Hanamy: Losing by less than 10 points will be a great bonus

Former Offaly All-Ireland winning captain Martin Hanamy believes it would be a "great bonus" if the county’s hurlers stay within 10 points of Tipperary in Saturday’s qualifier.

Hanamy, who captained Offaly to All-Ireland glory in 1994, said the outcome of this weekend’s contest is a “no-brainer”.

Brian Whelahan’s charges were on the receiving end of a 26-point hammering to Kilkenny last month, their championship involvement sustained by the narrowest of wins over Antrim subsequently — a 71st minute Brian Carroll goal robbing victory for Offaly at the death.

Hanamy pointed to Derek McGrath’s Waterford as the only draw where Offaly enjoyed a reasonable chance of progression.

“Everyone will expect Tipperary to win and win well. That is the way I would see it anyway,” he asserted.

“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 10 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. It is a mirror image of my own club, St. Rynagh’s. We are trying to keep a senior football team and a senior hurling team going and neither of them are going anywhere. That is where it is at. Population wise we are just not able to do it. People say there is nothing happening at underage yet I have never seen as much going on.”

Hanamy is confident the team will not fold in a manner similar to their nightmare Nowlan Park showing, predicting a fighting performance from the underdogs.

“They will have to put up a performance. Surely there has to be one performance in them. I say every year there has to be at least one good game in them. They are not that bad. I expect a good fighting performance against Tipperary.”

Waterford await the winners of the Wexford v Clare replay in the remaining round two qualifier fixture.

Meanwhile in round three of the football qualifiers, Sligo will host Limerick while Laois will entertain Tipperary in the curtain-raiser at Portlaoise on Saturday.