Even if you know Gaelic football inside out, we reckon you might have been struggling with that one. It's hardly John Kearns' fault you're unaware of him though, in fact he's doing his county a huge favour by stepping into the dark, miserable trench and today will do his blank CV little good.

If you didn't get that one, it's probably best you don't look at the Carlow team below. Eight players make their championship debuts and while there was always need for rebuilding, the county could have done without the majority of their senior players taking the year off for personal reasons. All in all, it doesn't bode well for Carlow this year (or for two or three to come) and no matter what magic Mark Carpenter can muster from the half-forward line, it won't be enough.

And so it is to Offaly, where views are slightly more farsighted, even if it's only by an extra game. The side has to win today and again against Dublin or Meath in a Leinster semi-final to even have a shot at the qualifiers after their Division Four entry. It's not this game that will provide the problem though and the full-forward line of Thomas Deehan, Niall McNamee (right) and former Westmeath player PJ Ward will cause whoever they meet next serious problems. In fact, if Niall Smith can make any sort of impact in championship football at midfield, eight to 15 look like they could compete with any mid-tier team. Given that and their need get back to a Leinster decider, expect Carlow to be steamrolled.

But remember, it's not John Kearns' fault.

Verdict Offaly, with a winning margin not far off double figures CARLOW J Clarke; J Ryan, C Bolger, M Nolan;

P Cashin, E Doyle, J Hickey; G Morrissey, M Brennan; K Nolan, D Hayden, M Carpenter; P Reid, D Byrne, B Kelly OFFALY P Kelly; G Rafferty, J Quinn, J Keane; P McConway, S Brady, K Slattery; A McNamee, N Smith; N Coughlan, P Kellaghan, C McManus; T Deehan, PJ Ward, N McNamee Ewan MacKenna