CARLOW manager Tom Mullally has announced the same team for Saturday’s crunch McDonagh Cup tie against Offaly as was released ahead of last week’s game against Down – but it remains to be seen if there will be any late changes.

There were three changes to the team last week by the time they took to the field in Ballycran but Niall Bolger, Jack Treacy and Paddy Boland are all named in the team by Mullally, with their three replacements – Paudie O’Shea, Jack Kavanagh and John Michael Nolan named among the substitutes.

The game, which throws in at 5.30pm in Netwatch Cullen Park, is a huge opportunity for Carlow who have their fate very much in their own hands. A win over an Offaly team who have already qualified for the final would secure a repeat date against the Faithful County at Croke Park in on Saturday 20 May, and a draw could be enough depending on the result in the Laois v Kerry game.

On the back of a hectic schedule, stretching back to the Allianz Hurling League where they played in a semi-final and final, Offaly manager Johnny Kelly has named a team without a number of his star players but Mullally rejects the notion that the opposition will be giving anything less than their best.

Carlow manager Tom Mullally is taking nothing for granted at Offaly come to town on Saturday
Photo: Philip Walsh

“I am 100% certain that there is enough pride in Offaly hurling that we know exactly that they coming to Carlow. They are a team who is improving, want to get back up to top-level hurling,” he said.

“They won the league and their ambition is to win the Joe McDonagh. They will not want to be going into the final on the back of anything negative so they will be bringing their best foot forward and  they are the form team. That is what we have to face,” said Mullally.

Carlow GAA are calling on supporters from around the county to come out at support the team for what is for intents and purposes an All-Ireland semi-final on home turfs. Under 16s will granted free entry and will be entered into a draw to win a Carlow GAA jersey, and you can find details about that here. 

CARLOW TEAM V OFFALY:

1. Brian Treacy (Naomh Eoin)
2. Paul Doyle (St Mullins)
3. Conor Lawlor (Carlow Town HC)
4. Niall Bolger (Bagenalstown Gaels)
5. Fiachra Fitzpatrick (Mount Leinster Rangers)
6. Diarmuid Byrne (Mount Leinster Rangers)
7. Jack McCullagh (Bagenalstown Gaels)
8. Conor Kehoe (St Mullins)
9. Kevin McDonald (Mount Leinster Rangers)
10. Jon Nolan (Mount Leinster Rangers)
11. Martin Kavanagh (St Mullins)
12. James Doyle (St Mullins)
13. Jack Treacy (Ballinkillen)
14. Paddy Boland (St Mullins)
15. Chris Nolan (Mount Leinster Rangers)
16. Damien Jordan (Naomh Eoin)
17. JP Tracey (Bagenalstown Gaels)
18. Richard Coady (Mount Leinster Rangers)
19. Michael Joyce (Mount Leinster Rangers)
20. Fiach O’Toole (Naomh Bríd)
21. John Michael Nolan (Naomh Eoin)
22. Jack Kavanagh (St Mullins)
23. Paudie O’Shea (St Mullins)
24. Ciaran Kavanagh (Mount Leinster Rangers)
25. Sean Joyce (Mount Leinster Rangers)
26. John Doyle (St Mullins)

MCDONAGH CUP TABLE AFTER ROUND 4

Team     Pld          W           D            L             SF           SA           Diff        Pts

Offaly    4             4             0             0             7-91       5-64       +33        8

Carlow  4             2             2             0             12-89     1-90       +32        6

Laois      4             2             1             1             10-91     4-66       +43        5

Kerry      4             2             1             1             2-80       2-73       +7           5

Kildare   4             0             0             4             3-55       9-85       -48         0

Down    4             0             0             4             2-61       15-99     -67         0

NEXT UP: Sat 13 May – Carlow v Offaly, Netwatch Cullen Park, 5.30pm; Kildare v Down, Hawkfield, 5.30pm; Kerry v Laois, Austin Stack Park, 5.30pm.