Offaly camogie team make long trip to Antrim for crucial encounter

OFFALY make the long journey to Antrim on Saturday next for their second round game in the Glen Dimplex All-Ireland Senior Camogie championship.

On the back of their defeat to Waterford in the opening round of the championship, Offaly will be looking to get back on track in this contest in an effort to reignite their championship challenge.

While Offaly suffered a heavy defeat in that game with Waterford, they know that a victory on Saturday would put them in a strong position to challenge for second place in the group and with it a place in the All-Ireland quarter finals.

Waterford are the strong favourites in the group and will be expected to top the group comfortably but there isn't much between the other three teams. Waterford ran Cork very close in last year's All-Ireland semi-final and continued that form throughout the league as they topped Division 1B with five wins from five and then defeated Wexford by 16 points in the final to gain promotion to Division 1A for next season. And when you see what Wexford did against Kilkenny last Saturday it gives a good indication of Waterford's strength at the moment.

Offaly, Antrim and Limerick were among their victims in Division 1B, Waterford winning well in all three games, but the games between the other three were all quite close, so there is plenty to play for still.

Offaly met Antrim in Banagher in early March and the game ended in a 2-8 apiece draw, with Antrim coming back late to force a draw with the home side.

Offaly will be looking to take encouragement from that performance and it will give them the belief that they can travel North and put it up to the home side.

Antrim began their championship campaign with a 1-15 to 0-14 victory over Limerick in Dunloy. They held a seven point lead at half time but Limerick put it up to them in the second half as they narrowed the lead but the Glenswomen held out for victory. Antrim will be targeting Saturday's game as they know that a win will guarantee them a place in the quarter finals ahead of their final group game away to Waterford.

That will put pressure on them in its own way as if they fail to get that win, the likelihood of them getting anything from their trip to Waterford is slim, so Offaly will look to exploit that. If Offaly can put pressure on them early and get early scores, Antrim will be in a battle.

It has been a tough season for Offaly so far. They have been hit by injuries and other absentees there has been a big turnover of players from last year. While they still have a core of experienced players like Louise Mannion, Grainne Dolan, Siobhan Flannery and Sarah Harding, they have blooded a lot of younger players and it does take a while to adapt at this level.

To their credit they have displayed great honesty and determination in their performances and haven't let their levels drop. That isn't easy to do when wins are hard to come by, but they have stuck to the task and it will come right for them one of these days.

Saturday would be a good day for that to start as it would put them right back in the mix with a home game against Limerick to come in their final group game. The confidence they would gain from earning such a win would also be a huge boost and would be just reward for all their efforts during the year.

Scoring has been an issue for the team all year but they do have talent in the forward line and with the right ball and on harder, drier surfaces after all the good weather, they will get opportunities and it is up to them to make the most of them.

As they showed in the league, Offaly are capable of matching Antrim and the belief that will give them should help drive them on this Saturday. At this stage the Waterford game is behind them and they can take solace in the fact that Waterford will trouble the top ranked teams later in the championship.

For now Offaly have to concentrate on a mini-championship with Antrim and Limerick and if they can produce the goods they are capable of, they could upset the home side on Saturday and set up that final home game against Limerick with the possibility of a quarter final place at stake.