Offaly manager Brian Whelehan said the league win over Laois answered a lot of the critics of the county’s hurlers.
Last season, Whelehan's first in charge, saw Offaly begin their Allianz League campaign with defeat to their near neighbours and subsequently went on a dismal run where they found themselves needing a play-off win against Kerry to avoid relegation to Division 2A.
The midlanders fared no better in the championship, shipping heavy defeats to Kilkenny and Tipperary.
Seamus Plunkett’s men were favourites in O’Moore Park on Saturday evening but Shane Dooley’s 1-14 and two penalty saves helped the visitors to a four-point win.
Whelehan told Midlands 103: "Everyone has been knocking this Offaly team, and maybe [the] management as well, but the work-rate this year that has gone in has been fantastic.
"We’ve lads out there who want to hurl for Offaly. We’ve always said to them that we believe there are good hurlers in our squad.
"I think we answered a lot of critics. Everyone had Laois [as] favourites – Offaly came tonight and, in fairness to them, battled out a very good win and that’s going to bring those guys on a bunch because when you are being knocked for so long you start to question yourself a little bit. Tonight, all the [work] paid off and we're delighted with that.
"Our guys kept fighting till the end, when Laois came at us and we knew they would come at us, and I suppose the fighting spirit that was in them really showed right through."
The Faithful County face Wexford on Sunday, while Laois visit Waterford on Saturday night.
