Tullamore in a little bit of bother?

[True Red]

Taken from the Tullamore Tribune

O’Brien Resigns As Tullamore Senior Football Manager
Thursday, 7 July 2011

BENNY O'Brien has resigned as the Tullamore senior football manager. The Roscommon man stepped down last week after getting a poor commitment from players and Tullamore GAA chairman, Fergal McKeown hopes that a replacement manager will be appointed this week.
Tullamore have endured a difficult time this season and lost their opening two rounds of the Senior Football Championship to Rhode and Ferbane.
They had been dealt a cruel hand with the emigration of key players, John Kenny, Kieran Hogan, John Moloney and Michael Brazil for most of the summer. Their ace forward and dual star, Shane Dooley headed to the USA on a sixty day sanction last week, adding to their tale of woe (Another hurler, Shane Kelly has also joined the flood out of players out of the county) while long established footballers, Gary Heffernan, Michael Flynn and Niall Stack have all retired from senior.
Younger players such as Brian Hogan, Kevin O'Brien and Ger Wynne also headed to the USA and it has really left Tullamore in a vulnerable state.
O'Brien, a very knowledgeable football man, was unable to extract the required commitment from the remaining players and he informed the club of his decision to resign last week.
It is understood that O'Brien's selectors, Mick Casey (A St Brigid's man living in Tullamore), Ken Furlong and Alan Hogan may still form part of the new management but O'Brien will not be back. A very talented forward during his playing career, he won Roscommon senior football medals with his home club, St Brigid's and proved to be a great addition when moving to Tullamore after getting work with Offaly County Council and he played with them in losing senior football finals in 1992 and 1996.
It has been a somewhat turbulent time for Tullamore GAA Club on the managerial front in recent weeks. A few weeks ago, Vinny Wyer stepped down as their senior hurling manager for personal reasons but he has been replaced by local hero, Kevin Martin who famously guided Tullamore to a famous championship success in 2009. Martin had been the manager of Westmeaath senior hurlers earlier in the year but resigned some months ago - He had been controversially replaced as Tullamore manager after guiding them to the Sean Robbins Cup in '09 and the new man, Vinny Wyer guided them to another final last year, where they were emphatically beaten by Coolderry.

[Lone Shark]

That's a hell of a lot of key players gone right there. Tullamore have more depth than most clubs in the Offaly SFC, but you're talking about at least six key players gone there who would be automatic starters, not to mention several guys who'd be in line to replace them.

I do think their junior team has several players that would be capable replacements, but you couldn't say with certainty that they'll call on them like you could in other clubs.

Amazing how when people talk about emigration ripping the heart out of small rural clubs, and yet the biggest club in the county appears to have suffered more than any other.

[townman]

i don't think we have seen the worse of it yet in this country give it another 1 or 2 years and it will be a goast country

[Long John]

That's a hell of a lot of key players gone right there. Tullamore have more depth than most clubs in the Offaly SFC, but you're talking about at least six key players gone there who would be automatic starters, not to mention several guys who'd be in line to replace them.

I do think their junior team has several players that would be capable replacements, but you couldn't say with certainty that they'll call on them like you could in other clubs.

Amazing how when people talk about emigration ripping the heart out of small rural clubs, and yet the biggest club in the county appears to have suffered more than any other.

They have lost alot of decent players alright. The one thing that I think will keep them ticking over is the depth of players they have in reserve. I looked at their Junior team and 4 or 5 are very capable of playing senior football. I cant see why Niall Stack, Mick Flynn, Mick Hoey are not kicking with the seniors. They would easily have 3 or 4 years senior in them. Gary Heffernan, although a bit older than the previously named but is still in decent shape. He would offer plenty still. I think its a big struggle for the Blues but I think they will pull through. You'll find alot of the players gone for the summer will be back if they are in a relegation dog fight.

Shamrocks are pretty much in the same boat. They dont have the depth of talent however. The underage coming through is very poor. Their juniors shipped another 20 point plus beating last night. And from what I am told it is made up largely of Minors who have only played "B" football up through underage. The future is pretty bleak if that is going to be the first team players in a year or two. I think that is a club that is rightly fecked with the players it has lost this year and last.

I wonder is there any other clubs that have been hit so badly as the two named above. I know most clubs have lost a few but it just seems crazy what has happened these two.

