Tipperary stick with tried and tested

WITH ace forward Eoin Kelly passed fit following a back injury, Tipperary have named nine of the side that started against Kilkenny in last season’s All-Ireland final for tomorrow night’s opening Allianz NHL game against the champions under lights at Semple Stadium, Thurles.

Although Thomas Stapleton, Pa Bourke, Lar Corbett and James Woodlock were not available because of injuries, manager Liam Sheedy has resisted the temptation to blood new players and the selected side have all previous experience of league hurling.

Meanwhile, Duhallow’s young star Lorcan McLoughlin makes his Allianz NHL debut for Cork when they take on Offaly at Páirc Uí Chaoimh on Sunday. Kanturk’s MacLoughlin, a member of the divisional side that won last season’s Cork U-21 county championship and who also captured an All-Ireland IHC medal, has been named at right half forward. Another debutante, Mark O’Sullivan from Dripsey, starts at centre-forward.