Paul Kelly absent from Tipp team

A quad muscle injury has kept Paul Kelly out of the Tipperary team to take Limerick in Sunday's Munster SHC semi-final at the Gaelic Grounds (throw-in 2pm).

Kelly, an All-Star in 2002 and 2005, suffered a recurrence of the injury during a recent challenge match against Offaly and has failed in his recovery bid.

Tipp manager Michael 'Babs' Keating has opted to bring in Willie Ryan into his full-forward line, in place of the injured Kelly, who has been deputising successfully at corner forward this season.

The Tipp side for the clash with Limerick includes nine players who started the Premier county's NHL Division One quarter-final loss to Waterford in April.

There are two championship debutants in the form of Drom & Inch club mates Eamonn Buckley and James Woodlock, who will start at right corner back and midfield respectively, while Cashel's Ryan O'Dwyer is set to make his debut at centre forward.

Roscrea clubman Diarmaid Fitzgerald has won his race to start at left corner back, having fully recovered from the medial knee ligament injury he sustained while on duty for UCD in February.

Benny Dunne of Toomevara will captain Tipperary from centre back.

Limerick have not beaten Tipp in the championship since their 1996 Munster SHC final replay win (4-7 to 0-16). Since then, Tipp was been victorious over the Shannonsiders on six occasions, including last year's 0-22 to 2-12 Munster first round success in Thurles.

TIPPERARY (SHC v Limerick) - B Cummins; E Buckley, P Curran, D Fitzgerald; E Corcoran, B Dunne (capt), C O'Mahony; S McGrath, J Woodlock; J Carroll, R O'Dwyer, D Egan; E Kelly, L Corbett, W Ryan.