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Offaly hurler Dan Currams. INPHO/Ken Sutton
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3 changes for Offaly and Waterford sides ahead of hurling qualifier clash

The teams meet in O’Connor Park in Tullamore tomorrow night.

OFFALY BOSS OLLIE Baker has made three changes for tomorrow’s All-Ireland hurling qualifier against Waterford in Tullamore.

The Faithful have shaken up their team after losing to Kilkenny in Leinster ahead of their preliminary round clash in O’Connor Park.

Derek Morkan, who missed the Kilkenny game with a leg injury, comes into the side at wing-back  while Derek Molloy starts at centre-forward and Dan Currams gets a starting place at full-forward.

Both Molloy and Currams came on as substitutes against the Cats earlier this month in the provincial quarter-final.

Cathal Parlon broke a bone in his hand early on in the Kilkenny match and is sidelined as a result while Conor Mahon and Sean Cleary both drop to the bench.

OFFALY: James Dempsey (Kinnitty); Chris McDonald (Brosna Gaels), David Kenny (Belmont), Dermot Mooney (Seir Kieran); Rory Hanniffy (Birr), Ger Healion (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Derek Morkan (Shinrone); Brian Carroll (Coolderry),Kevin Brady (Coolderry); Colin Egan (Belmont), Derek Molloy (Shamrocks), Ciaran Slevin (Kilcormac/Killoughey); Shane Dooley (Tullamore), Dan Currams (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Joe Bergin (Seir Kieran).

Stephen O’Keeffe, Shane Fives and Brian O’Sullivan have all been drafted into the Waterford side for the game. The Deise have made three changes from the team that lost out against Clare in the Munster quarter-final for the clash.

Ballygunner club man O’Keeffe starts in goal instead of Ian O’Regan. O’Keeffe enjoyed an excellent debut campaign last year and has regained his place between the posts.

In defence Shane Fives, who transferred earlier this year to 2011 Cork senior hurling champions Carrigtwohill, comes into the side at right corner-back.

Fives inclusion prompts a positional reshuffle throughout the team with his younger brother Darragh, a member of this year’s UCC Fitzgibbon Cup winning team, moving to left half-back.

Paudie Prendergast switches to midfield and Shane O’Sullivan is moved to left half-forward with the injured Brian O’Halloran, who was forced off in the first-half of the tie with the Banner, the player to make way.

The final change is in attack with Brian O’Sullivan getting the nod to start at left corner-forward as he replaces Pauric Mahony.

There are only four survivors from Waterford’s last senior championship meeting against Offaly when they defeated them by 2-18 to 0-18 in the All-Ireland qualifiers in Thurles in 2008. Shane O’Sullivan, Michael Walsh, Jamie Nagle and Seamus Prendergast all started in that clash in Semple Stadium five years ago.

WATERFORD: Stephen O’Keeffe (Ballygunner); Shane Fives (Carrigtwohill), Liam Lawlor (Fourmilewater), Noel Connors (Passage); Jamie Nagle (Dungarvan), Michael Walsh (Stradbally), Darragh Fives (Tourin); Paudie Prendergast (Lismore), Kevin Moran (De La Salle); Jake Dillon (De La Salle), Seamus Prendergast (Ardmore), ; Shane O’Sullivan (Ballygunner); Jamie Barron (Fourmilewater), Maurice Shanahan (Lismore), Brian O’Sullivan (Ballygunner).

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