A LOT of the pre-match talk may have focused on the Hawkfield venue but the discussion during and after was very much about the remarkable superiority of Offaly.
PLENTY of banana skins may lie ahead but Offaly grinded out one of their most important results in years with a great win over neighbours and old rivals, Laois .
A SECOND half display that produced a little bit of everything resulted in Offaly returning to Division 1 hurling with a heart stopping type win over Kildare in.
OFFALY hurlers stayed on course for promotion back to Division 1 when they turned the tables around with a vastly improved second half display against Kerry in .
OFFALY saw their championship lives flash in front of their eyes, almost causing collective heart failures for their supporters as they pipped Kerry in a thrill.