Longford first up as Leinster SFC draw gives Offaly plenty to aim at

OFFALY have drawn Longford in the first round of the Leinster Senior Football Championship in 2023.

The draw took place on RTE Radio 1 on Saturday afternoon and the winner of Offaly and Longford will have a quarter-final against Meath.

It gives new manager Liam Kearns plenty to aim for. The Longford game will be a 50-50 one and Offaly have competed very well against Meath in their last couple of outings.

They have also avoided Dublin with the winners of Ofaly-Longford-Meath facing Westmeath or Louth in the semi-final.

While Offaly were well beaten by Westmeath in the Tailteann Cup semi-final this year, the draw creates a huge opportunity to them. The path to the Leinster final is open to all teams in that half of the draw – Offaly will go into the Tailteann Cup unless they reach the Leinster final or are promoted to Division 2 of the National Football League, in which case they will go into the qualifiers if beaten in one of their first three games in Leinster.

First round

Longford v Offaly

Wicklow v Carlow

Wexford v Laois

Quarter-finals

Kildare v Wicklow/Carlow

Dublin v Wexford/Laois

Meath v Longford/Offaly

Westmeath v Louth

Semi-finals

Kildare/Wicklow/Carlow v Dublin/Wexford/Laois

Meath/Longford/Offaly v Westmeath/Louth