Offaly hurling team announced for Galway opener

THE Offaly senior hurling team has been announced for Sunday's National Hurling League Division 1 opener against Galway in Salthill.

Offaly's team is along expected lines after a solid Walsh Cup campaign, during which they competed well against experimental Galway and Dublin sides before falling away late on.

They have selected an novice half forward line with Luke O'Connor and Eimhin Kelly flanking Jason Sampson. Scoring machine Eoghan Cahill is on the full forard line while regular starters Brian Duignan and Liam Langton are among the eleven subs – Langton was on the starting team last year as Offaly won promotion from Division 2A and took the Christy Ring Cup but he missed the Walsh Cup campaign as he recovered from injury. Both Langton and Duignan are likely to see action in Galway.

There is no place among the subs for Offaly's most experienced player Shane Dooley. The Tullamore man has announced that he will stay on for another season. Dooley is recovering from a shoulder operation and it could be some weeks before he features.

Ciaran Burke and Ben Conneely will man the defence at full and centre half back while Ross Ravenhill and Leon Fox are at midfield.

It will be a big season for Offaly as they return to Division 1 hurling but face a very tough campaign again many of hurling's super powers. They will learn a lot from it and will be hoping to compete against Galway who will be trying to put on a show for their new manager, Henry Shefflin.

OFFALY: Conor Clancy (St Rynagh's); Joey Keenaghan (Clodiagh Gaels), Ciaran Burke (Durrow), David King (Coolderry); Jack Screeney (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Ben Conneely (St Rynagh's), Killian Sampson (Shinrone); Ross Ravenhill (Durrow), Leon Fox (Belmont); Luke O'Connor (St Rynagh's), Jason Sampson (Shinrone), Eimhin Kelly (Lusmagh); Eoghan Cahill (Birr), John Murphy (Ballinamaere), Adrian Cleary (Shinrone). Subs – Stephen Corcoran (Coolderry), Conor Molloy (Coolderry), Dara Maher (Shinrone), Rory Carty (Birr), David Nally (Belmont), Eoghan Parlon (Coolderry), Brian Duignan (Durrow), Paddy Clancy (Belmont), Aaron Maher (Ballinamere), Padraig Cantwell (Shamrocks), Liam Langton (Clodiagh Gaels).