Looks to be the best tie in the first round of qualifiers. Waterford will undoubtedly be favourites but I'm sure Offaly will prefer that and will be waiting in the long grass with aspiration of causing an upset especially considering their good 1st half showing against Kilkenny. The Diese seemed to take control of the game against Clare in the last 15 minutes of the 1st half but went missing in the 2nd half when Clare got their 1st goal. Key to this will be how Prendergast and Shanahan go as they seemed to be Waterford main ball winners. Honan didn't get much ball for Clare but when he did he usually delivered....Bergin for Offaly is a similar type of player and probably a bit more physical, the battle between him and Lawlor will tell alot. Brian Carroll hurled his best game for Offaly in a long time and if he can get on as much ball again around the middle and target Bergin and Colin Egan with good ball and Dooley picking up the breaks Offaly should cause problems for Waterford. It should be a good game.....It should be very close.

wing back (Offaly) - Posts: 116 - 11/06/2013 13:15:46    1404039

Both teams could do with a good run in the Qualifiers, to be honest.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 11/06/2013 13:40:29    1404068

If Offaly gave away as many frees as they did the last day, they will concede bucket loads of scores. Their forwards are dangerous as wing back has pointed out and they will get scores. However, they will be beaten by everyone unless they improve their discipline at the back. If they can manage this, then I would make it a 50/50 game. Right now, I fancy Waterford.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 11/06/2013 13:56:20    1404083

Ya I agree with bennybunny....actually forgot to mention that point. Its the obvious area Daly will work on over the next 2 weeks. I am biased however and will say that a couple of those frees in the 1st half were very questionable decisions as well as not getting 1 or 2 other frees ourselves, One trip in particular on Carroll. Don't think it would have made a difference in the end...But definitely would have kept us in the game for longer. But ya definitely need to improve on our discipline. There will undoubtedly be a bit of backlash in Waterford aswell who won't be happy the way they faded.....I just feel that they have been boxing above their weight for at least 2 or 3 years now...and that weight may still be ahead of Offaly...But I think the 2 are a lot closer than many onlookers think.

wing back (Offaly) - Posts: 116 - 11/06/2013 14:29:34    1404124

One crucial free that ye did not get (in my opinion) on Sunday was at the start of the second half when Michael Rice (fair play to him) 'won' a free by holding Brian Carrol (I think) hurley and pulling them both to the ground (the camera behind the goals shows him clearly doing this). KK got the free that put them three points up at a crucial time. Had Offaly gotten that free it could have been a one point game. I still think KK would have won but it might have made it a tighter game for a bit longer. Who knows?

I am not sure Waterford are punching above their weight (at least I would not phrase it as such). If Offaly beat them it will be down to Offaly stepping up a bit. It is a good draw for ye. I would see it like the Tipp/Limerick game. Waterford have to be favourites as they are a 1A team but I don't expect anything in it at the end. A three point win for Offaly would not be a surprise.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 11/06/2013 14:55:58    1404150

i see offaly causing an upset here they actually have quite a strong team this year some really good forward there in bergin, dooley, egan, carroll slevin and currams. they would be my 6 forwards if i was picking the team. think paul claery should be brought into the fullback line

hurlingexpert (Clare) - Posts: 1941 - 11/06/2013 15:06:20    1404166

Would agree with you hurlingexpert for the most part...But expect Carroll to line out at Midfield again....Slevin was very disappointing, missed 2 frees and never really put his mark on the game at all. I don't remember Conor Mahon on the ball for Offaly and would fully expect Derek Molloy to start ahead of him or possibly move Parlon back up to the forwards if Del Morkam is back.

wing back (Offaly) - Posts: 116 - 11/06/2013 15:45:46    1404210

Fancy Offaly here. I expected them to rattle Kilkenny on Sunday and I think theyll have a say in this championship.

Once they focus, was Kilkenny there be all end all? If not and they can raise there game this is a dangerous team

Brianmac78 (Dublin) - Posts: 1168 - 11/06/2013 17:08:49    1404310

"Its the obvious area Daly will work on over the next 2 weeks"

I think you'll find it's Baker.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 11/06/2013 17:21:02    1404336

Well pointed out Keeper7...It was indeed Baker, The clare greats of the 90's got mixed up in my head for a second there

wing back (Offaly) - Posts: 116 - 11/06/2013 17:31:14    1404349

Offaly will take the, Waterfords glory days are well and truly over , the nail in the coffin will be relegation from division1a

Murlo111 (Dublin) - Posts: 192 - 11/06/2013 18:07:44    1404389

I see Ofally winning this one........... Its on in O Connor park and the offaly supporters will turn up in great numbers. Doubt waterford will have much of a following. Bergin and Dooley are better than Waterfords forwards but I will say Maurice Shannahans ball winning ability will have a huge say and how Baker attempts to shutdown the very influential Waterford halfbackline

Fishermantom (Limerick) - Posts: 569 - 11/06/2013 18:43:26    1404420

Clare used a different tactic the last day against Brick and let him actually hit the ball into the waterford forwards instead of just hand passing off....and he really struggled to hit in any decent ball at all. One in particular was a shocker. Not saying Offaly should stand off him altogether but just cut off his options and see what he'll do with it.

wing back (Offaly) - Posts: 116 - 11/06/2013 19:31:08    1404468

Personally think Offaly need a win here more than Waterford, (if there is such a thing in the championship?). Waterford have emerging talent to come into the team over the next few years, whilst we have a group of players in their prime, who despite delivering the odd heroic display (Galway draw and replay, Dubs in Croker, Cork in Qualifiers last 2 years), have failed to deliver a big win which might help us drive the interest in hurling back towards what it was.

