Offaly Senior Hurling Championship teams profiled as Championship gets underway this weekend

GROUP 1 - BIRR

Manager – Barry Whelahan;

Selectors – Brian Whelahan, Johnny Kelly, Colm Cahill;

Captain – Morgan Watkins;

Absentees, long term injuries, retirements from last year – Padraic Watkins is away at the moment but will be back later;

New players – None;

Star player – Eoghan Cahill;

Key players – Ben Miller, Brendan Murphy, Emmet Nolan;

Last year – Lost to St Rynagh's in the quarter-final;

Prospects – Birr are in the second tier of teams in senior hurling but it would be a surprise if they won the championship. They do have outside prospects. Eoghan Cahill's prolific scoring will always give them a chance and they have a strong back bone. The return of Barry Whelahan as manager is another factor. They did very well under him during his last term in charge and he may be able to get the best out of them. Getting out of the group is their first priority but there won't be much money going on them ending their long famine at the moment.

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