It has been building nicely for some time now, this Offaly head of steam. And on Sunday the Faithful could take a major step towards returning to top-flight league hurling.
As one of only two remaining undefeated teams in Division 1B of the Allianz Hurling League, Johnny Kelly’s Offaly would be in the box seat to claim a promotion spot should they overcome Westmeath in Tullamore.
After years of steady underage success – All-Ireland minor finalists in 2022, All-Ireland under-20 finalists in 2023, All-Ireland under-20 champions in 2024 – the hope in Offaly is the seniors are now about to step out of the shadows.
Two-time Liam MacCarthy winner Johnny Pilkington, a central player on the iconic Offaly teams during the 1990s, has been part of those successful minor and under-20 management teams under Leo O’Connor in recent years.
Pilkington is aware of the grunt the seniors will have under the bonnet, powering them on in the years ahead.
The number of supporters coming out to follow Offaly underage teams has bordered on mania recently, completely at odds with the traditional GAA mindset where the senior team trump all else.
Some 15,215 turned out to watch last year’s Leinster under-20 final against Dublin in Portlaoise, with the vast majority of those hailing from Offaly. For the All-Ireland under-20 decider in Nowlan Park last June, Offaly fans vastly outnumbered their Tipperary counterparts among the 25,825 in attendance.
A crowd of 12,487 watched Offaly beat Laois in the 2022 Leinster minor final, with throw-in delayed due to the large volume of supporters at O’Moore Park.
“The crowds following those teams have been unprecedented,” says Pilkington. “Offaly people are definitely behind those lads, they love watching them hurl and it’s not just because of their skill level – it’s the work rate, the closing down, the chasing, the blocking.
“It comes from the likes of Adam Screeney, he can do anything he wants with a ball, but the other side of his game is that he will chase down a corner back, turning over defenders time and time again.
“And it’s the same with other lads there, that commitment and effort is what Offaly people – and I think supporters in any county – like to see from their players. Now, that hasn’t been seen as much at senior level just yet but hopefully that will come.”
Just two years ago Offaly were competing in Division 2A alongside Kildare, Kerry, Carlow, Derry and Down.
They beat Kildare in the divisional final that April. Of the starting 15 from that Division 2A final two years ago, only three lined out from the off at Croke Park against Dublin last Saturday evening – Ciarán Burke, Jason Sampson and Killian Sampson.
The permutations for promotion from Division 1B are somewhat convoluted but essentially if Offaly beat Westmeath and the Dublin-Waterford game produces a winner, then it would be a surprise if the Faithful didn’t ultimately secure a top two finish.
Offaly have seven points with two games remaining – at home to Westmeath and away to Waterford. Nine points should be enough, but that comes with a health warning.
Dublin and Waterford are both on four points but with three games remaining. Should they play out a draw on Sunday both teams could conceivably still finish the league with nine points. Carlow are also still in the mix for now – they are on three points but have four games remaining.
And while Pilkington is delighted to see the buzz return to Offaly hurling, the Birr man is cautious not to overstate the progress just yet.
“Their best display was at home to Antrim, in terms of doing everything you want your team to be doing, it was an impressive display.
“But I wasn’t overly gone on their displays against Carlow or Laois, even though they did beat Laois. And although they beat Dublin last Saturday, you have to be honest and say that in many ways that was a game Dublin left behind.”
Still, it’s exactly the kind of contest Offaly would not have snatched a victory from in previous years.
The Dubs led for most of the game and with 10 minutes of normal time remaining Offaly trailed by four. But Offaly outscored their opponents 0-11 to 1-3 coming down the straight, winning the game thanks to a monster free from Dan Ravenhill deep in injury-time.
“They played well in the last 10 minutes or so and I’d imagine that is what Johnny Kelly is trying to get them to do for longer periods in games. Dublin got a goal late on but then Offaly responded, showed good character and they will take a lot of heart from that.”
Over a dozen of last year’s triumphant under-20 champions – Offaly’s maiden All-Ireland at that grade – are involved with the senior panel this term.
“I’ve been blessed in terms of being involved with some of them through the minors and under-20s,” adds Pilkington. “I can’t say I’ve influenced them much really because it’s just their natural talent. The thing I’ve tried to bring to them and I’d always say is that when you get to senior intercounty championship level, you don’t get time on the ball.”
But as ever, success also brings its fair share of challenges. Should Offaly advance to the Division 1B final, that match is scheduled for Sunday, April 6th. Just 24 hours earlier, the Offaly under-20s are fixed to play Galway in their Leinster championship opener.
For players on both panels – including James Mahon, Donal Shirley, Dan Ravenhill and Ter Guinan – that would create issues unless a change of fixture could be facilitated.
There is plenty of hurling to be done before that bridge needs crossing, though. After Westmeath the seniors have to go down to Waterford – “I’d see that as a real championship test,” says Pilkington.
“Waterford won’t give them time on the ball, they’ll bring physicality and they obviously have some top-class players as well, so that will be a real challenge.”
The kind of challenge Offaly have been meeting head on these days.
