The Tipperary senior football team has been named ahead of this evening’s league opener.
David Power’s side play Down at 6pm in Semple Stadium to start their Division Three campaign.
Michael O’Reilly starts in goals with a full-back line of Shane O’Connell, Jimmy Feehan and Dean Carew.
Colm O’Shaughnessy is at centre-back, with Kevin Fahey and Emmet Moloney on the wings whilst Luke Boland partners Jack Kennedy in midfield.
Mark Stokes starts at wing forward alongside Mikey O’Shea and Teddy Doyle whilst the full-forward line consists if the captain Conor Sweeney, Steven O’Brien and Sean O’Connor.
Among the notable names missing from the starting lineup is Paudie Feehan and Conall Kennedy, David Power has given an update on their injuries:
“Conall’s going to miss a nice part of the league, he’s got a stress fracture in his leg and it’s looking like four to six weeks he’s going to be out for so that’s unfortunate for Conall.
“Another fella I’d say is going to be out going back from the Limerick game in the McGrath Cup is Paudie Feehan.
“He’s still very very sore so we just don’t know the time frame there still yet until that soreness goes away.
“They’re two big lads that would obviously be in our plans.”
Tipperary’s opposition today, Down, had a poor 2022.
They didn’t win any games in Division Two and were relegated before losing their opening Ulster championship and Tailteann Cup games.
However, a new management team, led by Kilcoo’s All-Ireland winning captain Conor Laverty and a McKenna Cup run that included wins over Donegal and Monaghan means the Mourne County will be coming to Semple Stadium in better shape than last year.
David Power knows they will be a different test this evening:
“You don’t even look at what Down were doing last year, you have to be looking at what they were doing in the Dr. McKenna Cup matches.
“Conor Laverty is from Kilcoo so you’d have a fair idea about what way they are going to be approaching the game as well.
“Ultimately, we are coming up from Division Four, they are coming down from Division Two so they are still going to be a big threat to us but also I would feel if we get a performance out of our lads that we are more than capable of beating Down.”
We’ll have live commentary of that game here on Tipp FM from 6pm this evening with thanks to Casey Tiles and Wooden Floors, Cahir.
