Cats keep Carey in reserve
DJ Carey - nine times a Leinster SHC winner - will start on the Kilkenny bench for tomorrow's provincial decider against holders Wexford at Croke Park (throw-in 3.30pm).
The Young Irelands legend, understood to have some fitness doubts, will fill the role of 'super sub' for Brian Cody's Cats as he has been replaced at full-forward by Conor Phelan.
Carey boasts an incredible haul of nine Leinster SHC winners' medals from 1991-92-93-98-99-2000-2001-2002-2003.
Manager Cody has made no further changes from the side that dumped Offaly out of the provincial race with a 31-point thumping last month.
1/8 favourites to win tomorrow, Kilkenny have included two-time All-star midfielder Derek Lyng, who Cody was happy to give extra time to recover from a knee injury by delaying his team announcement by 48 hours.
The Cats' boss, unperturbed by the bookmakers' odds, said: "I know that we're being touted to win Leinster and the All-Ireland this year, but that won’t put any extra pressure on us. Odds will have no bearing on how we perform on the day.
"There will be equal pressure on both sides. Whoever deals with that best will be the team that comes out on top."
KILKENNY (SHC v Wexford): J McGarry; J Tyrrell, N Hickey, J Ryall; R Mullally, P Barry (capt), JJ Delaney; B Barry, D Lyng; M Comerford, E Larkin, T Walsh; R Power, C Phelan, H Shefflin.
