Leinster Minor Hurling Championship 

Carlow V Offaly 

O’Connor Park, Tullamore

Saturday 11th April

6.00pm

Carlow face a big challenge this Saturday evening in Tullamore. Offaly made it to the Leinster Minor Hurling League final  earlier this year where they lost out to an impressive Wexford side.Carlow beat Kildare and Down in their league campaign before Westmeath put up a big score against them.  Offaly are favourites for the tie but Carlow will hope to draw on the experience of players in their second year at minor.

Carlow have contested a Leinster Minor Hurling Final more recently than Offaly have. Carlow lost out to Kilkenny in 2006 while Offaly haven’t been in the final since 2003 and they haven’t won one since 2000. Carlow defeated Offaly in the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship in 2008 but Offaly got revenge in a big way in 2013.

Carlow will hope to draw on their Borris VS contingent. The south Carlow school made it to a Leinster Schools League final thanks to some fine performances from Kevin McDonald, Dean Grennan and Sean Brennan among others.

Victory for Carlow would mean a date with Kilkenny or Dublin. A loss for Carlow does not mean their year is over, as the losers of Saturday’s match plays the winners of Wicklow Westmeath.