KILDARE BOSS KIERAN McGeeney has placed his faith in youth for tomorrow’s Leinster SFC quarter-final against Offaly.
The sides clash in Croke Park at 5pm and the Lilywhites have named a third of the county U21 side that won the provincial crown in April in their senior team.
Goalkeeper Mark Donnellan, midfielder Daniel Flynn, wing-forward Paul Cribbin, centre-forward Niall Kelly and corner-forward Paddy Brophy will all make their senior championship debuts.
There are three changes from the side that lost out to Tyrone in the league semi-final in April with Eamonn Callaghan coming in at centre-back, Daryl Flynn getting the nod to start at midfield and Tomas O’Connor selected at full-forward.
Ollie Lyons, Padraig O’Neill and Sean Hurley are the three players to make way.
KILDARE: Mark Donnellan (Maynooth); Peter Kelly (Two Mile House), Michael Foley (Athy), Hugh McGrillen (Celbridge); Eoin Doyle (Naas), Eamonn Callaghan (Naas), Emmet Bolton (Eadestown); Daryl Flynn (Moorefield), Daniel Flynn (Johnstownbridge); Paul Cribbin (Johnstownbridge), Niall Kelly (Athy), Eoghan O’Flaherty (Carbury); Johnny Doyle (Allenwood), Tomás O’Connor (Clane), Paddy Brophy (Celbridge).
Opponents Offaly have included three newcomers to senior championship football. In defence Ballyfore’s Daithi Brady starts at left corner-back and Cappincur’s Eoin Carroll starts at right half-back.
Up front Johnny Brickland is a new face in at centre-forward while Edenderry’s David Hanlon, who was introduced as a substitute against Kildare last year, will start at left half-forward.
There are three changes from the side that lost out to Limerick in the Division 4 football league final in Croke Park last month. Brady, Brickland and Hanlon come into the side for Niall Darby, Sean Pender and Ross Brady.
OFFALY: Alan Mulhall (Walsh Island); Brian Darby (Rhode), Paul McConway (Tullamore), Daithi Brady (Ballyfore); Eoin Carroll (Cappincur), Shane Sullivan (Rhode), Michael Brazil (Tullamore); Alan McNamee (Rhode), Brian Connor (Walsh Island); Graham Guilfoyle (Clara), Johnny Brickland (St Brigid’s), David Hanlon (Edenderry); Anton Sullivan (Rhode), Niall McNamee (Rhode), Ken Casey (St Brigid’s).
The Offaly substitutes have also been named for the match.
Subs: Ian Duffy (Walsh Island), Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh), Johnny Moloney (Tullamore), Niall Darby (Rhode), Ruairi Allen (Gracefield), Willie Mulhall (Walsh Island), Luke Kelly (Clara), Matthew Mitchell (Clara), Daire Corbett (Shannonbridge), Derek Kelly (Edenderry), Paul McPadden (Rhode).
