Antrim clash likely to define Offaly’s season whatever happens in Wexford
By Kevin Egan
“When they go low, we go high!” The famous words of Michelle Obama, uttered during the 2016 US Presidential election, look even more foolish with the benefit of hindsight as the self-styled ‘Leaders of the Free World’ descend further and further into authoritarianism, most recently floating the idea of the suspension of habeas corpus.
As an introduction for the Offaly hurlers’ trip to Chadwicks Wexford Park tomorrow (Saturday, throw-in 5pm), it might seem a little overblown, and yet there are parallels.
The Democrats, in that Presidential race, adhered to the historical traditions and standards of American elections, or at least they did when it came to taking on Donald Trump – their tactics when it came to handling the threat posed by Bernie Sanders on the left flank were a little more ruthless. While Donald Trump usurped all norms and customs, doing what it took to win at all costs, the Democrats did the things that they were supposed to do. And while the Offaly Independent is not usually a leading source of international political news, there aren’t any readers who need to be told how that turned out.
When it comes to the battle to avoid relegation from the Leinster senior hurling championship, David Fitzgerald and Antrim have had their eyes on the game on Sunday week from the very start. Their chaotic travel plans for the league game in Tullamore in February certainly won’t be replicated, they will have no concerns about "phoning it in" when they go to Salthill tomorrow (admittedly Galway manager Micheál Donoghue could well dip into his playing reserves too).
They would love nothing more than to see Offaly take the high moral ground in Wexford and to put another hard 70 minutes of hurling into the legs of a handful of players who clearly showed the signs of a long and arduous campaign last weekend in Nowlan Park.
Mathematically, there is a possibility that Offaly could survive with a win in Wexford Park and a loss next weekend in Tullamore, but that would require Kilkenny to beat Wexford, even though the Cats will almost certainly be assured of a Leinster final spot and would have nothing to play for. Moreover, with the fuel light urgently flashing on the dashboard, it’s hard to see Offaly winning that game. It is possible, but it’s not something that should be planned for.
The problem for Offaly is that there is still an argument out there that for sporting integrity reasons, Johnny Kelly should pick his best team for tomorrow and play the game as if it’s a knockout championship tie.
Some of this goes back to the 2023 Joe McDonagh Cup, where Offaly rested players – quite rightly – for a round robin game against Carlow, costing Laois a place in the final. Once Carlow beat Offaly in that decider, Laois people in particular were quick to declare the result as a form of karma, rather than because Carlow were a capable team who edged a marvellous final by a point.
For Offaly to survive in the Leinster SHC, all eggs need to be in the Antrim basket. The Saffrons have been thinking that way since January, Offaly haven’t had that luxury – but the game against Kilkenny was clear evidence that the U-20s player and a handful of others need rest if they’re to be ready for a season-defining clash.