Offaly U-20 hurlers get favourable home draw for semi-final

OFFALY U-20 hurlers have received a favourable draw for the Leinster championship semi-finals. They will meet Dublin, almost certainly in Tullamore, on Wednesday, May 10 and will fancy their chances of qualifying for a Leinster final.

Offaly's confidence will be sky high after a super 3-20 to 2-17 win over Galway in Tullamore last Saturday. After progressing out of the second tier, that win has ignited Offaly's year and a season of possibilities has opened in front of the squad.

Saturday's win was a real coming of age afternoon for them and nothing would surprise you with this team. With a number of last year's beaten All-Ireland minor finalists on board, they are young and this might be a year early for some of them but they have huge potential – they could exit the next day or they could be around at the tailend of the season.

Offaly had a great combination of skill and work rate on Saturday and will be relishing the challenge of Dublin.

Dublin qualified out of tier one, beating Galway and Wexford and losing out narrowly to Kilkenny. This earned them an automatic route to the semi-finals but Offaly won't have any fear factor and will fancy their chances of returning to the provincial final.

Home venue is a huge boost while the May 10 date gives them a bit of breathing space. In particular, it allows time for Adam Screeney and Brecon Kavanagh to fully recover from injuries sustained on Saturday.

Screeney had went off before half time after receiving a blow to the head. He came back on at half time and made a sensational impact before going off again after five minutes. In that brief spell, he turned the tide back in Offaly's favour after Galway had levelled up with 1-2 – the most exciting talent to emerge in Offaly since the early 1990s, Screeney scored and set up a point but had to be replaced after throwing up on the field. Manager Leo O'Connor blamed energy drinks he consumed at half time for him getting sick and Screeney should be okay for the semi-final.

Screeney's Kilcormac-Killoughey club mate Brecon Kavanagh also had to go off later in the half after receiving a fierce hit in a scramble for the ball. There were worrying scenes as he received lengthy treatment and family members came out onto the field around him but thankfully he was able to walk off and was then out on the field celebrating with team mates after a great win.