Devane moved to full back for Tipperary

John Devane moves from wing forward to full back to replace the injured Philip Maher as Tipperary manager Ken Hogan makes one change in personnel but several positional switches for Sunday's Munster hurling semi-final against Clare at the Gaelic Grounds.

Paul Curran was tipped to take over from the Borrisoleigh defender on the edge of the square, as Maher underwent a knee cartilage operation this week.

However, Curran does move into a tightened full-back line alongside Devane and Eamonn Corcoran. The move also sees Francis Devanney come into the side at centre forward with Tommy Dunne switching to left wing forward.

Martin Maher was expected to get a reprieve for a poor performance against Limerick in the drawn encounter but he misses out.

The only line not affected by the rejigging process is full forward where Micheál Webster sees off competition from the returning John Carroll and young Evan Sweeney, who scored the crucial goal in extra time against Limerick.

Carroll, though, will be expected to play some part in the proceedings as, although rusty, he brought an irresistible physical presence at full forward the last day.

One impact replacement who will not be available is Ger O'Grady who has not trained with the panel since being arrested the night of that victory over Limerick.

Paddy O'Brien takes up his place on the bench alongside Carroll and Sweeney despite being sent off playing for his club Toomevara recently.

Clare manager Anthony Daly has given Barry Nugent his championship debut at left wing forward for Sunday with Conor Plunkett missing out. The Limerick IT student played a key role in his college's Fitzgibbon Cup triumph earlier this year.

Daly also shifts Tony Griffin to centre forward while Alan Markham is named at right wing back despite recently suffering a hamstring injury.

Antrim may have to play the Ulster hurling championship final against Down on Sunday without several key players after the management released a nine-man injury list that includes Ciarán Herron and Brian McFall. A team will not be finalised until Sunday morning.

In football, Matty Forde will lead Wexford for the championship opener against Carlow on Sunday in Croke Park after regular captain John Hudson was ruled out through injury. There is added pressure on Forde to banish the rare off-day he had in the National League final defeat to Armagh especially as Hudson is joined on the treatment table by fellow wing forward John Hegarty.

PJ Banville, Paddy Colfer and Darren Foran all come into the attack, while Diarmuid Kinsella is among the replacements, as manager Pat Roe attempts to banish the disappointment of that heavy league final defeat.

"There has been a fear that we might not reach the high levels of the league again," he said, "and there has been a concern about Carlow as they are an unknown quantity. We do know them well but we don't know how they will react to championship atmosphere."

Seán Boylan is expected to name the team to face Dublin today but at present Trevor Giles is joined on the sidelines by Brian O'Reilly and Charles McCarthy, with Ollie Murphy an unlikely starter.

Cavan will also name their side today and they cannot recall Michael Lyng, Seanie Johnston or Anthony Forde despite all three returning to training this week.

Seamus Moynihan has allayed fears he is facing into another injury-blighted season after missing Kerry's Munster championship win over Tipperary: "It's a torn calf. I did it the night beforehand in the warm-up but I expect to be back soon enough."

Things are looking far bleaker for Donegal ahead of their Ulster championship clash with Armagh on June 12th as Adrian Sweeney and Niall McCready are serious injury concerns.

TIPPERARY (SH v Clare): B Cummins; E Corcoran, J Devane, P Curran; D Fanning, D Kennedy, D Fitzgerald; B Dunne, P Kelly; Morrissey, F Devanney, T Dunne; E Kelly, M Webster, L Corbett.

CLARE (SH v Tipperary): D Fitzgerald; F Lohan, B Lohan, G O'Grady; A Markham, S McMahon, G Quinn; B O'Connell, C Lynch; D McMahon, T Griffin, B Nugent; T Carmody, N Gilligan, A Quinn.

WEXFORD (SF v Carlow): J Cooper; C Morris, P Wallace, N Murphy; D Breen, D Murphy, P Curtis; N Lambert, D Fogarty; R Barry, D Foran, S Cullen; PJ Banville, P Colfer, M Forde (capt).