Offaly Gaa

bennyineire

Great win for the hurlers, lets hope it's the start of something and not a false dawn. There should be a big crowd on Sunday in Tullamore for the Limerick game.

The lads won't fear Limerick as we have been there bogey team over the years but it will still be a big test, we will know after that game where we are. Havn't looked forward to hurling game like this for years.

As for the footballers, what a let down. You feel the Fermanagh game is a must win already otherwise it's back to Division 4 we go again. Can't see them winning there though, really don't understand how Alan Mulhall still gets games for Offaly, surley it's time to bring in a new keeper.

Alan has been a great servant for Offaly but I'm afraid his time is up and he is holding back the team

Glebee

Ok so Dublin were missing a few players but its great to see the positivity that a win brings. Id say it was alot easier for the lads to get back in training on Monday night after that win. Great experience as well for the younger lads. Should be a good crowed now at the Limerick game and another win here would really be a massive boost for the squad. So what if its early in the year a win is a win and brings a boost to the camp.

The footballers seemed to be getting destroyed ast one stage in the second half. Not good and division 4 is looking a possibility unless improvements are made.

Slipperydodger

Oisin Kelly's wonderful score from the other night

CK22

Have to say I’m her proud of the hurlers. We haven’t been as solid in defence since Rory Hannify was around. Also good to see that we can really on other forwards, rather than always depending on Dooley.

The footballer performance was one of the worst in years. Being hammered by Armagh wasn’t good, but at least they are a better team. Longford would be very similar to us, and we’ve been well matched the last 9 games in 6 years. I have great time for Mulhall, a solid shot stopper and a great servant to Offaly, but his performance on Sunday was abysmal. He easily cost us 1-07 through bad kickouts. Look, we don’t have a good midfield until Eoin Carroll returns, which will help us win ball in the air, but a lot of Mulhalls kickouts went over the sideline. Maybe give Dunican a few more appearances over the league, and develop a good kickout strategy. Modern football needs a good ability to retain possession off the kickout, short or long. Either way, we need a new one, or we’ll be back in Division 4.

PeterCasey

Good to see ye back in Croke park wining well.

LooseCannonUF

CK22 wrote: »

Have to say I’m her proud of the hurlers. We haven’t been as solid in defence since Rory Hannify was around. Also good to see that we can really on other forwards, rather than always depending on Dooley.

The footballer performance was one of the worst in years. Being hammered by Armagh wasn’t good, but at least they are a better team. Longford would be very similar to us, and we’ve been well matched the last 9 games in 6 years. I have great time for Mulhall, a solid shot stopper and a great servant to Offaly, but his performance on Sunday was abysmal. He easily cost us 1-07 through bad kickouts. Look, we don’t have a good midfield until Eoin Carroll returns, which will help us win ball in the air, but a lot of Mulhalls kickouts went over the sideline. Maybe give Dunican a few more appearances over the league, and develop a good kickout strategy. Modern football needs a good ability to retain possession off the kickout, short or long. Either way, we need a new one, or we’ll be back in Division 4.

I think Dunican is to eccentric.
Would prefer the 20s keeper to get a couple of games.

Claregaafan18

What is the situation regarding promotion/relegation for the Leinster senior hurling Championship? In Munster, if Kerry win the new Joe McDonagh Cup, they play the 5th placed team in the Munster Championship group stage to win the right to qualify for involvement in the Munster SH Championship in 2019? However can anyone clarify if it is the status quo applies in Leinster too here i.e. if a Leinster team wins the McDonagh Cup, they play the 5th placed team in the 2018 Leinster Championship in a winner takes all match, with the winner qualifying for the 2019 Leinster SH Championship and the loser heading for the McDonagh Cup?

Personally I am not a fan of this new hurling championship format. Why could the powers that be in the GAA implement a Super 10 All-Ireland hurling Championship with every team getting 9 games with the top 2 automatically qualifying for the semi-finals with teams finishing 3rd to 6th playing in the quarter-finals. That format if implemented would only mean the lowest team (the 10th place team) take on the McDonagh Cup champions, to decide the final team to qualify to the following year's Super 10 with the loser heading for the McDonagh Cup. It will be of no benefit to any of the 10 counties that are taking part in this year's All-Ireland Championship to be relegated to the McDonagh Cup. It could set that county years in terms of promoting hurling and imagine the likely exodus of players outside that particular county and the likely drop off in people going to hurling matches as a result of relegation. If my own version of what a future hurling championship should be is implemented, then say a county finishes 10th in the Super 10 and get relegated to the McDonagh Cup, that team would have played 10 games so if they get relegated, they really can't have any excuses.

