Taaffe given full forward role again

Eamon Taaffe is back in the fore of the Clare hurling team as he takes up the full forward position to face Tipperary in Sunday's Munster championship semi-final. It is a remarkable return for a player who has been in the shadows of the county's success for much of the last decade.

While Taaffe had become a consistent element of the Clare attack during their recent league campaign, this will be the first championship start in four years for the man who is best remembered as the county's surprise substitute in the All-Ireland winning side of 1995.

On that occasion, after struggling with injury all year, he appeared with just four minutes remaining (although not named among the official subs). He then claimed the controversial goal that secured the win over Offaly before being re-substituted by Alan Neville. The following year he made a similar appearance in the losing Munster semi-final to Limerick.

In the last three years, however, Taaffe has failed to make a championship start - his only appearance being a substitute in the 1997 semi-final win over Kilkenny - and he dropped off the panel entirely last season. Crucially, however, Taaffe has shown remarkable form this year and picked up 3-5 in a recent challenge game with Offaly

Elsewhere, there are no major surprises in the team. In fact, Taaffe is the only change from the side that met Tipperary at a similar stage last season and eventually came on top after a replay. David Forde filled the full forward position that day.

Centre forward Enda Flannery is the other of three changes along with Taaffe. He comes in for an indirect switch with Conor Clancy, as does Barry Murphy who starts at corner forward in place of PJ O'Connell.

Otherwise, the foundation of the team remains intact - the fullback line will once again be led by this year's captain Brian Lohan, who took over this honour from Anthony Daly. Lohan is flanked by brother Frank and Brian Quinn.

Sean McMahon is again the pedestal at centre back, flanked by Liam Doyle and Daly while the regular midfield pairing of Ollie Baker and Colin Lynch also remains. As for suggestions that this Clare team may well undergo a couple of late changes, it was suggested yesterday that under the new selectors Cyril Lyons and Louis Mulqueen such practice may well be a thing of the past.