Offaly Hurling 2026

[Offaly Hero]

Amazing!

Please give Johnny Kelly and his entire team a new term.

[GreenandYella]

Johnny Kelly desrevs a new term . No questions

[frankthetank]

I presume we are looking at a Q-Final double header in Thurles?

Offaly vs Cork/Limerick
Clare vs Galway/Dublin.

These Q-Finals are notoriously poorly attended due in no large part to the fact they are usually played on a Saturday. In fact I think 2 years ago the first one threw in at some ridiculous time like 1.15pm on a Saturday as RTE were contractually obliged to show the URC rugby final. I’m not sure if an Irish team were even in it!!

Also in the GAA’s bid to make the Tailteann cup more appealing to counties they included a clause with RTE that the semi finals must be shown live on a Sunday and must be played in Croke Park. I know there has been a big drive by hurling boards to have the q-finals on a Sunday this year but to the best of my knowledge that would demand a moving away from the Sunday Tailteann cup semi finals.

A tricky one to navigate all told.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa ... 41087.html

[Géill Slí]

A emotional day … Credit to players and management for the huge improvement this year. Definitely Johnny Kelly and his team deserve another year. So many players hurling as well as they ever have, I’m thinking of Ben (has to be in the running for an All Star now), Ross Ravenhill, Eoghan Cahill. And the young guns who have come in and taken all this in their stride this year, thanks to all.
Killian exceptional again today.
As an ould lad, I wasn’t sure we’d ever get back to this level, and who knows, maybe more to come in the next few years.
Esto Fidelis

[Offaly Hero]

Amazing!

Please give Johnny Kelly and his entire team a new term.

He has assembled an exceptional coaching team and every year under his tenure has seen improvement.
2023: Joe McDonagh Cup finalists/runners up.
2024: Joe McDonagh Cup champions.
2025: Maintained Liam McCarthy status.
2026: All Ireland Quarter finalists (at least…).

The graph from here is clear and unstoppable.

2027: Leinster Champions.
2028: All Ireland Champions, Olympic Champions and winners of the US Presidential election.

[Faithful Future]

A very proud Offaly man in Newbridge today.

Whatever about putting in a performance when the odds are against you, we really put in a professional performance today to get the job done.

Kildare were fairly limited and I was fairly disappointed with them, but to a man every one of our lads stood up to be counted.

Great save by Liam at the end and his distribution was very good.

In defence there is no point in naming anyone, all 6 were excellent. Hopefully Ters injury isn't too bad.

Colin Spain chipped in with 3 points and while King was moved out of position to wing back, you can always guarantee he's going to give 100%.

What's most pleasing about our forward line is that they are all threats in their own way. Rigney with his speed and direct running, Bourkes dancing feet and Doyles direct play and ball winning. Inside, the Magician and Duignan had quiet days so Cahill again steps up. The run of games seems to have really made the team gel more and another four weeks training together can only make that slicker. I thought Nally & Cleary showed well too when put on.

Sidenote, the Kildare support today was woeful. Of course they were already relegated but for a county of their size with hurling strongholds in Naas, Maynooth and Celbridge....

Hopefully the team get a chance to celebrate their campaign so far tonight, they have really earned it.

Bring on Limerick or Cork.

Esto Fidelis

[JohnnyBoy24]

Nice waking up in Melbourne this morning and being able to stick the chest and mix it with my Munster colleagues in the site office..
Savage year so far , id hope we show the joe mcdonagh finalists the respect they deserve (circa.dublin 2019).
Potentially first qf since tipp in 03 ?

[Faithfully]

Nice waking up in Melbourne this morning and being able to stick the chest and mix it with my Munster colleagues in the site office..
Savage year so far , id hope we show the joe mcdonagh finalists the respect they deserve (circa.dublin 2019).
Potentially first qf since tipp in 03 ?

There's no preliminary quarter finals anymore, they scrapped them. We're straight to the quarter final.

[faithfulfanatic]

I presume we are looking at a Q-Final double header in Thurles?

Offaly vs Cork/Limerick
Clare vs Galway/Dublin.

These Q-Finals are notoriously poorly attended due in no large part to the fact they are usually played on a Saturday. In fact I think 2 years ago the first one threw in at some ridiculous time like 1.15pm on a Saturday as RTE were contractually obliged to show the URC rugby final. I’m not sure if an Irish team were even in it!!

Also in the GAA’s bid to make the Tailteann cup more appealing to counties they included a clause with RTE that the semi finals must be shown live on a Sunday and must be played in Croke Park. I know there has been a big drive by hurling boards to have the q-finals on a Sunday this year but to the best of my knowledge that would demand a moving away from the Sunday Tailteann cup semi finals.

A tricky one to navigate all told.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa ... 41087.html

Very good detail there Frank which I’d imagine a lot of us didn’t know. I can’t imagine the quarters will be played together in thurles, for the simple reason that it won’t hold them.

If it’s cork, they’ll bring 20-30k no matter what. We should be bringing a crowd similar to the one for the u20s all ireland - we haven’t had a day out this far into summer in a while.

Limerick won’t bring the same level as crowd, but substantial nonetheless.

I think we are looking at a double header in Croker or else separate days in Thurles.

Esto Fidelis.

[JohnnyBoy24]

Nice waking up in Melbourne this morning and being able to stick the chest and mix it with my Munster colleagues in the site office..
Savage year so far , id hope we show the joe mcdonagh finalists the respect they deserve (circa.dublin 2019).
Potentially first qf since tipp in 03 ?

There's no preliminary quarter finals anymore, they scrapped them. We're straight to the quarter final.

Ahhh only dawned on me
Thanks

[Wing Back]

I think we are looking at a double header in Croker or else separate days in Thurles.

Esto Fidelis.

Bring it to Croker....Double header on the Sunday of that weekend. 4 week build up....can really rally the support. Will be a great occasion.

[Bord na Mona man]

Three more wins and we're there lads!

[Anon444]

Johnny Kelly and the coaching team deserve a huge amount of credit, as well as those involved with the underage teams which these players hurled on. The progress is remarkable and days like yesterday will hopefully become a normality.

Obviously, it’s a massive ask playing the Munster final losers. But these days will stand to our lads and who know’s what will happen. I would consider ourselves in a similar boat to Dublin last year and nobody thought they could beat Limerick, never mind with a man less for the majority of the game.

[private joker]

Dublin a lot further down the road development wise.
This year has been a great year.
What's coming behind to add to the senior team would be a cause for concern.

[greenairfield]

Private Joker most of our lads have the best part of 10 years hurling in front of them.

I wouldnt be concerned whats behind them is what it is its not like the work is not going in.

Enjoy the good times hopefully we can get a leinster in the next two or three years and who knows after that.