Qualifier draw: Offaly were left with the short straw after last night's draw for the All-Ireland hurling quarter-finals, and so play Tipperary in Croke Park next Sunday. The other game, also at Croke Park, will see Wexford take on Antrim, and while the Ulster champions are certainly no pushover, that is regarded as the less daunting route to the All-Ireland semi-finals.

It also means Offaly face a rematch of the All-Ireland qualifier round of a year ago, when Tipperary comfortably beat them 2-19 to 1-9. Yet there is some consolation in that Mike McNamara, in his first season as Offaly manager, probably knows as much as there is to know about Tipperary hurling having faced them so often when part of the Clare management.

Spirits are also high in Offaly after their convincing win over Limerick in Thurles last Thursday night, and they also have the advantage of playing in Croke Park already this season during their first-round qualifier win over Dublin.

For Tipperary it also marks another big challenge after their win over Galway last weekend. A year ago they avoided such a high-profile clash in the quarter-finals by drawing Antrim, but that game proved a little more difficult than expected before Tipperary prevailed 1-25 to 2-12.

Since Wexford had already played Offaly in the championship, that was the one pairing not allowed last night, but as it turned out Offaly were first out of the bowl, and were followed by Tipperary.

Wexford were next out and so they were pitted straight against Antrim.

Hurling Qualifiers

Offaly v Tipperary

Wexford v Antrim

(Croke Park, July 27th. throw-ins to be confirmed)