Offaly and Laois dominate Joe McDonagh team of the year

Finalists Offaly and Laois have jointly taken a total of 12 spots in the 2024 Joe McDonagh Cup team of the year.

The pair contested another thrilling Joe McDonagh decider in June - a showpiece which has a habit of producing exciting finales - with goals from Brian Duignan and Oisín Kelly powering Offaly to a 2-23 to 0-26 victory in the end, propelling the four-time All-Ireland winners back to the Leinster SHC for the first time since their relegation in 2018.

The Leinster neighbours couldn't be separated in the team of the year stakes, with both taking six spots.

Duignan, joint-top scorer throughout the season with an overall tally of 3-37, is joined in the full-forward line by team-mate Charlie Mitchell, who rustled up 0-04 against Laois. Wing-forward Killian Sampson is also named at 12.

In defence, Ben Conneely is honoured for the second year running, with Ciaran Burke taking the full-back berth. Twenty-eight-year-old Kilcormac-Killoughey centre-back Cillian Kiely, who stepped away from the set-up during the early part of the decade, is named at six after a series of stellar performances.

For Laois, Aidan Corby and the tireless Paddy Purcell take the midfield spots, while chief marksman Aaron Dunphy is at wing-forward.

The experienced Enda Rowland, a star of the 2019 campaign, takes the goalkeeper's jersey, while Diarmuid Conway and Padraig Delaney are named in the defence.

The remaining three spots in the team are split between three counties.

Kerry's Fionán Mackessy is named at half-back for the second year running. Westmeath's Killian Doyle, joint-top scorer alongside Duignan, takes the centre-forward slot.

For Down, the prolific Daithí Sands, who hit five goals across the five games, is named at corner-forward, his second