Faithful will take Off but Cats finding going tough
HAVING seen them on Sunday, if Offaly keep going the way they’re going they’ll be back as a real force to be reckoned with in the future.
Perhaps not as All-ireland contenders as they haven’t been competitive enough at underage for that to happen in the next few years, but the spirit that set their best teams apart was apparent in Nowlan Park.
They started well but Kilkenny pushed on and were at their ease in the second half before Kevin Martin’s (inset) side chipped their way back and then got a goal to put the game in the melting pot late on.
I didn’t think Kilkenny could up it at that stage as they’d gone so lethargic but they did, in fairness, and got a goal to finally break Offaly, who came to win the game by playing positive hurling.
The trouble is, as things stand, they’re in real peril of getting relegated. As much as they’ve improved, they’ll still be justified underdogs against Wexford and Dublin.
There were some worrying signs for Kilkenny and we’re still waiting for them to take off in this Championship and going on their form so far they’ll be underdogs going to Galway, who will still look to measure themselves against
Kilkenny despite their fallen status.
Galway didn’t scratch the Kilkenny itch en route to last year’s All-ireland and you’d have to think they’ll be primed for this – a two-week run in to their first home Leinster Championship game against Brian Cody’s side.