JOHN MCGRATH WILL make his full league debut on Sunday as Tipperary look to bounce back from their defeat against Dublin.
Eamon O’Shea makes four changes for the visit of Galway to Semple Stadium including McGrath, the younger brother of Noel, at corner-forward.
Injuries to Joe O’Dwyer and Shane McGrath see Conor O’Brien and Ronan Maher named at corner-back and wing-back respectively, while Michael Breen is handed his first league start in the half-back line.
Tipperary (v Galway)
1. Darren Gleeson (Portroe)
2. Cathal Barrett (Holycross Ballycahill)
3. Paul Curran (Mullinahone)
4. Conor O’Brien (Éire Óg Annacarty)
5. Michael Breen (Ballina)
6. Padraic Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
7. Ronan Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
8. Kieran Bergin (Killenaule)
9. Gearóid Ryan (Templederry Kenyons)
10. Denis Maher (Thurles Sarsfields)
11. Jason Forde (Silvermines)
12. Brendan Maher (Borris Ileigh, c)
13. John O’Dwyer (Killenaule)
14. Seamus Callanan (Drom & Inch)
15. John McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney)
Meanwhile Brian Cody has shown faith in the Kilkenny side which got their league defence off to a flyer against Cork, making just one change.
Geoff Brennan replaces the injured Conor Fogarty in midfield for Sunday’s Nowlan Park clash with Dublin.
Kilkenny
1. Eoin Murphy (Glenmore)
2. Tomás Keogh (James Stephens)
3. Paul Murphy (Danesfort)
4. Jackie Tyrrell (James Stephens)
5. Brian Kennedy (St Lachtain’s)
6. Kieran Joyce (Rower-Inistioge)
7. Cillian Buckley (Dicksboro)
8.Geoff Brennan (St Patrick’s)
9. Lester Ryan (Clara)
10. Padraig Walsh (Tullaroan)
11. Walter Walsh (Tullogher Rosbercon)
12. Mathew Ruth (James Stephens)
13. Mark Kelly (O’Loughlin Gaels)
14. Jonjo Farrell (Thomastown)
15. Richie Hogan (Danesfort)
Ballyboden club-mates Shane Durkin and Simon Lambert are set to start in midfield for the Dubs.
Lambert, who missed last season following cruciate knee surgery, replaces the injured Ross O’Carroll in midfield while David Treacy starts at corner-forward in place of Paul Ryan.
Dubs boss Ger Cunningham looks set to continue with his positional experiments with Michael Carton named at full-back, Peter Kelly at centre-back, Conal Keaney at wing-back and Liam Rushe in at full-forward.
Dublin
1. Alan Nolan (St Brigid’s)
2. Cian O’Callaghan (Cuala)
3. Michael Carton (O’Toole’s)
4. Paul Schutte (Cuala)
5. Chris Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
6. Peter Kelly (Lucan Sarsfields)
7. Conal Keaney (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
8. Shane Durkin (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
9. Simon Lambert (Ballyboden St Enda’s)
10. Colm Cronin (Cuala)
11. Eamonn Dillon (Nh Fionnbarra)
12. Danny Sutcliffe (St Jude’s)
13. David Treacy (Cuala)
14. Liam Rushe (St Pat’s, Palmerstown)
15. Mark Schutte (Cuala)
- This article was first published on 20 February at 9.20pm