Those who may criticize my ideas will claim that this will make it even harder for the Tier 2 Hurling counties i.e Kerry, Antrim, Laois etc to qualify for the Super 10's. My point is this. The current 10 teams that are going to participate in both the Leinster SH and Munster SH Championships are currently the best 10 teams in Ireland at the moment. The likes of Kerry, Laois and Antrim are putting in huge efforts for that there can be no doubt. However there is still that gulf at the moment that hopefully that will be bridged if all counties participating in the McDonagh Cup and others continue to put in the work and invest on improving underage talent in order for the gap to be narrowed between Tier 1 and Tier 2 counties. I know that Kerry did beat Cork in the Munster League and Laois got within 10 points of Limerick and Antrim nearly beating Galway in the NHL so hopefully we can see more improvements for those counties trying to make that big breakthrough. Hurling needs as many counties competitive so fingers crossed on that front.

So as you can see relegation is something of a hot potato from my point of view. I hope someone can clarify if there is any threat of an immediate relegation for the 5th place team in this year's Leinster SH Championship? I sincerely hope that's not the case, for the reasons I have given above, but I heard Tom Dempsey on RTE Radio One on Saturday saying something along those lines ahead of the Offaly v Dublin game on Saturday.

Finally as a Clare man who has witnessed many battles between Clare and Offaly in the 90's in hurling I was delighted to see Offaly people having smiles on their faces on Saturday. To score 2-25 in Croke Park is phenomenal and here's hoping that you will continue that progression over the coming weeks in the league and beyond in the championship.

Glebee

Disappointing results for the hurlers yesterday. Limerick way to strong. Offaly man getting sent off for an easy second yellow in the second half did not help matters but there was only going to be one winner.

LooseCannonUF

Footballers poor as well 😰

Glebee

I see there was a very late call to cancel the footballers match up in Derry. i wonder did many poor souls travel up?

LooseCannonUF

Glebee wrote: »

I see there was a very late call to cancel the footballers match up in Derry. i wonder did many poor souls travel up?

Club Faithful had a bus anyway, don’t know if many more went.

Glebee

A very good performance from the Offaly hurlers against Kilkenny last weekend, I suppose thats all that can be asked for at the moment is that we are competative and not getting slaughtered. Footballers on the other hand were septic. Club Championship starting up soon again, last weekend in March I believe.

CK22

Just home after witnessing one of the most gutless Offaly performances in years, and that’s saying something. We never seemed up for it. Wicklow were the worst team in Division 4, and we still couldn’t beat them. If it wasn’t for some bad wides in the first half, they could have won the game in normal time. No player seemed to stay in any position for much longer than 5 minutes, and some mind boggling substitutions makes me think that this management team haven’t a clue. Honestly, I dread the qualifiers. Could you imagine what a Mayo could do to us?

Frankie Lee

At least you don't have to play Dublin in the next game, I'm sure that was in the players heads too as it is hardly a reward for winning.

White lighting

CK22 wrote: »

Just home after witnessing one of the most gutless Offaly performances in years, and that’s saying something. We never seemed up for it. Wicklow were the worst team in Division 4, and we still couldn’t beat them. If it wasn’t for some bad wides in the first half, they could have won the game in normal time. No player seemed to stay in any position for much longer than 5 minutes, and some mind boggling substitutions makes me think that this management team haven’t a clue. Honestly, I dread the qualifiers. Could you imagine what a Mayo could do to us?

The manager should have been given his marching orders a few weeks ago for getting a ban for getting involved with a player in a Kerry club game. My god i am sure he is getting "Expenses" from Offaly and that is the way he behaves as Offaly Senior manager. Paying a numpty to manage us and his bahaviour results in him getting touchline and dressing room ban for championship games for an incident nothing to do with Offaly his employers.

CK22

Heard these rumours about Dunne at half time, but I didn’t believe it. I know it’s only Balls.ie, but if this is all true, we have to be looking for a new manager. Johnny Maloney is easily one of the best players for Offaly over the last 4 years and him walking away does us no favours. I’ve heard from one of the panel members a few weeks ago that Wallace doesn’t treat the players with much if any respect.

https://www.balls.ie/gaa/offaly-football-unrest-stephen-wallace-388940

CK22

So Wallace is gone, what do we think?

