Offaly have warmly welcomed the prospect of a return to the top tier in hurling in 2024 after completing their first goal of the year by winning Division 2A.
The Faithful County held off the challenge of Kildare in Sunday's final, despite trailing by three points at the break.
Johnny Kelly's side are in the midst of a run of seven matches without a week off and looked a much-improved outfit in the second period.
Kelly took over in September after the county opted for a change in management from Michael Fennelly.
He was part of the ticket of the previous boss, with captain Jason Sampson feeling it has been a development process to develop a team in the county rather than place every sentiment on promotion and demotion.
Sampson, speaking to RTÉ Radio 1's Sunday Sport, feels there is genuine improvement in Offaly, as well as opponents Kildare.
"We're building strongly the last couple of years. We had a lot of foundations put in during the last couple of years," he said.
"There are a good few of our younger lads who have two, three, four years experience now up through the team. They're getting stronger and becoming more used to inter-county hurling every day. It's that experience and maturity that is coming into the thing which is a great thing.
"It was the one of the goals at the start of the year (to win the division).
"Division 1 is where you want to be, playing the big teams every Sunday. We had a really tough league campaign. It took us a long time to get going and we felt we had a lot more in us as we were we building through the rounds. We were getting better each week. That was a bonus. Now we're back in Division 1 thank God."
The fixture scheduling is giving his manager headaches, but the Faithful captain also believes it is a great platform heading into the start of the Joe McDonagh Cup.
"It's seven games in seven weeks, four done here and three Joe McDonagh Cup to come before we get a weekend off. But momentum is a great thing. It breeds confidence and you get on a run. That's massive for a group. Please God it's gathering a bit of pace for us."
After a tough campaign last year, Offaly will be back in the big time next year.
Sampson thinks they took a lot in defeat in a 2022 that ended in relegation from Division 1 and a fourth-placed finish in the Joe McDonagh Cup .
"Last year we probably took a couple of beatings but you want to be testing yourself. I'm a firm believer that you might lose a few of those games by 10, 12 points that you do improve with it. I think it stood to us this year that we had that experience last year."
Kelly, meanwhile, paid tribute to the test Kildare gave his side, two weeks on from a drawn fixture in the group stages.
"It was a tricky game and Kildare are an excellent outfit," he said. "They played some brilliant hurling. We're very happy to get over the line and win Division 2A.
"Kildare would have been disappointed to have a couple of wides in the first half. In fairness, they were shooting under a bit of pressure but they did have the lion's share of possession in the first half. They were doing really well from our puck outs. But we had good composure at half-time.
"I didn't panic or anything like that. We came out in the second half and put in a really solid, honest performance and that is all we can ask.
"We saw two weeks ago in Tullamore how they caused us terrible problems the way they play. They're a strong, fit team and run at you very hard. They move the ball through their hands. We're just happy to get over the line."
Kelly would like to see an alteration to the calendar to give the second tier All-Ireland competition breathing room rather than the league ending just days before it begins.
"It is what it is, we'll just get on with that. Hopefully the powers that be will look at the format and maybe do something about it next year.
"Without a doubt (I think it should change). There should be at least one week between the end of the league and the start of the Joe McDonagh Championship. Obviously there are two or three weeks between the end of the league in Division 1A and their Liam MacCarthy Championship.
"It should be no different here. Having said that, it is what it is, we get on with it, put our best foot forward, and Laois is going to be a serious challenge for us in Tullamore.
"The celebrations are over already. We recover now and get back to be ready for next weekend."
