Kilkenny left guessing as Clare and Cats name sides for All-Ireland semi-final showdown
Brian Lohan has history in terms of changing the line-up against Kilkenny at this stage of the championship
Kilkenny must wait and see if Aron Shanagher starts or will be sprung from the bench by Clare in Saturday's All-Ireland SHC semi-final at Croke Park.
The one change to the Banner line-up from their quarter-final victory over Wexford is in the full-forward line, with Aidan McCarthy added in place of Wolfe Tones marksman Shanagher.
McCarthy was dropped to the bench for that Wexford game in which Shanagher impressed and Clare boss Brian Lohan has history in this fixture, having made late personnel changes in the last two All-Ireland semi-final meetings of the teams.
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Lohan has also recalled Ryan Taylor to the bench for what could be his first Clare appearance in a year.
Taylor suffered a cruciate knee ligament injury in the 2023 semi-final meeting of the two counties that was won by Kilkenny. Thirteen of the starters that day retain their place for Saturday's encounter.
The Cats have named an unchanged side from the one that cantered past Dublin with a 16-point winning margin in the Leinster final.
That is good news for Derek Lyng, who was sweating on the fitness of defender Mikey Carey after he had to come off in the first half against the Dubs, while Paddy Deegan and John Donnelly have also proved their fitness after hand injury concerns.
The Cats won the 2022 and 2023 semi-final encounters between the two sides, with Clare victorious in the Division 1 final in April.
CLARE: E Quilligan; A Hogan, C Cleary, C Leen; D Ryan, J Conlon, D McInerney; D Fitzgerald, C Malone; T Kelly, M Rodgers, P Duggan; A McCarthy, S O'Donnell, D Reidy. Subs: C Broderick, R Hayes, P Flanagan, C Galvin, D Lohan. R Taylor, I Galvin, A Shanagher, S Meehan, K Smyth, S Rynne.
KILKENNY: E Murphy; M Butler, H Lawlor, T Walsh; D Blanchfield, R Reid, M Carey; C Kenny, P Deegan; A Mullen, TJ Reid, J Donnelly; M Keoghan, B Ryan, E Cody. Subs: A Tallis, C Delaney, S Murphy, J Molloy, C Buckley, C Fogarty, T Phelan, W Walsh, O Wall, C Heary, G Dunne.
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