Ryan's Wexford return comes as a centre forward

Leinster SHF Team News: In a somewhat surprising move the Wexford hurling management has handed the centre forward position to Darragh Ryan for their Leinster final showdown with Kilkenny at Croke Park on Sunday.

For the past few seasons Ryan had been Wexford's top choice at full back before a serious knee injury late last year interrupted his career.

But having now regained full fitness Ryan was always in contention for a starting place, yet few had predicted it would be at centre forward. The only hint was that the St Anne's player, who also captained the team in 2001, did briefly play at centre forward in 1999 for Wexford's championship match against Dublin.

Since then, however, Ryan hasn't been known to play for Wexford in any other position except full back. He also held the position when Wexford played Kilkenny in the Leinster final a year ago, but having been sidelined with injury for most of the winter, Sunday will mark his first championship start of the season.

For David O'Connor, the current Wexford full back, his display against Offaly, particularly in the second half, was largely faultless and it would have made little sense to replace him when his form was so good.

Ryan's inclusion, though, marks the way for the only definitive change from the team that beat Offaly with the help of that dramatic second-half performance in the Leinster semi-final. The player to miss out is Barry Goff, who was named at left half forward on that occasion. So Donal Berry, who played at centre forward the last day, moves up to full forward.

But there is also a vacancy left at midfield to give Rory McCarthy every chance to prove his fitness before throw-in on Sunday. McCarthy suffered a broken finger in the one-point win over Offaly back on June 8th and ever since has been racing against time for it to heal.

It is almost certain, however, that manager John Conran will give McCarthy his chance to line out, not least of all because of his inspirational display in that closing stages against Offaly. Similarly, a vote of confidence has been given to the rest of the team, with captain Paul Codd at right half forward.

Kilkenny have reshuffled their pack a little more, with manager Brian Cody making four changes from the team that breezed past Dublin in their semi-final last month.

As expected, James McGarry returns from his recent lay-off with an ankle injury to resume the goalkeeping duties, but the other three changes weren't as easily predicted.

James Ryall is given his first championship start at corner back in an indirect defensive swap with Aidan Cummins, and Seán Dowling - who started in the Leinster final two years ago - also gets the nod in place of Richie Mullally.

The fourth change sees John Hoyne also return to the attack in another indirect swap with Pat Tennyson.

JJ Delaney, who started at corner back the last day, moves to wing back, and Conor Phelan, normally a wing forward, moves to midfield to cover for Tennyson, and at the same time makes way for Hoyne. DJ Carey will again captain the side in the absence of the retired Charlie Carter.

Sunday's match between the two counties represents their third successive meeting in the Leinster final, all of which have been won by Kilkenny. And the game is also being billed as the historic attempt by Kilkenny to rewrite the record books and win a sixth successive Leinster title. The last time the county went chasing a sixth successive title - back in 1976 - it was Wexford who stopped them in their tracks.

KILKENNY (SH v Wexford): PJ Ryan; M Kavanagh, N Hickey, J Ryall; S Dowling, P Barry, JJ Delaney; D Lyng, C Phelan; J Hoyne, H Shefflin, T Walsh; DJ Carey, M Comerford, E Brennan.

WEXFORD (SH v Kilkenny): D Fitzhenry; C Kehoe, D O'Connor, K Rossiter; D Stamp, D Ruth, L Dunne; A Fenlon, AN Other; P Codd, D Ryan, M Jordan; B Lambert, D Berry, R Jacob.