So its a huge opportunity and if we are underdogs, there will be massive pressure on the team to deliver a win.

The key factors here will be,
1)Our backs, will they improve their discipline, they are not cute enough in the tackle when players run at them
2) Long ball is not the right option all the time, and would like to see the play mixed up more
3) Our midfield, despite Brian Carroll having one of his better games,his ability to stop his opponent delivering quality ball in and ditto Kevin Brady will be key. I dont think that they will be disciplined at doing this, and will leave Waterford put in the right quality ball.
4) Familiarity with the pitch, Waterford played a league match up here a couple of years ago, will take a bit of time to get used to surroundings.
5)Shane Dooley has not played well in open play this year so far, can he pull it out of the bag v Waterford.

Should be a good occasion and a good atmosphere, as lots of us were under pressure cutting silage and getting the turf home last week end, we will all be there Sat week and tractors and car trailers pulled in for the evening, on the terrace ating choc ices, and dreaming of a return to the glory days. Defeat and will be back to the tractor, and a long wait to 1 B in Feb, and the pondering of where do we go from here?

Hopefully (Offaly) - Posts: 143 - 12/06/2013 13:38:04    1404916

really hope to see a big home crowd at this one after the last day...Waterford always travel in good numbers. Was just thinking back to the last times we played Waterford in Championship....pretty sure we were well beaten in Carlow in 2005 when Flynn goaled from a last minute free to add insult to injury. But the game that always sticks in my mind is the match in 2008 in Thurles...Offaly went 1-4 to no score down before steadying the ship and actually took the lead half way through the 2nd half. A lot of soft frees were given away that day aswell...But I always felt we played the better hurling and left it behind us. It was mainly due to the fact that Eoin Kelly had the game of his life that day scoring 2-13 of Waterfords 2-18. I think he had a 100% record from shots at goal, from frees and play bar one 21 yard free where he went for goal which was saved. A lot of that team remain today...the likes of Carroll, Hanniffy, Bergin, Dooley, Currams, Brady, Molloy and Kenny all played that day, and that experience will stand to them. I think everyone will admit that that Waterford team (which reached the AI that year) was a much better outfit than what they have today and that's why I have hope for the match in Tullamore.

wing back (Offaly) - Posts: 116 - 12/06/2013 19:25:09    1405246

Hopefully

I think ye do need to win definitely. I would not call yere performances against us heroic though. We were both awful and those games were played almost like challenge games with no intensity whatsoever. YOu are right in saying that the win is important. This is a massive game and ye need to win. If that adds pressure then so be it. Ye can't say if ye lose, ah well we were underdogs anyway. No, this is time for Offaly to deliver. Having a very competitive club championship in Offaly (two separate teams in two All-Ireland finals in a row and having four winners in the last five years) means Offaly should be setting their sights high despite maybe a lack of underage success recently. I have nothing against the blahs but I wish ye the best.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 12/06/2013 20:14:12    1405282

This is an interesting one, tough one to call. I'd imagine Offaly would be in a better state of mind after their performance against Kilkenny than Waterford would be after their performance against Clare. I'm actually looking forward to seeing this, I'd be hopeful of some quality free flowing hurling from these two teams, and less of the pulling/dragging/bunching/wrestling that we see in most other championship matches now, will it be on TV?

Marlon_JD (Tipperary) - Posts: 1823 - 12/06/2013 20:51:28    1405314

People shouldnt be writing us off yet by any means we still have plenty of class players and lots of young talent,we are going through a period of transition with a lot of young players coming through especially in the forwards it will take a couple of years for them to truly get settled at senior inter county level.Our full forward line was all u-21 the last day against Clare for example,we might not have won the big prize with our greats teams from 98-07 but they have inspired new generations of young players all over the city and county to play the game.There's plenty coming down the track don't worry about that we wont be going anywhere!

UptheDeise (Waterford) - Posts: 225 - 13/06/2013 10:38:19    1405444

Disaster of a draw for the loser. Both teams need a run of games. I expect Waterford to win this comfortably. Offaly have to improve a lot on the last day. They fouled a lot and most of their big names never got going at all

tiobraid (Tipperary) - Posts: 4119 - 13/06/2013 10:40:50    1405449

lads you are all getting carried away after one decent performance,lets be honest everyone will see offaly coming with their route one style of play,the deise will win this one with some to spare.KK were only taking it easy first game out,wouldn't happen again.

footiemad (Westmeath) - Posts: 733 - 13/06/2013 11:06:15    1405470