With only slightly more certainty about their true starting positions, the Hurling Team news: Waterford team for Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final with Tipperary was announced last night. It shows just one change in personnel from the sensational annihilation of Clare, with Declan Prendergast a direct replacement for Tom Feeney at full back.
There are several other positional switches from the team which started in the 3-21 to 1-8 first-round win over Clare on May 16th. Yet manager Justin McCarthy is notoriously keen on moving players about from game to game, and more of the same is expected at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday.
Michael Walsh, for example, is named to start at midfield alongside Dave Bennett, as opposed to centre forward where he played the last day. Paul Flynn is named at left corner forward, despite moving back to wing forward against Clare.
What does seem certain is that captain Ken McGrath will continue at centre back where he performed so majestically the last day, and Dan Shanahan, who scored 3-1, will again start in the half forward line.
Feeney will feel a little unlucky to lose his place, but Prendergast won't be lacking in experience, having started in either the half back or full back line for all of Waterford's championship matches last summer. He was also a regular throughout Waterford's league campaign. In the meantime, Feeney takes his place on the substitutes' bench, taking the seat held the last day by Prendergast.
While Waterford are likely then to make some positional switches before the start, it seems equally likely that opponents Tipperary will make some personnel changes. The team named on Wednesday night caused its fair share of bafflement, primarily with the naming of Lar Corbett at left corner forward.
Just over two weeks ago Corbett was reported to have suffered serious ankle ligament damage and that even a Munster final appearance - should Tipperary progress - was doubtful.
At training on Wednesday night the Thurles Sarsfields player again failed to tog out, and unless a trip to Lourdes is planned before Sunday it's hard to imagine how he'll start.
It has been indicated that the young John Devane of Clonoulty-Rossmore will in fact come into the full forward line, with Eoin Kelly moving into the left corner.
There has also been much speculation as to why Declan Fanning failed to nail down a starting place in the half back line, having apparently performed so consistently throughout the league.
Instead, Diarmuid Fitzgerald was given his first championship start at centre back, as was Colin Morrissey on the left wing.
WATERFORD (SH v Tipperary): S Brenner; J Murray, D Prendergast, E Murphy; B Phelan, K McGrath, T Browne; D Bennett, M Walsh; E McGrath, D Shanahan, E Kelly; J Mullane, S Prendergast, P Flynn.
