FORMER IPSWICH TOWN goalkeeper Shane Supple has been handed a starting place for Dublin in tonight’s O’Byrne Cup tie against DCU.
Dublin face third-level outfit DCU, who won this competition last year, in a Group B clash in Parnell Park at 7.30pm.
Supple has been selected in goal by manager Jim Gavin in one of six changes from the team that defeated Carlow last Sunday in Dr Cullen Park in their opening O’Byrne Cup clash.
Supply was involved with Dublin in the O’Byrne Cup last year but then withdrew from the county panel last February.
The St Brigid’s netminder was subsequently drafted in last November to the Dublin squad by Gavin and replaces regular goalkeeper Stephen Cluxton for tonight’s game.
The other changes see Gavin utilise members of Dublin’s recent All-Ireland U21 winning teams with 2010 winner Darragh Nelson named at corner-back.
The trio of wing-back Jack McCaffrey, midfielder Emmett Ó Conghaile and corner-forward Paul Hudson were all part of last May’s U21 team that triumphed in the final against Roscommon. Shane Carthy is also handed a start at wing-forward.
David Byrne, Eric Lowndes, Robbie McCarthy and Kevin McManamon all drop to the bench while Cluxton and Michael Darragh MacAuley, who picked up a leg injury last Sunday, are not involved tonight.
DUBLIN SF: 1. Shane Supple (St Brigid’s); 2. Darren Daly (Fingal Ravens), 3. Tomas Brady (Na Fianna), 4. Darragh Nelson (Ballyboden St Enda’s); 5. Cian O’Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes), 6. Ger Brennan (St Vincent’s), 7. Jack McCaffrey (Clontarf); 8. Declan O’Mahony (Ballyboden St Enda’s), 9. Emmett Ó Conghaile (Ballyboden St Enda’s); 10. Shane Carthy (Naomh Mearnóg), 11. Paddy Andrews (St Brigid’s), 12. Paddy Quinn (Na Fianna); 13. Paul Hudson (Thomas Davis), 14. Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincent’s), 15. Bernard Brogan (Oliver Plunkett’s-Eoghan Ruadh).
Subs: 16. Vincent Whelan (St Maur’s), 17. David Byrne (St Olaf’s), 18. Eric Lowndes (St Peregrine’s), 19. Chris Guckian (St Judes), 20. Gerry Seaver (Ballyboughal), 21. Denis Bastick (Synge Street Templeogue), 22. Cian Mullins (St Brigid’s), 23. Kevin McManamon (St Judes), 24. Robbie McCarthy (St Peregrine’s), 25. Gary Sweeney (St Sylvester’s), 26. Tiernan Diamond (St Vincent’s).
Dublin’s clash with DCU is one of eight O’Byrne Cup ties schedule for tonight. Elsewhere in Group B, Wicklow entertain Carlow in Bray. In Group A, Meath face Louth in Navan while Longford meet UCD in Killoe.
In Group C, Offaly will clash with Athlone IT in Gracefield while Laois and Westmeath face off in Portlaoise. Finally in Group D, Wexford come up against Carlow IT in Bunclody and Athy will host the battle of Kildare and Dublin IT.
O’Byrne Cup Fixtures
Group A: Meath v Louth, Páirc Tailteann, Navan, 7.30pm, (Ref: Fergal Kelly, Longford); Longford v UCD, Killoe, 7.30pm, (Ref: Niall Ward, Westmeath).
Group B: Dublin v DCU, Parnell Park, 7.30pm, (Ref: Derek Fahy, Longford); Wicklow v Carlow, Bray, 7.30pm, (Ref: Brendan Cawley, Kildare).
Group C: Laois v Westmeath, Portlaoise, 7.30pm, (Ref: Anthony Nolan, Wicklow); Offaly v Athlone IT, Gracefield, 7.30pm, (Ref: Sean Carroll, Westmeath).
Group D: Wexford v Carlow IT, Bunclody, 7.30pm, (Ref: Garreth Whelan, Wicklow); Kildare v Dublin IT, Athy, 7.30pm, (Ref: John Hickey, Carlow).
