Mickey Harte was quick to point out that Offaly still have work to do after last Sunday’s derby win over Kildare left them on the brink of promotion to Division 2 of the Allianz Football League.

Only an 11-point loss to Clare in Ennis next weekend will deny the rejuvenated Faithful promotion along with a place in the Division 3 final and, potentially, Sam Maguire Cup football this summer.

“These players are sensible enough and wise enough to know that we haven't scaled any height today that says the world is going to be different next year, but it has put ourselves in with a chance to be able to do that,” the Offaly joint-manager told the Midland Tribune.

“We have to be really disciplined this week, get our feet back on the ground and know that there is a hell of a battle coming against Clare in Ennis because they have their eye on the prize too.

“It is a good experience. As we said to the players before the game today, it is good to be playing in a big game where there is a big crowd and a great atmosphere. It is good to go into some other people's backyard and meet that as well.

“If you want to get up the ranks, you will have to live with a partisan crowd and that is experience for the players that you wouldn't get if you were playing games that didn't matter.”

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