McNulty opts for continuity with unchanged line-up

With the Leinster Championship now in view, Laois can look to the league as constructive preparation rather than a missed opportunity. Justin McNulty’s side finished mid-table, safely clear of relegation but never looked like mounting promotion challenge.

The side produced major boost for McNulty when beating Down, the eventual Division 3 champions, in their last game. They also take heart from the fact that two of the games they lost, both away fixtures, went down to the wire, losing to Clare by three points and Fermanagh by two.

Looking ahead to tomorrow, championship football brings a different intensity and a clean slate. If Laois can find greater consistency they can realistically believe that they can make progress.

But for the time being all focus will on putting one over on their neighbours. Laois will travel to Tullamore encouraged by a strong finish to their Division 3 league campaign.

This preliminary round tie brings added edge for what appears top be two evenly matched outfits who know that defeat will send them into the Tailteann Cup, while victory earns a quarter final trip to Newbridge to face Kildare.

McNulty has opted for continuity, naming an unchanged starting 15 from that which beat Down.

Pace in attack has been one of Laois’s chief assets, with Evan O’Carroll and Daragh Galvin providing line breaking runs, while captain Brian Byrne continues to lead from the front. The option of Paul Kingston from the bench adds a proven scoring dimension should the game remain in the balance entering the final quarter.

For Offaly, this is an opportunity to assert their recent championship superiority over Laois on home soil. No doubt memories remain fresh of their convincing nine point Leinster quarter final win over Laois in Tullamore two years ago.

When all is said and done, this looks set to be tight, physical, and nervy encounter for both sides. If Laois can keep it close going into the final quarter, their bench could tilt matters. However, Offaly’s home advantage, recent championship result, and superior goal threat might give them a narrow edge.

LAOIS: Killian Roche (Killeshin); Jack Lacey (St Joseph's), Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), Alex Mohan (Portarlington); Pa Kirwan (Emo), Aaron McEvoy (Ballyroan-Abbey), Simon Fingleton (Park-Ratheniska); Ciaran Burke (Crettyard), Conor Heffernan (Killeshin); Kevin Swayne (Portlaoise), Ronan Coffey (Portarlington), Paddy O'Sullivan (Portarlington); Brian Byrne (Captain, Graiguecullen), Daragh Galvin (Portarlington), Evan O'Carroll (Crettyard).

Subs: Matthew Byron (Courtwood), Darren Brennan (Portlaoise), Killian Byrne (Ballyroan-Abbey), Niall Corbet (Clonaslee/St Manman's), Jake Darcy (Annanough), Ben Dempsey (Portlaoise), Mikie Dempsey (St Joseph's), Paul Kingston (Arles Killeen), Rioghan Murphy (Portarlington), Cian Nolan (Park-Ratheniska), Sean O'Neill (The Rock).

The game throws-in at 6pm on Saturday in Glenisk O'Connor Park, Tullamore.