Poland the surprise choice as Offaly senior footballers name team

NATHAN Poland is the only real surprise on the Offaly team selected to play Laois in the Leinster Senior Football Championship in Portlaoise on Saturday evening.

The Erin Rovers man has been named at full forward with management opting to keep Cathal Flynn in reserve.

Apart from that, the team is as expected. With Aidan Bracken out with a shoulder injury, Peter Cunningham has been selected at centre half back and Jack McEvoy will partner Eoin Carroll at midfield.

Anton Sullivan is ruled out with injury and Nigel Dunne is suspended, resulting in Ballinagar duo Diarmuid Finneran and Morgan Tynan being added to the panel. Forward Cian Farrell has also returned to the panel and may feature at some stage – Farrell and Flynn will have plenty to offer coming off the bench.

Flynn is unlucky not to be selected. The Ferbane flier has been playing well recently but management are obviously keen to have options on the sideline and football is very much a 20 man game now.

Poland has featured sparingly in the league but did do well when used. He was a very good underage player some years ago but didn't feature at senior level until this year when manager Declan Kelly drafted him in.

Five of the side Kelly led to All-Ireland U-20 football glory in 2021 have been named: captain Lee Pearson, Cormac Egan, John Furlong, Jack Bryant and Keith O'Neill while Rory Egan, Cathal Flynn, Morgan Tynan and Cathal Donoghue are on the subs. Mikey Cunningham, a forward sub in 2021, is the sub goalkeeper.

OFFALY: Ian Duffy (Walsh Island); David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Declan Hogan (Tullamore), Lee Pearson (Edenderry); Cormac Egan (Tullamore), Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh), John Furlong (Tullamore); Eoin Carroll (Cappincur), Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Ruari McNamee (Rhode), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Jack Bryant (Shamrocks), Nathan Poland (Erin Rovers), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue). Subs – Mikey Cunningham (Bracknagh), Adam Bolger (Daingean), Jack O'Brien (Durrow), Daire McDaid (Tullamore), Rory Egan (Edenderry), Cathal Flynn (Ferbane), Kevin McDermott (Durrow), Diarmuid Finneran (Ballinagar), Morgan Tynan (Ballinagar), Cian Farrell (Edenderry), Cathal Donoghue (Oughterard, Galway).