Cormac Costello, Eric Lowndes, Conor McHugh and Emmet O Conghaile are conspicuous by their absence in the Dublin team for Wednesday's Leinster U-21 HC opener against Laois in Parnell Park (7.30pm).

The quartet were members of the side that lost the 2011 All-Ireland MHC final decider to Galway on a scoreline of 1-21 to 1-12 but have decided to concentrate on football this year and played key roles in the recent All-Ireland U-21 FC final victory over Roscommon.

In their absence, the metropolitans will look to senior stars Cian O'Callaghan and Colm Cronin to spearhead their challenge for provincial honours in the small ball code.

Dublin (U-21 HC v Laois) - Conor Dooley; Sean McClelland, Cian O'Callaghan, Matthew McCaffrey; Eoghan O'Donnell, Rob Murphy, Chris Crummey; Glen Whelan, Conor Robinson; Paul Winters, Kevin O'Flynn, Colm Cronin; Oisin O'Rorke, Aodhan Clabby, Caolan Conway. Tweet

Most Read Stories