[concrete]

massive game for the tullamore footballers next sunday, lose and they'll definately struggle to qualify, heard maloney and brazil might be coming home in time to play but that williamson has now left, without him and dooley in the forwards they have no scorers and no1 to hit inside

[offalyman08]

massive game for the tullamore footballers next sunday, lose and they'll definately struggle to qualify, heard maloney and brazil might be coming home in time to play but that williamson has now left, without him and dooley in the forwards they have no scorers and no1 to hit inside

Edenderry, Tubber & Erin Rovers are their last three games. I would say they are relieved it's not Rhode/Ferbane all the same. Remember 2009, similar thing occured and they ended up qualifying

[Lone Shark]

massive game for the tullamore footballers next sunday, lose and they'll definately struggle to qualify, heard maloney and brazil might be coming home in time to play but that williamson has now left, without him and dooley in the forwards they have no scorers and no1 to hit inside

Edenderry, Tubber & Erin Rovers are their last three games. I would say they are relieved it's not Rhode/Ferbane all the same. Remember 2009, similar thing occured and they ended up qualifying

I'm delighted to hear people thinking it, but while Rhode are obviously the strongest team in the group, I wouldn't see a lot between Ferbane and the other three clubs. we won our last game against Edenderry by a point, and lost the last time we played both Tubber and Erin Rovers. I'd say Tullamore would be of a similar mind.

[jimbob17]

heard that Tullamore are in serious bother alright, with only 8 or ten turning up for training and some of them are former junior players who will end up playing senior this year having lost up to 15 seniors from them successful teams of a few years ago. its a sad state of affairs fo a club that were in two consecutive co finals only 2/3 years ago. they are struggling at the moment and edenderry tubber and pollough will be hot favourites to beat them in the group stages.

Edenderry will give them a right hammering i think having beaten Rhode recently and appear to be going very well which wont do anything for tullamores points difference which might be important. i dont think they will be relegated though as they will probably have their five foreigners back in september when the relegation play offs go ahead and that will help them in the longer term. not looking good for them in the short term though and possibly joint favourites for the drop with shamrocks, Ballycumber and pollough.

[1964]

Brazil and maloney will be home for the match this weekend badly needed. Prob won't be started but great lads to bring and have for the last two games.

[True Red]

Edenderry will give them a right hammering i think having beaten Rhode recently and appear to be going very well which wont do anything for tullamores points difference which might be important.

This must be manna from heaven for lads playing for Tullamore.

I expect the game to be a tight contest on Sun Evening in Pairc Ui Choncuir

[1964]

Tullamore still have a very strong backline but are very light in the forwards edenderry are defo favs but it could be tighter than some posters on here would like

[In the long grass]

Brazil and maloney will be home for the match this weekend badly needed. Prob won't be started but great lads to bring and have for the last two games.

Cant beleive the two lads are giving up their travelling and time in NZ to come back a play a few meaningless games! So what if Tullamore arent going to qualify. They most definetly wont get relegated as lads away for summer will be home by then. The two lads will be back here playing for the rest of their lives but travelling and playing rugby in NZ is something they might never get to do again. I hope they realise that.

[1964]

The two lads were not asked to come home they obviously heard Tullamore were in trouble and decided to cut there holiday short they were due home in a couple of weeks anyway. Fair play to them i reckon. They would have kept themselves in decent enough shape.so hopefully Tullamore can turn there season around.

[Certainly Gerry]

Cant beleive the two lads are giving up their travelling and time in NZ to come back a play a few meaningless games!

Since when did Offaly Senior Club Football matches become meaningless? Anyway, Tullamore are still in with a right shout of making the quarters. If they win 2 of the last 3 matches they could make it. Fair play to the two lads is what I say. They'd be back for college in a few weeks anyway so it doesn't make much difference to their travelling plans.

[In the long grass]

''Meaningless'' in the context that they will be playing football for the rest of their lives. College does not start back for at least another 5 to 6 weeks for them. My point is that they could have sacrificed this summer to enjoy themselves in NZ and worry about football for their respective colleges and for Offaly when they come home. God knows both of them will soon be on senior panel in not so distant future, which will rule out the rest of the summers! They should have tried get the most out of this one as they could!