Offaly draft up six 2025 minors for Leinster U20 football opener

AS you would expect, Offaly have given a quick elevation to a number of last year's minor team for their Leinster U20 Football Championship opener against Kildare in their training ground, Hawkfield, just outside Newbridge, on Wednesday evening.

Offaly won the Leinster Minor Football Championship in sensational style last year and players who make the U20 team this year are likely to have three years playing in the older age group.

Goalkeeper Jack Ryan's sensational striking from late frees was instrumental in last year's great run and he will wear the number one jersey. With last year's minor manager Roger Ryan (Shannonbridge) now over the U20 team, Ryan will be joined on the starting line-up by Tomas Carroll, Charlie Duffy, Eoin Rouse, Dylan Dunne and Cian McNamee while Tadgh Kelly and Ruari Woods are in the subs. Rouse's return from injury was pivotal to Offaly getting going after a dreadful start last year – he played mainly as a hugely effective attacking wing back last year and he has been given an attacking role this year.

The attack will be led by two of the outstanding forwards on last year's team with Dylan Dunne at centre half forward and Rhode's Cian McNamee at full.

A number of players featured in last year's championship. From the starting line-up for the Kildare game, Patrick Kenna, Jake Maher, Christian McKeon, Harry Goulding, Jack Maher, Eoin Dunne, Brian Carroll and Kaelem Bryan all played in a campaign when Offaly didn't get going – their star player Cillian Bourke was injured and didn't feature last year. Bourke is still underage this year and with him on board, Offaly's prospects would have been much enhanced but he has gone to Australia to try and make professional football there.

Subs Cillian Foran and Dara Cuddihy also played last year. Despite the loss of Bourke, Offaly look to have a decent team on paper, though this opening game is a tough one. Kildare are highly rated but Offaly have a lot going for them in all sectors – there had been speculation earlier in the year that Christian McKeon and Dylan Dunne would be unable to commit but both are fully on board and the Clara duo are among the key players.

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Eoin Dunne, the type of physically strong player Offaly are trying to groom, featured in for the seniors in the National Football League and is at midfield while defender Harry Goulding has been on the panel. Dunne will be partnered at midfield by emerging Edenderry man, Charlie Duffy who was also in great form on last year's minor team.

Offaly have been drawn in the three team group C and are at home to Wicklow on April 8 – it remains to be seen if this game will have a 7.30pm throw in at Faithful Fields or an earlier one in O'Connor Park.

The winner and runner up in this group qualify for the quarter finals against the runners up in groups 1 and 2 – the winners of these groups go into the semi-finals. Kildare hammered Wicklow by 3-16 to 0-9 in the first game and a quarter-final berth is the very obvious target for Offaly – judging by that result, it should be very achievable for them.

OFFALY: Jack Ryan (Doon); Tomas Carroll (Erin Rovers), Jack Maher (Tullamore), Patrick Kenna (Tullamore); Jake Maher (Ferbane), Christian McKeon (Clara), Harry Goulding (Edenderry); Charlie Duffy (Edenderry), Eoin Dunne (Clodiagh Gaels); Brian Carroll (Ferbane), Dylan Dunne (Clara), Eoin Rouse (Tullamore); Conor Bracken (Ballinagar), Cian McNamee (Rhode), Kaelem Bryan (Edenderry). Subs – Josh Kellaghan (Rhode), Cillian Foran (Edenderry), Colm Egan (Ballycumber), Ruari Woods (Belmont), Aaron Molloy (St Rynagh's), Tadgh Kelly (Kilclonfert), Luke Fitzgerald (Doon), Eoghan Cullen (Edenderry), Dara Cuddihy (Walsh Island).