News: Brian Whelahan explains to Seán Moran why this will be his last season playing for Offaly.

Brian Whelahan is coming back for one last season with the Offaly hurlers. This welcome news for the county has been confirmed by the player, who hasn't trained with Michael McNamara's panel since the conclusion of the county's championship challenge last season.

"I'll be back next Tuesday," he said yesterday. "I'm looking forward to returning and getting fit. I'm in not bad shape; I've been training on my own for about a month so there'll be a bit less hardship. It used to take me a long time to get back into the swing of it but I suppose I'm probably minding myself a bit better these days than when I was younger."

He does accept, however, that realistically this will be his final year. "In fairness you have to sit down and think what more you have to offer. The game's very competitive now and the commitment level is phenomenal. I bought into another business in October so there's a lot pulling from the one."

Whelahan, 33 this year, was hurler of the year in Offaly's two senior All-Ireland victories in 1994 and '98. Together with Joe Errity, currently considering his own future, he is one of two survivors from that first title win of 10 years ago.

At this stage Offaly are engaged in fundamental reconstruction with no guarantee that the rising generation can emulate their predecessors. Two years ago, in the wake of Birr's third All-Ireland club title, Whelahan was quite upbeat about the future for both club and county. Since then however he's been somewhat disappointed.

"I felt then that we'd won the club championship impressively after having it really put up to us in the county. Things didn't go well from there for the county anyway and we went back rather than forward. It's hard for us because we wouldn't have talent in the same abundance as Cork, Tipp, Galway or Kilkenny."

There was encouragement last Sunday at the start of this year's National Hurling League. A close-fought win over Tipperary helped an under-strength Offaly reverse a depressing recent trend.

"It was a good win," says Whelahan, "and no one expected it. A lot of people went down there (St Brendan's Park, Birr) more in hope than anything else because in the last few years we've got bad beatings off Tipp in the championship and the league."

There will be a vital role for Offaly's most decorated hurler in what is quite a young team. His experience will provide stability for the younger players but the question of where he can best make his contribution on the field remains.

In his final year with Galway the exceptional Joe Cooney had a great season playing at centrefield. But Whelahan is sceptical about taking such a route.

"To be honest it's the one position that I always found hard, a position you have to get a chance to develop playing. The few times I played there I always got it hard and found myself bypassed.

"Joe Cooney had a good bit of experience playing there for Sarsfields but I'd say I've played there maybe three times for the county in National League or Walsh Cup. I found myself trying to drop back and help in the back line and you end up losing your man."

Whatever position Brian Whelahan ends up filling he reiterates this will be his final fling on the intercounty scene. "There's not too many at the age of 32 and 33 playing at this level. Liam Dunne and Larry O'Gorman are gone in Wexford so at this stage, apart from myself and DJ Carey, there's not too many left."