McMahon gets call to start for Clare

Gaelic Games News round-up: Clare manager Cyril Lyons has handed a first championship start to Diarmuid McMahon for Sunday's Munster hurling championship first round meeting with Tipperary. Otherwise the team named last night is largely familiar, with just two definite changes from that which contested last year's All-Ireland final.

There is a vacancy at left corner forward, with three players - Barry Murphy, Andrew Quinn and Daithi O'Connell - all in contention to start in the position. Murphy and Quinn are carrying minor injuries, and the selectors will decide closer to throw-in the player best suited for the day.

For McMahon, of the Kilmaley club, Sunday's start at midfield marks his Munster championship debut, although he did make a brief appearance during the course of last year's hurling qualifiers. He is a direct replacement for John Reddan, who started in the position in the All-Ireland defeat to Kilkenny.

With corner forward David Forde currently not part of the panel, whoever plays at number 15 will be the only other change from that All-Ireland team. Interestingly, the team named last night also shows just the same two changes from Clare's last championship meeting with Tipperary, which was the similar fixture a year ago.

Yet there are some positional switches, with Tony Carmody switching with Niall Gilligan in the full forward line, and the half forward line starting with Tony Griffin, then Alan Markham and Jamesie O'Connor.

Tipperary manager Michael Doyle delayed the naming of his team until after training tomorrow night, primarily to await the news of tonight's meeting of the Games Administration Committee (GAC).

Defender Eamonn Corcoran has already appeared before the GAC following his sending off against Galway in the NHL match last month, and was allegedly reported for a strike with the hurl, an offence that carries a three-month suspension. Further clarification was then sought from the committee on exactly how the incident was reported, and a final decision on the length of the suspension will be made tonight.

"Ideally we would like to name as usual on the Tuesday night," said Doyle, "but in this case that would only be leading people astray. So it's a question of waiting to know who exactly we now have, which won't be until Thursday night."

There is, however, another major dilemma for Doyle regarding the team selection - who to start at full back. With Philip Maher ruled out for the season with injury, several candidates have emerged over the last few days, but so far Doyle has remained tight-lipped about his most likely choice.

It is known that a number of different players were used in the position during a trial game at the weekend, but the most likely scenario is that John Devane will become the indirect replacement, with a more experienced defender moving into the full back position.

In terms of dominance over the past 10 years, the counties have fared equally well with four victories each, and one draw. Tipperary, however, have enjoyed the more recent superiority having won the last three meetings in succession.

CLARE (SH v Tipperary): D Fitzgerald; B Quinn, B Lohan, F Lohan; D Hoey, S McMahon, G Quinn; C Lynch, D McMahon; T Griffin, A Markham, J O'Connor; N Gilligan, T Carmody, AN Other.