Offaly GAA hurling team announced for Walsh Cup game with Laois

Laois and Offaly will come to blows for the second time in 24 hours as the hurlers go toe-to-toe on Thursday evening in the opening game of the Walsh Cup. 

Offaly will travel to the Laois Centre of Excellence in Portlaoise on Thursday (the game was originally fixed for O'Moore Park, switched to Clough-Ballcolla and is now back in Portlaoise) and will be targeting a win in a group that also includes Galway. The losers of Offaly and Laois will play Galway on Sunday, January 7 – it will be in Tullamore if it is Offaly and Ballinasloe if Laois. The winners will play Galway on Sunday January 14, again in Tullamore if Offaly and Ballinasloe for Laois.

The Offaly team was released on Wednesday afternoon and includes several players with plenty of senior inter-county experience.

The Walsh Cup provides an opportunity to experiment in an environment where the results don't matter much and there is no pressure on.

OFFALY: Stephen Corcoran (Coolderry); Jack Clancy (Belmont), Ben Conneely (St Rynagh's), Paddy Delaney (Kinnitty); James Nally (Belmont), Leon Fox (Belmont), Dara Maher (Shinrone); Cathal King (Carrig-Riverstown), Luke Watkins (Shinrone); Dan Bourke (Durow), Killian Sampson (Shinrone), David Nally (Belmont); Morgan Watkins (Birr), Eimhin Kelly (Lusmagh), Paul Cleary (Shinrone). Subs – Mark Troy (Durrow), Eamonn Cleary (Shinrone), Joe Hoctor (Carrig-Riverstown), Kieran Connors (Seir Kieran), Donal Shirley (Tubber),Sam Bourke (Durrow), Jason Sampson (Shinrone), Charlie Mitchell (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Eoghan Cahill (Birr), Ciaran Burke (Durrow), Eoghan Parlon (Coolderry).