Shefflin and Tennyson in Kilkenny team

Henry Shefflin and John Tennyson will start for Kilkenny in the GAA Hurling All-Ireland final on Sunday.

Ballyhale Shamrocks star Shefflin was expected to miss the game immediately after suffering a cruciate ligament injury during the Cats' All-Ireland semi-final victory over Cork.

But he has trained with the squad in recent weeks without showing any adverse reaction and has been deemed fit to start in the half-forward line.

Tennyson was also considered a doubt due to a ruptured cruciate suffered in the build-up to the semi-final but Kilkenny manager Brian Cody has decided that he is fit enough to take his place in the starting line-up.

The Carrickshock man will line out at centre-back in place of Brian Hogan, who suffered a broken finger during training in the lead-up to the final.

James Ryall, who replaced Hogan when he was forced off after 15 minutes of the semi-final with a shoulder injury, is named on the bench along with 2009 All Star winning midfielder Michael Rice.

There had been speculation that Rice would be brought into the forward division at the expense of Eddie Brennan or TJ Reid but Kilkenny have opted to stick with the status quo.

Michael Kavanagh, Derek Lyng and Martin Comerford are also among the options on the bench while Hogan is also named as a substitute.

Shefflin's selection means that the inclusion of Tennyson is the only change from the Kilkenny team that beat Cork on 8 August.

TJ Reid of Ballyhale Shamrocks captains the team.

Kilkenny team to play Tipperary in the GAA Hurling All-Ireland final on Sunday 5 September (3.30pm):

1. PJ Ryan (Fenians)
2. John Dalton (Carrickshock)
3. Noel Hickey (Dunnamaggin)
4. Jackie Tyrrell (James Stephens)
5. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan)
6. John Tennyson (Carrickshock)
7. J.J. Delaney (Fenians)
8. James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
9. Michael Fennelly (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
10. TJ Reid (Ballyhale Shamrocks) (Captain)
11. Henry Shefflin (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
12. Eoin Larkin (James Stephens)
13. Eddie Brennan (Graig Ballycallan)
14. Richard Power (Carrickshock)
15. Aidan Fogarty (Emeralds)