Scanlan only change to Clare's winning formula

All-Ireland champions Clare have made only one change to the team that pipped Galway for the second semi-final place in Division One A of the Church and General League. Clarecastle's Danny Scanlan comes in at wing forward for his first competitive start for the county's seniors. He takes the place of Fergal Hegarty who lined out in Ennis two weeks ago but was replaced by Alan Markham.

Scanlan's arrival on the intercounty side was expected since his club's run in the All-Ireland championship, which concluded at the semi-final stage with defeat by eventual winners Birr after a replay. His personal contribution to that progression was substantial, most notably in the 2-3 scored from play in the first day's encounter with Birr. In fact, Clare's manager Ger Loughnane intimated that Scanlan would get a run-out at some stage of the regulation League programme.

If he is able to make an impression at this level, it will mean that Clare's attacking options have been transformed over the past year. Loughnane has stressed the importance of Niall Gilligan's and David Forde's emergence in the last championship, that in their debut seasons they gained the experience of winning All-Ireland medals.

Both players have continued to contribute well during the League and currently look likely starters for the championship rather than first-choice replacements, which was their more frequent role last summer. Others have come into the reckoning during the League with Alan Markham making a number of appearances and now Scanlan getting his opportunity to bid for a place.

"He's been making a great impression in training," according to team trainer Michael McNamara. "If Danny comes good at this sort of level, it's really looking good for our attack."

What looks good for the depth of resources on the panel could be seen as looking ominous for the regulars in the attack. Clare have had a remarkably unchanging first 15 over the three years since the team first won a Munster title. There were only two changes from the '95 side to the team which lined out last September (there would have been only one had the team played as selected).

Now approaching the final countdown towards their championship defence, Clare can't guarantee places to half the attack that has been ever-present during the county's spectacular emergence. Fergie Tuohy, whose four points from play were an enormous contribution to the 1995 All-Ireland win, is currently suspended after getting the line in a NHL match against Offaly. PJ O'Connell, man of the match in the historic Munster final victory three years ago, has only begun to re-appear on the team and Ger `Sparrow' O'Loughlin has hurled very little in recent months.

"We'd been intending to get a look at Sparrow last weekend (in a challenge match against Limerick) but he got a bang so we weren't able to. He's never very prominent until there's a hop in the ground. All back along the years, Sparrow has started the championship as a sub because his League form was so poor. The number of young fellas coming in is a challenge for Sparrow and the others but it's a wonderful problem for management to have.

"The League won't upset us because we don't have a championship date for two months. If Limerick or Cork qualify for the final, they'll have to put on their thinking caps (the counties meet in the Munster championship two weeks after the NHL final). If we get that far, it (the NHL final) can really make a first-round championship match for us."

Opponents Cork have made four changes from the slightly experimental line-up which preserved the county's unbeaten record in the divisional matches. Ger Cunningham and Joe Deane, who were rested the last day, return at the expense of Donal Og Cusack and Barry Egan, respectively.

Mick Daly returns from honeymoon in Mexico and gets his usual position at centrefield with Austin Walsh reverting to the bench. Brian Corcoran, forced out by injury before the start of the Laois match, returns instead of his replacement Pat Mulcahy.

Holders Limerick also have a honeymoon problem with goalkeeper Joe Quaid getting married on Saturday but manager Eamonn Cregan nonetheless names him in the team to face Waterford. It was Cregan's intention to play what he considers his best 15 for Sunday's first semi-final but injuries have intervened to restrict his choice.

The Carey brothers, Ciaran and Pa, are named on the bench, the former because of facial injuries suffered in the final divisional outing against Antrim and the latter because illness has prevented him from training in recent weeks. Declan Nash also misses out because of injury.

James Moran, Alan Browne and Jack Foley fill the respective positions for this weekend.