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greenairfield wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 10:24 pm Clare match is fixed for Birr anyway

Is it?

It’s down as Tullamore on Offaly GAA website and the GAA’s own website

Plain of the Herbs wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18, 2024 2:11 am The numbers of people who'd go for that would be minimal. Someone from Offaly would be out the door at something like 12 noon and not home until 5.30pm. That's without eating. On St Patrick's day which is a family day and has been for years now.

I think having a round of league fixtures on the 17th of March will be a big flop.

Double headers don't work any more. Too long of a gap between the end of the first game and throw in of the second. There's no 2pm and 3.30pm any more. A 70 minute match requires 90 minutes from throw in to final whistle. Its more likely 1.45pm and 4pm now.

frankthetank wrote: ↑Sat Feb 17, 2024 12:07 pm Totally accept that as a valid argument.

But how about some outside the box thinking.

Offaly play Clare in the hurling league on St Patrick’s Day. If OCP wasn’t up for a double header how about the football in OCP at 12.45pm and the hurling in SBP at 3.15pm. Stand alone tickets for each game could be made available - €12 for football and €20 for hurling are currently the designated prices. And the a €25 ticket that covers both games could be available. A nice day out for Offaly supporters and the Clare football fans could catch the hurling on the way home.

I agree POTH, should be left as a family day and enough bloody Sundays taken up. And I'm not even talking about going to the pub!

Big one this weekend.

Do we have any word on injuries?
Hopefully Eoghan Cahill makes it.

Does anyone know when Oisin Kelly is due back?

I think the lads will take confidence from the Wexford game but nothing like playing Kilkenny in Nowlan Park to sharpen lads up.
I liked the way Cillian Kiely & Jayson Sampson spoke on tg4 after the last game. This Sunday will be a great opportunity to test themselves.

It will be interesting to see how we hold up the centre of our defence as Waterford cut us open a few times.

Great to see huge strides in hurling, probably should have won the game in Wexford, the more important thing was how we competed physically and our skill levels have improved massively, to think of the progress since down beat us in the Christy Ring is phenomenal.. I think losing finals at under age is actually oddly working in our favour with lads hungry and looking to improve and win. Granted it was a weak Wexford side but can easily see the progress, first touch and coming out of rucks with the ball, 2 skills that had disappeared and physically much better.. need to get stuck in again against Kilkenny and show now fear, the result/scoreline not as important as the performance, a big competitive performance for 60 minutes would be great

Team named for tomorrow.

Ciaran Burke and Leon Fox injured.
Welcome return of Oisin Kelly to the panel.

David King was retrospectively banned for the incident with Jack O’Connor, which O’Connor saw his ban rescinded for. Surely it was either both suspended or neither?

Very strong looking Kilkenny team named.

Have to be honest in my opinion on the King/O'Connor face guard sending off, firstly David King grabbed and held O'Connors face guard, the two of them "werent at it" which brushes both into the
guilty arena is unfair, O'Connors reaction was more disorientation of where he was as such, they were sort of back to back as the incident progressed, O'Connor hand was on the top of Kings helmet with fingers just dipping over the forehead section, I dont think he knew as such what was going on, O'Connors was more reactionary than intentional, and was harsly sent off. He didn't protest too much and referee got that totally wrong in my view, King was the instigator and should have walked and walked alone. McGuckian was on a yellow but to me was unlucky with 2nd, he was on the ground and more stuck out the hurl but given our player was down low coming away he connected with lower region, it was probably a card, but harsh in circumstances...only my opinion, ref gave us alot in first half, some very strange and seemed to lean towards Wexford as second half wore on (was he mindful of his sendings off i wonder)...Kilkenny game will be another big test for Offaly, remember Wexford drew with them too with 14 men...Kilkenny will be out to reshut the box we are hinting at opening this league..Kilkenny I think are in a transition sort of, many nominating them to beat Limerick, the two teams in thw league they used to date doesnt back up the stopping Limerick prediction to me. If they are toppled it will be Clare or Tipping and who knows with Cork...Galway will shoot points all day but goals to add abit if weight to a performance are lacking with them..good to see Oisin Kelly back in squad, interesting to see how he goes over next few games, along time out and players develop and change too..will he be the same strong ball winner able to score that we had a few years ago...I think we can give Kilkenny a game...enough to win ime not sure...

Think kk will win well, the league is now moving up through the gears and teams like offaly , antrim , westmeath are going to find the going tough. Limerick hammered Dublin , and that was in 2nd gear.
If offaly can hang in there for 45 minutes that would be a good days work. Kk are not in transition, they are all ireland contenders.

Westmeath didn't struggle yesterday v tipp.

Offaly doing very well vs kk. 14-7 up

Offaly doing excellent, credit where its due, we have the breeze in first half, Kiely going off having played so well is a pity/worry...lets hope they stick to what they are doing so well...keep it going lads...

Going very well albeit Kilkenny had about 7 wides in the first half. But overall hugely positive showing.

Going to be a long second half though.

Kk really turned it on. 1 10 to 2 points in 2nd half

7 point defeat. Have to be content with that. Big score put up.

The progress continues. It's a long time since Offaly were capable of building a 6-point lead over 35 minutes, down in Nowlan Park.

Slightly disappointing that it took Kilkenny just 8 minutes of the 2nd half to get back level, but pucking into the wind against elite opposition - if you're not winning them, your options quickly run out.

There may be some injury worries after today, but Oisin Kelly coming back is positive.

Great effort, huge progress considering over the last 20 years we would have shipped 5-6 goals per game against KK.