KILKENNY AND DUBLIN can both call on several senior players in their starting sides for tomorrow’s Bord Gáis Energy Leinster U21 hurling quarter-final.
Cats U21 boss Eddie Brennan has picked eight players who featured in the senior squad during the league this spring while Dublin manager Johnny McGuirk has selected seven players who were involved in last Sunday’s Leinster senior quarter-final in Tullamore.
Kilkenny centre-back Jason Cleere and full-forward Liam Blanchfield both started for Brian Cody’s senior side in their most recent competitive game when they lost to Wexford in April’s league quarter-final.
Alan Murphy was the substitute goalkeeper in that game while wing-forward Pat Lyng was also on the senior bench for that match in Nowlan Park.
Conor Delaney, Sean Morrissey, Darren Brennan and Richie Leahy have all been part of the Kilkenny senior squad for league games this spring.
Kilkenny’s team contains nine players who started in the 2014 All-Ireland minor final victory over Limerick, while corner-forward Billy Ryan came on as a substitute in that match.
The captain of that Kilkenny minor side Darragh Joyce is now playing Aussie Rules in Melbourne with St Kilda.
Dublin can call on six players who featured during last Sunday’s loss to Galway with full-back Shane Barrett, midfielder Donal Burke and wing-forward Eoghan Conroy all starting that game.
Centre-back Jake Malone, centre-forward Fergal Whitely and full-forward Rian McBride all came on as substitutes in that match, while goalkeeper Jonathan Treacy was on the bench.
Throw-in tomorrow night is 7.30pm with live coverage on TG4.
Offaly have unveiled their side that travel to Innovate Wexford Park to face Wexford. Ben Conneely, Padraic Guinan and Oisín Kelly all started in last Saturday’s senior clash with Westmeath.
That trio along with Eoghan Cahill, David O’Toole-Greene and Ronan Hughes all started against Dublin in last year’s Leinster U21 final.
Laois will be anchored by senior players for their quarter-final clash with Westmeath.
Leigh Bergin, Lee Cleere, Jack Kelly, Aidan Corby, Sean Downey, John Lennon, Mark Kavanagh and Aaron Dunphy all featured at some stage during last Sunday’s senior loss to Wexford.
Kilkenny
1. Darren Brennan (St Lachtain’s)
2. Michael Cody (Dunnamaggin)
3. Conor Delaney (Erins Own)
4. Ryan Bergin (John Lockes)
5. Conor Doheny (Dicksboro)
6. Jason Cleere (Bennettsbridge)
7. Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan)
8. Huw Lawlor (O’Loughlin Gaels)
9. Sean Morrissey (Bennettsbridge)
10. Pat Lyng (Rower-Inistioge)
11. Luke Scanlon (James Stephens)
12. Richie Leahy (Rower-Inistioge)
13. Alan Murphy (Glenmore)
14. Liam Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge)
15. Billy Ryan (Graigue-Ballycallan)
Subs
16. Liam Dunphy (Lisdowney)
17. James Burke (Thomastown)
18. Aidan Nolan (Dicksboro)
19. Darren Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks)
20. Kevin Crowley (Mooncoin)
21. John Walsh (Mullinavat)
22. Shane Walsh (Tullaroan)
23. James Bergin (Conahy Shamrocks)
24. John Donnelly (Thomastown)
25. Andy Gaffney (Dicksboro)
26. Conor Hennessy (Tullogher-Rosbercon)
Dublin
1. Jonathan Treacy (Na Fianna)
2. Daire Gray (Whitehall Colmcille)
3. Shane Barrett (Na Fianna)
4. Jack O’Neill (St Brigid’s)
5. Cian Hendricken (Naomh Mearnóg)
6. Jake Malone (Cuala)
7. Paul O’Dea (Na Fianna)
8. Brian Bolger (St Vincent’s)
9. Donal Burke (Na Fianna)
10. Eoghan Conroy (St Maur’s)
11. Fergal Whitely (Kilmacud Crokes)
12. Conor Burke (St Vincent’s)
13. Colin Currie (Na Fianna)
14. Rian McBride (St Vincent’s)
15. Pól Crummey (Lucan Sarsfields)
Offaly
1. Eoghan Cahill (Birr)
2. Dylan Watkins (Birr)
3. David O’Toole-Greene (Shamrocks)
4. Paddy Delaney (Kinnitty)
5. Ben Conneely (St Rynagh’s – captain)
6. Eoghan Parlon (Coolderry)
7. Conor Molloy (Coolderry)
8. Cillian Kiely (Kilcormac-Killoughey)
9. Padraic Guinan (Drumcullen)
10. Conor Freeman (Carrig-Riverstown)
11. Oisin Kelly (Belmont)
12. Ciaran Cleary (Shinrone)
13. Liam Langton (Clodiagh Gaels)
14. Eoghan Callaghan (Kinnitty)
15. Ronan Hughes (St Rynagh’s)
Subs
16. William Malone (Coolderry)
17. Eoin Carroll (Shinrone)
18. Dan Miller (Coolderry)
19. Brian Loughnane (Shinrone)
20. Peter Walsh (Clodiagh Gaels)
21. David Buckley (Clodiagh Gaels)
22. Kevin Nugent (Belmont)
23. John Murray (Drumcullen)
24. Darren Healy (Lusmagh)
Laois
1. Paul Simms (Ballinakill)
2. Donnacha Hartnett (Mountmellick)
3. Leigh Bergin (Shanahoe)
4. Lee Cleere (Clough-Ballacolla)
5. Eric Killeen (Rathdowney-Errill)
6. Liam O’Connell (Rathdowney-Errill)
7. Ryan Mullaney (Castletown)
8. Jack Kelly (Rathdowney-Errill)
9. Aidan Corby (Clough-Ballacolla)
10. Sean Downey (Ballinakill)
11. John Lennon (Rosenallis)
12. Brian Corby (Clough-Ballacolla)
13. Mark Kavanagh (Rathdowney-Errill)
14. Eanna Lyons (Ballyfin)
15. Aaron Dunphy (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton)
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No Chris Bennett or Con O’Callaghan? Surely Dublin hurling needs a shot in the arm this week
@James Heff: Con O’Callaghan isn’t on the Dublin hurling panel.
@Ciara Baines: yes but he is eligible for u21 hurling. Doesn’t make sense Dublin not having their strongest lineup at all hurling levels
@James Heff: Because some of the county’s strongest hurlers choose to play football. They can’t be made line out for the hurlers.
This should be a good game. Nothing less than an All Ireland appearance for this Kilkenny U21 team will be viewed as a failure in Kilkenny!
@lousybush: you might want to rephrase that lad