Cautious Tipperary still have the edge

BARRING another upset, Tipperary will be expected to go through to the Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-finals.

For the second successive season they have had to depend on the qualifier system to make progress, this time after a shock exit in their first championship outing at the hands of Clare. Tomorrow in Croke Park they face another searching examination against an Offaly side which has also shown steady improvement since Wexford ended their interest in Leinster.

On the face of it, the Midlanders face a serious challenge, based on the results of their last two games with Tipperary. In the first round of the League in February, they lost 4-14 to 1-8 in Nenagh (when Lar Corbett finished with 3-3). Their previous clash was in the second round of last year's qualifier competition, when Tipperary were emphatic 2-19 to 1-9 winners.