Kilmurray optimistic

KEVIN KILMURRAY expects the GAA’s Disputes Resolutions Authority to give a ruling in favour of Offaly which will allow them fulfil their Leinster championship fixture with Wexford in Croke Park on Sunday week.

“My considered view is that we are playing the Leinster semi-final,’’ he said yesterday, adding that he ‘never doubted for a minute’ that they were right in the number of substitutions they made against Kildare.

With the DRA expected to meet on Thursday night, Kilmurray said yesterday that the delay in finalising the matter had ‘played around’ with the emotions of the players more than anything else.

“So far, we’re doing one thing. We’re concentrating on playing Wexford.’’

At a different level, Kilmurray regretted that the saga had taken away from the merit of their win.

“That has been the hard thing, because we have been down for the last five or six years. Results have not gone our way.

“This year, while we have not been blowing the teams out of the water, we have consistently improved.’’