'No pressure' for McManus and Offaly

Offaly midfielder Ciarán McManus is hoping his side can claim the Leinster SFC title on Sunday, while the pressure is off.

Speaking at today's announcement of Toyota Ireland's sponsorship renewal of the GAA, the Tubber clubman reckons the pressure is off Offaly as they prepare for their first provincial final appearance since 1997.

Offaly's opponents Dublin are odds-on favourites to retain the Delaney Cup. They are as low as 2/9 with some bookmakers and they certainly upped the ante when they handed Laois a 14-point beating in the semi-final.

But with Croke Park wins over Westmeath, Kildare and Wexford already behind them this summer, McManus and company will go into this weekend's headquarters battle with a confidence of their own.

Explaining the current rude health in the Offaly camp, McManus said: "Self belief might have risen and the spirit in the camp too. We've started to enjoy training more.

"The pressure is off. No one is expecting us to win on Sunday, which is a great thing. When there's no pressure on you, you can go and enjoy it.

"Once we got over Westmeath - that was a big game for a lot of us with the local rivalry there - we started to enjoy training. With the summer football there's a different atmosphere completely.

"It's been good craic since then and I think that's where we're benefiting from it, no pressure and we're enjoying it."

It has been a full nine years since the Faithfuls were last pronounced Leinster champions. McManus came to the fore during that run and the National League triumph in 1998.

He added: "I've been waiting nine years to get back to a Leinster final. Back in '97 I thought we would be in every second or third one with the team we had but time caught up on some players.

"We lost them and the much protracted defeats of one point and that psyche started to set in a small bit, but I'm glad to see we've turned the corner and we've a chance to win another final."

A capacity attendance of 82,500 is expected for Sunday's clash, which is the first Dublin v Offaly final since 1983.