Offaly hurling team named for Joe McDonagh Cup opener

THE Offaly senior hurling team has been named for Sunday’s all-important Joe McDonagh Cup opener against Laois in Portlaoise.

  It will be a huge test for Offaly with a win setting them up early for a final place while a defeat would place them under real pressure.

Offaly defeated Laois in last year’s opener in Tullamore and the stakes are similarly huge here. As expected Offaly have gone with a very strong team. They have selected two U-20 players in Cathal King and Dan Bourke but have opted against starting Adam Screeney and Dan Ravenhill.

Screeney is certainly likely to feature while Ravenhill has recovered from a hamstring strain – his older brother Ross Ravenhill makes a welcome return to the panel following a long lay off after an ankle operation.

Shinrone brothers Killian and Jason Sampson are named at midfield with Cillian Kiely at centre half back and his Kilcormac-Killoughey club mate Charlie Mitchell leading the attack at centre forward. Birr scoring machine Eoghan Cahill will be on free taking duty and it will be a tension filled, very intense afternoon for both teams.

OFFALY: Mark Troy (Durrow); Ben Conneely (St Rynagh’s), Ciaran Burke (Durrow), Cathal King (Carrig-Riverstown); David King (Coolderry), Cillian Kiely (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Sam Bourke (Durrow); Killian Samspon (Shinrone), Jason Sampson (Shinrone); Dan Bourke (Durrow), Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey), David Nally (Belmont); Eimhin Kelly (Lusmagh), Brian Duignan (Durrow), Eoghan Cahil (Birr). Subs – Stephen Corcoran (Coolderry), Leon Fox (Belmont), Dan Ravenhill (Durrow), Adam Screeney (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Padraig Cantwell (Shamrocks), Jack Clancy (Belmont), Dara Maher (Shinrone), Luke Watkins (Shinrone), Paul Cleary (Shinrone), Ross Ravenhill (Durrow), Oisin Kelly (Belmont).