U20 hurling squad named for championship opener

Back 24/03/2023 @ 03:24 | hurlingnews | U20 hurling squad named for championship opener

Sligo U20 Hurling Manager Barry Keenan (Western Gaels) and his selectors Darragh Cox (Calry St Joseph's) and Niall Feehily (Naomh Eoin) have named the squad that will travel to Derry on Saturday next to take on the home side in the opening round of the All Ireland U20B hurling Championship - throw In 2.00pm.

Sligo didn't participate in this competition last year so Saturday’s game and none of the 2021 panel which exited this competition at the hands of the same opposition in 2021 are still eligible.

Three of the squad – the Western Gaels trio of Cian and Darragh Flynn and Lee Gilmartin – are part of the current Sligo senior squad.

A further eight players were part of Sligo's Celtic Challenge success at U17 level last year - Marc Gray of Calry St Joseph’s, Jack Feeney and Oisín Hennessey from Coolera Strandhill, Donnchadh O’Brien and Matthew Percy from Drumcliffe Rosses Point, Robert O’Kelly Lynch of Naomh Eoin, Conor White of Naomh Molaise Gaels and Ciaran Keenan from Western Gaels.

Donnchadh O'Brien, O'Kelly Lynch and Ryan Gillespie of Easkey were also on the Sligo minor football team last year and O'Brien, his namesake Paul O'Brien, O'Kelly Lynch and Jaime Walsh were part of the Summerhill College squad that recently contested the All Ireland colleges Senior A football final in Croke Park.

The Sligo squad to face Derry is

Evan Ballantine (Calry St Joseph’s), Jack Byron (Western Gaels), Stephen Conway (Easkey), Thomas Davis (Naomh Eoin), Jack Feeney (Coolera Strandhill) Cian Flynn, Darragh Flynn and Seamus Foody (all Western Gaels), Ryan Gillespie (Easkey), Lee Gilmartin (Western Gaels), Marc Gray (Calry St Joseph’s), Niall Hallinan (Western Gaels), Oisín Hennessy (Coolera Strandhill), Matthew Hunt (Calry St Joseph’s), Ciarán Keenan (Western Gaels), Donnchadh O’Brien and Paul O’Brien (both Drumcliffe Rosses Point), Robert O’Kelly Lynch (Naomh Eoin) Mathew Percy (Drumcliffe Rosses Point), Paul Ruane (Western Gaels), Jaime Walsh (Coolera Strandhill), Conor White (Naomh Molaise Gaels),