Just four years ago Offaly made a significant breakthrough in the camogie ranks winning the All Ireland Premier Junior title.
One year later they won the Intermediate title to gain promotion to the Senior ranks and this year they came within one point of defeating defending All Ireland champions Wexford in the All Ireland quarter-final writes Damian Moran.
On the back of this meteoric rise for the first team, the decision was taken to field a second team where players could gain experience of inter-county camogie and also as a feeder to the senior team. That team has been playing in the Liberty Insurance Junior Championship and this year they have reached the All Ireland Final where they will face Dublin in the decider this Sunday in Clane at 2.00pm.
It will be a tough challenge against Dublin's second team who they will be meeting for the third time this season with the score currently standing at one win apiece.They met first in the Leinster Junior semi-final in Kilcotton where Offaly came out on top by 3-8 to 0-14 with three first-half goals proving crucial for the Faithful County.
The sides also met in the All Ireland Championship in Parnell Park but on a windy day in Dublin, an understrength Offaly side lost out by 1-15 to 0-7. Sean O'Meara's side will be stronger this Sunday with a number of players returning however they will be without three players who featured in the first victory over Dublin as they were promoted to the Senior side during the year.
Minors Rachel Brennan and Christine Cleary along with Catherine Kenna were all called up to the senior side over the course of the year and they were among the top performers for the junior team in the first clash with Dublin.
However there is still a good mix of youth an experience in the team with six members of the All Ireland Minor B winning team looking set to start on Sunday.There is also plenty of experience in the team with Shinrone's Michelle Davis carrying the main scoring threat while Kinnitty's Mary Molloy will captain the team from midfield.
Kate Aherne has been one of the most consistent performers for the junior side at full back and she will be a key player again if Offaly are to come out on top in this game.Offaly went on to play Kildare in the Leinster Junior semi-final and they were only narrowly beaten by the eventual champions by 2-11 to 1-11 in Clane. Kildare also made it to the Division 2 League Final and have lost just one group game in the Junior Premier Championship.
Offaly, who do not field in the league, played one other competitive game this year and that resulted in a comfortable 1-12 to 1-4 win over Carlow and when Cavan chose not to travel for the final group game, Offaly's place in the All Ireland Junior Final was secured.
Dublin's Junior team did compete in the league this year and they were narrowly beaten in the Division 3 Final by a Laois side who have gone unbeaten through the group stages of the Premier Junior Championship.
It will be a tough ask for Offaly when they take to the field against Dublin however camogie in the county has never been in a stronger position and the team will take to the field confident that they can add more silverware to the county's impressive haul. Georgina Kelly is a key player for Dublin and is deadly accurate with frees meaning Offaly will have to keep their discipline at the back to avoid giving her easy scoring opportunities.
Dublin will go into the game as favourites but Offaly have nothing to fear against a side they have beaten already this year. Goals could be crucial and Offaly have the forwards capable of rattling the back of the Dublin net. If Offaly play to their full potential there is no reason why they can't add another All Ireland title to the glittering collection and if they do, it would be a breakthrough as significant as the Junior Premier win in 2009.
