Lar Corbett returns to the Tipperary team for tomorrow's All-Ireland hurling qualifier against Galway in Thurles. The former Hurler of the Year is one of three changes to the side that lost last month's Munster semi-final to Limerick.
A knee injury kept him out of the county’s league campaign although he came on against Limerick for the last 16 minutes in Semple Stadium. He has recently had a trouble-free run of three club matches with Thurles Sarsfields.
He comes into the team in place of Niall O'Meara at left corner forward. The starting centrefield from that day is also replaced. There is a debut for Ronan Maher, brother of full back Pádraic Maher and a very talented young player, who comes in for Kieran Bergin.
James Woodlock, a late withdrawal before the Limerick match, returns to partner Maher and replaces Shane McGrath. There is one further positional switch with captain Brendan Maher and Conor O'Mahony swapping places in the half back line.
Full hand
Galway will name their side tonight. Manager Anthony Cunningham will have a full hand to pick from when he selects the team to play Tipperary, as no injuries have been reported after the Leinster semi-final and replay matches against Kilkenny in the past two weeks.
Monaghan have made two changes from the side that drew with Armagh last week for Sunday’s Ulster football semi-final replay in Clones. Chris McGuinness and Paudie McKenna are named in the half forwards in place of Jack McCarron and Pádraig Donaghy.
All Star forward Conor McManus takes his place at left corner forward after missing most of the second half after picking up a black card from Cavan referee Joe McQuillan.
Armagh will have Andy Mallon, Kieran Toner and Brendan Donaghy available again after their one-match suspensions, imposed for their part in the pre-match brawl before the quarter-final against Cavan.
Laois footballers make three changes for the trip to Wexford Park. Into the team come Robbie Kehoe, Kevin Meaney and Stephen Attride, replacing Darren Strong, James Finn and David Conway for Sunday’s battle between the two sides beaten by Dublin to date in Leinster.
Tipperary footballers, who open a double bill in Thurles tomorrow against Longford, have named an unchanged side from the team that ran Cork so close in last month’s Munster semi-final.
Unchanged
Limerick, defeated by Tipp in Munster, are also unchanged for the visit of Antrim tomorrow despite the scare they received at the hands of London in the first round of the qualifiers.
Meanwhile the death has taken place at the age of 87 of Wexford All-Ireland winner Tim Flood, of Cloughbawn, once described by Liam Griffin, the county's 1996 All-Ireland winning manager as "one of the greatest stick men in our history".
With All-Ireland medals from 1955, ’56 and ’60 teams, he was a member of one of the most popular teams in GAA history, a side backboned by the Rackard brothers.
He also played on the teams that lost All-Ireland finals in 1951 and ’54 to Tipperary and Cork respectively.
