Offaly's best days - Ones when the supporters didn't show up

[Bord na Mona man]

1980 - Leinster final Offaly 3-17. Kilkenny 5-10.
The great breakthrough and where it really got going. Only 9,631 turned up. 50,000 Offaly people now claim to have been there that day mind. Just like 250,000 Munster people saw them beat the All Blacks in 1978.

1990 Leinster championship Offaly 4-15 Kilkenny 1-8 - 17,000 turned up for this, while the rest of the country watched Ireland draw 0-0 with Egypt in Italia '90. Offaly hit Kilkenny for 3-6 in the first 20 minutes and delivered one of the greatest hammerings of Kilkenny in modern times.

1998 - All Ireland semi final Offaly 1-13 Clare 1-13. Day 1 was special for me. No one gave Offaly a prayer, Pete Finnerty recommended Offaly call in sick. Croke Park was packed with rabid Clare fans in light of the Colin Lynch controversy. The small band of Offaly fans there that day almost witnessed a most spectacular unseating.
Game 3 in Thurles was the day the sunshine boys dusted off their moth eaten jersies and turned up to follow Offaly. Game 1 was the do or die day for the Offaly team of the 90s.

2000 Leinster championship Offaly 0-13 Meath 0-9. 20,000 people at this one to see Offaly dethrone the All Ireland champions. In the 1997 Leinster final, Meath were shorn of Fay, Geraghty, Mark O'Reilly and Martin O'Connell. In 2000 Offaly were without McManus and supposedly in a tailspin. The victory that day was sweet and well merited. In 1998 48,000 turned up to watch the exact same fixture. The defeat of ‘98 sent many of them away flinging programmes on the ground and vowing to "never go watch that shower again".

2000 All Ireland semi Offaly 0-19 Cork 0-15 Another day to spot the Offaly fan in the crowd. There was an unusually big crowd of Offaly fans for the Leinster final against Kilkenny. The defeat that day sent them packing. Flinging programmes on the ground and vowing to "never go watch that shower again". The ones who stayed away missed one of the biggest shocks of modern hurling and on of the most sensational performances by an Offaly hurling team.

2008 Qualifier vs. Limerick. If there were more than 200 Offaly people in the Gaelic Grounds, they must have been dressed in Limerick colours. The ones who disowned the Offaly hurling team will probably be back for the Waterford match. A defeat will see them flinging down programmes and vowing to "never to go watch that shower again".

[kerryyounglad]

i was there and im from kerry!!

[swiftpost]

Wasnt born in 1980 but Iv been at all the other games!

[naasmanxrhode]

I was at all the above games and had money on Offaly in the latter games. Had Offaly backed at 13/2 on Sat night.

[Bogman]

Four out of six - wasn't there in 1980 to my eternal regret and missed Saturday also.

I have fond memories of Michael Duignan destroying Kilkenny at full forward in 1990. There were a few ignorant Kilkenny supporters (there's a few in every county I suppose) near us on the old Canal End saying really funny stuff like "It's not a sod of turf you're hurling now" and "Come on the Hurlers". It was great to see them leaving long before the end.

[BUFFALO]

Absolutely gutted that I missed such an epic occasion,but Poxygen was the order of the weekend for me.
When I watched the match subsequently I noticed that Tomas Mucahy stated that it was 'an awful shame that there are so few Offaly people here,as its the best they've played in a long time' - comments such as these and other statements,mainly made on these boards,make my rue all the more telling.
I hate missing games,especially when they are our 'Best days',and as much as I make the effort it just ain't feasible to attend every single game.

The phrase 'eternal regret' has been bandied about here in relation to not being at the Gaelic Grounds last Sahurday evening.For me such a phrase doesn't do justice to how I feel about my non-attendance on the said night.
What it does convey to me though,is that trojan efforts will be made to travel more in future starting with Thurles this weekend.

Allez Les Faithful!

[Treasurer]

I was at all the above games and had money on Offaly in the latter games. Had Offaly backed at 13/2 on Sat night.

Same here and had Joe Bergin at 9-1 for first goal.

Was at all the above games bar Leinster Final 1980 - which I wasn't allowed go to!

[OY_94]

sorry lads, first time poster

Great result Saturday night. Fair play to all involved, huge effort put in. I was there myself thank god and was mighty glad i went. Couldnt really see the hammering that everyone predicted for us and thought we had a great shout. I didnt think the kilkenny match was too bad.When Offaly or Wexford get hammered by Kilkenny in leinster, some of the later scores in the match can be discounted. My theory is that the heads drop and lads give up and start thinking about the next game and the cats are all playing for their positions the next day. Bigger teams like galway or waterford never do this because at that stage of the championship its usually knock out.

Anyway back to the supporters, very poor Offaly crowd. Hard put a number on it. I was in the new stand and there was only a handful around me. I think it can be hard tell Offaly supporters at times though because were not great at wearing the colours. There seemed to be more in the old stand because i thought i seen a standing ovation for our lads at half time? Was anyone in the Mackey stand to confirm this?

However it wasnt just the Offaly supporters who disappointed over the weekend.

Absolutely disgusted with portions of the so called limerick fans. Tramps they were, booing legends of the game such as Ollie Moran, Mark Foley and so on. The same people toddled off for their pints with over fifteen minutes to go. The likes of them are no good for any team or for the GAA. Reports also on some of the boards this morning of some of the limerick players being abused as they left the pitch after the match, bottles thrown etc, did anyone see any of this?

Finally what did we think of the Tipp fans fighting amongst themselves before the match yesterday? Not the first time for that to happen.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Five out of six here, I wasn’t there in 1980 but that was the match that sparked my enthusiasm for the games.

Actually t’was Joachim Kelly who caused havoc for John Henderson at full forward that day in 1990. I recall goalkeeper Kevin Fennelly looking outfield, flinging the hurl on the ground and gesticulation with arms outstretched at his defence. A sweet one alright.

Four out of six - wasn't there in 1980 to my eternal regret and missed Saturday also.

I have fond memories of Michael Duignan destroying Kilkenny at full forward in 1990. There were a few ignorant Kilkenny supporters (there's a few in every county I suppose) near us on the old Canal End saying really funny stuff like "It's not a sod of turf you're hurling now" and "Come on the Hurlers". It was great to see them leaving long before the end.

[black and red exile]

Was at all the above games and they were pure magic but there was something about Saturday night that was extra special. For the 43 or so faithful suppporters who were in Limerick on Saturday it will be remembered for years and years to come. The delight on peoples faces after the final whistle was a joy to behold. It has been a long time since I felt so good after an Offaly game and I would imagine the other 42 that were there felt the same.

[Loughers]

I was at them all except 1990. Like a lot of people, I got caught up in Italia 90. I vowed after that game never to put anything ahead of Offaly, and I haven't.

[athlumneyboy]

Was at them all thank god

[Doon Massive]

Was at all bar 80, at 2 yr's old it was a bit early!

Was delighted we chose croker in 90, missed dunphy throwing a pen across the studio, no contest really.

[Rynaghs Biffo]

Well considering I wasn't born for the first one and barely out of my nappies for the second one, I can safely say I was there for the others!!