Waterford young guns aim to do double over Tipperary

TWO of the heroes of Waterford's epic victory over Tipperary in the Munster senior hurling final will be hoping to lead another successful charge against the Premier County in the Munster U-21 semi-final at Semple Stadium tonight.

Eoin Kelly and John Mullane will fill the right half-forward and right full-forward berths in which they played starring roles in the senior decider, between them scoring seven great points from play.

The only other senior panellist available to the U-21s however is Ardmore’s Declan Prendergast, a brother of senior star Seamus, who will fill the key centre-back berth in tonight’s game.

The ending of a 39-year famine without a provincial title has created a massive buzz throughout the county, and with the intermediate hurlers also in the Munster final against Tipp at Páirc Uí Chaoimh next Wednesday, these are indeed heady days for the Decies.

Disappointingly, however, injuries have robbed the U-21s of two of their best players for tonight’s game.

Fourmilewater clubman Rory Rice, who has been a member of the panel for the last two years, has been ruled out, and his absence is certain to be sorely missed in a defence that must cope with two of the Tipperary senior stars, Eoin Kelly and Benny Dunne.

Also sidelined by injury is Jack Kennedy, a prolific forward with his club, Ballyduff Lower.

Kennedy is also a member of the county intermediate team and is in a race to be fit for that side’s Munster final meeting with Tipp in a week’s time.

While Kelly, Mullane, and Prendergast will carry much of the Waterford hopes for another surprise victory over Tipperary, the side has some other very talented players in defenders David O’Brien, Ian Power and John O’Leary along with midfielders Stephen Barron and Michael Walsh, who have both had outings with the county seniors, and Sean Ryan and Michael Frisby in attack.

Fourmilewater’s Shane Walsh has been named at top of the left, but he will have to undergo a fitness test just before the game to satisfy the selectors of his physical well-being.

Meanwhile, Tipperary include four of their senior squad on their team.

Regular seniors Lar Corbett and Eoin Kelly are in the forward line while panellists John Devane and Paul Curran are in defence.

Waterford: D. O’Rourke (Cappoquin); D. Coffey (St. Mary’s). D. O’Brien (Tallow). S. Kearney (Lismore); I. Power (Mount Sion). D. Prendergast (Ardmore). J. O’Leary (Ballyduff Lower); S. Barron (Clashmore). M. Walsh (Stradbally); E. Kelly (Mount Sion). J. Hartley (Portlaw). M.Frizby (Mount Sion); J. Mullane (De La Salle). S. Ryan (Mount Sion). S. Walsh (Fourmilewater); Subs; I. O’Regan (Mount Sion), W. McDonnell (Tallow), P. Howard (Lismore), E.Rockett (Portlaw), R. Hennessy (Ardmore), R. Connery (St. Olivers), J. Wall (Colligan), E. Galvin (Portlaw), B. O’Keeffe (Ballygunner), W. Kiely (Colligan).

Tipperary: D. Young (Drom Inch); M. Maher (Borrisoleigh), P. Curran (Mullinahone), D. Gleeson (Ballinahinch); T. King (Loughmore), J. Devane (Clonoulty), D. Fitzgerald (Roscrea); S. Mason (Sarsfields), E. Brislane (Toomevara); D. Shelly (Ballingarry), P. Buckley (Emly), L. Corbett (Sarsfieds); E. Kelly (Mullinahone), M. Butler (Drom Inch), E. Ryan (Sean Treacys).