Offaly face Clare for place in quarter-finals
The prize of an All-Ireland camogie senior championship quarter-final place is at stake for Offaly when they host Clare in Grant Heating St Brendan’s Park Birr on Saturday, at 3.30pm.
Offaly manager Jack Maher has named his starting team for the championship outing in which The Faithful County will hope to follow up their win over Dublin with progression to the knockout stage of the All-Ireland series.
The 2025 intermediate champions have surpassed all expectations, and to be in the mix for a quarter-final berth is a testament to their progress.
Maher has praised the work ethic of his players in a championship where they have been competing the "top teams" in the country.
“The players worked extremely hard. There was a major step-up and it has taken us a while to get to that pitch, but the girls are really getting there," Maher said.
Forward Clodagh Leahy has also highlighted the "graft and effort" of her colleagues as they seek to cement their place in the quarter-final on Sunday.
“It doesn’t matter what number you’re wearing, you have to fight for the jersey. That was what made all the difference in the last few minutes against Dublin to make sure we held on.
“We love playing here in Birr, it’s like a home pitch for all of us because we know it so well, and the support that came out today really helped to push us out over the line," Leahy said.
It was all a very different story to the comfortable wins that Dublin enjoyed over the Midlanders in the League and Leinster Championship, though Maher refuted the idea that Offaly are doing anything different.
“Nothing has changed. The girls are just starting to express themselves. It probably didn’t relate in some of the early games, but the girls are putting everything into it and they’re starting to get the reward now.
“There’s a great buzz in Offaly at the moment. We’re all in the one area, we’re all in it together," the manager added.
The hosts will need to win by six points if they are to claim second place in the group.