Three newcomers in Offaly team for Kildare clash

 

Offaly manager Emmet McDonnell has included three debutants in his starting team for this evening’s Leinster SFC quarter-final joust with Kildare at Croke Park (throw-in: 5pm).

Cappincur’s Eoin Carroll, Ballyfore’s Daithi Brady and St Brigid’s Johnny Brickland will make their first ever senior championship appearances for the ‘Faithful County’ against Kieran McGeeney’s Kildare.

Edenderry’s David Hanlon - who was introduced as a sub during Offaly’s 0-6 to 0-19 loss against Kildare in last year’s Leinster Championship encounter - will also start a championship match for the first time tomorrow.

Carroll played throughout this year’s Allianz Football League campaign, including the recent Division 4 Final at Croke Park, where Offaly lost out to fellow promoted Limerick by 0-16 to 1-11.

The Offaly team for shows three changes in personnel to the side that went down to Limerick - Niall Darby (who is included among the subs), Sean Pender and Ross Brady have made way with Brady, Brickland and Hanlon coming into the side.

This clash will be the second occasion this year that Offaly and Kildare have met.  On January 20in O’Connor Park, the counties played out a highly entertaining Bord na Mona O’Byrne Cup semi-final where Kildare shaded the honours by 1-12 to 1-9.

 

Offaly SF v Kildare

1 Alan Mulhall (Walsh Island)

2 Brian Darby (Rhode)

3 Paul McConway (Tullamore)

4 Daithi Brady (Ballyfore)

5 Eoin Carroll (Cappincur)

6 Shane Sullivan (Rhode)

7 Michael Brazil (Tullamore)

8 Alan McNamee (Rhode)

9 Brian Connor (Walsh Island)

10 Graham Guilfoyle (Clara)

11 Johnny Brickland (St Brigid’s)

12 David Hanlon (Edenderry)

13 Anton Sullivan (Rhode)

14 Niall McNamee (captain) (Rhode)

15 Ken Casey (St Brigid’s)

 

Subs

16 Ian Duffy (Walsh Island)

17 Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh)

18 Johnny Moloney (Tullamore)

19 Niall Darby (Rhode)

20 Ruairi Allen (Gracefield)

21 Willie Mulhall (Walsh Island)

22 Luke Kelly (Clara)

23 Matthew Mitchell (Clara)

24 Daire Corbett (Shannonbridge)

25 Derek Kelly (Edenderry)

26 Paul McPadden (Rhode)