Offaly find out opponents in Tailteann Cup after draw for group stages made

Offaly will take on Down, Limerick and London in the group stages of the Tailteann Cup after the draw was made this afternoon.

After a win over Laois on their opening game in the Leinster Championship, Offaly suffered a heavy defeat against Dublin in front of a very small crowd in Croke Park on Sunday. 

Offaly have not traditionally performed well in secondary competitions but manager Declan Kelly has said that Offaly have to engage and embrace whatever competition they end up in and that was what his aim will be this year.

That will be put to the test in the coming weeks as Offaly's first game in the Tailteann Cup will be at home to London on the weekend of May 11/12. 

They will play two further games with Limerick away from home in Round 2 on the weekend of May 18/19 while their final group game sees them face Down on the weekend of June 1/2 which will be played at a neutral venue.

Full fixture details will be confirmed by the CCCC in due course.

The top team in each group will go straight into the Quarter Finals with the four second placed teams and the three best placed third placed teams set to advance to the preliminary quarter-finals. The worst placed third place team will be knocked out with their place being taken by New York.

Group 1 has Kildare, Leitrim, Longford, Waterford

Group 2 has Sligo, Antrim, Wexford, Tipperary

Group 3 has Fermanagh, Laois, Wicklow, Carlow 

Group 4 has Down, Offaly, Limerick, London