BOTH OFFALY AND Louth have named one debutant in their team for their respective opening round Leinster championship games.

Offaly have included young corner forward Joe Maher in their fifteen to play Longford on Sunday.

Maher starred for the Offaly U21′s this year, scoring six points in their defeat of reigning champions Kildare in the opening round. Other U21′s named to start include David Hanlon, Eoin Carroll and Peter Cunningham.

Niall McNamee starts at full forward, while manager Emmet McDonnell’s has opted for only two Tullamore players, after the club won their first championship in six years last year.

Throw in at Pearse Park Longford is 3.30pm.

OFFALY

1 Alan Mulhall (Walsh Island)
2 Daithi Brady (Ballyfore)
3 David Hanlon (Edenderry)
4 Niall Darby (Rhode)
5 Brian Darby (Rhode)
6 Johnny Moloney (Tullamore)
7 Michael Brazil (Tullamore)
8 Ruarai Allen (Gracefield)
9 Niall Smith (Gracefield)
10 Eoin Carroll (Cappincur)
11 Graham Guilfoyle (Clara)
12 Anton Sullivan (Rhode)
13 Joe Maher (Ferbane)
14 Niall McNamee (Rhode)
15 Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh)

Louth manager Aidan O’Rourke will also give one of his youngsters their debut as his team face Westmeath on Saturday.

Patrick Reilly, son of former player and current U21 manager David Reilly, will line out in the half forward line.

Paddy Keenan at midfield, Brian White at centre forward, and Shane Lennon inside will be the catalysts for a Louth team looking to bounce back form a dismal league campaign. Lennon had been an injury doubt after missing the league.

Seventeen year-old Ryan Burns will have to be content with a place on the bench.

Throw in for this one is 7pm in Mullingar.

Shane Lennon missed the league through injury. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

LOUTH

1 Neill Gallagher (Cooley Kickhams)
2 Padraig Rath (Dreadnots)
3 Dessie Finnegan (St Patrick’s)
4 Gary O’Hare (Na Piarsaigh)
5 John O’Brien (Sean O’Mahony’s)
6 Derek Crilly (Dundalk Gaels)
7 Adrian Reid (Mattock Rangers)
8 Paddy Keenan (St Patrick’s)
9 Mick Fanning (Naomh Máirtín)
10 Patrick Reilly (St Brides)
11 Brian White (Cooley Kickhams)
12 Andy Mc Donnell (Newtown Blues)
13 Declan Byrne (St Mochta’s)
14 Shane Lennon (Kilkerley Emmets)
15 Derek Maguire (Dundalk Young Irelands)

Subs
16 Shane Mc Coy (Drumantee)
17 Robert Brodigan (Oliver Plunketts)
18 Ryan Burns (Hunterstown)
19 Gary Connolly (St Mochta’s)
20 Brian Donnelly (Cooley Kickhams)
21 Conor Grimes (Glen Emmets)
22 Eoin Lafferty (St Patrick’s)
23 Eoin O’Connor (St Patrick’s)
24 Darren O’Hanlon (St Patrick’s)
25 Conor Rafferty (Cooley Kickhams)
26 James Stewart (Dundalk Gaels)

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