GALWAY 1-22 OFFALY 2-16

[black and red exile]

OFFALY SCORERS. Shane Dooley 1.7, Ger Healion 1.2, Kevin Brady 0.2, Rory Hannify 0.2, Conor Mahon 0.1, Ger Oakley 0.1. Apologies, missing one score
GALWAY SCORERS. Ger Farragher 0.10 [all placed balls]Joe Gantley 1.6, Cyril Donnellan 0.2, David Burke 0.2, Aongus Callanan 0.1, Aidan Harte 0.1.
HALF TIME. GALWAY 1.11 OFFALY 1.6.
OFFALY WIDES 4[2 FIRST HALF, 2 SECOND HALF I THINK]
GALWAY WIDES 7[5 FIRST HALF, 2 SECOND HALF] NOT CERTAIN ON WIDE COUNT.
OFFALY TEAM. 1. EOIN KELLY , 2.JAMES RIGNEY, 3.EANNA MURPHY, 4.STEPHEN WYNNE, 5.PAUL CLEARY, 6.DIARMUID HORAN,7.DEREK MORKAN,8.JAMES KEANE,9.RORY HANNIFY, 10.JOE BRADY, 11. GER OAKLEY, 12.SHANE KELLY, 13.CATHAL PARLON, 14. GER HEALION, 15. SHANE DOOLEY.
SUBS DYLAN HAYDEN FOR EANNA MURPHY HALF TIME. KEVIN BRADY FOR JAMES KEANE 43 MINS. BRIAN CARROLL FOR JOE BRADY HALF TIME. CONOR MAHON FOR SHANE KELLY 49 MINS. IM NEARLY SURE THAT MICHAEL VERNEY CAME ON FOR OAKLEY CLOSE TO THE END, SOMEBODY ELSE MIGHT CONFIRM THIS.
Eanna Murphy at full back got a bit of a roasting from full forward Joe Gantley in the first half conceding 1.3 from play although Gantley got terrific service from further out, Murphy picked up a bit of a knock after about 25 mins before he swapped places with Paul Cleary after 30 mins, at half time murphy was taken off and replaced by Dylan Hayden at half back. Offaly's best performers were Ger Healion, Rory Hannify, Shane Dooley, Stephen Wynne, Ger Oakley tried his usual 120 per cent as usual, Del Morkan had a very uncomfotable opening 25 mins on Aongus Callanan before settling down, Rigney was not as effective as last week,definetly think he is more at home at half back. Oakley and Healion swapped positions during the game and Healion was every bit effective at centre forward as he was at full forward, so far so good for the big KK man. Brian Carroll had a very frustrating 35 mins, nothing seem to go right for him, his body language does not look right at all, I wonder are his days as a starter numbered right now, hope not.

Galway no doubt were the better team, at one stage in the second half it was 1.18 to 1.9 and a severe hiding looked on the cards but credit to the lads they never dropped the head dug deep and clawed their way back to 2 points very close to full time , the last thing we wanted was a stuffing so close to the Cork game.
One last thing, come back Derek Molloy quick, we are in dire need of someone in the half forward line who can field a ball, Joe Brady is obviously told to pull and not to catch, healion and Oakley are not fielders, at least Conor Mahon will put his hand up and fetch the odd one but the best man we have to win clean catches is without a shadow of a doubt Derek Molloy. I honestly believe with everyone fit and ready our best half forward line is Conor Mahon, Joe Bergin and Derek Molloy.

[leinsterman]

I Think we could have won this one if we had to put paul cleary to full back after 10
mintues, Enna was not at the races today was miles of gantley every ball that came in. joe brady started again for the third game in a row gives his all but his not an inter county hurler, ger healion played well again parlon caught some great ball again today, dylan hayden came on at half time he is a class hurler won alot of ball
when he came on i think joe bergin was a big miss today horan was beaten for alot of ball in the air today where bergin would be stronger, as black and red exile said
brian carroll looks like he has no in interest out there, when we have the full panel
back he will get it hard to get on it , currams,molloy,kealey,brendan murphy have to come back in there. and well its cork next hope to get down to it ,the two games
again kk and galway will bring the team on we should hold our own this year if the
team is picked right and players don't get hurt.

[Bord na Mona man]

How about Diarmuid Horan on the half forward line? He contests the high ball, gets stuck in and can take a score.
Joe Brady is probably better off pulling on the high ones, rather than trying to catch them. He lacks the bit of mobility to get into clear space to strike it or distribute it.

[old yellar]

lads, am surprised eanna is starting fulllback myself. i havent seen a lot of him in recent times, but he had 2 very average minor campaigns only 2 years ago. as for carroll, well i said it before about him, very hot and cold and not dependable.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Eanna hurled very well for Clareen when he moved to full back during last years SHC campaign, a move which turned Clareen's season around, and in my view he was the best full back in club hurling in Offaly last year. He also hurled well at centre back for the county U21's in Nowlan Park last summer. I wasn't surprised to see him get a run at full back for the county this year. He's still very young and still has his whole hurling career ahead of him.

As for Carroll, he reminds me of the chocolate egg in the Cream Egg ad on the telly who melts when he stands in front of the hairdryer!
Here today, goo tomorrow!
Offaly has been carrying too many chocolate eggs this past decade and it's time to move on.

lads, am surprised eanna is starting fulllback myself. i havent seen a lot of him in recent times, but he had 2 very average minor campaigns only 2 years ago. as for carroll, well i said it before about him, very hot and cold and not dependable.

[old yellar]

dont doubt hes a good hurler, just think he mightnt be full back material at senior intercounty level just yet

[leinsterman]

He is abit young yet, he seems to be way off his man in games last sunday richie
hogan done what he liked i know hogan is a class hurler but against d.i.t he was the
same. he might be better in corner back for a young lad he has no pace.
give him a few years he could be a good one, saw him play centre back against kk in the under 21 county final for seir kierans two years ago and he was the best on the field that day good lad on the frees as well. the best fullbacks offaly hurling has
ever seen came from seir kierans so you never know.