Fit-again O’Mahony to skipper Premier in final skirmish with Cats

Conor O'Mahony is set to captain Tipperary in Sunday’s All-Ireland SHC final against Kilkenny at Croke Park.

As a precautionary measure, the Newport star had his training curtailed last week due to a dead leg. However, the centre-back is fit again and will definitely be named in the Tipp side to be announced tomorrow night.

O’Mahony was not the original choice as captain, as county champions Toomevara nominated Willie Ryan, but when he failed to nail down a regular place, O’Mahony took over.

The Kilkenny team will be named tomorrow night but speculation former All-Star full-back Noel Hickey could make a dramatic return appears to be wide of the mark.

Hickey suffered a groin injury against Limerick just before half-time in the 2007 final victory over Limerick and then a hip injury kept him grounded for most of last season.

With no inter-county game under his belt this year, he is likely to be held in reserve by manager Brian Cody, with JJ Delaney continuing at full-back and John Tennyson lining out at left half-back.