SIX ST KIERAN’S All-Ireland winners are in the Kilkenny side to face Dublin tomorrow in the Leinster minor hurling championship.
St Kieran’s lifted the Croke Cup earlier this month against Kilkenny CBS and members of that triumphant outfit backbone the Cats side that has been selected for tomorrow’s clash.
Corner-back Tommy Walsh, the half-back line of Jason Cleere, Darren Mullen and Jack Keoghan, and midfielder Liam Blanchfield all started on that St Kieran’s side while centre-forward Sean Morrissey made a major impression when scoring 0-3 after being sprung from the bench.
In addition, St Kieran’s players Jason Barcoe, Eoin Walsh, Tadhg O’Dwyer and Robbie Donnelly are all included amongst the substitutes. Kilkenny CBS have representatives in Conor Doheny and Andrew Gaffney, who are both named on the bench.
This game is Kilkenny’s first championship outing in the 2014 campaign and they can call on four survivors from the team that swept to Leinster minor glory last July. Darren Brennan, captain Darragh Joyce, Liam Blanchfield and Alan Murphy – who scored 0-10 in the 2013 provincial final – will be hoping to utilise their experience. John Walsh, Eoin Kenny and Conor Delaney all came on as substitutes in that win over Laois.
Opponents Dublin have named an unchanged team after their opening round success over Wexford. Seán Ryan, who came off the bench to make a strong contribution against the Slaneysiders, is sidelined with a hand injury.
They exited the Leinster championship against Kilkenny in last year’s semi-final and include five members of the team that started in that game.
Jonathan Treacy, Jake Malone, Shane Barrett, Rian McBride and Con O’Callaghan are the survivors. Sean Grey and Eoghan McHugh both came on as substitutes in that loss to Kilkenny last summer.
KILKENNY: Darren Brennan (St Lachtain’s); Tommy Walsh (Tullaroan), Bill McDowell (John Lockes), Conor Delaney (Erins Own); Jason Cleere (Bennettsbridge), Darren Mullen (Ballyhale Shamrocks), Jack Keoghan (Tullaroan); Liam Blanchfield (Bennettsbridge), Darragh Joyce (Rower Inistioge – captain); Alan Murphy (Glenmore), Sean Morrissey (Bennettsbridge), Eoin Kenny (Slieverue); Cian O’Donoghue (Tullogher Rosbercon); John Walsh (Mullinavat), Ronan Corcoran (Ballyhale Shamrocks).
Subs: Jason Barcoe (Clara), Conor Doheny (Dicksboro), Eoin Walsh (Lisdowney), Niall Walsh (Windgap), Andrew Gaffney (Dicksboro), Tadhg O’Dwyer (James Stephens), Robbie Donnelly (Thomastown), Conor Carroll (Lisdowney), Cian O’Meara (Thomastown).
DUBLIN: Jonathan Treacy (Na Fianna); Mark McCallion (Kilmacud Crokes), Jake Malone (Cuala), Darragh Butler (Kilmacud Crokes); Shane Howard (Fingallians), Shane Barrett (Na Fianna), Paul O’Dea (Na Fianna); Rian McBride (St Vincent’s), Dónal Burke (Na Fianna); Seán Grey (Whitehall Colmcille), Eoghan McHugh (Na Fianna), Chris Bennett (Faughs); Eoin Ó Conghaile (Lucan Sarsfields), Con O’Callaghan (Cuala), Matthew Oliver (Na Fianna).
The Offaly and Laois minor hurling teams have also been named for their clash in Tullamore tomorrow.
OFFALY: Oisin Mahon (Kilcormac-Killoughey); Paddy Delaney (Kinnitty), Craig Taylor (Birr), Niall Duffy (Lusmagh); Darren Healy (Lusmagh), Danny Spain (Lusmagh), Donal Mahon (Lusmagh); Cillian Kiely (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Padraic Guinan (Drumcullen); Ciaran Cleary (Shinrone), Oisin Kelly (Belmont), Ronan Hughes (St Rynagh’s); Jordan Fogarty (Shinrone), James Kilmartin (Kilcormac-Killoughey), Eoghan Cahill (Birr).
LAOIS: Paul Simms (Ballinakill); Donncha Hartnett (Mountmellick), Ryan Mullaney (Castletown Slieve Bloom), Evan Cuddy (Castletown Slieve Bloom); Conor Phelan (Castletown Slieve Bloom), Liam O’Connell (Rathdowney Errill), Lee Cleere (Clough Ballacolla); John Lennon (Rosenallis), Seán Downey (Ballinakill); Robbie Phelan (Clough Ballacolla), Kevin Bergin (Clonad), Aidan Corby (Clough Ballacolla); Mark Kavanagh (Rathdowney Errill), Aaron Dunphy (Borris-in-Ossory-Kilcotton), Andrew Mortimer (Camross).
