No surprises as Offaly football team released for derby clash

THERE are no surprises on the Offaly team announced to play Laois in the first round of the Leinster Senior Football Championship in Tullamore on Saturday.

The team is more or less as expected and had been well sign-posted in the closing couple of rounds of the National Football League. Players returning from injury have strengthened Offaly's hand and two of these, Shane Tierney and Dylan Hyland have made the full forward line. Tierney started the last league game against Meath while Hyland came on as a sub but was an automatic starter once fit.

Four more players are just back from injury and make the bench, Aidan Bracken, Kyle Higgins, Jack Bryant and Nathan Poland. This has increased competition for places and some players will be disappointed at not making the starting team or bench – Tullamore's Niall Furlong started in the loss against Meath but is not named among the subs.

There is always the possibility of late changes but the Offaly team released on Thursday evening was predictable. The defence and midfield picked themselves with the Egan brothers, Cormac and Diarmuid on the half back line and Jordan Hayes partnering Jack McEvoy at midfield. Managers Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly faced more dilemmas in their attacking selection with Tullamore sharp shooter Harry Plunkett in contention for a starting place while Jack Bryant would also have come into the equation after getting back from injury in recent weeks.

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OFFALY: Conor Melia (Bracknagh); Shane O'Toole-Greene (Shamrocks), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Lee Pearson (Edenderry); Cormac Egan (Tullamore), Diarmuid Egan (Tullamore), Daire McDaid (Tullamore); Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Marcas Dalton (Clara), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue), Rory Egan (Edenderry); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Shane Tierney (Daingean), Darragh Flynn (Ferbane). Subs – Sean O'Toole (Shamrocks), Aidan Bracken (Ballycommon), Conor Dunican (Ferbane), Nathan Poland (Erin Rovers), Kyle Higgins (Ferbane), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks), Eoin Sawyer (Castleknock), Harry Plunkett (Tullamore), Sean Conway (Ballycommon), Eoin Dunne (Clodiagh Gaels), Cathal Ryan (Daingean).