Kilkenny and Tipperary begin championship campaigns

Last year’s All-Ireland finalists get their championship campaigns underway on Sunday, with Kilkenny hosting Wexford and Tipperary travelling to Limerick.

Kilkenny v Wexford (2pm)

Wexford travel to Nowlan Park seeking a first championship win over Kilkenny since the 2004 Leinster semi-final.

The Model County last reached the Leinster final in 2008, while Kilkenny have failed to reach the provincial decider on just two occasions since Brian Cody took over as manager in 1999.

Cody makes three changes to the team that started in last September’s All-Ireland final replay win over Tipperary.

Joey Holden gets the nod at full-back, with Walter Walsh and Ger Aylward named at wing-forward and corner-forward respectively.

Wexford manager Liam Dunne makes two changes to the team that defeated Westmeath earlier this month.

Ciaran Kenny starts at wing-back with Diarmuid O’Keefe switching to midfield as Harry Kehoe misses out, while Shane Tomkins replaces half-forward Jack Guiney, who was dropped from the panel.

Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Paul Murphy, Joey Holden, Jackie Tyrrell; Padraig Walsh, Kieran Joyce, Cillian Buckley; Michael Fennelly, Conor Fogarty; Walter Walsh, Richie Hogan, T J Reid; Ger Aylward, Colin Fennelly, Eoin Larkin.

Wexford: Mark Fanning; Liam Ryan, Matthew O'Hanlon, Eoin Moore; Andrew Shore, Lee Chin, Ciaran Kenny; David Redmond, Diarmuid O'Keeffe; Shane Tomkins, Daithi Waters, Ian Byrne; Paul Morris, Conor McDonald, Liam Óg McGovern.

Limerick v Tipperary (4pm)

Limerick will attempt to record a third championship win over Tipperary in as many years when they meet at the Gaelic Grounds.

The Treaty County have reached successive Munster finals and were victorious in 2013, while Eamon O’Shea has yet to win a provincial championship game as Tipperary manager.

O’Shea names 11 of the team that started in last year’s All-Ireland final replay defeat to Kilkenny, with John ‘Bubbles’ O’Dwyer shaking off an ankle problem to take his place at corner-forward.

Limerick boss TJ Ryan makes one change to the team that defeated Clare in the Munster quarter-final. David Breen is selected at wing-forward in place of Paul Browne.

Limerick: Barry Hennessy; Stephen Walsh; Richie McCarthy, Seamus Hickey; Seanie O’Brien, Gavin O’ Mahony, Tom Condon; James Ryan, Paudie O’Brien; Donal O’Grady, Declan Hannon, David Breen; Graeme Mulcahy, Shane Dowling, Cian Lynch.

Tipperary: Darren Gleeson; Paddy Stapleton, James Barry, Conor O’Brien; Kieran Bergin, Pádraic Maher, Ronan Maher; James Woodlock, Shane McGrath; Jason Forde, Brendan Maher, Patrick Maher; John O’Dwyer, Seamus Callanan, Niall O’Meara.