Common ground found in Limerick

The equilibrium in Limerick regarding duel status appears to have been restored after an agreement was reached between football manager Liam Kearns and new hurling manager Joe McKenna.

The recently-departed hurling manager, Pad Joe Whelahan, had laid down an ultimatum that forced players to choose between the codes. The result was all duel players opted for football.

Now, however, Stephen Lucey and Conor Fitzgerald have been released by Kearns and were duly selected at corner back and corner forward, respectively, for Sunday's Division One relegation match against Waterford at the Gaelic Grounds.

The two manager's have agreed to share the players with neither having to do any more than three sessions a week, with their time spread equally over the two panels. McKenna did not look to use them until the football league ended and there is no overlap in the coming months.

Both managers have agreed that championship fare takes precedence over a qualifier match. With the footballers facing Kerry in the opening round of the Munster championship in June, the likelihood is they may ultimately suffer most from the arrangement.

Still, Kearns is not interested in standing in the way of players who want to play both games. "It's not going to be easy but I listened to my players," he said. "They are mature, intelligent men and, although it will be difficult to play both codes, they are entitled to try.

"Time will tell if it works. They will be training as hard as every player but it will be balanced over both panels - otherwise they would be training seven days a week."

Lucey, who enters uncharted territory of corner back on Sunday, has just returned from an unfortunate run of injuries that saw him sidelined for several weeks as, after recovering from a shoulder operation, he broke his toe in training.

David Breen, who made his senior hurling debut for Limerick against Antrim last Sunday week, is dropped for Sunday, as is Ciarán O'Dwyer and Andrew O'Shaughnessy.

The Tipperary senior hurling team to play Clare on Sunday at Semple Stadium shows three changes from the one that lost to Cork. Tom King and Francis Devanney lose out due to injury, while Conor O'Mahoney and Paul Kelly form a new midfield partnership. Mark O'Leary resumes his place at wing forward in place of Pa Morrissey.

Clare have not named a team yet due to injuries and under-21 commitments.

Wexford play Galway on Sunday and both sides have resisted naming a team until Friday as have Kilkenny, who play Cork.

Kilkenny manager Brian Cody is waiting on fitness reports from Henry Shefflin (groin), Michael Kavanagh (ankle) and John Tennyson (shoulder) but Richie Power, Peter Barry and DJ Carey are back in the panel.

Dave Sweeney, Michael Carton and Philip Brennan are all expected to return to the Dublin hurling team for Sunday's Division One relegation encounter against Down in Ballycran.

Meanwhile, the Games Administration Committee will announce the venues for the NFL semi-finals on April 16th-17th today. Croke Park has been ruled out as the pitch is not ready and Congress is being held at GAA headquarters that weekend.

With the Wexford hurlers playing Kilkenny on the same weekend at Nowlan Park a double header would be ideal to everyone except Tyrone whose supporters may be facing up to a five-hour trip south.

The GAC also heard the case of Crossmaglen Rangers's Stephen Kernan late last night after he was show a straight red card for a high tackle on Portlaoise's Craig Rogers in the All-Ireland club semi-final on February 20th at Parnell Park. A heavy suspension could see Joe Kernan's son miss Armagh's league semi-final against Mayo.

Dublin's Barry Cahill is to undergo exploratory knee surgery this week. Cahill missed most of last season with a cruciate injury and, despite a solid performance from centreback against Offaly last Sunday, he still feels uncomfortable.

The Leinster under-21 football final between Dublin and defending champions Kildare has been confirmed for Páirc Tailteann, Navan, on Saturday April 16th at 6.30pm.

LIMERICK (SH v Waterford): T Houlihan; S Lucey, TJ Ryan, M Foley; P O'Dwyer, O Moran, B Geary; P O'Grady, D O'Grady; A O'Connor, J O'Brien, N Moran; D Ryan S O'Connor, C Fitzgerald.

TIPPERARY (SH v Clare): B Cummins; P Curran, P Maher, H Moloney; D Fanning, D Kennedy, E Corcoran; C O'Mahoney, P Kelly; M O'Leary, J Devane, B Dunne (capt); E Kelly, M Webster, P O'Brien.