The GAA historians were busy checking the record books after Kilkenny's 26-point demolition (5-32 to 1-18) of Offaly last night.

The first thing they will have found is that 5-32, or 47 points, is the biggest score the Cats have posted in a championship match under Brian Cody's watch. It beat the 6-28 (46 points) they put past the hapless Faithfuls in Croke Park nine years ago.

Last night's victory was also Kilkenny's 10th in-a-row over Offaly in the championship since the 1998 All-Ireland final when the midlanders became the first 'backdoor' winners of Liam MacCarthy Cup.

Another sorry statistic for Offaly is that the 37 scores they conceded in Nowlan Park is the most in an All-Ireland championship game since 1982 when Kilkenny put 38 on Westmeath (7-31 to 0-13) at Croke Park after the Lake County had beaten Dublin in the previous round. Tweet

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