Kelly ready to find out what lies on other side of back door

EOIN KELLY insists that Waterford will be focussed when renewing their SHC challenge via the qualifiers away to Offaly on Saturday.

The Midlanders suffered a humiliating 31-point defeat to Kilkenny in Sunday's Leinster SHC semi-final.

But the Waterford skipper is adamant Offaly will be gunning to prove that they are "better than that".

And its not just John McIntyre's side he is worried about.

"We can expect a Clare backlash after losing to Tipperary. They're going to be out for revenge,'' he says.

"Everybody is writing Dublin off and they will be out to make amends. It's a tough group.''

Kelly, who was presented with the Vodafone award in the Westbury

Hotel yesterday in recognition of his display in the Munster SHC semi-final against Cork, revealed he had been very nervous in advance of that game.

"I felt terrible going into the game, the first time in a long time,'' he said.

"I felt very weak until I actually got out of the pitch and then I felt grand. The first one I hit, luckily it went over so I just kept shooting. Luckily they all went over.''

He admits to enjoying his role as skipper.

"It's a great honour to be captain given all the great players that are there.

"We know what we're capable of as a team. If you are asked who is going to win the All-Ireland, there's no point in saying somebody else is going to do it. We want to win the All-Ireland and we believe we can.

"We would have taken a win over Cork, don't get me wrong, but we'll take the back door as it comes. We'll go through any door to win the All-Ireland.

"It's a whole new ball game for us. Three years ago Wexford beat us, even though we went in odds-favourites to beat them in Nowlan Park. Now, we'll just put the head down and see what happens.''

Kelly has no doubt that Waterford suffered after their two provincial championship successes, both physically and mentally.

"We'll have no excuse if we don't win our three games in the qualifiers.

"If we don't, it would be because we're not good enough but I feel that we are.''

And he also says Ken McGrath and Paul Flynn are returning to fitness.

In terms of predicting a winner from the Munster final, he's sitting on the fence. Cork looked good against them, he says, but Tipperary impressed them in their win over Clare.

"Their backs are very strong and they have a good midfield line. And, stopping Eoin Kelly is like trying to stop a jumbo jet. Tipp will be well up for it. I'd say it could be a draw!''