Glebee

After I saw the clip of him at the Kerry club match and then him skulking in the stand at the Wicklow game, good riddance. Not the person for the job.

On another note I think Offaly have only won 1 Lenister Senior Championship match in the last 10 years(need to check), managers cant always be blamed.

Had to go, couldn’t be paying a lad to come up from Kerry and have no involvement in training or match day. How it was let go on till now is beyond me though county board will say due process had to be given.
He can say he had full support of players and I understand why the players gave that statement to county board but I don’t believe it. The players imo were trying hard not to be seen as an unmanageable group and for once the County Board got it right.

Glebee

http://www.offtheball.com/Off-The-Ball/EXCLUSIVE--First-interview-with-Stephen-Wallace-sacked-Offaly-manager

Poor_old_gill

Comes across poorly enough in the interview- blames all manner of things and pointlessly flits around the punch incident

Glebee

Senior hurling down to semi finals.

Kilcormac VS St Rynaghs.
Coolderry VS Ferbane/Belmont.

Anybodys really.

biffo50

Well a slow start to our league campaign in both codes. Its hard to see where the hurlers are going to pick up a win given our performances in comparison with our direct rivals (laois, carlow & dublin). The footballers could consider themselves unlucky not to have more points on the board, however throwing away the types of leads that they have done in games against louth and westmeath isn't a promising sign. Will need to get something out of carlow and most likely sligo to stand a chance, I'd think laois are a step or two ahead of us at this point in time. Thoughts?

Donald Trumped

Very sad news for Offaly GAA fans this morning. Eugene McGee, the man that guided the Faithful county to Sam Maguire glory in 1982, when they defeated Kerry in the biggest day of the Irish sporting calendar, has died. McGee was a very intelligent sports journalist too and his passion for GAA was for all to see. He is survived by his wife Marian and the rest of his family.

May he rest in peace.

sitkaspruce

RIP to Eugene McGee, a true stalwart of the GAA.

cocoman

Donald Trumped wrote: »

Very sad news for Offaly GAA fans this morning. Eugene McGee, the man that guided the Faithful county to Sam Maguire glory in 1982, when they defeated Kerry in the biggest day of the Irish sporting calendar, has died. McGee was a very intelligent sports journalist too and his passion for GAA was for all to see. He is survived by his wife Marian and the rest of his family.

May he rest in peace.

Very sad. RIP.

seligehgit

A true GAA legend.

RIP.

theoneeyedman

seligehgit wrote: »

A true GAA legend.

RIP.

Sad to hear the news this morning. Only happened to meet him on Friday, a man I had a lot of admiration for, both in his sporting and professional life. A commonsense man, a good contributor to media in the bits of interviews he did in recent years, and judging by the decline of the standards of the Longford Leader in recent years since he left them, he knew a thing or 2 about the newspaper business too.

Sympathies to his family and friends, and in this forum to anyone touched by his impact on Offaly GAA. The only outside manager (before Jim McGuinness in 2012 I believe) to deliver Sam.

windy shepard henderson

theoneeyedman wrote: »

Sad to hear the news this morning. Only happened to meet him on Friday, a man I had a lot of admiration for, both in his sporting and professional life. A commonsense man, a good contributor to media in the bits of interviews he did in recent years, and judging by the decline of the standards of the Longford Leader in recent years since he left them, he knew a thing or 2 about the newspaper business too.

Sympathies to his family and friends, and in this forum to anyone touched by his impact on Offaly GAA. The only outside manager (before Jim McGuinness in 2012 I believe) to deliver Sam.

mcguinness was from donegal , think the only other to win as an outside manager in football was john o'mahoney with galway

michael bond was an outsider when offaly won the hurling in 1998 also

but yeah eugene mcgee was a once off in fairness , an excellent man to talk in the media one of the best pundits around , he took over offaly when no one wanted the job and the rest is history as they say

Elmer Jones

Incredible record as a manager

2 times Dublin, Leinster and all ireland club champion and 7 times Sigerson Cup Champion with UCD

3 Leinster Championships and 1 All Ireland with Offaly, 2 Leinster u-21 championships with Offaly.

Won the McKenna Cup with Cavan and the Longford Senior championship with Netwowncashel.

Had success at all levels of management and his column in the Irish Independent was always good reading, just plain sensible analysis.