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Ger Aylward will be in the Kilkenny line-up tomorrow night. INPHO/Lorraine O'Sullivan
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Tipperary v Kilkenny, All-Ireland IHC final match preview

There is national hurling silverware on offer tomorrow evening in Semple Stadium.

Saturday, Semple Stadium, 6pm, (Ref: James Owens, Wexford)

TIPPERARY BID FOR the county’s first All-Ireland intermediate hurling crown in twelve years when they face off against Kilkenny, who have won two of the last four titles in the grade, in tomorrow evening’s decider in Semple Stadium in Thurles.

After the disappointment of the senior sides All-Ireland championship exit, there is an opportunity for Tipperary to claim some hurling silverware here. They reached this stage by virtue of a 1-18 to 0-17 Munster final triumph over Clare in McDonagh Park in Nenagh last month and have kept faith with the side that won that clash. Their team is built around survivors from the Tipperary U21 team that lifted the All-Ireland title in 2010.

Goalkeeper James Logue, full-back Kevin O’Gorman, wing-back James Barry – who won a Fitzgibbon Cup medal with UCC this year – wing-forward Sean Carey and full-forward Michael Heffernan all started in that game while corner-back Christy Coughlan, wing-forward Joe Gallagher and corner-forward Kieran Morris all came on in that match.

The scoring burden here will be shared by the full-forward line of Morris, Heffernan and David Butler who struck 1-14 between them against Clare. Butler, who won a county senior hurling medal with Drom and Inch last year, struck 1-4 from play in the provincial final victory.

There is a strong U21 influence to the Kilkenny team as well but it is more current. Six of their side have happy memories of Semple Stadium having triumphed there last Saturday in the All-Ireland U21 semi-final against Galway. Corner-back Jason Corcoran, wing-backs Brian Kennedy and Luke Harney, midfielder Joe Lyng, wing-forward Kevin Kelly and corner-forward Ger Aylward are the players in question.

Kelly and Aylward fired 1-9 between them in that U21 showdown while centre-forward Rory Hickey from Lisdowney hit 0-13 in a fantastic display in the 0-21 to 1-13 victory for the Cats in the All-Ireland IHC semi-final against Galway. There are two changes to the Cats side from that game with Harney into the defence for Padraig Phelan while Lyng replaces Geoff Brennan at midfield.

TIPPERARY IH: 1. James Logue (Ballingarry); 2. Gerry Walsh (Carrick Swans), 3. Kevin O’Gorman (Thurles Sarsfields), 4. Christy Coughlan (Templederry Kenyons); 5. James Barry (Upperchurch Drombane), 6. Eddie Connolly (Loughmore Castleiney), 7. Ronan Sherlock (Silvermines); 8. Michael Gleeson (Thurles Sarsfields), 9. Paudie White (Clonoulty Rossmore); 10. Seán Carey (Moyle Rovers), 11. Damien O’Brien (Burgess), 12. Joe Gallagher (Kildangan); 13. Kieran Morris (Moycarkey-Borris), 14. Michael Heffernan (Nenagh Éire Óg), 15. David Butler (Drom and Inch).
KILKENNY IH: 1. Richie O’Neill (Kilmacow); 2. Mark Phelan (Glenmore), 3. Alan Walsh (Mooncoin), 4. Jason Corcoran (John Lockes); 5. Brian Kennedy (St. Lachtains), 6. Bill Beckett (St. Lachtains), 7. Luke Harney (Kilmacow); 8. Joe Lyng (Rower Inistioge), 9. Paul Murphy (Blacks & Whites); 10. Niall Walsh (Slieverue), 11. Rory Hickey (Lisdowney), 12. Kevin Kelly (St. Patrick’s); 13. Robbie Walsh (Danesfort), 14. John Joe Farrell (Thomastown), 15. Ger Aylward (Glenmore).

Club Call: Cork SHC, Waterford SHC and Wexford SHC

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