O'Meara is named at full forward

NEWS:TIPPERARY SHOW one change from the semi-final win over Derry for the team to play Kilkenny in Sunday's All-Ireland under-21 hurling final at Croke Park. Mark O'Meara comes in at full forward in place of former minor captain Joey McLoughney, who injured a shoulder in the semi-final.

Opponents Kilkenny, who will be pushing for a clean sweep of the major championships having already won the intermediate, minor and senior, also give a vote of confidence to their semi-final line-up which beat Galway.

Included in the line-up is TJ Reid, who scored four points after coming on as a replacement in last weekend's senior final.

The counties are familiar with each other at this level, as Sunday will be the fourth time in five years (allowing for the 2006 replay) that they have contested the final.

Meanwhile, Kilkenny centrefielder Derek Lyng had further cause for celebration yesterday when he was named Opel Hurler of the Month for August. The Emeralds player picks up the award for his performance against Cork in the All-Ireland semi-final.

Last weekend Lyng picked up his fifth All-Ireland medal with another fine display in the final against Waterford, during which he hit three points from play.

The Tyrone captain Brian Dooher was the winner of the football award for the same month, recognition of his tireless contribution to the county's magnificent run in August, during which they thrashed the Leinster champions, Dublin, before going on to reach a third All-Ireland final in six years and a first since 2005 by defeating Wexford in the semi-finals.

The former All-Ireland minor winning boss Fergal O'Donnell is poised to take over as Roscommon football manager.

It is expected O'Donnell, who was a key member of the last Roscommon team to win a Connacht title, in 2001, will be appointed next week.

He will take over from his Roscommon Gaels club colleague Michael Ryan, who took charge after John Maughan stepped down earlier in the summer.

O'Donnell, a Garda based in Boyle, gave Roscommon a huge boost when he guided them to their first All-Ireland minor title in 55 years when they defeated Kerry in a thrilling replay in 2006.

Finally the GAA and Vhi Healthcare yesterday announced a record 83,000 children had participated in the 2008 Cúl Camps this summer, an increase of over 8,000 in enrolments since the camps were introduced in 2006.

Nearly 5,000 children attended camps held in the All-Ireland senior football finalist counties, Tyrone and Kerry; 220 children participating in Canadian camps; almost 400 attended camps held in the USA; and nearly 650 enrolled in Britain.

This year saw the appointment in each county of a GAA ambassador, who visited camps, giving tips to children on how to improve their game and taking questions relating to their sport.

The ambassadors included Marc Ó Sé of Kerry, James Cha Fitzpatrick of Kilkenny and Ken McGrath of Waterford.

TIPPERARY (U-21 v Kilkenny):M Ryan; M Cahill, P Maher, K Maher; K Lanigan, T Stapleton, B Maher; G Ryan, S Hennessy (capt); P Maher, S Callinan, T McGrath; P Bourke, M O'Meara, S Bourke.

KILKENNY (U-21 v Tipperary):C McGrath; P Murphy, K Joyce, E O'Shea; L Ryan, P Hogan, N Prendergast; J Dowling, N Walsh; C Fennelly, N Cleere, TJ Reid; M Ruth, J Mulhall, R Hogan.