Sheehan names 11 changes to Laois team to take on Wicklow in O'Byrne Cup

Fresh from a six point win over Meath in the second round of the O'Byrne cup last Wednesday, the Laois senior footballers face into their third game in seven days on Saturday when they welcome future league and championship opponents, Wicklow to Crettyard.

A 15 point defeat at the hands of Wexford coupled with that six point win over Meath means that a win over Wicklow gives Billy Sheehan's men a decent chance of a semi final meeting with Kildare.

They also need Meath to beat Wexford on Saturday in order for them to go through but if Wexford were to beat the Meath men and Wicklow were to topple Laois, then Wicklow would go through.

Billy Sheehan has made 11 changes from the team that beat Meath with keeper Matthew Byron, Collins Ugochuckwu, Cathal Fennessy, Alan Farrell, Conal Brennan, Brian Daly, Cormac Murphy, Danny O'Reilly and the full forward line trio of Ross Munnelly, Eoin Lowry and Gary Walsh all earning a start.

First half power show earns Laois first win of Billy Sheehan era

LEINSTER GAA O'BYRNE CUP SENIOR FOOTBALL ROUND 2

The O'Byrne cup is all about getting game time into players before the start of the league in two weeks time and this is definitely the case when their is a new manager at the wheel. When you take into account the starting team for Saturday's game and not counting subs that may be introduced, Billy Sheehan and his management will have used 34 players during the three games meaning the pre-season competition has served its purpose regardless of the results.

The Laois team in full for Saturday is as follows

Matthew Byron (Courtwood); Collins Ugochuckwu (Courtwood), Trevor Collins (Graiguecullen), Alex Mohan (Portarlington); Cathal Fennessy (Ballylinan), Alan Farrell (Ballylinan), Conal Brennan (Arles-Kilcruise); Kieran Lillis (Portlaoise), Brian Daly (St Joseph’s); Cormac Murphy (Crettyard), Paul Kingston (Arles-Killeen), Danny O’Reilly (Graiguecullen); Ross Munnelly (Arles-Kilcruise), Eoin Lowry (Killeshin), Gary Walsh (Ballylinan).