Leinster Championship Draw

[kinnittyman]

Dublin for the hurlers, most probably in Portlaoise with Galway awaiting the winners in Leinster Semi. I can't see us making our first Leinster Final since 2004.

The footballers have a preliminary game against Wexford in OCP (as per home and away arrangement with the Wexicans) and Westmeath in Quarter if they come throught that. With Dublin and Meath on the other side of the draw a Leinster Final appearance has to be the realistic target.

Just to clarify when Offaly and Wexford tossed in 2009 for home advantage in the Leinster Hurling it was decided that whoever lost the toss would start the football home and away arrangement at home the next time they met in the Leinster Football Championship. The qualifers do not apply to these regulations. That is why the 2011 game will be fixed for OCP and the Wexford hurlers also have to travel to Tullamore next time we meet them in Leinster Championship. Unless of course that game turns out to be the Leinster Final.

[bracknaghboy]

No excuses. Hurlers have to put Dublin away and then off to Croke Park where they must finish the job against Galway next summer.
Footballers....who knows really, a leinster final should be the target but there again would anyone be surprised if Wexford turned them over in the first round? I wouldn't lose any sleep over either draw.......these games are a long way off.

[Plain of the Herbs]

I wonder if Joe still wants the job!! If they lose to Dublin they could possibly face Cork in the qualifiers - there's a one in three chance of it. I'd say at this stage that Tipperary will be ready for Cork in May this time.

Football should be in OCP unless there's something in the small print. If they won they'd play Westmeath in Mullingar - after Westmeath came to OCP three years ago. A Leinster final appearance isn't impossible, all going well. They've six months notice of it now anyway.

Dublin for the hurlers, most probably in Portlaoise with Galway awaiting the winners in Leinster Semi. I can't see us making our first Leinster Final since 2004.

The footballers have a preliminary game against Wexford in OCP (as per home and away arrangement with the Wexicans) and Westmeath in Quarter if they come throught that. With Dublin and Meath on the other side of the draw a Leinster Final appearance has to be the realistic target.

Just to clarify when Offaly and Wexford tossed in 2009 for home advantage in the Leinster Hurling it was decided that whoever lost the toss would start the football home and away arrangement at home the next time they met in the Leinster Football Championship. The qualifers do not apply to these regulations. That is why the 2011 game will be fixed for OCP and the Wexford hurlers also have to travel to Tullamore next time we meet them in Leinster Championship. Unless of course that game turns out to be the Leinster Final.

Here's the full Leinster draws

Leinster Hurling Championship
Prelim
Antrim V Laois
Carlow V Westmeath

Quarters
Dublin V Offaly
Antrim/Laois V Wexford
Galway V Carlow/Westmeath

Semis
Dublin/Offaly V Galway/Carlow/Westmeath
Antrim/Laois/Wexford V Kilkenny

Leinster Football Championship
First Round
Kildare V Wicklow
Laois V Longford
Wexford/Offaly

Quarters
Kildare/Wicklow V Meath
Laois/Longford V Dublin
Wexford/Offaly v Westmeath
Carlow V Louth

Semis
Kildare/Wicklow/Meath V Laois/Longford/Dublin
Wexford/Offaly/Westmeath V Carlow/Louth

[Bord na Mona man]

Don't bank on Offaly-Wexford being in O'Connor Park. Offaly have travelled down there the last 2 times, however these were Qualifiers matches where first out of the hat got home advantage.
Wexford could pull a stroke and claim that these don't count in any "Home and Away" agreement (if one exists). It depends on the small print.

[bracknaghboy]

Wexford could pull a stroke and claim that these don't count in any "Home and Away" agreement (if one exists). It depends on the small print.

