Munster SHC: Tipperary team to play Waterford on Sunday

Ronan Maher has been named at centre back on the Tipperary hurling team to play Westmeath in Sunday's National League game in Nenagh

placeholder image — Ronan Maher has been named at centre back on the Tipperary hurling team to play Westmeath in Sunday's National League game in Nenagh

What way will Colm Bonner line-up his men?

Tipperary Manager Colm Bonner has sat down with his selectors Johnny Enright, Tommy Dunne and Paul Curran to pick the starting fifteen for the opening round of the Munster senior hurling championship against Waterford in Walsh Park on Sunday.

And, while much of the focus will have been on the first fifteen, there also has to have been a real emphasis on the substitutes list and who will be entrusted with 'bringing the ship home.'

Much has been made of the strength in depth of the Waterford panel created by Liam Cahill in Deise land, and Tipperary followers will be well aware that it is going to take more than fifteen men to win any game in the modern era.

So, what does a manager do? Put out your strongest side from the off? Put out a starting team to get you to the fifty minute mark with the hope of introducing the cavalry to finish it off? Or try to play it smart and use your best assassins when the frenetic early stages have gone from the game? These are the questions to be mulled over and you know, if Tipperary are beaten on Sunday, experts will point to the wrong options as having been chosen - that's the nature of management.

So, here's a possible starying line-up for Sunday - possibly even a probable one. Interestingly, twelve of the team below featured in the opening round of the league against Laois.

Brian Hogan

Cathal Barrett

James Quigley

Craig Morgan

Robert Byrne

Seamus Kennedy

Ronan Maher

Barry Heffernan

Dan McCormack

Conor Bowe

Jason Forde

Michael Breen