Offaly Senior Hurlers 2024

[Doon Exile]

Job done today albeit after a nervy first half. Turned it on in the second half A lot of good performances. Thought Kiely was very good, Charlie was excellent, Killian Sampson and of course Eoghan Cahill.

Good see the two u20’s going off with nearly 20 minutes to go.

In the final now with a game to spare. Laois in croker on Saturday 8 June.

[Faithfully]

Good solid performance today. Great to see the team keep the foot down when we got 7 or 8 points up. Too often in the past few years we would allow teams back into it.

One thing I'm really looking forward to this week is the Laois team selection for their final game. Surely they will pick their strongest team and not rest any players even though they have already qualified for the final....

Indeed.

It would be a real shame if Laois "disrespected the integrity of the competition" by not playing every single starter in their last game when they have nothing to play for.

[FaithfulFuture]

Anything less than Laois' first choice 15 starting against Westmeath would be bringing the game into disrepute

Will be extra sweet when we send them home to fight amongst themselves again for another few years on June 8th. Really like how the team are humming and lots of options off the bench..

Positives
- Kielys sweeping was good, Conneelys man marking was great. I like that Kiely has added better distribution to his game and while his radar was out at times, Croke Park will suit him.
- Mitchell winning a lot of balls he had no right to win and scoring some excellent scorers.
- Jason Sampson has some great tenacity and is excellent and breaking tackles, I think the likes of Sam Bourke could learn for him as he seems to get on the ball and then turn backwards instead of trying to break tackles.
- Cathal king again chipped in with a great point. He has really pushed on this year.
- Oisin Kelly's goal was fabulous not least for the finish, but more so for the fact he left one of their dirty players (7), who should have seen the line earlier, on his hole.
- dealing with Kerry's off the ball antics in the way we did will add a real steel to the team.
- Troy in goals showed some good composure coming out with balls.
- Being able to take Cathal King and Dan Bourke off early was excellent.
- Eoghan Cahill showed some nice touches.

Negatives
- There was a bit of a disconnect between our half forward line and full forward line. At times, Charlie was isolated with nobody coming off the shoulder for him to pass to.
- Ciaran burke seems like he has lead in his shoes sometimes and is hesitant and slows up going for balls. I think as more u20s break through, his position will come under threat unless he can add more pace and composure on the ball. Maybe Ben will slot into 3?
- There has to be another player who can hit frees when Cahill is off the field, Duignan is far too unreliable as he proved again today. Killian Sampson or Kiely might be

Overall lots of positives and a bit few weeks ahead for our small county.
The Down game will give us an opportunity to get more game time into Oisin, Luke Watkins, Dara Maher, Ross Ravenhill and Sam Bourke.

Uibh Fhaile abú

[G91]

I think Charlie took some of the free taking role last year

[SearingDrive]

Good solid performance today. Great to see the team keep the foot down when we got 7 or 8 points up. Too often in the past few years we would allow teams back into it.

One thing I'm really looking forward to this week is the Laois team selection for their final game. Surely they will pick their strongest team and not rest any players even though they have already qualified for the final....

Indeed.

It would be a real shame if Laois "disrespected the integrity of the competition" by not playing every single starter in their last game when they have nothing to play for.

I hope we beat Down to sustain the momentum.

[Bord na Mona man]

Offaly's year could have been over on the 27th of April, but here we are, very much on track.

From listening to the match today, it was great that Offaly calmly took control of the match after Kerry had a hot streak in the first half. An Offaly team with less ability and less belief might have gotten in bother.

Now we have 3 weeks until the final. Leix have put themselves in a sticky corner with all their big mouthing about honour and integrity. The have to pick their full team now for the final match.
It won't matter though. Jack Nolan already has the open top bus organised for the Joe McDonagh Cup homecoming.

[Faithfully]

Good solid performance today. Great to see the team keep the foot down when we got 7 or 8 points up. Too often in the past few years we would allow teams back into it.

