Brian Cody welcomes back former Hurler of the Year Michael Fennelly to the panel for tomorrow's Allianz Hurling League quarter-final against Wexford in Wexford Park. The team shows four changes from that which recorded a comfortable win over Waterford in the final divisional fixture last week.
Fennelly has yet to play in this year’s league and he is joined on the bench by another former Hurler of the Year Henry Shefflin, who is rotated after last week, with TJ Reid coming into the side. Conor Fogarty and Kieran Joyce replace Brian Kennedy and Cillian Buckley at wing back and the remaining change sees Richie Power in for Johnjo Farrell at corner forward.
Kilkenny are chasing a third successive league title.
Meanwhile Kieran O’Leary makes his first start of the league for Kerry in Sunday’s football league encounter against Westmeath. The Dr Croke’s forward, who was involved in his club’s run to last month’s All-Ireland semi-final, will captain the team, which shows one other change.
Jonathan Lyne comes in at right wing forward with O’Leary on the left. Daithi Casey and Donnchadh Walsh make way, as Eamonn Fitzmaurice’s team chase one of the league semi-final places.
Kildare manager Jason Ryan has made four changes for Sunday’s trip to play Derry in Celtic Park. David Hyland (left corner back), Hugh McGrillen (right wing back), Michael Conway (centre forward) and Hugh Lynch (centrefield) come in for Kevin Murnaghan, Paul Cribbin, Fergal Conway and Sean Hurley.
Gary White drops to centre back with Lynch taking over at centrefield. Returning forwards Johnny Doyle, Eamonn Callaghan and Niall Kelly are expected to be named on the bench.
KILKENNY
(NHL v Wexford): E Murphy; P Murphy, JJ Delaney, J Holden; C Fogarty, J Tyrrell, K Joyce; P Walsh, R Hogan; W Walsh, C Fennelly, TJ Reid; R Power, M Kelly, E Larkin.
Subs:
D Herity, M Walsh, T Walsh, B Hogan, B Kennedy, L Ryan, H Shefflin, M Fennelly, A Fogarty, J Farrell, S Prendergast.
KERRY
(NFL v Westmeath): B Kelly; P Murphy, M Griffin, S Enright; P Crowley, M Ó Sé, F Fitzgerald; A Maher, D Moran; J Lyne, B Sheehan, K O'Leary (capt.); S O'Brien, P Geaney, J O'Donoghue.
Subs:
B Kealy, S D Walsh, D Casey, Darran O'Sullivan, J Buckley, A O'Mahony, BJ Keane, J Sherwood, M Geaney, B McGuire, D Culhane.
KILDARE
(NFL v Derry): S Connolly; M O'Grady, M Foley, D Hyland; H McGrillen, G White, K Cribbin; T Moolick, H Lynch; C McNally, M Conway, E O'Flaherty; P Brophy, T O'Connor, D Mulhall.
MEATH
(NFL v Down): P O'Rourke; D Keogan, K Reilly, C Young; S Curran, E Harrington, D Carroll; B Menton, S O'Rourke; D Tobin, A Tormey, G Reilly; D McDonagh, S Bray, M Newman.
Subs:
C McHugh, S Kenny, P Gilsenan, D Larkin, D Bray, M O'Sullivan, S Gillespie, C McPartland.
LOUTH
(NFL v Donegal): N Gallagher; P Rath, D Finnegan, G O'Hare; J O'Brien, D Crilly, A Reid; P Keenan, B Donnelly; P Reilly, B White, S Campbell; A McDonnell, E O'Connor, C Judge.
LAOIS
(NFL v Monaghan): Brody; Padraig McMahon, Denis Booth, Peter O'Leary; Darren Strong, Paul Begley, Colm Begley; Kevin Meaney, John O'Loughlin; Ross Munnelly, Conor Meredith, Billy Sheehan; Evan O'Carroll, Donal Kingston, David Conway.
