Johnny Kelly heaped praise on Charlie Mitchell after he made a sensational return to the Offaly starting line-up in Saturday evening's thrilling Leinster SHC Round 1 draw with Dublin.

The Kilcormac/Killoughey sharpshooter fired 1-3 in a man of the match performance just a few months after being diagnosed wioth myocarditis, which is inflammation of the heart muscle.

“He’s a great kid and I can’t talk highly enough about Charlie and what he’s gone through,” the Offaly manager said of his captain on GAA+.

“I’m just thrilled for Charlie because there were dark days over the last number of weeks. It was just a thrill to see him lead the team out. I was just so delighted for him, his parents and all the Mitchell family, and also the rest of the bunch and how they acquitted themselves over the last four weeks.

“Let’s be fair, we did ship some beatings in the League and there was some despondency around the place. But hopefully that draw – and that’s all it is – will lift the spirits for next week.

“We have a very young panel – we picked up three injuries there today. It will be a struggle to get lads back. We’re under no illusions… we’ll be underdogs again. We need to put our shoulder to the wheel for the next couple of days, park this immediately and get ourselves up for Galway.”

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