Limerick make sweeping changes

FOR what could be their last throw of the dice against raging hot-favourites Kilkenny in Sunday’s Guinness All-Ireland SHC quarter-final at Croke Park, Limerick have made sweeping changes from the side that lost to Galway in the qualifiers.

Damien Reale, who missed the Galway match because of damaged ankle ligaments, returns at right corner back to the exclusion of Michael Clifford, while the other most notable change is in defence where Ollie Moran takes over the right half back berth from Paudie O’Dwyer. Moran started the Galway game at centre-forward.

With Donal O’Grady ruled out with a broken thumb, Niall Moran has been switched from left half forward to midfield and Limerick will also parade a new look half forward line consisting of Donie Ryan, James O’Brien and Michael Cahill. The only Limerick player to retain his place in the original line-up against Galway is full forward T.J. Ryan.

With the selection of Donie Ryan at right half forward Andrew O’Shaughnessy moves to the left corner, while Pat Kirby switches corner positions.

Meanwhile, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody will delay naming his team until later in the week in order to access his injury problems.

Already without full-back Noel Hickey, team captain Peter Barry trained for the first time on Monday night since the Leinster final but his lack of preparation may come against him.

The clock is also likely to beat Jacky Tyrell, whose hamstring injury is slow in responding to treatment.

The news on Richie Power is a little more encouraging. He picked up a shoulder injury during the Leinster U-21 final against Dublin last week, and Cody must be convinced he can take a shoulder challenge if he is to name him for Sunday.

Meanwhile, Mayo manager John Maughan won’t name his team for the All-Ireland quarter-final against Cavan until he knows whether or not Trevor Mortimer is available. Mortimer is before the GAC in Croke Park tonight following an incident in the recent Connacht final against Galway and his fate is awaited.

Keith Higgins has had the plaster off after breaking his elbow but he has no chance of playing due to lack of match practice, while Conor Moran is struggling with a leg injury he picked up in training.

After missing Meath’s championship campaign because of a shoulder injury, Trevor Giles made a surprise appearance for Skryne in last evening’s local SFC clash with Seneschalstown in Navan. Giles came on as a half-time substitute and helped his side to a 3-8 to 1-8 victory.

Laois hurlers, who play Antrim in a regulation final on Saturday in Thurles, must do so without a number of key players. Team captain Joe Phelan has gone on holidays, Liam Tynan has 11 stitches in a facial wound after playing with his club last weekend, while goalkeeper Paddy Mullaney broke his thumb, also in a club game.

Tipperary have had their Tommy Murphy Cup tie against Antrim fixed for Thurles on Saturday, put back to August 13.

The Cork junior football team to play Meath in the All-Ireland final on Saturday is the same as that which defeated Sligo in the semi-final.

The county minor selectors have also given a vote of confidence to the team which defeated Kerry in the Munster final by naming the same side for Saturday’s All Ireland quarter-final against Offaly in Portlaoise.

LIMERICK (SHC v Kilkenny): T. Houlihan; D. Reale, S. Lucey, M. Foley; O. Moran, B. Geary, P. Lawlor; P. O’Grady, N. Moran; D. Ryan, J. O’Brien, M. Cahill; P. Kirby, T. J. Ryan, A. O’Shaughnessy.

CORK (JFC v Meath): A. Quirke; C. Murphy, D. Wiseman, M. Prout; M. Fehilly, G. Spillane, E. Wiseman; A. O’Connor, S. O’Sullivan; J. Buckley, S. Hayes, J. Russell; D. Goulding, V. Hurley, P. Dunlea, Subs. D. Moynihan, S. O’Donoghue, E. O’Connor, N. Buckley, N. O’Riordan, T. O’Neill, D. O’Connor, P. O’Connell, J. White

CORK (MFC v Offaly); T. O’Connor; J. O’Callaghan, E. Cotter, C. O’Brien; S. Kiely, M. O’Brien, A. Fenton; F. Lynch, A. Barry; C. O’Driscoll, D. Crowley, R. Kenny; C. O’Neill, D. Scannell, D. Kearney, Subs: D. Murray, P. Carroll, D. Lynch, R. O’Dwyer, D. O’Donovan, B. Daly, D. Goold, K. J. O’Sullivan, E. Hegarty.