Maher to take over Tipperary captaincy

PÁDRAIC MAHER will take over the Tipperary captaincy for Sunday’s Allianz Hurling League semi-final in the absence of injured full back Paul Curran, who is ruled out of their latest showdown with Cork with a knee injury.

Maher will also probably revert from wing back to full back as a result, with Curran a big loss for what will be the third meeting between the teams this year. The sides drew 1-23 apiece in the last round of the league, having also met in the Waterford Crystal Cup, and there is also a potential Munster championship awaiting them too.

In the meantime Curran is on crutches after sustaining knee cartilage damage in a recent club match. Manager Declan Ryan has further injury concerns over James Woodlock (back) and also Donagh Maher (hamstring), although Séamus Callanan is back in contention for selection.

Clare will also be without their influential centre back James McInerney for their semi-final against Kilkenny, first up in Sunday’s double-bill in Thurles. McInerney has been sidelined with a broken thumb since Clare claimed a fairly epic win over Limerick in the Division One B final, with his hand currently in plaster having recently undergone surgery.

Pat O’Connor is likely to take over from McInerney, while corner forward Colin Ryan is also a doubtful starter and will undergo a late fitness test.

Kilkenny welcome back centre forward Richie Hogan, who missed their 25-point win over Galway in the last round through suspension – although missing will be forward Richie Hogan, who sustained a collapsed lung late on in the Galway game and will likely be out of action for another couple of weeks.

Meanwhile the GAA and Bus Éireann have announced a three-year extension to their sponsorship of the Féile competitions, as Dublin (Hurling) and Laois (Football) gear up for this year’s competitions. The two Féile final competitions will involve more than 4,000 under-14 boys and girls across all disciplines, with Féile Peile na nÓg takes place in Co Laois and Offaly on the weekend of June 22nd-24th while Dublin will host Féile na nGael between July 5th-7th.

TG4 have announced live coverage of Saturday’s Allianz Hurling League Division One A relegation play-off replay between Dublin and Galway (4pm), with the All-Ireland under-21 football semi-final between Cavan and Roscommon will now be shown on the TG4 website. Also live from Portlaoise is the under-21 semi-final between Cork and Dublin (2pm).