TEAM-NEWS: Offaly forward ruled out as players look to stake claim against Kilkenny
Three changes on Offaly team for round 3
Offaly will be without their star forward for Sunday's Leinster Senior Hurling Championship third round game against Kilkenny in Tullamore,
Adam Screeney is out with a hamstring strain and the Offaly medical team will be working hard top get him right for round 4 against Wexford on Sunday week.
Screeney's place goes to Birr sharp shooter Eoghan Cahill while there are other changes from the team that lost to Galway in their last game.
Manager Johnny Kelly has named a new midfield pairing of Colin Spain and Luke Watkins, Ciaran Burke returns to more familiar defensive duty after playing at midfield in Galway with his Durrow club mate Sam Bourke left off. Jack Clancy partnered Burke at midfield in the last game and he is back on the subs bench.
Apart from those three changes in personnel, Offaly have stuck with the same team that gave it their best shot in Galway, after a very encouraging draw with Dublin in the opening round.
It is a first start of the championship for Spain, Watkins and Cahill and gives them a chance to stake a claim for places in the last two group games against Wexford and Kildare.
Screeney got a hamstring injury against Galway, though he played the full game and management don't know yet if he will make it back for Wexford.
Offaly will be hoping to compete well against Kilkenny, who were destroyed in the first round by Galway but recovered well with an impressive win over Wexford. Offaly haven't beaten Kilkenny since the 1998 All-Ireland senior hurling final, almost thirty years ago, and while the gap between the counties has narrowed in the past couple of years, it will still be a big shock if they end that win-less streak on Sunday.
Offaly will be having a real cut at Kilkenny but the huge games against Wexford and Kildare have to be on the back of management's minds and they won't be risking players with injury. There is, however, encouraging news on the injury front apart from Screeney. Defender James Mahon is included on the subs bench after missing the entire campaign up to now after getting a bad hamstring tear in the Walsh Cup defeat by Galway way back in January.
Dan Ravenhill and Cathal King are also included among the subs. They missed the Galway game after getting injured against Dublin. Brecon Kavanagh also got injured that day and he is not back on the bench yet. Another defender, Ruari Kelly came back against Galway, doing well when introduced at half time.
OFFALY: Liam Hoare (Carrig-Riverstown); Ciaran Burke (Durrow), Ben Conneely (St Rynagh's), Patrick Taaffe (Belmont); Ross Ravenhill (Durrow), Killian Sampson (Shinrone), Ter Guinan (Kilcormac-Killoughey); Colin Spain (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Luke Watkins (Shinrone); Dan Bourke (Durrow), Conor Doyle (Clara), Shane Rigney (St Rynagh's); Eoghan Cahill (Birr) Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Brian Duignan (Durrow). Subs – Mark Troy (Durrow), Oisin Kelly (Belmont), Ruari Kelly (Lusmagh), James Mahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Leigh Kavanagh (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Jack Clancy (Belmont), David Nally (Belmont), Luke Nolan (Birr), Ciaran Cleary (Shinrone), Dan Ravenhill (Durrow), Cathal King (Carrig-Riverstown).