Antrim v Offaly, Croke Park, 2.15

The old chestnut about Antrim - or whoever gets out of Ulster - having an easy route into the All-Ireland series has been put to bed this year. Tomorrow, Antrim will be playing their fourth championship match of the campaign and, if at least one of those matches was of dubious value, no-one can doubt that they've had to work hard to reach Croke Park.

Offaly, of course, need no reminding of Antrim's worth, even if it is nine years since they were on the receiving end of Antrim's angst - in the 1989 semi-final - after which they still had the chivalry to applaud their conquerors off the field. This time, Offaly are the side who've experienced an unsettling build-up, with one manager walking away after the Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny and another stepping in to assure the players that they bear no resemblance whatsoever to sheep.

Who'll win? Despite all their problems with injuries and their relatively small power-base, Offaly still have the greater depth. Even when a player of Johnny Dooley's stature is unavailable because of a fractured cheekbone and Darren Hannify is also missing, the selectors can still rejig the attack into a potentially awesome unit. Killian Farrell, drafted in for the unfortunate Dooley, can be quite a handful for any defender when the mood strikes him.

Offaly's real strength, though, remains their imposing half back line of Brian Whelahan, Hubert Rigney, who is back after injury, and Kevin Martin. It is a sound line that has been t he foundation for many a victory. Indeed, Rigney's encounter with Antrim's top scorer, Greg O'Kane, should be one of the game's highlights.

If Antrim are to win, they will need O'Kane and Alastair Elliot to turn in the game of their lives in attack, they'll need Paul McKillen to conjure up another vintage display, and they'll need Gary O'Kane to quell John Troy and marshall his defence to such an extent that they close down Offaly's movement and force them into shooting errors.

It's asking a lot.

Offaly's defence is a strong unit and won't give Antrim too much space. Their midfield tends to mix mediocrity with undisputed magic but Colm Cassidy's move to join Johnny Pilkington should ensure that they have the upper hand here, while, in attack, Offaly appear to the better hand, too.

Antrim: S Elliot; F McMullan, E Colgan, R Donnelly; S McMullan, Gary O'Kane, C Kelly; P McKillen, M Molloy; J Carson, C McGuckin, J McIntosh; A Elliot, Greg O'Kane, L Richmond.

Offaly: S Byrne; S Whelahan, K Kinahan, M Hanamy; Brian Whelahan, H Rigney, K Martin; J Pilkington, C Cassidy; M Duignan, J Troy, K Farrell; B Dooley, J Ryan, Joe Dooley.