Would the GAA ever get the finger out and sort out this venue nonsense that goes on every year? Surely it cannot be that hard to define a set of criteria by which county games can be run off? As usual they'll make their minds up as they go along when announcing venues. Great to see Kilkenny straight into a Leinster semi final again.....nicely set up so they have to only win 2 games to win it out, whilst others have to win 4. Can't see how this benefits the game. Surely the slate should be wiped at the end of every year and teams should not be rewarded for what they did the previous season. You can be damn sure if Offaly were to win the Leinster hurling championship next year that rule of winners straight into the semi the following season would be quickly brushed under the carpet.

[Lone Shark]

It's nothing to do with the qualifiers. The agreement before a coin was tossed with regard to the hurling semi in Wexford Park last year was that whichever county was away first in the hurling would be at home first in the football, Leinster championship games only. The game will be in OCP.

[Long John]

It better be. Sick travelling to that spot and leaving a very frustrated man. Results have been terrible down there.

The draw wasnt bad at all. Realistically Offaly footballers as poor as they have been seriously should be able to take Wexford. With the right team, the right attitude and total commitment a Leinster Final is not an unachievable ambition. Westmeath are very lucky that they can sit back and watch but lets get over Wexford and restore the good old Offaly pride.

The hurlers have a tricky tie. I say that as they have struggled badly against the Dubs in recent years. Especially at u21 level. The Dubs will be very happy with the draw as they wont have any fear of Offaly with alot of those players involved in u21 games against the faithful. We have some good talent, I think we are better hurlers than Dublin, but I worry about Offaly matching them physically on championship day when the Dubs try to dog them and run at them. Offaly have to come out fighting and tear into these lads, match their intensity and give our forwards smart snappy ball.

With a bit of hard work from now to Championship, both codes have great opportunities to put a mark on their respective championships. Over to ye now lads, the time for wearing a jersey is gone, nows the time to wear it with pride and passion.

[kinnittyman]

It's nothing to do with the qualifiers. The agreement before a coin was tossed with regard to the hurling semi in Wexford Park last year was that whichever county was away first in the hurling would be at home first in the football, Leinster championship games only. The game will be in OCP.

That's exactly what I said!!!

[Lone Shark]

It's nothing to do with the qualifiers. The agreement before a coin was tossed with regard to the hurling semi in Wexford Park last year was that whichever county was away first in the hurling would be at home first in the football, Leinster championship games only. The game will be in OCP.

That's exactly what I said!!!

Sorry about that KM, didn't mean to steal your thunder there!

[Offaly2010]

In my opinion this is the footballers best chance to get back to a Leinster Final for the first time since 2006. On the opposite of the draw of Meath,Kildare and Dublin and have to beat Wexford, Westmeath and Carlow/Louth who wouldn't be reguarded as 'great shakes' in all fairness.

That said, when they get back together in January,they have to train over the Winter with the befief that thet can get over the challenge of Wexford and make a real go of the Leinster Championship in 2011.

As for the hurlers, tricky opening round game against Dublin, I still expect them to come through it though which would mean another meeting with Galway(they should get over the challenge of Carlow or Westmeath).

Now that would be interesting!

[Plain of the Herbs]

Just thinking about the hurling draw, Dublin is going to be one tricky tie and Offaly will need to be at their best (in late May) to win that,
Funnily enough, Offaly would have a big advantage over Galway if they did get over Dublin. Dublin would test them to the limit and they would find out an awful lot about the team. Galway, on the other hand, will learn nothing from beating Westmeath or Carlow. And chances are Galway won’t discover a half-back line, a half-forward line and two corner-backs in the meantime. But the Dublin match is the big ‘if’.

[townman]

Just thinking about the hurling draw, Dublin is going to be one tricky tie and Offaly will need to be at their best (in late May) to win that,
Funnily enough, Offaly would have a big advantage over Galway if they did get over Dublin. Dublin would test them to the limit and they would find out an awful lot about the team. Galway, on the other hand, will learn nothing from beating Westmeath or Carlow. And chances are Galway won’t discover a half-back line, a half-forward line and two corner-backs in the meantime. But the Dublin match is the big ‘if’.

Any chance that we will find a few more forwards and a midfield as well.