WATERFORD HURLERS bring in one debutant, dual player Gary Hurney, for Sunday's opening fixture in this year's Munster hurling championship, against Clare in the Gaelic Grounds. The list of absentees is, however, formidable, with no fewer than four All Stars unavailable for the trip to Limerick.
It had been known that corner back Eoin Murphy (broken arm), centre back Ken McGrath (recovering from knee surgery) and forward Paul Flynn (also rehabilitating post-op) would all be unavailable for the match but there was the additional news that Eoin Kelly had been omitted from the panel despite hopes he would have recovered from a broken bone in his hand.
Hurney, who lined out for the footballers in last week's defeat by Clare in the football championship, gets his expected call-up and is named at centre forward, although the now traditional parlour game of reshuffling Waterford's announced selections suggests he will start at full forward.
Kevin Moran is named at full back for what will be his second championship start - his first was in last year's Munster final. Brian Phelan is expected to start at centre back despite his corner back selection.
Despite the absence of Flynn and Kelly the attack is experienced. Hurler of the Year Dan Shanahan has overcome injury to be deemed fit to start, as has Séamus Prendergast, who according to one team source "hasn't caught a hurley for a fortnight" because of a shoulder injury, and he is likely to switch with Hurney.
Despite widespread discontent in the county with the choice of Limerick as the venue interest in tickets has picked up a little although it isn't expected that a big crowd will travel to the match.
Meanwhile, in the big Ulster football clash Derry have made a couple of changes to the team that won the National Football League final against Kerry last month.
Goalkeeper Barry Gillis is replaced by championship newcomer John Deighan, whereas All Star Kevin McCloy comes in indirectly for the injured Liam Hinphey, with Niall McCusker switching to centre back and Gerard O'Kane moving over to the right wing.
Veteran Seán Martin Lockhart returns in place of Francis McEldowney at left corner back. The only change up front sees Barry McGoldrick, who tore ankle ligaments in a club match, replaced at centre forward by Paul Murphy in what is an experienced attack, featuring five of the sextet that ran Dublin so close in last year's All-Ireland quarter-final - the only change being Eoin Bradley for Colin Devlin.
Wicklow have left well enough alone after the famous victory over Kildare a fortnight ago. Manager Mick O'Dwyer names the same starting 15 after satisfying himself that injuries to Tony Hannon and Leighton Glynn were not serious.
Teams remaining to be named are Donegal and Meath.
Donegal will name at lunchtime today, with concerns for manager Brian McIver in the shape of injuries to Rory Kavanagh (groin) and Barry Dunnion, who also has a groin injury that has prevented him from playing in the NFL, although he did line out for UUJ in the Sigerson Cup earlier in the spring.
Michael Murphy twisted his ankle in unusual circumstances. The student was receiving a presentation in his school when the accident happened.
Meath, meanwhile, are delaying their announcement until tomorrow, pending tonight's DRA hearing taken by the players suspended in the NFL match with Dublin last month.
WATERFORD (SHC v Clare): C Hennessy; B Phelan, K Moran, A Kearney; T Browne, D Prendergast, J Kennedy; M Walsh, D Bennett; D Shanahan, G Hurney, S Molumphy; J Mullane, S Prendergast, E McGrath.
DERRY (SFC v Donegal): J Deighan; K McGuckin, K McCloy, SM Lockhart; G O'Kane, N McCusker, M McIvor; F Doherty, J Diver; M Lynch, P Murphy, E Muldoon; C Gilligan, P Bradley, E Bradley.
WICKLOW (SFC v Laois): M Travers; C Hyland, D Power, A Byrne; M McLoughlin, D Ó hAnnaidh (capt.), P Dalton; J Stafford, T Walsh; T Hannon, L Glynn, JP Dalton; S Odlum, S Furlong, P Earls.
DERRY (SHC v Antrim): A Magill; M Craig, C Quinn, C McQuillan; R McCloskey, S Henry, S McCullough; D Brunton, O McCloskey; P Henry, K Hinphey, SL McGoldrick; P McCloskey, R Convery, G Kelly.
