However, there is no place for attacker Brian 'Beano' McDonald. The Arles-Killeen forward broke his leg during the All-Ireland qualifier defeat to Tyrone last year, but has since recovered and returned to action in a recent challenge against Carlow.

In all, O'Dwyer makes six changes from the side that lost to the Red Hands.

Joe Higgins returns at corner-back, Begley is in at right half-back, Portlaoise's Ian Fitzgerald leads the attack, with Gary Kavanagh on his left, while former skipper Chris Conway and Donal Brennan are in the top corners.

The players to lose out are McDonald, Cathal Ryan, Paul McDonald, Paul Lawlor, Colm Parkinson, who opted out to travel to Australia and Shane Cooke, who has failed to recover from a shoulder injury.

LAOIS (SFC v Offaly) F Byron; A Fennelly, D Rooney, J Higgins; C Begley, T Kelly, P McMahon; P Clancy, N Garvan; R Munnelly, I Fitzgerald, G Kavanagh; D Brennan, K Fitzpatrick, C Conway.