Keating dumps all-star Kelly from Tipp team
Tipp manager Babs Keating has ditched five-time all-star Eoin Kelly from the Tipperary team for Sunday's All-Ireland SHC quarter-final against Wexford at Croke Park (throw-in 2pm).
Tipperary's top scorer in this year's championship, Kelly missed last weekend's qualifier win against Cork due to a groin injury, but admitted earlier this week that he will be fit for play against Wexford.
Whether Kelly will be a late inclusion or used as an impact substitute remains to be seen. He is currently on the substitutes bench for Sunday's game, alongside his brother Paul, who recently recovered from a quad muscle injury.
John Carroll and Darragh Egan return to the attack at the expense of Francis Devanney and Micheal Webster.
Carroll will resume on the right flank of the attack with Egan, the former U-21 star, positioned at full-forward.
Defenders Paul Curran (broken jaw) and Diarmaid Fitzgerald (groin) are ruled out due to injury, while veteran goalkeeper Brendan Cummins remains on the bench for the sixth straight match.
Sunday's game is the first championship encounter between Tipperary and Wexford since 2001. Their 2001 tie went to a replay after the sides had fought out an exciting draw, but Tipp proved far too good the second time around.
This weekend's game is Tipp's seventh in the 2007 championship, with Keating's charges having posted three wins, two draws and one defeat to date.
Between 1997 and 2006, Tipp won three and lost three of the six All-Ireland quarter-finals they contested.
They lost 1-22 to 3-13 to Waterford at the quarter-final stage of last year's All-Ireland championship.
TIPPERARY (SHC v Wexford): G Kennedy; E Buckley, D Fanning, A Byrne; E Corcoran, C O'Mahony, S Maher; H Maloney, S Butler; J Carroll, B Dunne (capt), D Hickey; L Corbett, D Egan, W Ryan.
Substitutes: B Cummins, P Bourke, L Cahill, F Devanney, E Kelly, P Kelly, S Lillis, S McGrath, C O'Brien, R O'Dwyer, T Stapleton, M Webster, J Woodlock.
