Fitzpatrick and Reid return for Kilkenny
KILKENNY welcome back James ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick and TJ Reid from the All-Ireland Club champions Ballyhale Shamrocks for the Allianz NHL Division One clash with Galway at Nowlan Park tomorrow.
Reid captains the side, while Martin Comerford also makes a return after his honeymoon.
Michael Kavanagh, who has rejoined the panel having helped his club St. Lactains win the All Ireland Intermediate Club title, is named among the substitutes. Niall Walsh of Slieverue, a member of the 2008 All Ireland winning U21 side makes his first League start for Kilkenny.
Henry Shefflin has yet to rejoin the panel as he is excused for a few weeks’ rest. Currently on the injured list are JJ Delaney (shoulder), Michael Fennelly (hamstring), Richie Hogan (hand) and Eddie Brennan.
Kerry boss Jack O’Connor has made four changes in personnel from the side which lost to Mayo last weekend for tonight’s NFL Division 1 clash against Tyrone at Omagh.
Killian Young returns at left half-back in place of Adrian O’Connell, while Seamus Scanlon comes in at midfield with David Moran moving to right half-forward and David O’Callaghan dropping to the bench.
Donncha Walsh replaces Darran O’Sullivan at wing-forward, while Kieran Donaghy returns instead of Bryan Sheehan at full-forward. Positional alterations see Marc Ó Sé shift to right half-back, Aidan O’Mahony move to centre-back and Kieran O’Leary switch inside from left half-forward to the corner.
Kildare boss Kieran McGeeney has made five changes for tonight’s NFL clash with Laois. Dermot Earley and Gary White have recovered from knee and hamstring complaints to come back in the team in place of Hugh Lynch, who is struggling with injury, and Damien Hendy. Ronan Sweeney replaces Darryl Flynn as Earley’s midfield partner, James Kavanagh and Ken Donnelly start in attack with Anthony Rainbow, and Karl Ennis missing out.
Despite his sparkling display when introduced as a second half sub against Cork last Sunday, there’s still no place in Waterford’s starting side for All-Star John Mullane in tomorrow’s Semple Stadium NHL clash with Tipperary.
The De La Salle clubman has to content himself with a place on the subs bench along with former “hurler of the year’’ Dan Shanahan as manager Davy Fitzgerald somewhat surprisingly stands by the same side that began the drawn league tie with Cork.
Dublin boss Anthony Daly brings Liam Rushe back into his starting line-up at centre-forward for their NHL Division 1 tie with Cork in Parnell Park tomorrow afternoon.
Rushe’s inclusion necessitates several positional changes with Shane Durkin moving to midfield, Maurice O’Brien shifting to left half-back, Joey Boland now starting at centre-back, Tomás Brady moving to his natural berth at full-back and Ronan Fallon being the player to make way.
KILKENNY (SH v Galway): P.J. Ryan; T Walsh, B Hogan, J Dalton; P Hogan, J Tyrrell, J Tennyson; N Walsh, J ‘Cha’ Fitzpatrick; J Mulhall, M Rice, M Comerford; TJ Reid, R Power, A Fogarty.
DUBLIN (SF v Galway): S Cluxton; P Conlon, Rory O’Carroll, P McMahon; H Gill, C O’Sullivan, B Cahill; E Fennell, R McConnell; A Hubbard, P Flynn, K Bonner; D Henry, B Brogan, K McManamon.
LIMERICK (SH v Offaly): T Flynn; D Lynch, D Kenny, S O Neill; L O Dwyer, A Brennan, N Quaid; B O Sullivan, P Browne; P Mc Namara, D Madden, J O Brien; G Mulcahy, A Owens, R McKeogh.
WEXFORD (SH v Kildare): N Carton; E Doyle, B Kenny, P Roche; R Kehoe, D Stamp, C Kenny; W Doran, C Farell, D Lyng, H Kehoe, A Shore; R Jacob, P Atkinson, P Morris.
KERRY (SF v Tyrone): B Kealy; P Reidy, T Griffin, T O’Sullivan; M Ó’Sé, A O’Mahony, K Young; S Scanlon, A Maher; D Moran, Declan O’Sullivan, D Walsh; C Cooper, K Donaghy, K O’Leary.
DUBLIN (SH v Cork): G Maguire; N Corcoran, T Brady, O Gough; S Hiney, J Boland, M O’Brien; J McCaffrey, S Durkin; P Kelly, L Rushe, L Ryan; D O’Callaghan, D Treacy, A McCrabbe.
DOWN (SF v Westmeath): D Alder; D McCartan, B McArdle, D Rafferty; K McKernan, J Colgan, C Garvey; A Rogers, K King; D Hughes, M Poland, S Kearney; R Murtagh, J Clarke, B Coulter.
KILDARE (SF v Laois): P Flood; E Bolton, H McGrillen, G White; M Scanlon, B Flanagan, M O’Flaherty; R Sweeney, D Earley; R Kelly, J Doyle, D Whyte; E Callaghan, K Donnelly, J Kavanagh.
MEATH (SF v Donegal): P O’Rourke; C O’Connor, N McKeigue, E Harrington; A Moyles, C McGuinness, M Burke; N Crawford, M Ward; S Kenny, S O’Rourke, O Lewis; C Ward, J Sheridan, S Bray.
DONEGAL (SF v Meath): P Durcan; S Boyle, N McGee, K Lacey; M Maguire, A Thompson, K Cassidy; N Gallagher, B Boyle; B Dunnion, C Dunne, F McGlynn; C McFadden, M Murphy, S Griffin.
FERMANAGH (SF v Sligo): Ronan Gallagher, N Bogue, S Lyons, S Goan; B Mulrone, R McCluskey, T McElroy; J Sherry, M McGrath; C McElroy, M Keenan, C Flaherty; R Keenan, Rory Gallagher, E Maguire.
OFFALY (SF v Cavan): A Mulhall; B Darby, P McConway, S Sullivan; A Lynam, K Slattery, C Kiely; R Dalton, J Coughlan; A Sullivan, R Brady, C McManus; D Egan, J Reynolds, N McNamee.
WATERFORD (SH v Tipperary): C. Hennessy; E. Murphy, M. O’Brien, N. Connors; A. Kearney, S. O’Sullivan, J. Nagle; E. Kelly, R. Foley ; S. Prendergast, K. Moran, E. McGrath; T. Ryan, S. Walsh, S. Molumphy.
WATERFORD (SF v Wicklow): T. Wall; M. O’Gorman,T. O’Gorman, K. Connery; T. Grey, S. Briggs, N. Hennessy; M. Ahearne, T. Prendergast; B. Wall, C. McGrath, M. Donnelly; L. O’Lionain, R. Ahearne, W. Hennessy.
