Mixture of youth and experience in Laois GAA first game of anniversary year

Billy Sheehan has mixed youth with experience for the first round of the O'Byrne Cup in a historic anniversary year for Gaelic football in the county. 

Laois will face Longford in the opening round on Wedensday, January 4 in McCann Park Portarlington the home of the three-in-a-row reigning Laois county champions.

Colm Murphy will return to the Laois jersey and it is rumoured that more Portarlington players are likely to commit to the blue and white this year. The county champions have generally focused on club football over the last couple of seasons. He is also joined by his clubmate Alex Mohan. 

Intermediate player of the year Dylan Kavanagh is to line out at wing forward while Sean O'Flynn will represent senior semi-finalists Courtwood.

In a very diverse team, only three clubs have two representations on the starting line up - Portlaoise, Portarlington and Emo.

The 2023 year season will mark the 20th anniversary of the Micko Dwyer inspired historic win in the Leinster Championship over Kildare in 2003.

The Longford game throws in at 8pm.