Kilkenny make four changes for clash with Tipperary

Kilkenny have made four changes to the team that lost the county's opening match of the Allianz Hurling League to Waterford for Sunday's game against Tiperary at Nowlan Park.

Into the team come Robert Lennon, who made an appearance in last summer's championship against Wexford; former captain Lester Ryan; James Maher, who came on as a replacement last week; and Kevin Kelly.

They replace, respectively, Kieran Joyce at centre back, Cillian Buckley at centrefield, Jonjo Farrell and Mark Kelly in attack.

Tipperary are unchanged from the team that recorded a resounding win over Dublin.

Also unchanged are league holders Waterford who go to Cork on Saturday evening hoping to build on their win over the All-Ireland champions last week.

Dublin manager Ger Cunningham is another making changes. After the thumping in Thurles he brings in Colm Cronin, who hit the decisive goal for UCD in Wednesday's Fitzgibbon Cup win in IT Carlow, in place of Paul Ryan. Shane Durkin starts at centrefield as an indirect replacement for Daire Plunkett, whereas Liam Rushe returns after suspension in place of Joey Boland.

KILKENNY (v Tipperary): Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, Joey Holden, Shane Prendergast; Padraig Walsh, Robert Lennon, Diarmuid Cody; Lester Ryan, Conor Fogarty; Colin Fennelly, TJ Reid, James Maher; Walter Walsh, Kevin Kelly, Richie Hogan.

TIPPERARY: Darren Gleeson; Cathal Barrett, Tomás Hamill, Michael Cahill; Brendan Maher (capt), James Barry, Pádraic Maher; Michael Breen, Daire Quinn; Dan McCormack, Patrick Maher, Jason Forde; Noel McGrath, Conor Kenny, John McGrath. Subs: Darragh Mooney, Dylan Fitzelle, Joe Gallagher, Ronan Maher, John Meagher, Conor O'Brien, John O'Dwyer, Niall O'Meara, Liam Ryan, Seán Ryan, Willie Ryan.

WATERFORD (v Cork): Stephen O'Keeffe; Shane Fives, Barry Coughlan, Noel Connors; Austin Gleeson, Darragh Fives, Philip Mahony; Jamie Barron, Maurice Shanahan; Kevin Moran (capt.), Shane Bennett, Michael Walsh; Patrick Curran, Jake Dillon, Colin Dunford.

CORK: Anthony Nash; Shane O'Neill, Christopher Joyce, Stephen McDonnell; Damian Cahalane, William Egan, Colm Spillane; Daniel Kearney, Aidan Walsh; Brian Lawton, Bill Cooper, Lorcán McLoughlin; Conor Lehane, William Leahy, Patrick Horgan. Subs: Patrick Collins, Stephen Murphy, Mark Ellis, Patrick Cronin, Alan Cadogan, Paudie O' Sullivan, Cian McCarthy, Stephen Moylan, Cormac Murphy, Luke O'Farrell, Killian Burke.

DUBLIN (v Galway): Conor Dooley; Cian O'Callaghan, Eoghan O'Donnell, Oisín Gough; Chris Crummey, Liam Rushe, Shane Barrett; Shane Durkin, John McCaffrey; Colm Cronin, Niall McMorrow, David Treacy; Eamonn Dillon, David O'Callaghan, Mark Schutte.

GALWAY: James Skehill; John Hanbury, Daithi Burke, Paul Hoban; Padraig Mannion, Greg Lally, Aidan Harte; David Burke, Adrian Tuohy; Padraig Brehony, Cathal Mannion, Niall Burke; Conor Whelan, Joe Canning, David Glennon.

KERRY (v Limerick): Martin Stackpoole; Sean Weir, Bryan Murphy, Keith Carmody; Daniel Collins, Darren Dineen, Tom Murnane; Patrick Kelly, Tommy Casey; Shane Nolan, Michael O'Leary, Colum Harty; John Egan, Mikey Boyle, Jack Goulding.