Kilmurray looking to build on victory over Cork
The Midlanders face Mayo in Castlebar on Sunday and Kilmurray would love to add another high profile scalp to his collection.
"Everyone saw how good Mayo were against Kerry on Saturday night. While it was nice to get off to a good start against Cork, it will end up for nought if we can't pick up a few more good victories along the way.''
Kilmurray had reason to be particularly pleased with the work ethic his players showed against Cork, all the more so since the team line up differed substantially from last season.
They ended up with only two 'senior' players in the backline Barry Mooney and Neville Coughlan following the late withdrawal of centre-back Scott Brady.
"Our O'Byrne Cup campaign is standing to us. James Rafferty played two games in the competition, he's only 20, but slotted in very nicely in Scott's position. Ross Connor is also showing the benefit of the games. At 19, it was a big ask for him facing Cork, but he did very well.''
Leading forward Colm Quinn, Karol Slattery and Sean O'Sullivan, are still nursing injuries and Kilmurry isn't sure if Brady or Ciarán McManus will be available for the trip west. Longer term, he's looking forward to having a full complement of players to choose from.
"We have some fabulous players available, those who are there at the moment and those who are injured. We are privileged to have them. I love difficult choices. I'm dreaming about that for the last three years,'' he joked.
Kilmurray agreed McManus had not been happy to be substitute late in the game, explaining: "He had hurt his foot and it was swelling up. The doctor told me if I didn't take him off he was going to go home. Ciarán is a player who will die for you. All he wants to do is play football.''
McManus explained that he had injured his left foot early in the match and it had been aggravated later on in a tackle. When replaced he had been hoping "to run it off."
"We thought they would be on a bit of a high after beating Kerry and would be out of the blocks straight away. We focused on getting a good start. In the dressing room before the game our captain, Alan McNamee said he would try to hold them to two or three points in the first 20 minutes and see what happened. We did that and we kept it going to the end.
"The pressure will be on Mayo to beat us because of playing at home. We could have beaten them in Tullamore last year.''
Meanwhile, Billy Morgan accepts that Saturday's floodlit game against Kerry in Pairc Uí Rinn takes on a new importance after both counties lost at the week-end.
"It was a big blow to our qualifying hopes to lose to Offaly. One defeat and it will set you back. We can't afford to lose again.''
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