FAVOURITES James Stephens just about did enough in Nowlan Park yesterday to get back to the Kilkenny SHC final.

TONY BROWNE is named at midfield on the Waterford team for tomorrow’s Munster SHC semi-final replay against Limerick at Semple Stadium, the veteran Mount Sion clubman’s first championship start since last year’s All-Ireland final.

ALL-IRELAND champions Kilkenny have close to their strongest team for tomorrow’s Allianz NHL clash with Cork at Nowlan Park. P. J. Ryan takes over in goal from David Herity; T J Reid comes in at right half forward for Martin Comerford; Henry Shefflin is at centre-forward, with Eoin Larkin on his left. Eddie Brennan is back in the right corner, linking up with Richie Power and Aidan Fogarty.

LIMERICK manager Justin McCarthy introduces James Ryan and Paul Browne for his side’s NHL clash against Cork at Páirc Uí Chaoimh tomorrow.

ALL-IRELAND hurling champions Kilkenny make three changes in personnel and five positional switches from the win over Offaly for tomorrow’s Leinster hurling final with an unchanged Wexford.

Kilkenny 3-18 UCD 0-14

DARREN O’SULLIVAN, the 20-year-old whiz kid from Glenbeigh, will make his provincial senior championship debut when Kerry take on Tipperary in the Bank of Ireland Munster SFC semi-final at Fitzgerald Stadium, Killarney on Sunday.

Kilkenny 3-20 Tipperary 2-11

Galway 0-10 Kilkenny 1-16

THE Galway hurling management have no intention at this stage of calling teenage prodigy Joe Canning into their squad, despite the perceived benefit to the team’s coring potential.

Kilkenny 6-28 Offaly 0-15

Kilkenny 2-13, Galway 0-12