Little in a way of rest as O’Byrne Cup continues

The second round of the O’Byrne Cup takes place tonight, just three days after the first for 14 of the 16 Leinster counties and universities involved.

Fresh from their nine-point victory over Laois on Sunday, Offaly travel to the capital likely to face a largely experimental Dublin team.

Dean Rock, midfielder Emmett Ó Conghaile and Shane Carthy, who was released by St Vincent’s for the encounter, all stood out for Dublin in their victory over Maynooth University at the weekend.

A number of new faces such as Eoin Culligan, John Small, Harry Dawson and Craig Dunleavey all got opportunities to impress.

Elsewhere in group A tonight, Laois will host the students of Maynooth, and Tomás Ó Flatharta’s team will be looking to make amends for that shock defeat three days ago.

Regulars Ross Munnelly, John O’Loughlin, Kevin Meaney and Darren Strong all started that encounter, although Laois could only amass six points from play and nine in total in a disappointing performance in Tullamore.

In group B, Louth, now in their post-Paddy Keenan era, will host UCD.

John Heslin will travel with his UCD team-mates in pursuit of a second consecutive victory over intercounty opposition, following their three-point win against Carlow on Sunday.

Kildare, who eased past Louth in round one in what was a repeat of last summer’s Leinster championship encounter, which the Lilywhites also won, take on a Carlow team that will again be without talisman Brendan Murphy.

Murphy will be lining out for Carlow IT in their group D encounter with Wexford, as Wicklow take on DIT in the second game from that group.

In group C, Meath face Longford on the back of an impressive showing against Westmeath, who themselves face a DCU side containing the likes of Galway’s Tom Flynn and Laois’s Colm Begley.

Both Longford and DCU will have the advantage of an added day’s rest as their round-one clash was the sole fixture last Saturday.