Louth hoping for upset in SFC opener

Offaly take on Louth today in the opening clash of the 2005 Leinster football championship and even though the Faithful men are huge favourites to advance, the Wee County believe the form book will have no say in today's encounter at Pairc Tailteann, Navan.

Louth are underdogs following a poor league campaign which saw them take only two wins over lowly Waterford and Tipperary.

In stark contrast, Offaly's footballers have been riding high in the top flight under Kevin Kilmurray, and the side have resolved the differences with the county board that marred their off-season.

Dublin-born Andrews has named four debutants in the team for today's tie.

St Bride's David Macken faces the ominous task of holding down the full-back berth, while Conor Sheridan is at half-back, John Kermath is at midfield and Ronan Carroll has been chosen at half-forward.

Aaron Hoey returns to the heart of the defence, having recovered from a hamstring injury, while Nicky McDonnell, who was struggling with a leg injury, will lead the attack.

Colin Goss and Shane Lennon have failed to recover from hand and ankle injuries respectively.

Kilmurray makes three changes from the side that lost to Dublin in the last round of the league.

Damien Hunt, who impressed as a substitute against the Dubs, makes his championship debut as he leads the attack in place of Mark Daly.

Skipper Barry Mooney, who has recovered from a thumb injury, returns at right half-back in place of Nigel Grennan, while Colm Quinn comes in at top of the right for Roy Malone.

In attack John Reynolds and Neville Coughlan swap wings in the half-forward line, while Scott Brady moves from the heart of defence to left corner-back, switching with Shane Sullivan.

Louth skipper Mark Stanfield has admitted that morale is low in the Wee County camp, while confidence is high in Offaly on the back of their good league run.

Kilmurray's men should advance, leaving Louth as the first side to go into the draw for the All-Ireland qualifiers.

OFFALY (SF v Louth): P Kelly; C Daly, C Evans, S Brady; B Mooney, S Sullivan, K Slattery; C McManus, A McNamee; J Reynolds, D Hunt, N Coughlan; C Quinn, N McNamee, J Coughlan.

LOUTH (SF v Offaly): S McCoy; A Page, D Mackin, J Carr; C Sheridan, A Hoey, S Gerard; D Devenny, J Kermath; P Keenan, N McDonnell, R Carroll; M Stanfield, JP Rooney, D Clarke.