Devaney debut as Tipp omit Dunne

TOOMEVARA’S rising young star Francis Devaney will make his Munster senior hurling championship debut for Tipperary in Sunday’s first round clash with Limerick at Semple Stadium, but there is no place for former skipper Tomas Dunne.

Devaney comes into the side at centre-forward, while Lar Corbett, Martin Maher, David Kennedy and Paddy O’Brien are also included.

Colin Morrissey also returns to midfield after injury.

Manager Ken Hogan and his backroom team make four changes in personnel and a number of positional switches from the side that lost to Cork in last season’s All-Ireland qualifier in Killarney.

Goalkeeper Brendan Cummins and the full-back line of Martin Maher, Philip Maher and Paul Curran are retained. Declan Fanning switches from centre-back to right half, with Kennedy returning to the pivotal position and Eamon Corcoran moving to left half-back.

Morrissey and Paul Kelly continue their midfield partnership, while John Devane replaces Tomas Dunne at right half-forward. Dunne has been a regular since 1993 and has played in 39 championship games.

Devaney takes over the centre-forward slot from Conor Gleeson, now out of favour, while captain Benny Dunne retains his left half-forward berth.

Eoin Kelly moves from left corner to right corner in place of Seamus Butler. Lar Corbett is preferred to John Carroll at full-forward, while Paddy O’Brien is chosen at top of the left.

Meanwhile, Armagh manager Joe Kernan has kept faith with the side that won the Alliance National Football League for Sunday’s Bank of Ireland first round clash with Monaghan at Clones.

With no injury problems to contend with Kernan last night gave the thumbs up to the side that won the Orchard County’s first League title when they crushed the challenge of Wexford a fortnight ago.

The game will mark the senior championship debuts of three of wing-backs Arron Kernan, a son of the manager, and Ciaran McKeever, as well as left corner-forward Brian Mallon.

TIPPERARY (SHC v Limerick): B. Cummins; M. Maher, P. Maher, P. Curran; D. Fanning, D. Kennedy, E. Corcoran; C. Morrissey, P. Kelly; J. Devane, F. Devaney, B. Dunne (capt.); E. Kelly, L. Corbett, P. O’Brien.

ARMAGH (SFC v Fermanagh): P. Hearty; A. Mallon, F. Bellew, P. McCormack; A. Kernan, K. McGeeney, C. McKeever; J. Toal, P. McGrane; M. O’Rourke, J. McEntee, O. McConville; S. McDonnell, R. Clarke, B. Mallon.