Offaly to include new faces as Galway make Leinster debut

Offaly hurlers are likely to be without some key players when they begin the 2009 season with a Walsh Cup clash against John McIntyre"s Galway at O"Connor Park on Sunday (2pm). Attacking ace Brian Carroll (Coolderry) and Birr"s Michael Verney have both been called up by University of Limerick (UL) for their Waterford Crystal Cup semi-final against Tipperary - and, therefore, will not be available to appear for Johnny Dooley"s side. Sunday"s match in Tullamore will be the first involving Galway in a Leinster competition. The westerners will also compete in the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship later this year. And with former Offaly manager John McIntyre now in charge of the Tribesmen, there is likely to be more interest in the season opener than is normally the case. McIntyre managed Offaly from 2005 to 2007 - a period which proved unsuccessful for the Faithful County - and he was considered, in many quarters, to be a slightly surprising choice to succeed Ger Loughnane as Galway manager. Galway are also set to be without several big names and, while absentees on both sides may take away some of the lustre from Sunday"s landmark game, it could still prove a lively affair. Offaly drew with Galway during last year"s National Hurling League campaign on a day when they were without their Birr contingent. The Walsh Cup is usually a chance to introduce some new players ahead of the NHL. Thew newcomers in the Offaly senior hurling panel include Kinnitty duo Colm and Brian Coughlan, Cathal Horan (St Rynagh"s), Lusmagh"s David Moran and Coolderry pair Brendan O"Meara and Cathal Parlon. With Offaly in Division Two of this year"s NHL, Sunday"s game represents a chance for Joe Dooley to look at new players against quality opposition. However, one player Dooley will have to plan without this year is Sean Ryan, who has opted to concentrate on inter-county football. The dual star travelled to Thurles for last year"s All-Ireland hurling qualifier against Waterford but did not feature in that game. Later on the same day, Offaly played Down in an All-Ireland football qualifier in O"Connor Park and Ryan dashed back to Tullamore as soon as the hurling match was over in order to take part in the football game. The Birr man was introduced as a sub during the second half of Offaly"s heavy defeat to Down. That bizarre episode probably brought home to Ryan the need to make a choice between football and hurling at inter-county level.