CLARE, joint leaders of Division One, make five changes for Sunday's visit to Nowlan Park, Kilkenny. The only alteration to the fullback line which conceded four goals to Galway on the last outing is enforced by Michael O'Halloran's withdrawal because of tonsillitis, so Frank Lohan returns at corner back. David Fitzgerald comes back in as goalkeeper after resolving his differences with management
At midfield, Christy Chaplin comes in for Ollie Baker who is suspended after getting the line during a club match at the weekend. As the offence was comparatively minor two bookings he is expected to be back sooner rather than later. Beside Chaplin, Jamesie O'Connor switches with David Forde who goes to right wing forward.
The full forward line features two changes. Niall Gilligan will start in place of Eamonn Taaffe, whom he replaced in At henry and scored 1-2 after taking the field. On the edge of the square, Conor Clancy is fit again and returns at Ronan O'Hara's expense.
Although they are topping the division, Clare's trainer Michael McNamara is unimpressed with the team's progress and points out that the first phase of championship preparation is just over and that they will be concentrating on hurling from now on.
About the new format of the league he is positive, even if he feels it creates certain problems for team managements.
"We're very happy with it. Massive crowds and the atmosphere spur you on maybe more than you intend to and I don't intend disrespect to the league when I say that.
"The league's a breeding ground for a couple of new players and you hope to find new players, and next thing you look around and see 20,000 people around you and you think, `Christ, you know, we'd better perform'. It shoves you on and lifts you up. Instead of 1,500 in October it's 20,000 and the sun shining"
Kilkenny delay naming their team until this evening because of injuries. No problems however hang over DJ Carey who has been responding magnificently to the honour of captaining the county after his club Young Ireland's' county success last year.
Only last weekend, Carey scored 1-12 for the club in their first match on the resumption of the county league. Young Ireland's beat Tullaroan 3-15 to 0-4, and 1-8 of Carey's total came from play.
One potential difficulty for Kilkenny's manager, Nicky Brennan, is the incapacity of one of his selectors. Pat Aylward, a brother of the former Minister for Sport, Liam, is to undergo surgery on his back for a disc problem. The process may immobilise him for a while.
Limerick have deferred selection until today because of injuries.
Meanwhile, in Dublin yesterday, Athenry's midfielder Pascal Healy received the NIB GAA Personality of the Month award for March. Healy played a barnstorming role for the club as they won the All-Ireland club title for the first time, defeating Clare champions Wolfe Tones of Shannon in the final on St Patrick's Day.
A veteran of the team, Healy won an All-Ireland under-21 medal with Galway in 1983.
