Stone handed first start as Westmeath prepare to face Offaly

Alan Stone will make his Championship debut for Westmeath in the Leinster quarter-final clash with Offaly at TEG Cusack Park tomorrow (Sunday), throw-in 3:30pm.

The Castledaly man has been selected at No. 12 as part of a half forward line that also includes Ger Egan and John Heslin.

From the team which narrowly defeated Offaly in the League match at the end of March, Westmeath are missing three players who started that day – Paddy Holloway, Ray Connellan and Shane Dempsey. In addition, Paul Greville - who scored the only goal of that League game - is no longer part of the panel.

Meanwhile, Offaly have named an unchanged team from the side which recorded an impressive 2-21 to 2-13 win over Longford in the opening round.

Johnny Moloney has been named at No. 15 but is expected to play in the half forward line or as a sweeper. Eoin Carroll is partnered at midfield by Niall Smith in what looks like a formidable pairing.

BoyleSports are reporting a surge of support for Offaly to beat Westmeath in Sunday’s game in Mullingar, causing the betting firm to clip the Faithful County into 11/8 from 13/8 to win the game.

Westmeath remain narrow favourites with BoyleSports to win the match on home soil but have been eased to 4/5 from 8/13, with a draw priced at 15/2.

But with Westmeath having been relegated in the League, a number of pundits are tipping Offaly to win.

Westmeath team: Darren Quinn; Killian Daly, Francis Boyle, Kevin Maguire; Jamie Gonoud, Kieran Martin, James Dolan; Denis Corroon, Daragh Daly; Ger Egan, John Heslin, Alan Stone; John Connellan, Paul Sharry, Callum McCormack.

Offaly team: Alan Mulhall; Brian Darby, Eoin Rigney, Sean Pender; Niall Darby, Peter Cunningham, Joey O Connor; Eoin Carroll, Niall Smith; Graham Guilfoyle, Nigel Dunne, Michael Brazil; Bernard Allen, Niall McNamee, Johnny Moloney.