Laois name much-changed team for league opener against Leitrim
Laois team pre-match huddle
JUSTIN McNulty has named a much-changed team for the Football League opener against Leitrim from that which lost the Tailteann Cup final to Down in July last year.
Only nine of the team selected for Saturday featured against Down while one of the substitutes for Saturday played against Down.
Of the Tailteann Cup final team Killian Roche, Ben Dempsey, Simon Fingleton, Brian Byrne, Seamus Lacey, Kevin Swayne, Damon Larkin, Mark Barry and Conor Heffernan have been selected to start against Leitrim while James Kelly is on the bench.
The most notable absentee this year is 2024 captain Evan O’Carroll who is unlikely to play this year after damaging his cruciate playing for Leinster in the Railway Cup. Also unavailable due to injury are Mikie Dempsey and Cormac Murphy.
Kieran Lillis has retired while another long serving player, Mark Timmons is not involved. Niall Dunne, Eoin Lowry and Rioghan Murphy are unavailable as they are travelling while Eoin Buggie, Paul Kingston, Brian Daly, Dylan Kavanagh and Davin McEvoy are not part of the panel either.
Trevor Collins returns after a year while Padraig Kirwan, who was out all last year with injury, is also back in the team.
Probably the most welcomed returnee for McNulty is Portarlington’s Paddy O’Sullivan. He in Australia last years and should be available for the League.
:
Killian Roche; Ben Dempsey, Simon Fingleton, Trevor Collins; Padraig Kirwan, Brian Byrne, Seamus Lacey; Kevin Swayne, Damon Larkin; Danny O’Reilly, Mark Barry, Conor Heffernan; Ronan Coffey, Benny Carroll, Niall Corbet.
SUBS: Conor Brown, John Brennan, Jake Darcy, Josh Hogan, Fionn Holland, James Kelly, Jonah Kelly, Liam Knowles, Cathal Lee, Aaron McEvoy, Sean O’Neill.
Conor Brown, Ben Dempsey, Damon Larkin, Benny Carroll, Kevin Swayne, Josh Hogan (all Portlaoise) Killian Roche, Brendan McDonald, Conor Heffernan (all Killeshin) Aaron Cooney, James Kelly, Jack Lacey (all St Joseph’s) Luke O’Reilly, Ronan Coffey, Paddy O’Sullivan (all Portarlington) Brian Byrne; Trevor Collins, Daniel O’Reilly (all Graiguecullen) Fionn Holland, Mark Barry, Jack Lennon (all O’Dempsey’s) John Brennan, Ciaran Burke, Jonah Kelly (all Crettyard) Aaron McEvoy, Shaun Fitzpatrick (both Ballyroan Abbey) Seamus Lacey, Ryan Brady (both Ballylinan) Niall Corbet, Cathal Lee (both Clonaslee/St Manman’s) Jack Deegan, Liam Knowles (both Stradbally) Simon Fingleton (Park/Ratheniska) Jamie Conway (Arles Kilcruise) Seán O’Neill (The Rock) Jake Darcy (Annanough) Padraig Kirwin (Emo)
