Clancy and Tierney named in Laois team

The Laois team to take on Tipperary in Saturday's All-Ireland SFC first round qualifier in Portlaoise (throw-in 7pm) has been named.

Padraig Clancy will start in midfield and Donie Kingston and MJ Tierney have been added to the midlanders' attack, as the sides meet for the second successive year.

Mark Timmons makes way in defence with Peter O'Leary stationed at left corner back. Clancy links up with Brendan Quigley in midfield, behind a half-forward line of captain Colm Begley, John O'Loughlin and Niall Donoher.

Daithi Carroll, who suffered ankle ligament damage against Dublin, and Billy Sheehan lose out up front. Kingston comes in at full-forward with Tierney, whose 'disillusioned' tweet filled plenty of column inches after he was dropped for the Dublin game, listed in the left corner.

A number of positional switches are likely as manager Justin McNulty tries to put one over on his opposite number John Evans, who masterminded a surprise 0-13 to 0-12 qualifier victory for Tipp over the O'Moore men last June.

Speaking to the Laois Nationalist, McNulty said: "I am in a very positive frame of mind and so are the players because of the serious work we have put in (since the defeat to Dublin). I believe that if we play to our potential we will win.

"The players knew they hadn't done themselves justice against Dublin and they knew they had a lot more ability than they showed at Croke Park.

"We came together the week after that game and while some of the players were down a bit and were disappointed with the way they had played, they knew they were better than that. Now they have a chance to prove that.

"(Last year's loss to Tipperary) might in the back of some minds but it's not in my mind. Look, that game is history and history is just that, history. It has no bearing on how a team will perform this year and I know the players will go out and give it their all."

LAOIS (SFC v Tipperary): Eoin Culliton; Cahir Healy, Kevin Meaney, Peter O'Leary; Darren Strong, Shane Julian, Padraig McMahon; Padraig Clancy, Brendan Quigley; Colm Begley (capt), John O'Loughlin, Niall Donoher; Ross Munnelly, Donal Kingston, MJ Tierney.