NICKIE Quaid has made a recovery from a potentially career-ending injury and has been named in goal for Limerick’s Munster Senior Hurling Championship opener with Tipperary at Semple Stadium, Thurles, on Sunday (4pm).
The three-time All-Star ruptured his cruciate ligament in November and underwent an operation soon afterwards.
Although reported to be on the mend, Quaid wasn’t expected back between the sticks for the holders so quickly.
Full recovery from cruciate ligament surgery can take up to a year.
In-form quartet Barry Murphy, Colin Coughlan, Adam English and Shane O’Brien have all been named on the starting XV by manager John Kiely.
Opponents Tipperary have made two changes to the XV beaten by Cork in the recentDivision 1A final.
John McGrath replaces Gearóid O’Connor and Darragh Stakelum comes in for Willie Connors.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Barry Murphy, Michael Casey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Kyle Hayes, Colin Coughlan; William O’Donoghue, Cian Lynch, captain; Gearoid Hegarty, David Reidy, Cathal O’Neill; Aaron Gillane, Shane O’Brien, Adam English.
Substitutes: Shane Dowling, Peter Casey, Seán Finn, Ethan Hurley, Dan Morrissey, Tom Morrissey, Aidan O’Connor, Fergal O’Connor, Donnacha Ó Dálaigh, Darragh O’Donovan, Paddy O’Donovan.
Tipperary: Barry Hogan; Robert Doyle, Eoghan Connolly, Michael Breen; Joe Caesar, Ronan Maher, Bryan O’Mara; Craig Morgan, Darragh Stakelum; Alan Tynan, Jake Morris, Sam O’Farrell; Darragh McCarthy, John McGrath, Jason Forde.
Substitutes: Rhys Shelly, Conor Bowe, Willie Connors, Sean Kenneally, Seamus Kennedy, Brian McGrath, Noel McGrath, Andrew Ormond, Gearóid O’Connor, Johnny Ryan, Conor Stakelum.
