CHAMPIONSHIP 2002: Tipperary will name their team for next Sunday's All-Ireland hurling semi-final against Kilkenny tomorrow night. Manager Nicky English will take the side for a run-out at Croke Park and afterwards announce the starting 15.
There are two injury concerns ahead of the big match, defenders Thomas Costelloe and David Kennedy.
Costelloe, the less serious of the two injured players, hurt his knee in the quarter-final win over Antrim. Kennedy, however, hasn't trained for the last three sessions, having suffered a dead leg playing football for his club Loughmore Castleiney.
A final decision on both players' fitness will be made tomorrow. Should Kennedy have to lose out it would be another blow for him during a season that hasn't gone well. He was replaced in the last three matches.
Opponents Kilkenny have a full pick and will also announce their starting team tomorrow night. DJ Carey is back on the panel but considered unlikely to line out although he remains a potent option on the bench.
The weekend's All-Ireland football quarter-final replay teams have similarly little to report. Dublin face Donegal on Saturday at Croke Park with only one concern.
"Paul Curran is still carrying his injury," says selector Dave Billings, "but he's the only doubt we have going into the weekend."
The experienced Curran, who has won Leinster medals in three decades, also missed the drawn match.
Donegal also have one injury problem. Barry Monaghan, who lasted only six minutes at centre back in the drawn match, is likely to miss out because of the groin injury he exacerbated in the match.
"I feel very sorry for Barry," said team manager Mickey Moran. "He got injured last year just before the championship started and had been playing well. That's two years running."
Sligo, who face Armagh, must make one enforced change. Wing back David Durkin was sent off in the drawn match - an apparently ominous event, which actually sparked the team's revival.
In the running for his place are Padraig Doohan, who effectively replaced him when the team pulled out one of the forwards, Karol O'Neill and Mike Langan.
Meanwhile, the Gaelic Players Association have announced a major sponsorship for their Player of the Year awards.
Car company SEAT will fund the scheme to the tune of €250,000 over three years.
The Hurler and Footballer of the Year winners will each receive a car and the GPA will receive a car for the association's use. The monthly awards will continue between May and September. In all cases the winners will be selected by fellow players.
This is another substantial sponsorship for the unofficial players' union, which recently announced that its general activities would be sponsored by Carphone Warehouse.
The GPA also expressed its regret on hearing of the death of former RTÉ GAA correspondent Mick Dunne, who passed away at the weekend.
