Offaly make five changes for final qualifier
Offaly manager John McIntyre has made five changes to his team as they look to end the All-Ireland SHC qualifiers on a high with victory over Dublin tomorrow (Tullamore, throw-in 3pm).
The Faithfuls, who were handed a 19-point beating by Cork last weekend, are out of contention for a place in the All-Ireland quarter-finals, making tomorrow's meeting with Dublin effectively a dead rubber.
McIntyre has reacted to last Saturday's defeat by drafting in five players - Brendan O'Meara, Cathal Horan and James Rigney are included in defence, Barry Teehan gets the nod at midfield and Eddie Bevans will start at right half-forward.
The Offaly defence certainly needs an improved display after conceding 3-44 in their last two games against Tipperary and Cork.
The presence at full-back of Ger Oakley, who was a wing back last time out, should help while other positional switches see team captain Rory Hanniffy moved to full-forward and his brother Gary now stationed at centre-forward.
Conor Hernon, Paul Cleary, David Kenny, Sean Ryan and Cathal Parlon are the players to make way in McIntyre's rejigged side.
This is the third year in a row that Offaly have met Dublin in the qualifiers, with the Faithfuls having won the previous two matches by 2-15 to 2-14 (2005) and 1-17 to 0-17 (2006).
OFFALY (SHC v Dublin) - B Mullins; B O'Meara, G Oakley, D Franks; K Brady, C Horan, J Rigney; B Teehan, B Murphy; E Bevans, G Hanniffy, M Cordial; B Carroll, R Hanniffy (capt), D Murray.
