Preview: Todays Hurling Championship action:
Sunday 18th May
Leinster Senior Hurling Championship Round 4
Kilkenny v Dublin in UPMC Nowlan Park, Kilkenny at 3pm, GAA+
Hosts Kilkenny and visiting Dublin will lay their perfect records on the line after both winning their first three games.
Dublin have taken care of Offaly, Wexford and Antrim so far but their two biggest challenges in the round robin – away to Kilkenny and at home to Galway – face them now.
There is lots to be optimistic about for new Dublin manager Niall O Ceallachain who has been getting a sweet tune from his team. They look slick and focused every time they play and O Ceallachain’s Na Fianna clubmate Conor McHugh, a four-time All-Ireland SFC medallist, is named again in defence.
Defender Andy Dunphy is replaced by Paddy Dunleavy while there is one other change to the Dubs lineup with Colin Currie coming in for Ronan Hayes at corner-forward.
The two Conors, Burke and Donohoe, have been excellent for Dublin at midfield and that’s an area they can trouble Kilkenny in.
A win would all but secure Kilkenny’s Leinster final place and manager Derek Lyng has opted to include Richie Reid in defence, Tommy Walsh dropping down to the bench.
KILKENNY: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Paddy Deegan; David Blanchfield, Richie Reid, Mikey Carey; Cian Kenny, Jordan Molloy; John Donnelly, Billy Ryan, Stephen Donnelly; Adrian Mullen, TJ Reid, Martin Keoghan. Subs: Aidan Tallis, Tommy Walsh, Padraic Moylan, Zach Bay Hammond, Killian Doyle, Fionan Mackessy, Luke Hogan, Luke Connellan, Owen Wall, Billy Drennan, Gearoid Dunne.
DUBLIN: Eddie Gibbons; John Bellew, Paddy Smyth, Conor McHugh; Paddy Doyle, Chris Crummey, Paddy Dunleavy; Conor Burke, Conor Donohoe; Brian Hayes, Cian O’Sullivan, Darragh Power; Sean Currie, John Hetherton, Colin Currie. Subs: Sean Brennan, Daire Gray, Ronan Hayes, Andrew Jamieson-Murphy, David Lucey, James Madden, Riain McBride, Diarmaid O Dulaing, Iain O hEithir, Conal O Riain, Fergal Whitely.
Munster Senior Hurling Championship Round 4
Tipperary v Waterford in FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles at 2pm, RTE
Is this to be the season that Waterford finally emerge from the Munster round robin to take their place in the All-Ireland SHC series?
Peter Queally has certainly got his team playing an attractive brand of hurling so there’s every chance, although this is a crucial game for them. Consistency is key for Waterford who beat Clare and then put in a decent display against Limerick.
They will be desperate to keep the foot down and have brought in Gavin Fives and Mikey Kiely in an effort to find the perfect setup.
Former Waterford manager Liam Cahill is in charge of Tipperary these days and after their rollicking Round 3 win over Clare last weekend, will demand more of the same from his crew.
This, crucially, is Tipp’s last round robin game and they will feel that they simply must win to lock down at least a top-three finish.
Cahill has recalled Willie Connors back to his team at midfield, replacing the injured Alan Tynan. Darragh McCarthy is back after suspension but is listed among the substitutes and the young attacker is a huge option if things aren’t clicking up front.
TIPPERARY: Rhys Shelly; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen; Sam O’Farrell, Ronan Maher, Bryan O’Mara; Willie Connors, Craig Morgan; Conor Stakelum, Andrew Ormond, Noel McGrath; Jake Morris, John McGrath, Jason Forde. Subs: Barry Hogan, Joe Caesar, Sean Kenneally, Seamus Kennedy, Darragh McCarthy, Peter McGarry, Brian McGrath, Oisin O’Donoghue, Johnny Ryan, Darragh Stakelum, Billy Seymour.
