Farrell and Evans selected in attack as Offaly side named for Longford showdown

CIAN Farrell and Jamie Evans have been named to start in the attack for Offaly in Sunday's big Leinster Senior Football Championship first round showdown in Longford.

The inclusion of Farrell and Evans is the only surprise as manager Martin Murphy and selectors have opted for the tried and tested. And these are very mild surprises. Edenderry man Farrell is one of the most exciting forwards in Offaly. He missed last season with a cruciate injury and has featured in a few games as Offaly held their own in Division 3 of the National Football League.

Farrell struggled to find his best form but has shown flashes of excellence and management have decided to show faith in him. Jamie Evans' inclusion is more of a surprise. A very fast and direct player, Evans had featured sparingly in the league, though he did start in the earlier league win over Longford and has shown potential.

Cian Donohue and Bernard Allen started in the attack in the last league game, a heavy defeat by Down and they are left off. Donohue is a defender in any rate and assuming that Offaly line out as selected – and that is never a written in the modern GAA world -, management have opted to go with a more attack orientated side.

Apart from Farrell and Evans, the Offaly team named is entirely as expected as they face into a season defining match with Longford.

OFFALY: Ian Duffy (Walsh Island); Ciaran Donnelly (Bracknagh), Declan Hogan (Tullamore), David Dempsey (Ballycommon); Rory Egan (Edenderry), Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh), Lee Pearson (Edenderry); Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), Conor McNamee (Rhode); Cian Farrell (Edenderry), Ruari McNamee (Rhode), Anton Sullivan (Rhode); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Nigel Dunne (Shamrocks), Jamie Evans (Gracefield). Subs – Corey White (Tullamore), Cian Donohue (St Brigid's), Bernard Allen (Tubber), Joe Maher (Ferbane), Jack Bryant (Shamrocks), Bill Carroll (Cappincur), Jack O'Brien (Durrow), Kevin Nugent (Ferbane), Aaron Brazil (Shannonbridge), Aaron Leavy (Tullamore), Luke Egan (Tullamore).