Carey back in Limerick panel Hurling Qualifiers

Ian O'Riordan

Ciarán Carey last night rejoined the Limerick hurling panel ahead of their All-Ireland qualifier against Offaly tomorrow evening in Thurles, although he has not been named in the starting line-up. Carey had sensationally quit the team last month after failing to get a starting place for the last game against Kerry, and was convinced he would not return.

However, manager Dave Keane kept the door open and after much contemplation Carey, one of their most experienced hurlers, decided to return. For now he is named among the substitutes, with Keane making three changes from the starting line-up that beat Kerry.

Into the starting team comes a new midfield partnership of John Meskell and Clem Smith, while James Moran also gets a start at left half forward. Dropped from the last game are Ollie Moran, Eoin Foley and Páidí O'Dwyer, although there are also a few positional switches.

Peter Lawlor is moved from midfield to right half back, and Conor Fitzgerald swaps wing forward positions and starts on the left side. The only lines that remain unchanged are full back and full forward.

Opponents Offaly have included two of the Whelahan brothers in their line-up, but there is no starting place for Simon Whelahan, the player believed to be at the centre of last weekend's row that briefly saw all three brothers withdraw from the panel.

Brian Whelahan is again named at centre back, with Barry Whelahan at midfield. There are two definite changes from the team that started against Dublin the last day, with Niall Claffey replacing Barry Teehan at corner back, and Brendan Murphy, who was exam-tied the last day, coming back into the forward line in place of Damien Murray.

A vacancy has been left at midfield as McNamara takes a little more time to weigh up his options, but the two main players in contention are Neville Coughlan and Stephen Browne, who played at half forward against Dublin. In the meantime, Michael Cordial, by far Offaly's find of the summer, moves from midfield to wing forward.

Entry to the Offaly-Limerick game will be on a cash only basis. The same will apply for Sunday's football qualifier in Roscommon between Armagh and Limerick, which was yesterday switched to a 3.30 throw-in from its original start time of 6.0.

Saturday evening's All-Ireland football qualifier between Mayo and Fermanagh in Sligo will be all-ticket, as will the All-Ireland hurling qualifier between Wexford and Waterford in Kilkenny.

Waterford and Wexford will finalise their teams for Saturday's game this evening, with few changes expected from the line-ups that lost their respective provincial finals against Cork and Kilkenny.

OFFALY (SH v Limerick): B Mullins; N Claffey, G Oakley, D Franks; J Brady, Brian Whelahan, C Cassidy; AN Other, Barry Whelahan; M Cordial, G Hanniffy, B Murphy; B Carroll, J Errity, R Hanniffy.

LIMERICK (SH v Offaly): T Houlihan; D Reale, TJ Ryan, S McDonagh; P Lawlor, B Geary, M Foley; J Meskell, C Smith; C Fitzgerald, N Moran, J Moran; A O'Shaughnessy, B Begley, D Sheehan.