WATERFORD: Billy Nolan; Ian Kenny, Conor Prunty, Iarlaith Daly; Mark Fitzgerald, Tadhg de Burca, Gavin Fives; Paddy Leavey, Darragh Lyons; Stephen Bennett, Kevin Mahony, Jamie Barron; Jack Prendergast, Mikey Kiely, Dessie Hutchinson. Subs: Shaun O’Brien, Patrick Curran, Shane Bennett, Tom Barron, Patrick Fitzgerald, Conor Sheahan, Sean Walsh, Austin Gleeson, Kieran Bennett, Padraig Fitzgerald, Reuben Halloran.
Limerick v Cork in TUS Gaelic Grounds, Limerick at 4pm, RTE
It’s not always been easy for Limerick teams to generate motivation over the years as they won game after game, year after year.
But the Shannonsiders won’t lack urgency for this sell-out encounter in front of their home fans.
Cork beat Limerick twice in last year’s championship, on a famous evening on Leeside first of all and then again at Croke Park, and some would even have them favourites for this game.
That’s a measure of just how well Cork are playing with Pat Ryan’s side underlining their craft, power and impressive squad depth last time out against Tipperary.
Shane Barrett was suspended for Cork’s big Round 2 win over Tipp but comes back into the team in place of veteran performer Seamus Harnedy who is named among the subs.
Limerick are unchanged but are significantly boosted by the return to the bench of Declan Hannon, Barry Murphy and Peter Casey.
LIMERICK: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Dan Morrissey, Michael Casey; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Barry Nash; Adam English, Will O’Donoghue; Gearoid Hegarty, Cian Lynch, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Shane O’Brien, David Reidy. Subs: Shane Dowling, Peter Casey, Colin Coughlan, Seamus Flanagan, Declan Hannon, Barry Murphy, Aidan O’Connor, Fergal O’Connor, Darragh O’Donovan, Paddy O’Donovan, Cathal O’Neill.
CORK: Patrick Collins; Niall O’Leary, Eoin Downey, Sean O’Donoghue; Ciaran Joyce, Robert Downey, Mark Coleman; Tim O’Mahony, Ethan Twomey; Declan Dalton, Darragh Fitzgibbon, Shane Barrett; Patrick Horgan, Alan Connolly, Brian Hayes. Subs: Brion Saunderson, Damien Cahalane, Ger Millerick, Cormac O’Brien, Tommy O’Connell, Luke Meade, Brian Roche, Diarmuid Healy, Seamus Harnedy, Robbie O’Flynn, Shane Kingston.
Joe McDonagh Cup, Round 4
Laois v Kildare in Laois Hire O’Moore Park, Portlaoise at 3pm
Fresh off his remarkable five goals in the Round 3 win over Kerry, James Duggan will lead the Laois line again.
Laois, beaten in last year’s final by Offaly, look like a team on a mission this summer as they’ve scored three huge wins, racking up 14 goals in the process.
It’s an intimidating task for Kildare, particularly as Laois are at home, though the Lilywhites should have plenty of confidence after taking down Carlow last weekend.
Unsurprisingly, Kildare have stuck with the same team that beat Carlow to leave them right in the hunt for a top-two position themselves.
Aaron Dunphy scored seven points as a sub last time out against Kerry but Laois have opted to hold him in reserve again, showing faith in the same starting lineup.
LAOIS: Cathal Dunne; Padraic Dunne, Diarmaid Conway, Cody Comerford; Tom Cuddy, Padraig Delaney, Ryan Mullaney; Fiachra C Fennell, David Dooley; Aidan Corby, Tomas Keyes, Paddy Purcell; James Duggan, Jer Quinlan, Ben Conroy. Subs: Eoin Fleming, Donnacha Hartnett, Lee Cleere, John Lennon, James Keyes, Eanna Lyons, Martin Phelan, Mark Dowling, Willie Dunphy, Charles Dwyer, Aaron Dunphy.
KILDARE: Paddy McKenna; Richy Hogan, Rian Boran, Daniel O’Meara; Daire Guerin, Simon Leacy, Cian Boran; Paul Dolan, Jack Travers; James Burke, Cathal McCabe, Jack Sheridan; Gerry Keegan, Cathal Dowling, David Qualter. Subs: Mark Doyle, Darragh Melville, Harry Carroll, Liam O’Reilly, James Dolan, Jack Higgins, Muiris Curtin, Killian Harrington, Conn Kehoe, Cormac Byrne, Oisin Lynam.