Team announced as Offaly hurlers search for early season form in Walsh Cup

THE Walsh Cup won't be remembered at all at the end of the season but Offaly senior hurlers will still be looking for early season form when they begin the competition with an away game against Laois on Thursday evening.

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.

Ben Conneely and Leon Fox are full and centre half back in a solid looking defence while there is a new look midfield pairing of Cathal King and Luke Watkins. Killian Sampson, who has alternated between defence and the forwards in recent seasons, has been named to lead the attack at centre half forward. Lusmagh's Eimhin Kelly is full forward and will be flanked by two newcomers in Birr's Morgan Watkins and Paul Cleary of Shinrone.

Durrow's Dan Bourke has been called up from the U-20 squad that reached the All-Ireland final last year and is named at wing forward. There is no real surprises in the Offaly team as manager Johnny Kelly and selectors pick a team that they hope can get an early season win while giving a chance to some newcomers.

After winning Division 2 last year, Offaly are facing a very challenging Division 1 campaign in the National Hurling League this year. They open with a home game against Waterford in O'Connor Park on February 4 and also have to play Clare, Cork, Kilkenny and Wexford.

Offaly's other home games are against Cork and Clare, both in O'Connor Park and they will be hoping to avoid a repeat of their last appearance in the top flight a couple of years ago when they shipped a couple of heavy beatings.

Division 1 may prove a step too far for Offaly at the moment but a very honest group of players have been working hard under their manager, Portumna man Johnny Kelly, who is back for a second year in charge.

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).