One thing I'm really looking forward to this week is the Laois team selection for their final game. Surely they will pick their strongest team and not rest any players even though they have already qualified for the final....

Indeed.

It would be a real shame if Laois "disrespected the integrity of the competition" by not playing every single starter in their last game when they have nothing to play for.

I hope we beat Down to sustain the momentum.

There is a 2 week break between the Down game and the final. Ideally we will pick a strong enough team and win the game. If the U20s win on Wednesday they would have an All Ireland final between the Down game and the Laois game. I would rest them but play a strong core of the starting team and come away with the win up in Down.

[JohnnyBoy24]

Yeah you'd expect the team on the stronger side , I'd say Wednesday will have a bearing on it one way or the other. Not sure we need to bring our key key players on a 4 hour round trip to northeast down. That drive would'nt do any of our hips and hamstrings any good let alone lads playing week in and out last month or so.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Just great to get back to Croke Park.

And great that there'll be at least one team training at the Faithful Fields for another four weeks.

[G91]

On the same as the lienster final gaa don't miss a trick

Overpriced tickets here we go

[Doon Exile]

On the same as the lienster final gaa don't miss a trick

Overpriced tickets here we go

Would you not rather it to be on with the Leinster final. It’s nice to get the opportunity to be at a game you might not normally go to. Not to mention the increased crowd and atmosphere.

[faithfulfanatic]

Yeah you'd expect the team on the stronger side , I'd say Wednesday will have a bearing on it one way or the other. Not sure we need to bring our key key players on a 4 hour round trip to northeast down. That drive would'nt do any of our hips and hamstrings any good let alone lads playing week in and out last month or so.

We are operating off of a very small squad at the moment.
We don’t have the luxury of leaving lads at home, only rotating players.
And even if lads were left off the panel for a match, they would still travel with their teammates anyway.

[faithfulfanatic]

Paddy Power opens for the final with both teams as 5/6 to lift the cup.

[G91]

On the same as the lienster final gaa don't miss a trick

Overpriced tickets here we go

Would you not rather it to be on with the Leinster final. It’s nice to get the opportunity to be at a game you might not normally go to. Not to mention the increased crowd and atmosphere.

I do and I don't , I suppose it will increase a crowd its kind of an incentive

[faithfulfanatic]

Offaly used 21 players in last year’s Joe McDonagh final.
Stephen Corcoran - now sub goalie.
Dara Maher - sent off early on and has never regained his spot.
Ciaran Burke - still no.3.
Ben Conneely - still no.4.
David King - briefly dropped out of starting team but good performances against Laois and Westmeath have reestablished him.
Jason Sampson - now moved out of centre back, between midfield and wing back.
Killian Sampson - now mostly played as a forward.
Sam Bourke - was thrown in in a shock move and struggled throughout. Had seemed to establish himself in the team until he was left off yesterday. I’d expect him to come back in for Watkins.
David Nally - out for the year with knee injury.
Cillian Kiely - now hurling his best ever at centre back.
Jack Clancy - being used as a sub mostly. Hasn’t got the natural hurling but gets through a mountain of work.
Adrian Cleary - in Australia.
Charlie Mitchell - grown into the inside role.
Brian Duignan - at no.11.
Eoghan Cahill - used as a wing forward mostly.
Eimhin Kelly - left off in the final before coming in and scoring 2 points. Re-established himself as a utility player, used anywhere between midfield and corner forward.
Paddy Clancy - made a big impact when coming in. Now in Australia.
Shane Dooley - now retired. One of Offaly’s greatest servants in a barren period.
Joey Keenaghan - gave away some costly frees after coming in. Dropped from panel before this year.
Paddy Delaney - dropped himself off the panel a few weeks ago.
John Murphy - didn’t commit to panel this year.

7 of the 21 unavailable for the final for one reason or another.
In their place, you have Mark Troy, Cathal King, Dan Bourke, Luke Watkins, Donal Shirley, Adam Screeney, Oisin Kelly and Ross Ravenhill.
Leon Fox also injured at the moment along with Dan Ravenhill.