Adam Screeney starts for Offaly in their crucial Joe McDonagh Cup clash with Westmeath.
Saturday, April 27
Joe McDonagh Cup round 2
Offaly v Westmeath, Glenisk O'Connor Park, 3pm
This is a must-win match for both teams after opening round defeats to Laois and Kerry respectively.
Offaly’s defeat to their Midlands neighbours must have been an especially sore one as they were in control for long spells of the match but were then outscored by 2-6 to 0-3 in the closing 20 minutes.
Adam Screeny made a big impression as a substitute in that game and unsurprisingly comes into the starting XV for this one, but the absence of the injured duo Eoghan Cahill and Dav Ravenhill is a big loss.
Westmeath were quite listless in their 1-20 to 1-14 home defeat to Kerry and manager Joe Fortune will be demanding much greater urgency from his troops for this clash.
They need to get more from a forward unit that scored just five points from play in that match, and Eoin Keyes, Ciaran Doyle, and David O’Reilly are drafted in from the start to provide a spark that was missing against Kerry.
It’ll be a match of fine margins, but Offaly’s form is that bit more convincing.
OFFALY: Mark Troy; Cathal King, Ciaran Burke, Ben Conneely; Killian Sampson, Cillian Kiely, Sam Bourke; Jason Sampson, David King; Dan Bourke, Brian Duignan, David Nally; Adam Screeney, Charlie Mitchell, Eimhin Kelly. Subs: Stephen Corcoran, Donal Shirley, Padraig Cantwell, Ross Ravenhill, Jack Clancy, Leon Fox, Dara Maher, Luke Watkins, Oisin Kelly, Paul Cleary, Jack Screeney.
WESTMEATH: Noel Conaty; Johnny Bermingham, Tommy Doyle, Kevin Regan; Darragh Egerton, Aonghus Clarke, Robbie Greville; Cormac Boyle, Charlie McCormack; Joseph Boyle, Killian Doyle, David O'Reilly; Niall Mitchell, Eoin Keyes, Ciaran Doyle. Subs: Jamie Mulkearns, Aaron Craig, Peter Clarke, Shane McGovern, David Williams, Jordy Smyth, Owen McCabe, Conor Gaffney, Jack Gillen, Darragh Clinton, Davy Glennon.
Meath v Laois, Trim, 3pm
The Laois hurlers have had a great 2024 so far. They were dominant victors over Carlow in the Allianz Hurling League Division 2A Final back in March and then started their Joe McDonagh Cup campaign with a bang by beating neighbours Offaly last weekend.
There was much to admire in that performance as they recovered from a six-point deficit in the second-half to come with a winning burst inspired by two Paddy Purcell goals.
Meath, in contrast, have struggled for form this year. They were relegated from Division 2A and fell to Down in the first round of the Joe McDonagh Cup last weekend.
When these two teams met in the League Laois triumphed by 4-26 to 1-21. The scoring power supplied by in-form players like Purcell, Aaron Dunphy, and Stephen Maher means they’re capable of repeating the dose.
MEATH: Charlie Ennis; Jarlath Ennis, Seán Geraghty, Daire Shine; Kris Gorman, James Toher, James Kelly; David Murtagh, Niall McLarnon; Tom Shine, Seán Martin, Simon Ennis; Padraig O'Hanrahan, Éamon Óg Ó Donnchadha, Nicky Potterton. Subs: Philly O' Brien, Seán Quigley, Mark Horan, Michael Burke, Willie Gleeson, Eoin Donegan, Jack Walsh, Domhnall Rogers, Jamie Leavy, Fergal Chawke, Karl Rogers.
LAOIS: Enda Rowland; Ian Shanahan, Ryan Mullaney, Diarmuid Conway; Liam O'Connell, Padraig Delaney, Fiachra C Fennell; David Dooley, Aidan Corby; Stephen Maher, Aaron Dunphy, Patrick Purcell; Tomás Keyes, Mark Dowling, Willie Dunphy. Subs: Cathal Dunne, Donnchadh Hartnett, Padraic Dunne, Lee Cleere, John Lennon, Gearoid Lynch, Martin Phelan, James Duggan, Stephen Bergin, Ross King, Padraic Lalor.
Sunday, April 28
Kerry v Down, Austin Stack Park, 1pm
Kerry produced the result of the first round when beating Westmeath away from home by 1-20 to 1-14, a win all the more impressive considering they did it without star forward who is likely to miss the entire campaign with a foot injury
In his absence, Mark O’Connor really stepped up to the plate against Kerry both from open play and frees and was ably assisted in the Kingdom attack by Ronan Walsh.
What was most impressive about Kerry against the Lake County though was their resolute defending, with the outstanding Fionnán Mackessy setting the tone from centre-back.
Down also come into this match with a fair wind in their sails after an impressive opening round win over Meath. With players like Daithi Sands, Eoghan Sands, Tim Prenter and Paul Sheehan, this Down team has a formidable forward line that can do serious damage when they all click.
There won’t be much in this one, but home advantage could give Kerry an edge.
KERRY: Louis Dee; Daithí Griffin, Flor McCarthy, Evan Murphy; Kyle O'Connor, Eric Leen, Fionán Mackessy; Colin Walsh, Darragh Shanahan; Niall Mulcahy, Killian Hayes, Rónán Walsh; Luke Crowley, Michael Leane, Maurice O'Connor. Subs: Diarmuid Quirke, Bill Keane, Brandon Barrett, Dan Goggin, Dara Kearney, Darragh Reen, David Woulfe, Gavin Dooley, Morgan Madden, Tom Doyle, Tomás O' Connor.
DOWN: Stephen Keith; Matt Conlan, Conor Cassidy, Dara Mallon; Tom Murray, Caolan Taggart, Ruairi McCrickard; Donal Hughes, Tim Prenter; Paul Sheehan, Eoghan Sands, Liam Savage; Daithi Sands, Chris Egan, Pearse Óg McCrickard. Subs: Pearce Smyth, Marc Fisher, Niall Mc Farland, Finn Turpin, Barry Trainor, John McManus, Aodhan Furlong, Cormac McAllister, Tom McGrattan, Oisin Mac Manus, James Dougan