The Clare games probably showed the true range of our hurling throughout the year. The Leinster final was the turning point, not just in terms of the management, but in terms of the hurling. We realised after that game that things had reached a low ebb.

We realised then that if we didn't improve we might as well not bother playing in the quarterfinal and get out of the championship altogether. The whole future of Offaly hurling was in the balance. Older fellas were saying, `what are we doing here?' and there wasn't much encouragement for the younger lads.

Everything that happened around the time of Babs' leaving was also part of the incentive, put pressure on the players to produce the goods. Once Michael Bond came in, that all went to the background.

He's infectious in the confidence he had in us. He came in here the first night out of nowhere. And there he was talking about us as if we were the best hurlers who had ever lived. He'd fierce confidence in us and fierce confidence in our ability.

He had his own training methods. Our hurling touch had deserted us. We thought we were going great until we started doing different drills in training and we started speeding up the hurling and then we realised we weren't at the races at all, we'd gone way back. He worked on that and on our confidence, on our minds I suppose.

In patches we are hurling as well as four years ago but there's still room for improvement. The last day was probably our most complete performance of the last few years in that we played throughout the game. Our hurling was simple but it was good.

I did feel pressure in the build-up to the third match because there was a lot about it (the incident with David Forde after which Duignan was fortunate to stay on the pitch) in the papers and a lot of comment on the radio. Before the match, Michael took me aside and warned me that there might a certain amount of booing.

I thought I'd go out and I'd play, might get a few digs from the Clare lads as a reminder, but I didn't expect that. It didn't bother me to start with but as the half wore on, it got in on me because they were fairly vocal. I think once Ollie Baker's incident with Brian (Whelahan whose hand was chopped by Baker) happened, it kind of died off. I think Clare supporters saw then that one of their players was capable of doing something as well.

It's the first time I've managed to go from January until now without picking up some sort of serious injury. I've hardly missed a night's training which makes a big difference. I played reasonably well during the league and the confidence came back.

This year I don't mind moving around (positions) at all. It's probably part of our tactics. I don't know what plans he has up his sleeve for the Kilkenny match or whether he's going to leave me alone or whatever but I kind of enjoy it now.

You know that if you're being moved it's for the team. At least it's being explained to you whereas in the past you were being moved around, mybe in where some fella wasn't playing well or maybe because you weren't playing well yourself. It's very clear now that any move is for the benefit of the team plan.

There wasn't much optimism in Kilkenny any more than amongst ourselves but now they're in an All-Ireland final as well.

Kilkenny have dangerous forwards. The one thing about Kilkenny that Clare maybe don't have is that Kilkenny can score goals. We won't be underestimating them.