WALSH INJURY A HUGE BLOW FOR KILKENNY
LIMERICK’S hopes of a first Championship win over Kilkenny since 1973 have been boosted by the news that one of their opponents’ chief scoring threats, Walter Walsh, isn’t fit to line out for tomorrow’s All-Ireland quarter-final in Thurles. It’s a double-edged sword though for a county who last lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup that same year, beating Kilkenny in the final, because Colin Fennelly is the one who fills in at full-forward. While the Ballyhale Shamrocks attacker missed the entire National League campaign as he was on army duty in the Lebanon, along with corner-back Paul Murphy, the multiple AllIreland winner has a wealth of experience and hit 1-1 off the bench last Sunday in the replayed Leinster final against Galway. Murphy has also reestablished himself in the starting line-up since his return and slots into a fullback line that again lists Padraig Walsh at full-back, with Paddy Deegan in the other corner. The other Kilkenny change sees Tullaroan’s Martin Keoghan start at wingforward with John Donnelly the player to make way, a reverse of the late change that was made last week. Limerick manager John Kiely has made two changes from the side who cruised past Carlow in a preliminary quarter-final. Sean Finn and Darragh O’Donovan return in place of Richie McCarthy and
William O’Donoghue, Finn taking his customary position at corner-back and O’Donovan linking back up with Cian Lynch in midfield. After a sixth Munster football title in a row and a record win over Cork, it’s no surprise that Kerry manager Éamonn Fitzmaurice has stuck with the bulk of the team that won so convincingly. The sole change sees Kevin McCarthy start in place of Micheal Burns at right half-forward.
KILKENNY (SHC v Limerick): E Murphy; P Murphy, P Walsh, P Deegan; J Holden, C Buckley, E Morrissey; C Fogarty, J Maher; M Keoghan, TJ Reid, R Leahy; B Ryan, C Fennelly, G Aylward.
LIMERICK (SHC v Kilkenny): N Quaid; S Finn, M Casey, R English; D Byrnes, D Hannon, D Morrissey; D O’Donovan, C Lynch; G Hegarty, K Hayes, T Morrissey; A Gillane, S Flanagan, G Mulcahy.
KERRY (SFC v Galway): S Murphy; J Foley, P Crowley, B O Beaglaoich; P Murphy, T Morley, G White; D Moran, J Barry; K McCarthy, S O’Shea, S O’Brien; D Clifford, P Geaney, J O’Donoghue.