It's a sign of the times when Tipperary are favourites to beat Offaly in a football fixture.

While both teams will ply their trade in Division 4 of the Allianz League next year, Tipperary football is in a far healthier state overall, with back-to-back All-Ireland minor successes by no means out of the equation.

Offaly are in dire straits as their 0-6 to 0-19 Leinster SFC quarter-final thumping by Kildare highlighted. Tom Coffey's task is an onerous one and it's hard to see how he can lift his players for this one.

Peter Creedon has done a good job since assuming the Tipp managerial reins from John Evans in March and has already seen off the Faithful in the Allianz League.

The Premier gave an excellent account of themselves in their Munster SFC quarter-final defeat to Kerry, and should get back to winning ways here.

Verdict: Tipperary

Tipperary - P Fitzgerald; A Morrissey, P Codd, C McDonald; B Fox, R Kiely, A Campbell; G Hannigan, H Coughlan; P Austin, P Acheson, D Leahy; A Maloney, M Quinlivan, R Ryan.

Offaly - Alan Mulhall, Shane Sullivan, John Moloney, Sean Pender, Brian Darby, Michael Brazil, Eoin Rigney, Alan McNamee, Richie Dalton, Ross Brady, Daniel Currams, Niall Smith, Ken Casey, Graham Guilfoyle, Anton Sullivan

Odds: Tipperary 8/13, Draw 15/2, Offaly 13/8

Match Details: All-Ireland SFC qualifier Round 1, Thurles, Saturday 30 June, 7pm

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