Offaly hurlers All-Ireland quarter final with Cork confirmed for Thurles on Sunday week
If Offaly footballers reach Tailteann Cup semi-final that fixture will be on the Saturday
DETAILS of Offaly's eagerly awaited All-Ireland senior hurling quarter final against Cork were confirmed on Monday evening.
The game has been fixed for Sunday week next June 21st at FBD Semple Stadium, Thurles with a 3.30pm throw in.
The other quarter final between Clare and Dublin will take place at the same venue on the previous evening with a 7pm start.
That could prove to be a big weekend for Offaly GAA. On Saturday next Offaly footballers take on Wexford in the Tailteann Cup quarter finals and if they win that, the semi-finals are also fixed for the following weekend. If Offaly beat Wexford, it has been confirmed that their Tailteann Cup semi-final will be played on the Saturday June 20th and won't clash with the hurling quarter final on the Sunday.
Offaly are in the All-Ireland hurling quarter finals for the first time in 23 years after finishing third in the round robin group in Leinster, following victories over Wexford and Kildare, draws with Dublin and Kilkenny and just one defeat away to eventual champions Galway.
They knew their opponents would be the runners up in Munster and following Sunday's dramatic Munster Final that turned out to be Cork, who lost by a single point to Limerick. Indeed for much of the game it looked as if Offaly would be facing Limerick as they trailed for much of the game, but the Shannonsiders finished strongly to edge out the home side and it is the Leesiders who will now travel to Thurles to face Offaly.
The game will evoke memories of the 2023 All-Ireland under 20 final at the same venue when many of the players involved in that game will feature again in this quarter final. Cork under 20s were then managed by Ben O'Connor, who has now graduated to be the senior manager and he has blooded a number of that team into the senior team.
The Offaly team now has a big chunk of that under 20 team backboning their senior team and they have brought the confidence that they gained during that successful period at underage level into the senior set up.
They will be looking to make an impression in the quarter final but they will be very much the underdogs in that game. Cork are further on in their development than Offaly and having lost last year's All-Ireland Final in dramatic circumstances are very keen to make amends this year and end their 21 year wait for the Liam MacCarthy Cup.
However this is where Offaly want to be. They have to test themselves against the top counties and there will be no bigger test than taking on the Rebels in Thurles. Cork ran in six goals when the sides met at the end of the Allianz Hurling League in March, but that will have little bearing on Sunday week's game. Offaly have made good progress since then and this will give them the opportunity to see exactly where they stand in the pecking order.
It is a huge occasion for Offaly and there is sure to be a big Offaly following to cheer on the team. And they could be cheering on the county on the double that weekend as a great summer of GAA continues for the Faithful County.