Rigney set for first outing with Laois
Niall Rigney, a former selector under previous boss Damien Fox, will have his first outing this afternoon as Laois' interim manager as the O'Moore men take on Galway in the All-Ireland SHC qualifiers (Pearse Stadium, throw-in 3.30pm).
Rigney, an inter-county player of high regard during the 1990s, has made one change to the Laois team that lost by 16 points to Offaly in the Leinster championship.
Niall Holmes comes in at right corner-forward as an indirect replacement for Joe Fitzpatrick, who is not part of the panel for today's encounter.
Rigney has also made a number of positional switches with Eoin Browne reverting to the half-back line, alongside the re-positioned James Walsh.
Joe Phelan shifts over to left half-back and Canice Coonan will assume a midfield role.
The Laois substitutes bench has also been bolstered with the return of dual player Cahir Healy and Michael McEvoy, who is back in county colours after a spell abroad.
If Laois lose today, as is widely anticipated, they will play Waterford or Antrim in a relegation play-off in two weeks' time.
The losers of that play-off game will face the winners of the Christy Ring Cup to decide who qualifies for the Liam McCarthy Cup competition in 2009.
LAOIS (SHC v Galway) - B Mullaney; JA Delaney, B Campion, C Dunne; E Browne, J Walsh, J Phelan; C Delaney, C Coonan; T Fitzgerald, J Brophy, N Costello; N Holmes, E Holohan, W Hyland.
