Offaly hurling team named for Joe McDonagh Cup opener

THE Offaly senior hurling team has been named for Saturday's Joe McDonagh Cup opener against Laois in Tullamore.

Playing the title favourites, Offaly will be desperate to get off to a winning start and have made a couple of changes from the team that beat Kildare in the Division 2 National Hurling League final last Sunday.

James Nally comes into the defence in place of Dara Maher while Brian Duignan and Charlie Mitchell have been selected in attack ahead of Shane Dooley and Paddy Clancy. It was obvious that Mitchell would start once he was rested by Offaly for their Leinster U-20 hurling win over Meath on Thursday evening. Brian Duignan is just back from an injury lay off and was ring rusty early on when he came on against Kildare but played himself into it and scored a very important late point.

Shane Dooley was taken off at half time in that game and was always unlikely to be started once that happened – the veteran Tullamore man may see action at some stage while late changes to selected teams is very much par for the course with current team managers.

There are positional changes made from the team that rallied powerfully in the second half to beat Kildare with Cillian Kiely named at midfield but we will have to wait until throw in time to see what way they actually line out.