Updated 09.20, 18 Feb
DEREK MCGRATH IS set to make four changes as Waterford welcome Tipperary into their backyard in Sunday’s Allianz hurling league clash.
Austin Gleeson, the reigning Hurler of the Year, is named at centre-back as one of four changes to the side which defeated Kilkenny in Nowlan Park last weekend.
Shane McNulty, Gavin O’Brien and Jake Dillon are all set to start while Pauric Mahony again leads the line from centre-forward and will be full of confidence after scoring 0-10 against the Cats.
Michael Ryan has made five changes to the Tipperary team that easily accounted for Dublin in their league opener last Saturday night.
Seamus Callanan, Noel McGrath and John O’Dwyer are the high-profile forwards to drop to the bench as Ryan shuffles his deck.
Dan McCormack, John McGrath and Niall O’Meara come into the Premier attack. Joe O’Dwyer and Seamus Kennedy replace John O’Keeffe and Ronan Maher respectively, as Tomás Hamill switches from right-half back to 6.
Waterford
1. Ian O’Regan (Mount Sion)
2. Shane Fives (Tourin)
3. Barry Coughlan (Ballygunner)
4. Noel Connors (Passage)
5. Tadhg de Burca (Clashmore / Kinsalebeg)
6. Austin Gleeson (Mount Sion)
7. Shane McNulty (De La Salle)
19. Gavin O’Brien (Roanmore)
9. Conor Gleeson (Fourmilewater)
10. Kevin Moran (De La Salle)
11. Pauric Mahony (Ballygunner)
12. Michael Walsh (Stradbally)
23. Tom Devine (Modeligo)
21. Mikey Kearney (Ballyduff Upper)
15. Jake Dillon (De La Salle)
Tipperary
1. Daragh Mooney (Éire Óg Annacarty-Donohill)
2. Donagh Maher (Burgess)
3. James Barry (Upperchurch-Drombane)
4. Joe O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
5. Seamus Kennedy (St Mary’s)
6. Tomás Hamill (Moyne-Templetuohy)
7. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Brendan Maher (Borris-Ileigh)
9. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)
10. Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh)
11. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
12. Steven O’Brien (Ballina)
13. Aidan McCormack (Thurles Sarsfields)
14. John McGrath (Loughmore-Castleiney)
15. Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs)
Updated 09.20: An earlier version of this article reported a different Waterford side to the one named by the county board on Friday evening; the piece has since been updated to reflect the changes announced.
