I wasn't there, but a couple of general points:
18 wides suggest Offaly created more chances (unless Carlow had a similar tally), ergo Offaly dominated possession. Which is good.
And there's always one day a year when you hit an excessive number of wides. You just hope it doesn't happen on the day you are going to war. Best that it happens in a dead rubber Welsh Cup match. Which is good.
private joker wrote:2 18 to 18. Carlow win. A lot of wides, 18 in total.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.
Ah, I wouldn't mind James, he talks before he thinks the odd time but a passionate man.. Our lads happy with the win yesterday. A few lads coming back from injury and a few out still, but we had a strong enough panel out. I think we ll be targeting the last 2 games to stay up. A lot of shadow boxing to be done yet!
jimbob17 wrote:Footballers beaten yesterday, hurlers beaten by six today, both to Carlow. No disrespect to Carlow but doesnt it just show how far we have fallen. More is the point that if this happened 10 years ago there would be a public outcry.
Now it is just accepted. While Carlow have shown to have got their house in order in both codes, and have improved significantly, it is worrying that we are being beaten by teams that would generally be considered as minnows by majority of people.
to be honest its very possible we could have had the very same set of results as yesterday against the same opposition 10 years ago...Offalys decline is since the 2000 AI hurling final and really since just a little after in football (we have to acknowledge we won Leinster in 1997 and league in 1998 - 15/16 years after 1982 AI win) just go back through our results of 10/15 years ago in most competitions (bar Leinster Final appearance here and there - very here and there actually!) and we are where we are for some time..the League rejigging divisions pulled us up a bit every so often but we ultimately found our levels again after a campaign or 2...I don't know...18 points against Carlow..no goals...very hard to win a hurling game now in recent years without goals and if you cant score them against Carlow (no disrespect to the them at all) it does augur well for bigger fish ahead....
First round of NHL against Waterford confirmed for Semple Stadium on Sunday 27th at 2pm. It's a neutral venue because Waterford went off on a training camp during the 'club month' of April last year. Fat lot of good the training camp did them. I wouldn't be anticipating any miracles here as I suspect this year Kevin Martin will be trying to build up slowly and go full throttle for the last 2 games against Laois and Carlow.
On a slight positive Offaly gave UCG a serious trimming in a challenge match in the FF on Tuesday night despite changing almost all the team at HT. Oisin Kelly looked really threatening when playing, scored 2-01 and should have really got another 2 goals. Offaly scored around 5-22 I would say. Was 3-10 to 0-07 at HT.
Spine of team was:
1. Eoghan Cahill
3. Ben Conneely
6. Pat Camon
8. David Nally (young guy from Ferbane, not sure if it's David but defo a Nally?
9. Craig Taylor
11. Sean Dolan
14. Oisin Kelly
Was told about this game yesterday. I was told that Conor Clancy was in goals for the whole game with Cahill on the bench. Also I was surprised when I was told Keith Mulally from Gracefield started corner forward. Andy Flynn from Lusmagh was full back for the Galway college too I was informed. Seemingly Evan Niland stood out at centre forward
Probably in the Kehoe cup by virtue of fact we are in 2A. Not sure if we were in lower tier in league and in Christy Ring we would qualify for it. Imagine being too low to compete in Kehoe cup.........