A BIG turn up at Thurles yesterday in the National Hurling League quarter finals with Laois deposing title holders Kilkenny and Wexford beating Leinster champions Offaly. Laois's manager Babs Keating will now come face to face in the semi final with his native Tipperary whom he led to two All Ireland's in the last 10 years.

Keating mentioned that even Ize hadn't been convinced by Laois's preparation During the week, I was making excuses. I thought we mightn't win, that we hadn't enough hurling done," he said. In the event, they had two points, 2-10 1-11, in hand after a closely fought match.

Offaly started against Wexford in the second match as if they were going to stroll through and led 1-2 to 0-0 after 11 minutes. Manager Eamonn Cregan said that after that his team had sat on the fence. We looked like we thought we could get them back at any time. Wexford just tore us asunder."

Despite their usual quota of wides, Wexford rallied and ran out convincing winners 1-14 to 2-3. Wexford captain Martin Storey said it was the first time he had been on a team that had beaten Offaly since the 1987 Walsh Cup.

There was, however, unhappiness with arrangements for the semi final against Galway. The Games Administration Committee appear to have selected Kilkenny and Limerick as the venues on the basis that the semi finals would work out as Kilkenny Tipperary and Offaly Galway.

It's not fair to our fans," said Griffin. They've already had to come here and asking them to travel to the other side of the country is crazy.