The shock around Croke Park was palpable. Even though Offaly hurlers have upset the odds so often as to warrant a stewards' inquiry, no one was giving them a chance this time.
All-Ireland champions Cork were available at a prohibitive 11 to 4 on in the bookies, and that reflected the general sentiment.
Yet when the smoke cleared on yesterday's Guinness All-Ireland hurling semi-final, it was Offaly who were awaiting the identity of their opponents in next month's final after a scoreline of 0-19 to 0-15.
Cork supporters and neutrals in the modest crowd of 34,655 were mute with the shock of it as Offaly fans celebrated their unheralded success. The county has now dismissed both the 1999 football and hurling All-Ireland champions.
Their presence in the hurling final is an affront to traditionalists who oppose the "back door" format which allows defeated finalists in the Munster and Leinster championships to re-enter the All-Ireland.
Two years ago Offaly recovered from a defeat by Kilkenny in July to beat the same opposition in the All-Ireland final.
Now they are in a position to repeat the achievement after a season which saw them heavily beaten by Kilkenny in last month's provincial final and struggle to overcome Ulster champions Derry.
Adding spice to the victory was that it constituted revenge for defeat at the same stage last year when, in what was widely seen as a changing of the guard, the young bloods from Cork dethroned Offaly. Now the compliment has been returned.
Part of the reason behind the dismissal of the county's chances was the loss of key players through retirement and long-term injury. Still Offaly could boast the presence of the unsinkable Joe Dooley who faced Cork in the GAA's Centenary All-Ireland final all of 16 years ago. Though he's 36 years old, he was lively enough to shoot three points.
Forthright as ever, Offaly's wing forward Johnny Pilkington put it in context. "My belief was that Cork would win by five or six points and I'm not going back on that. But fortunately it's a 70-minute game and we put everything into it and got the breaks."