team selection pending a decision about the fitness of their full forward Gary Laffan. The Wexford selectors are toying with the idea of recalling Eamon Scallan or, otherwise, risking the veteran Billy Byrne from the start. The Tipperary players to lose out from the Clones quarterfinal are Liam Cahill, Kevin Tucker and Brendan Carroll, who was a late replacement for Conal Bonnar that afternoon.
In all there are five changes - Cahill, Tucker, Raymie Ryan, Aidan Butler and Philly O'Dwyer - from the team that lost to Clare in the Munster final. In a clear effort to give his team a greater physical presence since that game, manager Len Gaynor has introduced Brian O'Meara and Liam McGrath into the attack in the intervening period. There will be some surprise that Liam Cahill, an All Star last year, is one of the players to make way, even if it is Cleary who has returned to take his right corner forward position.
However, Cahill has made much less of an impact this year, and was substituted in the Munster final, dropped for the subsequent League quarterfinal against Dublin, and made little scoring impact in the county's comfortable win over Down. His four points in the recent Munster under-21 final, when Tipperary lost to Cork, was his best show of the year.
Kevin Tucker, who scored three points in the team's Munster final defeat by Clare, may have greater cause for disappointment. Tucker and Cahill take their place on the substitutes' bench.
Eugene O'Neill, last year's minor full forward, retains his full forward place from the Down game. A goal-scorer in Clones, O'Neill was also thought to be under pressure after a low-key performance in the Munster under-21 final. There will be some speculation that O'Neill and Brian O'Meara, named in the left corner, may switch, with O'Meara likely to provide a greater physical test for Wexford full back Ger Cushe.
The fact that Conor Gleeson has been declared fit is a big plus for Tipperary. Last weekend, Gleeson, the team captain, was reported to be seriously injured with a broken bone in his left hand.
The construction of the Tipperary team seems impressive. There is a wealth of both youth and experience. Their full back line - Paul Shelly, Noel Sheehy, and Michael Ryan - has proved itself to be a well-knit unit in the side and the presence of the Bonnar brothers, Colm and Conal, with Liam Sheedy in the half back line adds strength and experience to the defence. Tommy Dunne, impressive when moved to midfield in the Munster final against Clare and in subsequent games, stays at midfield with Conor Gleeson. Again, the team selection allows for possible switches in this sector, with Liam McGrath and John Leahy both having experience in this area of the field.
McGrath and Leahy are selected as the wing forwards, flanking Declan Ryan in a physically imposing half-forward line. Tipperary will be eager to make the best of their "second chance" after their defeat by Clare in the Munster final. They will be deeply conscious that Kilkenny, the beaten Leinster finalists, failed to the make the most of their second chance against Clare last Sunday. The opportunity to beat All-Ireland champions Wexford, thereby setting up a replay of the Munster final against Clare, will, surely, give Tipperary every incentive. Wexford's selectors say that they will not make a decision until later in the week in regard to their forward line for this match. Gary Laffan, their full forward, is a most unlikely starter and a decision will have to be made about this position. There appears to be few options open to the selectors. If Laffan can't play the obvious strategy would be to recall Eamonn Scallan and hold Billy Byrne in reserve for a morale-boosting introduction later in the match.
Fixtures
Saturday
Leinster SF final: Meath v Offaly, Croke Park, 5.0, B White (Wexford).
Leinster MF final: Laois v Wicklow, Croke Park, 3.15, S McCormack (Meath). Sunday
All-Ireland SH semi-final: Wexford v Tipperary, 3.30, J O'Leary (Cork).
All-Ireland MH semi-final: Galway v Tipperary, Croke Park, 2.0, T McIntyre (Antrim).
Galway (MH v Tipperary) - K Callinan; E McDonagh, D Cloonan, E Donoghue; J Cannon, S Morgan, A Walsh; N Lawlor, E Hyland; G Keary, B Cunningham, D Tierney; K Hayes, D Huban, K Daniels. Subs: P Gavin, J Hession, S Donoghue, G Hurney, D Donoghue, D Joyce, O Deely, C Coen, R Leonard, D Smith.
