Barry, Larkin drafted in to bolster defence

Leinster champions Kilkenny have made two changes in their team to face Clare in the second All-Ireland hurling semi-final at Croke Park on Sunday.

But they will also leave a vacant spot at centre back to allow Eamon Kennedy every chance to recover from his recent ankle injury.

The revised team sees Philip Larkin given a recall to right corner back in place of Tom Hickey, while Peter Barry will return at wing back after making sufficient recovery from a knee injury.

That means that Paddy Mullally loses out in the left half back position, despite playing in the side which comfortably defeated Offaly 5-14 to 1-16 in the Leinster final last month.

The attack, however, remains unchanged with Ken O'Shea, Henry Shefflin and Charlie Carter completing the impressive full-forward line - although Shefflin actually started at right half forward against Offaly, with Carter starting at full forward and DJ Carey at left corner forward. In leaving the centre-back spot vacant, Kilkenny manager Brian Cody and his fellow selectors obviously want to see Kennedy lineout from the start. At training last night in Nowlan Park, Kennedy was comfortable enough for some light training but not as much as he had wished.

While admitting that the swelling in his ankle had reduced significantly, the injury still felt a little tender. "I have not given up hope, and the selectors have decided to give me every chance to regain fitness," explained the 26-year-old.

Cody also said the team will not be finalised until Sunday morning. It was expected that Larkin would edge out Hickey in the battle for the corner back position. Last year's captain suffered an ankle injury in the Leinster final and subsequently missed four weeks of training. He was back training with the panel over the weekend, but started a new job in Dublin this week and has been spending a few days working in England which further disrupted his treatment and return to hurling.

Larkin, however, was reported to be training well, but this will also be his first championship outing this season. He was omitted from the substitutes for the opening game against Laois after injuring an elbow, although he was listed among the official reserves for the Leinster final.

The James Stephen's man does have three years of championship experience behind him and 10 appearances in total, but he was dropped from the regular panel before the start of the championship season following the National League semi-final defeat by Galway at the start of May.

Barry came into the senior side two years ago and partnered Larkin at midfield in last summer's All-Ireland final. He returns to the position that he played in Kilkenny's opening game with Laois.

Pat O'Neill remains the most likely man to fill in for Kennedy should he fail his late fitness test. The former All Star has been waiting in the wings for a recall this summer and has been highly impressive while filling in for Kennedy in practice. But O'Neill has not played an inter-county match since last year's All-Ireland final, and if he is called to play at centre back it will be his first match in that position in nearly three years.

Still, the Young Irelands man had been the backbone of the Kilkenny defence for most of the decade, making his championship debut against Wexford eight years ago and appearing 25 times since. He played a major part in the All-Ireland winning side of 1992 and 1993, and more recently he was part of the victorious Leinster side of last year before playing at full back in the All-Ireland final loss to Offaly.

Meanwhile, Clare are still hopeful that Stephen McNamara will have recovered from the niggling stomach muscle injury he suffered in their quarter-final replay win over Galway. Team manager Ger Loughnane appears confident that he will be able to start on Sunday.

Croke Park announced yesterday that almost all stand tickets for the game have already been sold. There will, however, be a limited number of both terrace and stand tickets on sale today at the ticket outlet on Jones's Road, next to Croke Park, between 9.0 a.m. and 6.0 p.m.

Elsewhere, it was confirmed that Eamonn Cregan will spend another two years as manager of the Limerick senior hurling side. David Punch and Canon Willie Fitzmaurice remain as selectors, with Derry O'Donovan staying on as trainer.