Limerick name strong side as injuries clear

Limerick have selected from a full-strength squad for their Munster hurling semi-final against Tipperary. Manager Richie Bennis welcomes back several key players from injury, with Sunday's line-up all having previous championship experience.

Defender Mark O'Riordan has recovered from a hand injury, as has Brian Geary, who had been carrying an ankle strain. Forward Andrew O'Shaughnessy also missed some recent training sessions, as did fellow attackers Niall Moran and Seán O'Connor, but all three have been declared fit to start.

Moran is joined in the half-forward line by his brother, Ollie, and Mike O'Brien, with Peter Lawlor, who missed last year's championship, partnering Donal O'Grady at midfield. O'Shaughnessy shares the full-forward line with Seán O'Connor and the experienced Barry Foley.

Limerick, almost inconceivably, are looking for their first Munster hurling championship win since 2001 when they beat Cork by a point. Since then they've lost four times to Tipperary, most narrowly in 2005 after a replay and extra-time. The home venue of the Gaelic Grounds will, they hope, offer some advantage, while they will gain confidence from their victory over Tipperary in the first round of the league.

However, Tipperary have announced an equally experienced line-up, even though manager Michael Babs Keating has found room for three championship debuts: Drom and Inch club-mates Eamonn Buckley and James Woodlock start at corner back and midfield respectively while Ryan O'Dwyer of Cashel King Cormacs makes his debut at centre forward. Toomevara's Benny Dunne will captain the side from centre back, despite playing most of the league at midfield, with Lar Corbett returning from illness to nail down the full-forward spot.

Danny O'Hanlon thus misses out, as does Paul Kelly, who has a leg injury. Eoin Kelly is out to repeat his 0-14 tally of a year ago, with John Carroll also an ominous presence in the half-forward line.

Offaly manager John McIntyre has also named his team for the Leinster semi-final showdown against Kilkenny at Portlaoise. With most of the injury problems out of the way, there is just one change from the side which overwhelmed Laois by 19 points in the quarter-final last Sunday week.

The switch comes at left-full back where David Franks, who came on as a second-half substitute on that occasion, retains his position at the expense of Brendan O'Meara.

Kilkenny will name their team on Friday with Richie Power the only injury casualty.

In football, Monaghan manager Séamus McEnaney hands championship debuts to three players for their Ulster quarter-final against Down in Newry - Donal Morgan is named at corner back, with Ciarán Hanratty and Shane Smith in the full-forward line.

It means there is no room for either Rory Woods or Dermot McArdle. Woods, however, picked up an injury in a recent club championship game with Donaghmoyne while McArdle has been out for some time following an operation.

Hanratty appeared as a substitute in the replay against Armagh last year but Sunday sees him get his first Ulster championship start.

It is 19 years since Monaghan last defeated Down in the Ulster championship, the semi-final of 1988, but the mood in Monaghan is stronger than at any time since.