TIPPERARY BOSS KEN Hogan has made just the one change for tomorrow evening’s Bord Gáis Energy Munster U21HC semi-final meeting with Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds at 7.30pm from the team that defeated Cork at the quarter-final stage last month in Páirc Uí Chaoimh.
Lorrha & Dorrha clubman Cian Hogan is selected at full-forward instead of the injured David Collins, a member of last year’s county senior winning Drom-Inch side. Three members of the starting fifteen are younger brothers of the Tipperary side that claimed the Munster senior crown last Sunday. Centre-back Brian Stapleton is a younger brother of senior defender Thomas, centre-forward Sean Curran’s older brother is senior captain Paul while wing-forward Niall O’Meara is a younger brother of senior attacker Brian.
The team will be captained by right half-forward John O’Dwyer while corner-back Stephen Maher and midfielder Dan McCormack both have Fitzgibbon Cup medals with UCC to their name from earlier this season, and corner-forward Liam McGrath was the captain of the All-Ireland winning Tipperary minor footballers last September.
Holders Limerick have named an extremely strong side for the game. Six players – goalkeeper Aaron Murphy, half-backs Declan Hannon and Tom Ryan, and attacking trio Shane Dowling, Mark Carmody and Kevin Downes – were part of the senior panel that triumphed in last Saturday’s All-Ireland qualifier win over Clare while two more – midfielder Seanie O’Brien and forward Mikey Ryan – have also seen senior competitive action.
There are nine survivors from the starting fifteen that defeated Cork in last August’s epic Munster final in the Gaelic Grounds with Murphy, Alan Dempsey, Stephen O’Reilly, O’Brien, Niall Kennedy, Hannon, Dowling, Ryan and Downes all starting in that clash. Carmody came on as a sub in that match and fired three valuable points.
TIPPERARY U21H: Paul Ryan (Upperchurch-Drombane); Stephen Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Andrew Ryan (Toomevara), Pa Ryan (Clonakenny); Willie Ryan (Clonakenny), Brian Stapleton (Templederry Kenyons), Justin Cahill (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Denis Maher (Thurles Sarsfields), Dan McCormack (Borris-Ileigh); John O’Dwyer (Killenaule), Sean Curran (Mullinahone), Niall O’Meara (Kilruane MacDonaghs); Eanna Murray (Templederry Kenyons), Cian Hogan (Lorrha & Dorrha), Liam McGrath (Loughmore Castleiney).
LIMERICK U21H: Aaron Murphy (Hospital-Herbertstown); Alan Dempsey (Na Piarsaigh), Dan Morrissey (Ahane), Stephen O’Reilly (Ballybrown); Robert Egan (Kilmallock), Declan Hannon (Adare), Tom Ryan (South Liberties); Shane Kenny (Ballybrown), Seanie O’Brien (Patrickswell); Shane Dowling (Na Piarsaigh), Niall Kennedy (Granagh-Ballingarry), Mark Carmody (Patrickswell); Mikey Ryan (Murroe-Boher), Kevin Downes (Na Piarsaigh), Wille Griffin (Adare). Subs: Owen Webb O’Rourke (Kilmallock), Micheal Reidy (Dromin/Athlacca), Tom O’Callaghan (Monagea), Cathal McNamara (Doon), Mark O’Connell (Glenroe), Robert O’Donnell (Pallasgreen), John Fitzgibbon (Adare), Adrian Breen (Na Piarsaigh), Jack Ahern (Killeedy).
Follow all the action in the Gaelic Grounds tomorrow night as we go minute-by-minute when Tipperary face Limerick
