Breakfast on Sunday morning will have one topic of conversation in the McGrath household in Loughmore with all three brothers starting in the Munster senior hurling championship opener against Clare! Brian, Noel and John will be in the backs, midfield and forward line respectively. The trio have impressed all spring with John starring recently against Wexford in Carrick On Suir while Brian has been steady all season. Noel is Noel, simply one of the most gifted sticksmen in Tipperary hurling this century. Sunday will be a proud one for the wider McGrath family too with the trios first cousins named on the panel as well. The Campion brothers, John and Pauric, are both part of the match day squad Liam Cahill has named for Sunday.
The Tipp team line out with Ronan Maher at full back while Michael Breen moves out after the league to wing back. Johnny Ryan, after some excellent spring time performances, starts at corner back and is tipped to pick up Clare sharpshooter Shane O'Donnell. Cathal Barrett has found some form again after injuring his shoulder against Kilkenny in the league and played for 50 minutes against Wexford recently. He has carried the good form into training and gets the nod to start in the corner. Barry Hogan starts in goals.
The half back line sees Brian McGrath at 5 and Breen on the other wing. Bryan O'Mara from Holycross is centre back after some excellent league performances and for his college UL in the Fitzgibbon cup where he was pivotal to leading them to success.
In midfield it is Noel McGrath and Alan Tynan, a player that has performed since Roscreas run in the Munster Intermediate championship last winter. The lost the final to Monaleen there but Tynan, with a background in rugby, did enough to impress and get the start for this years championship.
The half forward line sees John McGrath at centre forward -how he plays could easily decide the game - and he is flanked by workhorses Dan McCormack and Seamus Kennedy. Jake Morris starts at 13, towering giant Gar O'Connor is at full forward and Jason Forde is at 15. The frees Forde hits will be critical on Sunday, he will need to be on form.
Formidable yes, but Tipp are without certain starters in Paddy Cadell, Craig Morgan and Ger Browne who are all injured, however this Tipp team is as good as what is available to pick from. Seamus Callanan is still out with a knee injury but may be back sooner than expected, this Sunday is just too soon though.
The subs bench looks like there is some firepower with Conor Bowe and Mark Keogh both likely to see game time. Plenty of options too with Conor Stakelum, Cian O'Dwyer and Sean Ryan ready to come in. In defence, Rhys Shellly is the sub keeper and John Campion, Enda Heffernan and Pauric Campion are there to marshall the defence if called upon.
We wish Tipp well on Sunday. The panel in full is:
