Waterford unchanged for Laois trip

Waterford manager Justin McCarthy has named an unchanged team for tomorrow's All-Ireland SHC Group A qualifier against Laois (O'Moore Park, throw-in 3.45pm).

While there are no changes in personnel, there is one positional switch. Declan Prendergast moves to centre back, with James Murray returning to right corner back, the position he held for the closing 50 minutes of last Sunday's win over Galway.

Team captain Paul Flynn, who came off the bench to fire home the clinching goal last weekend, remains amongst the substitutes.

Waterford beat the Tribesmen, their chief group rivals, by 1-25 to 2-20 last Sunday - a result which moved them two points clear at the top of the table.

Another win against Laois - their third of the series - would see McCarthy's side face either Munster runners-up Tipperary or Wexford, the runners-up in Leinster, in the All-Ireland quarter-finals.

The draw for the quarter-final pairings will be made live on RTE Two on Sunday evening.

Unlike in football where counties who have met previously in the championship cannot be drawn against each other in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, there are no restrictions in hurling.

Laois could still make the quarter-finals, but they need to beat Waterford by 16 points to do so.

Deise boss McCarthy said: "Laois are still in with a shout of qualifying for the quarter-finals and are certain to give it a right go. But we want to win our group and to achieve that we must get a result on Saturday."

WATERFORD (SHC v Laois) - C Hennessy; J Murray, T Feeney, E Murphy; T Browne, D Prendergast, B Phelan; K McGrath, D Bennett; D Shanahan, E Kelly, S O'Sullivan; J Mullane, M Walsh, E McGrath.