Carroll gets nod for Tipp, Corbett switched to full-forward

TIPPERARY have given a starting place to John Carroll for Sunday’s Guinness All-Ireland senior hurling championship quarter-final clash with Offaly at Croke Park and have switched Lar Corbett to full-forward for the eagerly-awaited showdown.

Carroll, who came on as a substitute in the last game against Galway, is named at left-half-forward, with team captain Brian O’Meara moving from there to the left corner. Corbett, a sprightly figure in Pearse Stadium, vacates the left-corner-forward position to take over the full-forward duties from former Kilkenny star Denis Byrne. Carroll deputised for Byrne in the Galway game and made a big impact by setting up Benny Dunne for a goal and scoring two points himself.

Elegant midfielder Tomás Dunne is given a vote of confidence at centre-back, with Eddie Enright teaming up once again with Dunne’s brother Benny in the centre of the field. Offaly, who are due to name their team after training tonight, expect to be without midfielder Michael Cordial. But there is good news concerning Brian Carroll.

suffered a “dead” leg in the Limerick match but is reported to be responding well to treatment and appears certain to start.

There was a further blow for Wexford, who will select their side to play Antrim in the first of Sunday’s quarter finals at headquarters tomorrow night.

Centre-forward Adrian Fenlon has been ruled out because of a hamstring injury and joins full back Darragh Ryan on the sideline. The Wexford selectors will in all probability move left-corner-back David O’Connor to full-back with the corner berth up for grabs between Colm Kehoe and Keith Rossiter. In the absence of Fenlon, wily veteran Larry Murphyis expected to continue at full-forward with team captain Paul Codd taking over the centre-half-forward duties.

The meeting of Wexford and Antrim is the first between the counties since 1954 when the Slayneysiders, inpired by the spectacular scoring feats of the late Nicky Rackard, won by 12-17 to 2-3. The celebrated Wexford full-forward scored a record 7-7. Once again Wexford will go into this quarter-final the warmest favourites. However, a defiant Antrim selector Ger Regan said yesterday: “we fear no one and are certainly not afraid of Wexford. Our big aim was to win the Ulster championship and we succeeded in achieving that objective. Anything from now on is a bonus for us. We have had five weeks without any interruptions to prepare for Sunday’s game. I am quietely confident that we are capable of springing a big surprise,” he said.

TIPPERARY (SH v Offaly): B. Cummins; T. Costelloe, P. Curran, M. Maher; E. Corcoran, T. Dunne, P. Kelly; E. Enright, B. Dunne; M. O'Leary, C. Gleeson, J. Carroll; E. Kelly, L. Corbett, B. O'Meara.