Premier in Tipp top shape for Episode 4 in epic Cats saga

Tipperary boss Declan Ryan has had the luxury of naming his Munster Final winning starting XV for Sunday’s eagerly-awaited All-Ireland semi-final with Kilkenny.

Tipp will line out with exactly the same team in exactly the same positions as they did against the Déise in last month’s Munster Final, a team which had showed only one change from Tipp’s previous outing against Cork.

According to the team sheet at least, that means Lar Corbett will continue to operate in the half forward line and Noel McGrath will start in the full forward line alongside Brian O’Meara and John O’Brien, who has been named to start despite having to deal with the sad death of his brother Thomas earlier this week.

Ryan’s faith in his selection means there is no room for the likes of Eoin Kelly or Seamus Callanan from the start, but the Tipperary bench packs quite the punch and their back up ammo will likely be called on at some stage on Sunday.

We can’t wait.

Tipperary team to play Kilkenny: B Cummins; C O’Brien, P Curran, M Cahill; T Stapleton, C O’Mahony, Padraic Maher; B Maher, S McGrath; P Bourke, Patrick Maher, L Corbett; B O’Meara, J O’Brien, N McGrath.