Laois v Offaly, Portlaoise, Sunday, 4.0:  Only a fool would predict what will happen in Portlaoise tomorrow. When Offaly and Laois meet the patterns of form are betrayed. All things are possible.

Mick O'Dwyer's kids have been hard to assess this year. In the drum-roll months before the championship they were quietly fancied in some corners but their performance against Dublin was alarmingly insipid. It's true that injury hobbled them somewhat on the day but Laois died a whimpering death at Croke Park.

Last time out against Meath was a welcome relief. In a plain, robust game, Laois absorbed long periods of pressure before Ross Munnelly killed off the royalty in the last act.

So, where do Laois really stand in the order of things? Word is that they have put shoulders to the wheel, noses to the grindstone, etc, etc, since the Dublin humiliation. O'Dwyer is reaping the rewards but will depend greatly on his forwards.

Munnelly is a considerable asset when he works his way into a game but his lack of stature hobbles his ball-winning abilities a little. Billy Sheahan processes and transfers a huge amount of ball in the forward line. Brian "Beano" McDonald is slowly approaching former glories as a player, while Gary Kavanagh is another captain to lose his place in the first 15 this weekend. He is replaced by Ian Fitzpatrick, who impressed against Meath.

On paper at least Laois would seem to have the winning of midfield. The sector was practically abandoned by Offaly in the Dublin game but the new pairing of Mark Daly and Neville Coughlan may fare better.

Alan McNamee, who started that day, has failed to recover sufficiently from a knock so he hasn't made the starting line-up. He may be introduced to the game at some stage.

Midfield is not the only area where Offaly manager Kevin Kilmurray has made changes. The spine of the team is altered.

Gone from the side are Scott Brady, Damian Hunt and John Reynolds. The replacements Cathal Daly, Mark Daly, Colm Quinn and James Coughlan represent an injection of experience.

It should be so tight that you couldn't slip a cigarette paper between them.

In such circumstances experience prevails. Laois.

LAOIS: F Byron; A Fennelly, D Rooney, J Higgins; P McDonald, T Kelly, P McMahon; B Quigley, N Garvan; B McCormack, C Conway, R Munnelly; B Sheehan, I Fitzpatrick, B McDonald.

OFFALY: P Kelly; G Rafferty, S Sullivan, N Grennan; P McConway, C Daly, K Slattery; C McManus, M Daly; N Coughlan, P Kellaghan, C Quinn; T Deehan, J Coughlan, N McNamee.