Kilkenny's Kevin Fennelly joins the club of new hurling managers this week. Already, his ability to improvise will be put to the test, ahead of tomorrow evening's Oireachtas Cup clash with Laois in Nowlan Park. It doesn't worry Fennelly one iota to be left without 11 of his newly formulated 29-member panel for tomorrow's action: "I am happy to experiment and will be resting a number of key players such as DJ (Carey) anyway, during the winter," he said.
"We need three or four new faces in the side and that is what we are about at this stage."
Management is not new to Fennelly as he is already involved with Young Irelands.
Sunday's county league final between Young Irelands and James Stephens alone rules out seven players for tomorrow's match. They include Carey, Pat O'Neill, Charlie Carter, Phil Larkin and Brian McEvoy.
Meanwhile, Willie O'Connor is recovering from a groin operation, Denis Byrne has sustained a broken wrist and Peter Barry has incurred a broken jaw.
So, Fennelly will use tomorrow's match to try out new defenders and a midfielder in John Dooley of Muckalee. James McGarry of Bennettsbridge gets his chance in goal, Tom Hickey of the new county champions, Dunamaggin, is introduced at right corner back, Eddie Drea is given the number three jersey and Eamonn Kennedy, also of Dunamaggin, is sited in front of him at centre back.
Meanwhile, Fennelly's brother, Brendan, has been reappointed as coach to the Carlow senior side for the coming year. Although his fellow selectors have to be finalised, Fennelly's priority will be to oversee promotion from Division Three of the National Hurling League next season.
Waterford manager Gerald McCarthy recalls Sean Daly to midfield and Dan Shanahan at right half forward for their Oireachtas tie with Wexford at Walsh Park. This duo, along with goalkeeper Ray Barry, had been subjected to disciplinary measures imposed by McCarthy last year but are now welcomed back to the fold.
Barry's return however will be delayed a little longer due to suspension. McCarthy only gives initial opportunites to under-21 players JJ Roynayne and Mick Molumphy.
Wexford will be notably weakened by the absence of their three Oulart-the-Ballagh stars, Martin Storey, Liam Dunne and Paul Finn.
All three are being held in reserve for tomorrow week's Leinster club first round clash with Laois's Castletown. Dunne, with Martin Storey's support, is the current favourite for the captaincy of the county team. Under-21 graduate John Purcell is given the chance to deputise for Dunne at centre back.
Louth show a number of changes for their All-Ireland B football championship semi-final meeting with Carlow at Tullamore on Sunday. Brian Keenan of St Mary's, Ardee, is the new centre back. Corner backs, Brian Phillips and Dave Brennan, are back to form part of a defence that looks to be gaining in stature and Adrian O'Neill figures in midfield.
Opponents, Carlow, make three changes, two of them enforced by the absence of club-tied John Nevin and Ned Sheehy. Brought in are wing back Ciaran Kelly, 6 ft 6 in giant midfielder Ronan Donnelly and corner forward Luke Kelly.
Carlow can boast of the tallest and indeed youngest midfield pairing in the country. Donnelly's central partner, 18-year-old Phil Nolan, is 6 ft 4 in.
