Major shock as Waterford opt for Moloney

FORMER Tipperary star Andy Moloney has been sensationally recalled at centre-forward on the Waterford team for Sunday’s All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Clare.

Moloney for the unlucky James Murray is the only change in personnel from the side which started against Tipperary in the Munster final, however the selection trio of Justin McCarthy, Colm Bonnar and Seamie Hannon have also indulged in some positional and tactical reshaping.

Moloney's form has been patchy since he made his Waterford debut early this year. He was called ashore just 20 minutes into the Munster semi-final against Cork and had to be satisfied with a place on the bench in the Provincial final against Tipperary, though he made an appearance in the latter stages of the second half, when victory was assured.

The new-look selection is set to cause equal debate. In defence, Brian Greene and Brian Flannery have swapped corners with Tom Feeney manning the edge of the square in front of first choice goalkeeper Stephen Brenner. Midfielder Tony Browne, goes from the centre to right half-back with Eoin Murphy moving to the opposite flank. Captain Fergal Hartley remains at centre-back.

There's a completely new midfield pairing of Peter Queally and Eoin Kelly. Queally moves from left half-back with Kelly switching from right half- forward where he also shone in the defeat of Tipp.

Up front only Mullane and Prendergast in number 13 and 14 berths respectively, remain in the same territory from the Munster final with Paul Flynn now joining them, back in his favoured left full-forward position after a stint at left half. Ken McGrath moves to the left wing to accommodate Moloney and the sector is completed by his younger brother Eoin who now holds down the right flank in a switch from top of the left.

Just eight of Sunday's side featured in Waterford's last All-Ireland semi-final appearance four years ago when they were defeated by Kilkenny. The octet are the full-back trio of Greene, Feeney, Flannery, half-backs Browne and Hartley, midfielder Queally, and Ken McGrath and Flynn in attack.

In marked comparison, Clare manager Cyril Lyons has resisted the temptation to change his starting side despite the impressive performances of substitutes Ollie Baker and Conor Plunkett in the win over Galway in the All-Ireland quarter-final two weeks ago.

"We were tempted to make changes, but the effort of all the players was tremendous the last day. We weren't fully satisfied with the quality of hurling in the first half, but in terms of effort that was fantastic, so we felt they deserved a chance again."

Of concern to the Clare management team is the attitude of many fans to the challenge posed by Waterford.

"We stressed to the players tonight, what you hear outside the dressing-room doesn't matter, it's what said inside these walls that count. Waterford are a serious team, any team that scores 2-23 against Tipperary, and should have had more, is a team that has to be seriously reckoned with.

"Attitude will be the key factor. There's talk that Waterford haven't played for weeks, while we've been busy in the qualifiers. Doesn't matter, it's the attitude we bring to the game on Sunday that will determine how well we play. I would guess that Waterford have been underestimated already by Cork and Tipperary and they both paid a serious price for it."

When it was suggested that the two teams are in fact very similar, in that both have an experienced core reinforced by several young guns, the Clare manager pointed out one major difference. "They beat Tipperary, we didn't. We lost to them three times in the last two years, including the league final last year Waterford got one chance at it and were comfortable winners."

WATERFORD: S. Brenner; B. Greene. T. Feeney. B. Flannery; T. Browne. F. Hartley. E. Murphy; P. Queally. E. Kelly; E. McGrath. A. Moloney. K. McGrath; J. Mullane. S. Prendergast. P. Flynn. Subs: N. Kelly, J. O'Connor, J. Murray, D. Prendergast, D. Bennett, D. Shanahan, M. White, B. Phelan, M. Walsh, C. Watt, P. Fitzgerald.

CLARE: D. Fitzgerald; B. Quinn, B. Lohan, F. Lohan; D. Hoey, S. McMahon, G. Quinn; C. Lynch, J. Reddan; J. O'Connor, T. Griffin, N. Gilligan; D. Forde, T. Carmody, A. Markham. Subs: G. O'Connell, C. Harrisson, K. Kennedy, C. Plunkett, D. McMahon, O. Baker, A. Quinn, C. Earlie, G. Considine, J. Considine, R. O'Looney, P. Vaughan, B. Nugent, D. Kennedy.