All-Ireland winning captain Martin Hanamy says Offaly would do well to finish within ten points of Tipperary on Saturday.

Hanamy, who captained the Faithful County to Liam MacCarthy Cup glory in 1994, reckons the current Offaly aide - managed by his former team-mate Brian Whelehan - have no change of upsetting the Premier County in the Round Two Qualifier at O'Moore Park:

"Everyone will expect Tipperary to win and win well," the St Rynagh's clubman says in The Irish Examiner. "That is the way I would see it anyway.

"Tipperary were out of action for a long time and I was impressed by their performance against Galway. To be six points down with 18 minutes left and to win by nine, it showed a bit of mettle.

"Their mental fragility had been called into question, but I believe they are one of three teams in contention for the All-Ireland. If Offaly are beaten by less than ten points it will be a great bonus.

"It is good that Offaly are still there, given all who are gone. But it's by default they are still there more than anything. They are not going well. They don't have the pick, that is my belief.

"When we were at it we overachieved and that is where they are trying to get to now. We came along after the team of the 1980s and replicated their achievements, but I don't know can it be done again. The population is too small to keep both codes going." Tweet

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