Bryant retains place as Offaly stick with winning formula for Tailteann Cup semi-final
Offaly have options on sideline
AS expected Offaly have named an unchanged team for Saturday's All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Tailteann Cup semi-final against Wicklow in Croke Park.
Jack Bryant, a late call up for Nathan Poland before last Saturday's fine quarter-final win over Wexford, has retained his place and that was a done deal after he turned in a super display, scoring 1-3.
The only real doubt was around flying wing back Cormac Egan, who went off injured in the second half but has been named at wing back. Once again, the Tullamore man has been one of the stars of the Offaly team this season and has been in sensational form in recent displays. He has had a couple of groin niggles and no doubt management will be assessing this as game approaches to make sure he is fully fit and not going to do more damage.
If Cormac Egan was unable to play, Rory Egan, Daire McDaid and Aidan Bracken will be the prime candidates to take his place with Egan and McDaid more natural wing backs than Bracken, who is just back from injury and is more at home on the full back line.
There is one change to the subs bench with Ballinagar's Robbie Gallagher replacing Tullamore's Niall Furlong – Gallagher was left off the 26 for the Wexford game and was given permission to line out for his club Ballinagar in the Division 2 Football League semi-final, playing well in their win over Daingean.
Tullamore marksman Harry Plunkett is on the subs bench once again. One of the best finishers in Offaly, he scored four crucial points in the second half against Wexford, including a delicious two pointer with his right foot and a breathtaking point off his left when he cut in through a gap from the stand side. While Plunkett is performing very well in his first season on the senior football squad, management like the availability of a player who can come on to contribute big scores and have kept him in this role.
Nathan Poland is also capable of scoring if introduced and Offaly have both attacking and defensive options for Saturday's big game.
Offaly have performed very well in the Tailteann Cup and will be favourites to beat Wicklow. The game is at 5pm in Croke Park with the other semi-final between cup favourites Down and Fermanagh at 3pm.
OFFALY: Conor Melia (Bracknagh); Shane O'Toole-Greene (Shamrocks), David Dempsey (Ballycommon), Lee Pearson (Edenderry); Cormac Egan (Tullamore), Diarmuid Egan (Tullamore), Marcas Dalton (Clara); Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Kyle Higgins (Ferbane), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue), Aaron Leavy (Tullamore); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Shane Tierney (Daingean), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks). Subs – Sean O'Toole (Shamrocks), Aidan Bracken (Ballycommon), Eoin Dunne (Clodiagh Gaels), Rory Egan (Edenderry), Robbie Gallagher (Ballinagar), Harry Goulding (Edenderry), Daire McDaid (Tullamore), Ciaran Murphy (Skerries Harps), Harry Plunkett (Tullamore), Nathan Poland (Erin Rovers), Cathal Ryan (Daingean).