Offaly have proven themselves to be a much-improved outfit during this Championship, but Sunday’s clash with Tipperary will offer them another chance to gauge exactly where they stand in relation to the code’s hierarchy.
The Faithful have had a mixed campaign. Their best displays came in their draw and subsequent replay with Galway in the Leinster semi-finals.
And despite winning against both Antrim (in Leinster) and Limerick (qualifiers), their displays in those games left a lot to be desired.
The implication is that Offaly perform better against top opposition and therefore should fancy themselves against Tipp.
The only problem is that the Premier County showed in their demolition of Wexford that they have gotten over their disappointing Munster quarter-final defeat to Cork out of their system.
Tipp manager Liam Sheedy is still tinkering with personnel, though, and he has made two changes for Sunday’s trip to Portlaoise. Paddy Stapleton and Paul Curran will replace Conor O’Brien and Seamus Callanan. They are not direct switches, which means Sheedy has also made positional shuffles, the most notable of which sees Shane McGrath move from his usual berth of midfield to centre-forward.
The game will be a good test of Tipperary’s resolve, but should ultimately prove to be another step in a rehabilitation that could yet end with Liam McCarthy success.
Verdict: Tipperary
