Offaly can't get favourites in Tailteann Cup draw

OFFALY senior footballers can't get the Tailteann Cup favourites, Down in the semi-final draw on Monday morning.

Offaly had an excellent win over Down in round 2 of the second tier championship and as a result, a repeat pairing can't take place until the final.

The squad have turned their season around spectacularly in the Tailteann Cup after losing their first eight games of the season. They have beaten Clare, Down and Wexford to advance to the semi-finals with their hunger returning after a championship malfunction against Laois and their fitness levels improving dramatically in recent weeks.

Repeat pairings were prohibited where possible and the only way Offaly could have got Down was if the other two teams had also clashed but Wicklow and Fermanagh haven't met.

It means that Offaly and Down will be in one bowl with Wicklow and Fermanagh in the other. While Down remain the favourites, Offaly's form suggests that a Tailteann Cup success is very possible and their confidence is sky high.

Both Wicklow and Fermanagh command complete respect but the separation of Down and Offaly does put the possibility of a repeat meeting between them in the final on the table.

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The semi-finals will have to take place next Saturday as Offaly are playing Cork in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship quarter-final in Thurles on Sunday. The Tailteann Cup semi-finals have been pencilled in for Croke Park and fixtures will be made on Monday afternoon.

The draw takes place just after the 8.30am news on the RTE Radio 1 Morning Ireland programme.