Offaly shake up team for must win Walsh Cup match with Galway

OFFALY senior hurling manager Johnny Kelly has shaken up his team for Sunday's Walsh Cup Group 3 round 2 match at home to Galway.

After losing to Laois on Thursday evening, Offaly must win this game if they are to survive in the competition but making the semi-finals is well down their list of priorities and they are on life support in the competition.

The key thing for Offaly is the games and learning more about players ahead of a very challenging National Hurling League Division1 campaign that will begin in February.

Offaly have made several personnel and positional changes for this game in O'Connor Park. The big ones are Cathal King going from midfield to corner back, and Jack Clancy corner back to midfield in a straight swap. Ciaran Burke, Jason Sampson, Donal Shirley and Sam Bourke come into the defence with Paddy Delaney, James Nally, Leon Fox and Dara Maher on the subs. In the attack, the same half forward line will start but established players Charlie Mitchell and Eoghan Cahill should strengthen the attack, replacing Morgan Watkins and Paul Cleary who are on the subs bench.

It is good to see Donal Shirley getting a chance to impress. The Tubber man missed last year's county U-20 campaign through injury, having really shown his quality for the minors the previous year, and he came on as a sub in the defeat in Portlaoise.

One of Offaly's brightest prospects, Adam Screeney has been named among the subs and is likely to make his competitive debut at this level.

There are three sets of brothers in the squad. Durrow's Sam and Dan Bourke are starting while David and James Nally (Belmont) and Adam and Jack Screeney are also on the panel.

Like the footballers in the O'Byrne Cup, the Walsh Cup is all about performances and intensity, rather than results. It is about giving players game time as the opportunity to experiment will be linited in the league and Offaly will attack the game with all guns firing.

Galway are likely to name an experimental team but will probably play some familiar names and are warm favourites to win.

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