Champions may be a little ring rusty

We have a very interesting game in store between Wexford and Offaly for the simple reason that there is never much separating the two when it comes to the Leinster championship of recent years.

If you look back at their championship meetings of the last five years then Offaly have the better record but they've always been close.

Wexford did have an easy enough victory in the Leinster final of 1996, the year they won the All-Ireland, but were lucky to get through the following year and then lost out to that late goal by Johnny Dooley last year.

As well as that, Wexford have something to prove because they don't want to be seen as the side that could only win the one All-Ireland. It's interesting to see they still have 11 of the team from that winning side with most of them in the same positions as well. Offaly, however, are a familiar team as well with plenty of experience behind them so it's the perfect set-up for a very tight encounter.

The first point of interest is how Martin Storey will cope with his move to corner forward. Rod Guiney returns at half back and Liam Dunne at centre back so it will be an interesting match-up with the Offaly half-forward line. If Brian Whelahan is fit then it won't be easy for Paul Codd, especially with the fact that he is so crucial for Wexford and will have to perform at his best.

Rory McCarthy who I expect will start at half forward will have a tough one on Kevin Martin - assuming the Offaly defender is passed fit - and it will be something similar up front between Ger Cushe and John Troy or Joe Errity, who is also in a race to be fit. It really will depend on the two half-back lines as to who can actually dominate.

Offaly have had their injuries coming up to this match with Errity, Martin, Brian Whelahan, Billy Dooley and Johnny Pilkington - who has a broken finger - all affected, so they weren't able to get a settled side for any of their practice matches. They are notoriously slow starters as well and with this being their first match, and we're well into June, that could be a problem. They may be a little rusty.

Wexford have that opening game against Dublin behind them, and no matter how well or badly they actually played, it's still an advantage. The players themselves know better than anybody that they will have to improve and if they can win here they are just one game away from, at the least, an All-Ireland quarterfinal, so that should inspire them.

Whoever gets on top first could well be on the road to victory. After that we have to wait and see what role Johnny Dooley will play with regard to free-taking and he has a great understanding as well with his brothers. Still, it will be very close and I can't see more much than a few points between them. If Offaly are hungry enough and want it badly enough then they will probably just about do it.

Elsewhere, Laois have been threatening to upset Kilkenny in Leinster for a while now and came within a couple of points of beating them four years ago and also pushed them very hard last year. They have some excellent hurlers, such as Niall Rigney and Declan Rooney, but the luck has been against them. There wasn't much between the two in the Leinster semi-final last year and I expect it to be a similar battle here.

Kilkenny did have a solid National League run, getting into the semi-final, and will always be difficult to beat. However, they have some young new players in this side, with three championship starters, and they may have to rely on the likes of John Power to break up the play and keep the ball moving. I expect the younger players will feed off him.

Some of their forwards are also on the small side and once again so much will depend on the form of D J Carey. There has been talk about his hamstring trouble and we really don't know how bad it is. But when a player is out for two or three weeks then fitness levels will drop, and this is bound to inhibit his full potential. Still, we all know that if Carey is on form he can be a match-winner all on his own.

So you have to go for Kilkenny, but I wouldn't be totally surprised if Laois upset them. They are capable of doing it and Padraig Horan has been guiding them along nicely. Some day they will click and could just be tomorrow.

As for the Ulster semi-finals, I can't see Antrim having any problems against London. It may take them 40 or 50 minutes but they improved throughout the league and I know Seamus Elliott has put a lot of heart into this side. London just won't have the ability to come up with any surprises.

Down seem to be having internal trouble while Derry are on an upward graph at the moment. It will be close but the form in Derry seems to be stronger at the moment and that should see them through. Overall I think Antrim will come out of Ulster as they have learnt a lot of lessons in the last year or two.

In an interview with Ian O'Riordan