The first of tomorrow's Guinness All-Ireland hurling championship quarter-finals (2.40) sees a re-union between the Offaly and Antrim teams which utterly underwhelmed the world at this stage in the competition last year.

Ostensibly, little has changed with either side, apart from the fact that Offaly roused themselves for a few frantic weeks and picked up another All-Ireland after last year's quarter-final win.

The laborious manner with which they advanced past Antrim that day re-affirmed the general perception that they were a bunch whose best hurling years were behind them and that the would provide useful fodder for Clare.

Offaly, however, had identified sufficient motivation of their own in the unflattering words of Babs Keating. The metamorphosis the team underwent in the period between the Antrim game and the epic All-Ireland semi-final series against Clare highlighted the advantages of the back-door system and heightened the aura surrounding the mythical Offaly psyche.

Yet, although Offaly did not exactly inspire superlatives in last year's quarter-final, they still had a solidity about them and gave the impression they were playing within themselves. A year later and we find them wearing similar rags.

The highly-vaunted defence is identical to that which conceded 2-9 to Antrim last year. After suffering the ignominy of witnessing Kilkenny's sharp-shooters whistle five goals past them in the Leinster final two weeks ago, goalkeeper Stephen Byrne and the back six will be keen to re-discover the frugality on which last year's All-Ireland dash was founded.

The usual list of suspects rotate around the forward lines, bulked up by the inclusion of Joe Errity at full forward though shaved of finesse a little if Joe Dooley does not declare fit and assume the vacancy awaiting him at corner forward.

Antrim return to Croke Park warming themselves on the memory of a March league win against Offaly. The Dunloy club provide the nucleus for the team, reflecting that club's pre-eminence within the county and Seamus Elliot has fused a new midfield partnership, with under-21 star Conor Cunning joining Colm McGuckian, who lined out at half-forward last July.

If Antrim are to stay in contention tomorrow they will have to somehow eradicate their tendency towards hitting wides - 12 were recorded in the Ulster final against Derry. They will at least force the champions to stretch themselves - Gary O'Kane on John Troy (who was quiet in the Leinster final) will make for an entertaining match up while Alastair Elliot at full forward for Antrim has the tools to keep Kevin Kinahan busy.