Geoff Brennan named in Kilkenny team to face Dublin

Holders Kilkenny make one enforced change for the visit of Dublin to Nowlan Park on Sunday. Conor Fogarty, who fractured his ankle against Cork, is replaced at centrefield by Geoff Brennan who came on for him last week and who makes his first league start for the county.

Paul Murphy continues at full back in the absence of the now retired JJ Delaney. John Power is named on the replacements bench after recovering from injury but otherwise manager Brian Cody is satisfied with the team that beat Cork.

Opponents Dublin also make a change at centrefield with Simon Lambert starting in place of Ross O’Carroll. There is one other change to the side which comfortably beat Tipperary and that sees David Treacy come in at corner forward in place of Paul Ryan.

Tipperary manager Eamon O’Shea has made four changes from that match for the match against Galway in Thurles on Sunday. Michael Breen makes his starting league debut at wing back while Conor O’Brien, Ronan Maher and John McGrath, brother of former All Star Noel, also come into the side.

Joe O’Dwyer and Shane McGrath, who were both injured against Dublin, drop out along with Conor O’Mahony and James Woodlock.

In Division One B Waterford manager Derek McGrath gives a vote of confidence to the team that secured a draw with Limerick in the Gaelic Grounds last week, for the home fixture with Laois on Saturday evening.

KILKENNY (AHL v Dublin): E Murphy; T Keogh, P Murphy, J Tyrrell; B Kennedy, K Joyce, C Buckley; G Brennan, L Tyan; P Walsh, W Walsh, M Ruth; M Kelly, J Farrell, R Hogan (capt.). Subs: D Brennan, W Phelan, M Walsh, S Prendergast, J Lyng, P Gahan, B Staunton, G Malone, K Hogan, K Kelly, J Power.

DUBLIN (AHL): A Nolan; C O'Callaghan, M Carton, P Schutte; C Crummey, P Kelly, C Keaney; S Durkin, S Lambert; C Cronin, E Dillon, D Sutcliffe; D Treacy, L Rushe, M Schutte.

TIPPERARY (AHL v Galway): D Gleeson; C Barrett, P Curran, C O'Brien; M Breen, Pádraic Maher, R Maher; K Bergin, G Ryan; D Maher, J Forde, B Maher (capt.); J O'Dwyer, S Callanan, J McGrath.

WATERFORD (AHL v Laois): S O'Keeffe; S Fives, B Coughlan, N Connors; T Bourke, A Gleeson, P Mahony; J Barron, T Devine; K Moran (capt.), P Mahony, J Dillon; B O'Halloran, M Walsh, M Kearney.