Offaly footballers get middle of the road Tailteann Cup draw
Managers have big task to raise players for second tier championship
OFFALY senior footballers have received what could be best described as a middle of the road for their Tailteann Cup opener.
Offaly have been pitted against Munster side, Clare and have to travel to Ennis for it. Fixtures will be finalised in the coming days but with Offaly hurling Kilkenny on Sunday, May 10, it is likely to be on that Saturday- Clare don't have a hurling game that day so there should be no issue with playing it on the Saturday.
With Clare finishing third from bottom in Division 3 this year, Offaly could have got worse draws but on current form, it is still a very tough one. Clare gave a good account of themselves when losing by 2-19 to 1-14 to Kerry in the Munster championship last weekend while Offaly were awful in their defeat by Laois, failing to get their performance levels near the right intensity levels for a derby clash.
The nature of that defeat coming on the back of relegation from Division 2 with seven successive defeats, means that Offaly's confidence is fragile and joint managers Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte have a big task to raise things for the second tier championship.
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In many ways, it is a good draw for Offaly. They will have to perform and play well to win it, though there is a second chance if they lose. There is a new Tailteann Cup format this year with the eight first round losers drawn in four knockout games, called round 2B. The eight winners clash in round 2A with the four victors going to the quarter-finals, or a preliminary quarter-final with New York. The losers will meet the winners of round 2B in round 3 and will then be away to the round 2A winners.
It is a better set-up than groups as in previous years and Offaly have returned to training in the past week. Clara's Ed Cullen has pulled out of the panel – he has had injury problems over the past couple of years and the remainder are sticking with it.
The draw is, with first named at home: Fermanagh v Longford, Laois v Wicklow, Clare v Offaly, Carlow v Antrim, Wexford v Limerick, Cavan/Westmeath/Down v Leitrim, Sligo v Tipperary, Waterford v London.
The competition is wide open, though Westmeath or Down will be warm favourites if they end up in it and Offaly should have a chance but their form-line does not suggest that this will be their year.