Waterford shuffle the pack

WATERFORD will rely on the same 15 that defeated Cork in the semi-final for Sunday’s Allianz NHL final clash with reigning champions Kilkenny at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

However, manager Justin McCarthy has made a number of positional switches.

Eoin Murphy moves from left corner back to the right corner with James Murray transferring from left half back to the left corner of defence. Aidan Kearney, who lined out at right corner back in the Cork game is now named at left half-back.

Stephen Molumphey, who wore the number 15 shirt in the semi-final is now selected at midfield with Eoin Kelly, Seamus Prendergast and Shane Walsh forming a new half-forward line.

John Mullane moves to right corner forward with Dan Shanahan now taking over the full-forward berth from Prendergast and Jack Kennedy, who was at midfield the last day, now occupying the left full forward berth.

Kilkenny are due to announce their team today.

Wicklow have announced an unchanged team from that which defeated Kildare in the semi-final for Sunday’s NHL Division Two final against Laois, also at Semple Stadium.

The Laois team is expected to be announced tonight as are the Meath and Roscommon sides, who contest the Division Two NFL final at Breffni Park on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Limerick football manager Mickey Ned O’Sullivan has been dealt a massive blow in the lead up to their Munster senior football clash against Cork at Pairc Ui Chaoimh with confirmation that influential midfielder John Galvin is ruled out because of injury. Galvin pulled a hamstring in a recent League game and is likely to be out for some time.

Tyrone’s hopes of a successful Ulster Championship campaign have been swelled by the news that Brian McGuigan may yet be fit in time for their opening game against Fermanagh on May 20.

The classy centre-forward has been out all year to date, having suffered a double leg break last year. He was to play in the county’s last two league matches only for that plan to be scuppered by a minor ankle surgery.

His chances of facing Fermanagh were thought to be closer to none than slim until Mickey Harte gave an optimistic prognosis at yesterday’s championship launch in Dublin.

“To say he’ll not be available (for May 20) is jumping the gun. I hope he’ll be part of the 30 but that remains to be seen over the next few weeks,” said the Tyrone manager.

Harte had other positive news on the injury front. Sean Cavanagh has been out for over a month now but the Moy player is also in the running for the championship opener.

“I’d be confident that the treatment he’s getting will leave him okay for the Fermanagh game. The other injuries that are around there, I would hope that two or three weeks would leave those players in a good enough place to challenge for a place on the panel.”

That includes Stephen O’Neill.

“It certainly does and I hope that’s the case. He’s got a lot of hamstring problems, a history of it, but I’m told it’s not as serious as some of the ones he’s had in the past.”

Harte isn’t the only manager who had good news to report. John O’Mahony is hopeful that he will have the services of some key players again in time for their meeting with Galway, also on May 20.

“Trevor Mortimer and David Brady are close to being right,” said the Mayo boss. “If we had another week we might have had them for the league (final). Some of the other players, Ronan McGarrity for instance, I would be hoping to have him back during the championship sometime.”

McGarrity won’t make the Galway match and neither will Ciaran McDonald, according to O’Mahony but Mayo haven’t given up hope that the Crossmolina attacker will play some part in their summer story.

“Ciaran McDonald I suppose is the most famous injury in Ireland. The situation there is that he and all the medical team have worked extremely hard over the winter to get him right.

“We had the option of an operation which might have put him out for the year. That wasn’t an option really so we’re trying to rehabilitate him other ways. There have been a few attempts and they haven’t worked yet.

Dublin manager Paul Caffrey has also confirmed that attacking pair Kevin Bonner and Bernard Brogan will recover from recent injuries in time for their first game against either Meath or Kildare on June 3.

WATERFORD (SH v Kilkenny): C. Hennessy; E. Murphy, D. Prendergast, J. Murray; T. Browne, K. McGrath, A. Kearney; M. Walsh, S. Molumphy; E. Kelly, S. Prendergast S. Walsh; J. Mullane, D. Shanahan, J. Kennedy.

WICKLOW (SH v Laois): T. Finn; E. O’Neill, G. Keogh, W. Collins;, A. Furlong, J. Murphy, L. Kennedy; D. Moran, J. O’Neill; D. Moran, D. Hyland, E. Kearns; E. Glynn, S. Furlong, W. O’Gorman.