Oakley: Offaly must push on after win over Kilkenny

IT’S only January, it was only the Walsh Cup, both sides were seriously understrength (Kilkenny especially so) and yet the three-point win for Offaly on Sunday last in Tullamore over Kilkenny was of massive significance to the home side.

In beating Tipperary in the All-Ireland final last September, the Cats completed a fabulous four-in-a-row, a feat never before achieved in senior hurling (Cork lost to Tipperary in the postponed 1941 Munster final in their four-in-a-row run in the early 40’s).

This year then sees the drive-for-five. This was Kilkenny’s first competitive outing of the season; they were only a couple of weeks back from their team holiday, had been back in training for only a week, so that, along with being understrength they were undercooked, and very much so.