Senior footballers name experimental side for O’Byrne Cup semi-final

Fri, 10th January 2020

Dublin have selected an experimental side for Saturday's O'Byrne Cup semi-final against Longford in Glennon Bros Pearse Park, Longford (2.0).

With the 2019 Dublin senior football panel mostly away on a team holiday and the Sigerson Cup taking place this weekend opportunity knocks for many others.

Several of the panel for Saturday's game have been part, at some stage, of Dublin O'Byrne Cup panels in recent years such as Nathan Doran, Tom Lahiff, Gerry Seaver, Michael Shiel (a member of last year's SFC panel), CJ Smith, Graham Hannigan, Ross McGowan, Eoin O'Brien, Emmett ó Conghaile, Killian O'Gara, Glenn O'Reilly, Chris Sallier, Niall Walsh, Ryan Deegan and Diarmaid McLoughlin.

Six of the starting 15 played in the 2017 All-Ireland U21FC final victory over Galway - Darren Byrne, Cian Murphy, Andy Foley, Glenn O'Reilly and Dan O'Brien with Chris Sallier coming on as a sub in the decider. Emmett ó Conghaile, Graham Hannigan and Niall Walsh played for the U21s in Dublin's previous All-Ireland final success of 2014.

Killian O'Gara, named at right full-forward, is a younger brother of Eoghan, who retired from intercounty action following last year's All-Ireland success while full-forward Niall O'Callaghan is a younger brother of Dublin seniors Con (football) and Cian (hurling). Ross McGowan, included among the subs, is an older brother of Dublin senior Andy.

Owing to the rule on dates with regard to returning to collective intercounty training and matches Dublin received a bye to the semi-final, a stage Longford, Offaly and Westmeath have reached after the group phase of games.

Longford defeated Kildare 2-14 to 0-14 (Saturday, December 7; St Conleth's Park, Newbridge) and Carlow 1-13 to 0-10 (Sunday, December 15; Glennon Bros Pearse Park) before Christmas to book their semi-final slot before losing to Wicklow, 2-9 to 0-14, last weekend (Saturday, January 4; Joule Park, Aughrim).

In 2019 the following were part of the O'Byrne Cup panel as well as for the NFL, some players also made SFC panel - Colm Basquel, Ryan Basquel, Seán Bugler, Andy Bunyan, Aaron Byrne, Evan Comerford, Liam Flatman, Darren Gavin, Robbie McDaid, Andy McGowan, Conor McHugh, Conor Mullally, Cian O'Connor and CJ Smith while Michael Shiel was a member of both the O'Byrne Cup and SFC panels.

Dessie Farrell spoke to Dubs TV today, ahead of tomorrow's game against Longford.

The Sigerson Cup commences this weekend with a strong Dublin club representation included in various panels - UCD: Liam Flatman (Kilmacud Crokes), Peadar ó Cofaigh Byrne (Cuala), Niall O'Leary (Kilmacud Crokes), Evan Caulfield (Clanna Gael Fontenoy), Seán Egan (St Brigid's), Con O'Callaghan (Cuala), Kieran Kennedy (Ballyboden St Enda's) and Cillian O'Shea (Kilmacud Crokes); Maynooth University: Daire Newcombe (Lucan Sarsfields) and Darragh Warnock (Castleknock); DCU Dochas Eireann: Declan Monaghan (Clontarf), Evan Comerford (Ballymun Kickhams), Paul Tolan (Nh Barróg), Seán Bugler (St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh), Stephen Smith (Skerries Harps), Tom Fox (Kilmacud Crokes), Shane Carthy (Nh Mearnóg), Seán McMahon (Raheny), Paddy Small (Ballymun Kickhams), Neil Matthews (Erin's Isle), Karl Lynch Bissett (Nh Mearnóg) and Conor Hickey (St Margaret's); TU Dublin (DIT): Brian Howard (Raheny), Oisín Lynch (Fingallians), Callum Pearson (Kilmacud Crokes), Andy McGowan (Kilmacud Crokes), Tom Keane (Nh Olaf) and Seán Walsh (St Pat's, Donabate); Garda College: Kieran Doherty (St Jude's).

Dublin's U20 footballers are also in action this Saturday when they face Kildare in Hawkfield (2.0) in their second game of the John Kerins U20 Football Development League. The Dubs lost narrowly to Meath last weekend in Dunganny, 2-13 to 2-11.

DUBLIN (SF v Longford)

1 Michael Shiel (St Sylvester's)

2 CJ Smith (Lucan Sarsfields)

3 Eoin O'Brien (Castleknock)

4 Darren Byrne (Raheny)

5 Niall McGovern (Na Fianna)

6 Graham Hannigan (Castleknock)

7 Cian Murphy (Thomas Davis)

8 Emmett ó Conghaile (Lucan Sarsfields)

9 Andy Foley (Clontarf)

10 Niall Walsh (St Oliver Plunkett/Eoghan Ruadh)

11 Dan O'Brien (Kilmacud Crokes)