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I reckon we'll take a good spanking here. They beat the Dublin seniors 2-28 to 1-11 the other night and are supposed to be flying. Any word from the Offaly camp??

It's hard to know with challenge games. On paper this Dublin team should be decent, but then so should ours. Their camp is so divided too that there could be anything going on in there. Clearly their Under 21's have a lot of scorers though.

Maybe I'm just blinkered but I'd think that there should be a good basic level of hurling in our fellas, and if not the kind of team that can challenge Kilkenny at least the kind of outfit that should be at the very least competitive here.

Now I say that, and I haven't seen them play any games or seen who's involved in the panel or anything.

I would imagine the panel would be something along the lines of (correct me if any of these are overage!)

GKs Ray Murray, Lee Bevans

Backs Alan Corcoran, Ciarán Flannery, James Corrigan, Kevin Sadler, Kevin Brady (??), Kevin Grogan, Kevin Teehan, Paul Cleary, Neil Rogers, Alan Middleton, Danny Hoctor, Harry Ryan, Joe Bergin, Bryan Buckley (??).

Forwards Jason Whelahan, Cathal Parlon, Eamonn Lee, Thomas Craven, Ciarán Slevin, Shane Dooley, James Keane, Micheal Dwane, Gearóid O'Grady, Alan Egan, Paul Egan, Dylan Hayden.

Now offhand there should be enough talent there to put together a reasonable fifteen, and there's no doubt I've missed out a few there as well. (I haven't seen Kinnitty or Lusmagh play in a long time for example, I've no idea what either of them would have to offer)

I'm not sure if I'll be able to travel or not, but we're running out of teams fast, so I suppose I'd better do my best.

No Cleary or Verney. Anyone know why? Is Joe Bergin not good enough for this team. Another Offaly defeat, to make it 4 in less than a week and a half??

OFFALY - R Murray; M Corrigan, K Grogan, K Bermingham; D Hoctor, C Horan, A Corcoran; N Rogers, A Middleton; C Parlon, T Dennett, D Hayden; C Slevin, E Beavans, A Egan.

That's a very odd team. Paul Cleary was playing with the seniors last weekend, obviously he mustn't be fit or he'd be a nailed on selection.

I wouldn't have thought Verney was a guaranteed starter myself, but then my attempt at a guess at the panel has showed up how out of touch I am.

I wouldn't have thought Horan was up to that level to be honest. Certainly not centre back. Unless Bergin is still suspended and got longer than four weeks for the sending off in the minor game??

Very big half forward line, but even though he'd be my own club, it's a big ask of Tom Bennett. He'll try all day and he's hardy, but I'd have had a few others in in front of him.

Eamonn Lee is the one that screams out at me - where is he? He's been probably Kilcormac's best forward this year, certainly better than Slevin. Shane Dooley would be another serious surprise omission. I know he has a few years to go at this grade, but between Tullamore and AIT the lad's been in good form for at least twelve months now.

That team doesn't inspire as much as I thought it would. Ah well.