English and Leahy return

NICKY ENGLISH will play his first competitive match for Tipperary since last year's championship's when he lines out a left corner forward in a reshuffled attack for Sunday's National Hurling League semi final against Laois at Nowlan Park.

Apart from playing in a recent tournament game, against Galway, English has not worn the Tipperary jersey since the Munster semi final against Limerick last June. The selectors were satisfied at training last evening that their veteran forward has recovered fully from what had proved a nagging ankle problem.

The team from goalkeeper to midfield is unchanged from that which played Kilkenny in the final round of the League. However, there are three changes in personnel in attack, with English, John Leahy and Eddie Tucker coming in for Liam Cahill, Timmy Moloney and Tommy Dunne.

Cahill and Dunne are expected to be named among the substitutes later in the week. Timmy Moloney is no longer on the panel. The selectors decided to defer naming the substitutes until after Aidan Ryan undergoes a fitness test for his back injury.

The numerous positional switches in the attack means that Kevin Tucker, in the right corner, is the only forward to retain his position from the side that started against Kilkenny.

For Laois, John Taylor returns to the defence after injury, and this enables the versatile Noel Delaney to move to the attack where he replaces Declan Rooney, who is unavailable due to exam commitments.

Taylor's return to the left corner of defence, combined with Delaney's ability to operate impressively either in defence or attack, solves the selectors problems for the moment at any rate. There is, however, a doubt about the fitness of Cyril Duggan, who is named at right corner back.

Duggan opted out of last night's training session to rest a groin strain he picked up in training at the weekend. He is hopeful, however, of being fully fit.