Sport

Tipperary select shadow team

All-Ireland finalists Tipperary have named a shadow team for Saturday's NHL semi-final against Galway in Ennis

By SEAN MORAN
Wed Aug 20 1997 - 01:00

All-Ireland finalists Tipperary have named a shadow team for Saturday's NHL semi-final against Galway in Ennis. Only one of the side, Liam McGrath, that defeated Wexford in last Sunday's All-Ireland final survives.

Manager Len Gaynor had indicated the likely selection policy earlier in the day when saying: "We'll try a lot of our subs to rest some of the others and to have a look at them. There's no real injury problem apart from John Leahy's (fractured cheekbone) and Conor Gleeson whose hand is a bit sore after Sunday. There's been no news since yesterday on John's injury: he has two bones broken, but not displaced, so we're hoping for the best."

Five of the weekend's victorious side are named in the substitutes: the entire half-back line of Conal and Colm Bonnar and Liam Sheedy, centre forward Declan Ryan and corner back Paul Shelly.

Opponents Galway have deferred selection because two of the hurling selectors were unable to attend last night's scheduled meeting.

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The other semi-final will be played in Nowlan Park on Sunday evening between Limerick and Kilkenny. Limerick have a number of problems and will not name a team until today.

Kilkenny have chosen a strong side for the match with only three changes from the team that lost in the recent All-Ireland semi-final to Clare.

John Power, who collapsed at a club game at the weekend, was not considered. Pat O'Neill is named amongst the substitutes, as is Ken O'Shea. Into the side come Liam Simpson, who missed the Clare match because of injury, Peter Barry and Denis Byrne, both of whom came on as replacements that day.

Michael Phelan, who also cried off the match after being selected, played for his club Glenmore at the weekend, but looked inhibited by bandaging and is named on the bench. His clubmate Willie O'Connor, who has had a fine season at corner back, moves out to the wing for the first time in two years.

Manager Nicky Brennan said: "We are going for this. It's the last chance for the players to get something out of this year which we started training for last October."