Limerick's Cian Lynch appears to have lost his race to be fit for Sunday's All-Ireland senior hurling final.
Lynch was not included in Limerick's unchanged starting line-up for Sunday's final against Kilkenny, nor was he named on the bench.
The 2021 Hurler of the Year has struggled with injury this season and was sidelined for 10 weeks with a hamstring injury.
He returned as a substitute in the semi-final against Galway, coming off the bench to play his part in Limerick's victory.
However Lynch is understood to have suffered a twisted ankle in training last week and that injury looks to have ruled him out of Sunday's showpiece final.
Lynch's place on the bench is taken by Barry Murphy, who himself has struggled with injury this campaign and should he feature for Limerick on Sunday it will be his first appearance since last year's All-Ireland final.
Kilkenny boss Brian Cody has also stuck with the same team that crushed Clare.
There is one change to the panel, Conor Fogarty replacing Darragh Corcoran on the bench.
Kilkenny: Eoin Murphy; Mikey Butler, Huw Lawlor, Tommy Walsh; Michael Carey, Richie Reid, Paddy Deegan; Cian Kenny, Conor Browne; TJ Reid, Padraig Walsh, Billy Ryan; Adrian Mullen, Martin Keoghan, Eoin Cody.
Subs: Darren Brennan, Conor Delaney, David Blanchfield, James Maher, Conor Fogarty, Cillian Buckley, Alan Murphy, Walter Walsh, John Donnelly, Richie Hogan, Richie Leahy.
Limerick: Nickie Quaid; Sean Finn, Mike Casey, Barry Nash; Diarmaid Byrnes, Declan Hannon, Dan Morrissey; William O'Donoghue, Darragh O'Donovan; Gearoid Hegarty, Kyle Hayes, Tom Morrissey; Aaron Gillane, Seamus Flanagan, Graeme Mulcahy.
Subs: Barry Hennessy, Conor Boylan, Peter Casey, Aaron Costello, Colin Coughlan, Richie English, Robbie Hanley, Barry Murphy, Cathal O'Neill, Oisín O'Reilly, David Reidy.
Follow the All-Ireland Hurling Championship final on Sunday, Limerick v Kilkenny, from 2pm via our live blogs on rte.ie/sport or on the RTÉ News app. Watch live coverage on RTÉ One and RTÉ Player with live radio commentary on RTÉ Radio 1
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