One county is silent, the other unchanged.Tipperary could be without Eoin Kelly and Lar Corbett for Saturday's Munster hurling replay against Limerick. Kelly is carrying a hip injury, but it is Corbett's hamstring that is the most troubling. A team announcement has been postponed until tomorrow evening to allow them more time to recover.
Manager Ken Hogan was expected to make a couple of changes last night when the panel reconvened after several players failed to shine last Sunday in Thurles. Also, the replacements, namely Benny Dunne and Ger O'Grady, had a significant input on arrival from the bench. At least midfielder Colm Morrissey, who was replaced by Micheál Webster due to a calf problem, has been passed fit.
Limerick manager Joe McKenna opted to stick with the same 15, resisting temptation to include Pat Tobin from the start despite a crucial, two-point contribution after he replaced Donncha Sheehan on the hour last week. His brother Kevin Tobin, another three-time under-21 All-Ireland winner, sits beside him on the bench.
Laois hurlers Patrick Mullaney, Séamus Dwyer, Brian Campion and John Rowney all make their championship bow on Sunday in Nowlan Park against Dublin as Paudie Butler attempts to mastermind progress to the Leinster semi-final, where Wexford await on June 12th. Dublin manager Humphrey Kelleher has yet to name a team, with a hand injury to Stephen Hiney the main concern.
In football, Tyrone manager Mickey Harte must be wondering if his panel is cursed after his son Mark became the latest injury concern ahead of the meeting with Down this Sunday in Omagh. He joins Brian Dooher and Colm McCullagh on the treatment table with a leg infection.
Tyrone and Down will name teams tonight, with Paddy O'Rourke having to plan without Aidan Brannigan and Seán Ward.
Cavan's championship preparations also suffered a serious blow as Gerald Pierson is ruled out for the summer with a knee injury. Another injured player of note, Michael Lyng, is struggling to be fit ahead of the championship opener against Antrim on May 29th.
TEAMS
LIMERICK (SHC v Tipperary): T Houlihan; D Reale, S Lucey, M Foley; O Moran, B Geary, P Lawlor; P O'Grady, D O'Grady; C Fitzgerald, N Moran, A O'Shaughnessy; D Ryan, TJ Ryan, D Sheehan.
LAOIS (SHC v Dublin): P Mullaney; B Campion, P Cuddy, M McEvoy; J Fitzpatrick, D Rooney, S Dwyer; J Young, J Walsh; J Phelan, J Rowney, L Tynan; T Fitzpatrick, M Rooney, D Culliton.
DERRY (SH v Down): K Stevenson; B McGolderick, L Hinphey, G Brunton; C Brunton, M Conway, P O'Kane; G Biggs (capt), G Biggs; R Convery, R Kennedy, P Hearty; S McBride, G McGonigle, F McGuigan.
