Kelly and Corbett to lead Tipp forward line against Cats

Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett have been tasked with shooting down Kilkenny in Saturday's mouth-watering All-Ireland SHC second phase qualifier at Nowlan Park (throw-in 7pm).

The experienced attacking duo, who won All-Ireland titles with Tipperary in 2001 and 2010, will form a new-look full-forward line along with John O'Dwyer who scored 1-3 on his Championship debut against Limerick last month.

The Killenaule clubman, a substitute the last day, will start at top of the right with former Tipp captain Kelly, who was also on the bench for the Munster semi-final defeat to Limerick, listed at full-forward and Corbett - fully recovered from a rib injury - in the left corner.

Pa Bourke, Shane Bourke and Seamus Callanan are the players to make way. All three were replaced during the Limerick game with Callanan scoring four frees, Pa Bourke pointing once while Shane Bourke was held scoreless.

In all, Tipp manager Eamon O'Shea has made four changes in personnel - the last of the switches sees Conor O'Brien come in for the injured Kieran Bergin at right half-back.

Tipperary and Kilkenny will be meeting in the hurling qualifiers for the first time, with the winners tackling either Wexford or Waterford in the next round. The counties have contested three All-Ireland finals and one semi-final in the past four years.

The Premier County lost the 2011 All-Ireland final and 2012 All-Ireland semi-final to the Cats, conceding 6-41 in the process, but there were 4-17 to 1-18 winners of the 2010 All-Ireland final with Corbett hammering home a hat-trick of goals and free-taker Kelly finishing with a 0-7 tally.

TIPPERARY (SHC v Kilkenny): Brendan Cummins; Paddy Stapleton, Paul Curran, Michael Cahill; Conor O'Brien, Conor O'Mahony, Padraic Maher; Brendan Maher, Shane McGrath (capt); Patrick Maher, Noel McGrath, John O'Brien; John O'Dwyer, Eoin Kelly, Lar Corbett.