Ger Oakley has insisted that now is the time for Offaly's hurlers to step up and show their potential as they prepare to enter Division One of the National Hurling League.

Sunday's defeat of Kilkenny in the Walsh Cup quarter-final was the Faithful men's first since the 1998 All-Ireland decider, when Oakley was an unused sub, and he has since stressed that the term 'Offaly are in transition' has become a cliché which he has had enough of.

"Well personally I'm sick of hearing that to be honest. It's time to push in," he stated.

"I've been hearing that for the past six or seven years, 'we're in transition, a young team, this and that'. It's time to push on. Offaly should be competing at a higher level.

"They have the hurlers, they have the ability to compete at a higher level. It's a mental block but you have Kilkenny in Leinster and the last few years we played them in Leinster semi-finals and you'd hold them for 50 minutes but you'd end up getting beaten by 15 odd points. That's no good for young lads either.

"It's time Offaly stood up and were counted. We are good enough to compete at a higher level," he added.

Offaly play Galway in the Walsh Cup semi-final next weekend and will progress to the final with a win before travelling to Cork for their first round of the NHL on February 21.

Oakley's aims for 2010 will be to retain top tier status and mount a decent run the championship this summer, saying: "To get back to Croke Park would be nice. And obviously our Division One status is huge this year." Tweet

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