Kerry gain revenge for 1982 as their hurlers shock Offaly in Birr

May Day could be very tasty.

The home side will not want for motivation when Offaly and Kerry meet in Tullamore for the opening fixture of the Leinster SHC qualifier round. The Kingdom beat the Faithful County by 2-18 to 2-17 in Birr - undoubtedly a chastening defeat on their hosts. It will have been a strange experience for Offaly boss Eamonn Kelly, who will have in some way been happy to see the team he managed for the past two seasons record such a tremendous result. https://twitter.com/Kerry_Official/status/711579253884723201 Especially as it did not deny Offaly a place in the quarter-finals - even if they do have to face All-Ireland champions and menacing neighbours Kilkenny in the last eight. The miraculous result was not enough to keep Kerry out of a relegation play-off with Laois, who threw away a late lead against Wexford in Portlaoise. Kerry will host Laois on the first weekend in April. Kelly's successor as Kerry manager, Limierck legend Ciaran Carey, said his side were confident travelling to the Midlands, despite heavy defeats to Wexford and Clare. "[The result] doesn't flatter us," he told Radio Kerry. "At the end of the day we would have targeted this one, outside of Laois. You target them all but you would fancy your chances against Offaly and Laois." John Egan scored 1-9 for Kerry, whose team featured several players, such as Jason Diggins and Jack Goulding, who were playing Minor B hurling last summer. You couldn't blame Kerry GAA fans for harking back to Offaly's most famous day, in 1982. https://twitter.com/HRHgearoid/status/711586644340695040 Offaly fans were confused and then angry. Then angrily confused. https://twitter.com/bglendenning/status/711579204974993408 https://twitter.com/TrevorSpillane/status/711585027906215936 https://twitter.com/bourkej6/status/711590422053834752 https://twitter.com/lonesharkoy/status/711590340805971968 https://twitter.com/JohnJohndel2/status/711590308526616577 https://twitter.com/JonzerC/status/711584435267870721 https://twitter.com/cloonteens/status/711584775056838657 Some wanted to blame the venue. https://twitter.com/pat_nolan/status/711576239836942336 https://twitter.com/pat_nolan/status/711582407548379138 Heaven help anyone of sensitive nature within earshot of this man on that flight. https://twitter.com/ShaneLowryGolf/status/711537897254600704