Offaly trio to make first senior starts against Kilkenny

 

Three players will be making their first senior championship starts for Offaly in this Sunday's Leinster quarter-final showdown with All-Ireland champions Kilkenny.

Offaly manager Ollie Baker and selectors Stephen Byrne and Mark Byrne have announced their team for Sunday’s clash against the all-conquering Cats at 2pm in O’Connor Park, Tullamore.

Shinrone's Sean Cleary (21) will make his championship debut at left corner forward. He was part of the Offaly U-21 side that defeated Laois last Wednesday night.

Kilcormac/Killoughey’s Ciaran Slevin, who captained his club to county and provincial success in 2012, will also be starting a senior championship encounter for the first time.

His only other previous taste of inter-county championship fare was on May 27, 2007 when he was introduced as a sub during a Leinster Championship win over Laois.

In addition, Seir Kieran’s Dermot Mooney will start a senior championship fixture for the first time. Last year on July 7, he was introduced as a late sub during Offaly’s 1-26 to 2-16 All-Ireland SHC qualifier loss against Cork.

Sunday's game will be televised live on RTE 2.

Alan Kelly of Galway has been appointed as referee.

 

Offaly SH team v Kilkenny 

1 James Dempsey (Kinnitty)

2 Chris McDonald (Brosna Gaels)

3 David Kenny (Capt) (Belmont)

4 Kevin Brady (Coolderry)

5 Rory Hanniffy (Birr)

6 Ger Healion (Kilcormac/Killoughey)

7 Cathal Parlon (Coolderry)

8 Conor Mahon (Kilcormac/Killoughey)

9 Dermot Mooney (Seir Kieran)

10 Colin Egan (Belmont)

11 Brian Carroll (Coolderry)

12 Ciaran Slevin (Kilcormac/Killoughey)

13 Shane Dooley (Tullamore)

14 Joe Bergin (Seir Kieran)

15 Sean Cleary (Shinrone)