Offaly aim to hit ground running in Leinster Minor Hurling Championship

OFFALY will be aiming to hit the ground running when they begin their Leinster Minor Hurling Championship campaign in Newbridge against Kildare on Saturday.

Offaly have the makings of a good side and there is optimism about their prospects. They can't, however, take anything for granted against Kildare who have inflicted trauma on Offaly at underage level in the past.

Offaly are in tier 2 of the championship along with Kildare and Laois – Dublin, Kilkenny and Wexford are in tier 1. They are at home to Laois in their second game on April 16.

Leinster Council have adopted a questionable format for this championship this year, with each county having two group games but the stakes are minimal as no one from the top two tiers will bow out at this stage.

The top two teams from tier 1 will qualify for the semi-finals with the third team going into a quarter-final. The top team from tier 2 will go into the quarter-final with the second and third teams playing in preliminary quarter-finals against the top two teams from tier 3 – Antrim, Carlow, Derry, Down, Meath and Westmeath.

Offaly will be aiming to win their two games and go straight into the quarter-final but in some ways, they would be better finishing second and having the benefit of a preliminary quarter-final against a tier 3 team.

That type of thinking, however, won't be entertained by Offaly and they will be trying to put down a big marker of intent in Newbridge.