LOUTH BOSS COLIN Kelly has handed full senior championship debuts to six players for Sunday’s Leinster SFC opener against Westmeath.

Corner back Anthony Williams and midfield pair Bevan Duffy and Tommy Durnin will taste championship fare for the first time, while there will be first starts for Patrick Reilly, Darren O’Hanlon and James Stewart.

The omens are good for Louth as they beat the Midlanders by 1-14 to 1-9 last year, when teenager Ryan Burns netted.

Westmeath have four championship debutants in their side for the provincial opener. 

Corner-back Killian Daly, wing-back Paddy Holloway, wing-forward John Stapleton and corner-forward Shane Dempsey are the newcomers in Tom Cribbin’s starting 15.

James Dolan and Paul Sharry are notable inclusions at wing-back and wing-forward respectively after recent injury woes.

Denis Glennon misses out through injury with John Heslin likely to be a key figure in attack as he is named at full-forward.

Throw-in is 3.30pm at the Gaelic Grounds in Drogheda on Sunday afternoon, with the winners to face Wexford in the quarter-finals.

Louth

1. Neil Gallagher (Cooley Kickhams)

2. Anthony Williams (Dreadnots)
3. Patrick Reilly (Brides)
4. Padraig Rath (Dreadnots)

5. Declan Byrne (St Mochtás)
6. Darren O’Hanlon (St Pats)
7. Adrian Reid (Mattock Rangers)

8. Bevan Duffy (Fechins)
9. Tommy Durnin (Westerns)

10. Derek Maguire (Dundalks Young Irelands)
11. Colm Judge (Newtown Blues)
12. James Stewart (Dundalk Gaels)

13. Ryan Burns (Hunterstown Rovers)
14. Conor Grimes (Sean O’Mahonys)
15. Paraic Smith (Dreadnots)

Westmeath

1. Darren Quinn (Tyrrellspass)

2. John Gilligan (Ballymore)
3. Kevin Maguire (Caulry)
4. Killian Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)

5. Paddy Holloway (Castledaly)
6. Kieran Martin (Maryland)
7. James Dolan (Garrycastle)

8. Darragh Daly (Mullingar Shamrocks)
9. Ger Egan (Tyrrellspass)

10. Paul Sharry (St Loman’s)
11. Ray Connellan (Athlone)
12. John Stapleton (Athlone)

13. Callum McCormack (Maryland)
14. John Heslin (St Loman’s)
15. Shane Dempsey (St Loman’s)

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