Oakley and Mullins retire

[Offaly2010]

Offaly's Oakley and Mullins retire


17 November 2010


Long-serving Offaly stars Ger Oakley and Brian Mullins have retired from inter-county hurling.

Oakley, who wore the green, white and gold for 14 seasons, was the last remaining link with Offaly's 1998 All-Ireland winning team. He didn't figure in the final, but had started two games during that memorable campaign which saw Offaly recover from a heavy Leinster final defeat to Kilkenny to exact revenge in the All-Ireland decider.

The Carrig & Riverstown clubman made his Offaly debut against Tipperary in the 1996 National League and made his first championship start against Meath a year later. The pony-tailed 32-year-old lined out at midfield in the Faithful County's All-Ireland final defeat to Kilkenny in 2000 and had been a mainstay of the team ever since, playing well over 100 competitive games in a variety of positions.

He won National League Division 2 medals in 2005 and '09, captaining Offaly to the latter success at Wexford's expense.

"It was a hard decision. It is not a decision you make lightly after 14 seasons," said Oakley, who is a busy farmer with a young family.

Paying tribute to Oakley, Offaly manager Joe Dooley said: "He has given great service to Offaly hurling. He always gave 100 per cent and had great spirit. He was not playing with a senior hurling club which meant it was harder for him to stay at the level he did. He is farming as well so he didn't have a 9 to 5 job but he never gave less than 100 per cent He was captain in the league this year and led by example."

Dooley also revealed that experienced goalkeeper Brian Mullins has decided to call it a day. The Birr clubman had been Offaly's first-choice goalkeeper for the best part of a decade before losing the number one jersey to Kinnitty's James Dempsey last year.

Like Oakley, he won National League Division 2 medals in 2005 and '09 and collected three All-Ireland club medals with Birr. He is also the holder of 10 Offaly SHC medals.

(Taken from HS)

[Bord na Mona man]

Oakley was a great servant to the county through good days or bad. He never gave anything less than his utmost on the field and I don't ever remember him ever taking a backward step in any game. His finest hour was probably the 2000 All Ireland semi final against Cork, resorting at one stage to blocking down a Cork player with his body when he had lost his stick. Whether he was playing anywhere from full back up to half forward he always gave it a real lash. He wasn't the greatest of wrist men or the cleanest of ball strikers, but he had the sort of guts that you'd love all 15 players on your team to have.

On his day Mullins was one of the best shot stoppers in the business. His reflexes were superb and he was brave in coming off his line to get in a block.
His stand out performance was probably the 2003 Leinster semi against Wexford when he kept a clean sheet despite the shots being peppered at him like it was carnival shooting stall. He had more potential than what we got to see though.

[durra1]

Oakley was a great servant to the county through good days or bad. He never gave anything less than his utmost on the field and I don't ever remember him ever taking a backward step in any game. His finest hour was probably the 2000 All Ireland semi final against Cork, resorting at one stage to blocking down a Cork player with his body when he had lost his stick. Whether he was playing anywhere from full back up to half forward he always gave it a real lash. He wasn't the greatest of wrist men or the cleanest of ball strikers, but he had the sort of guts that you'd love all 15 players on your team to have.


HEAR , HEAR !

[black and red exile]

Thanks for the service ye have given the tri-colour over the years lads, I, like many would have seen virtually every game the two of them played for Offaly and there is no doubt they will be sorely missed, especially Oakley who was a big favourite with everybody. I remember when Laois relegated us to division 2 back in 04 or 05[ whichever it was] and Ger Oakley walked off the pitch in Birr in tears because his county had just been relegated, it just showed how much playing for Offaly meant to the guy, very similar to Ciaran McManus in wearing his heart on his sleeve. BEST OF LUCK WITH YOUR CLUBS IN RETIREMENT LADS.

[Lone Shark]

Oakley and Mullins are two players that have put plenty of time and effort into hurling for Offaly down the years in an era when the rewards were few and the heavy beatings were frequent, particularly for lads playing at full back and goalkeeper, as these two often were. They deserve a lot of thanks from all Offaly supporters for their service in a difficult decade, and it's a certainty that things could have been a lot worse but for these two players who kept opponents at bay in their own ways over that time.

Mullins was always very talented, something he often didn't get credit for due to a combination of his own demeanour and Offaly's low profile. He always had outstanding reflexes and a very good hurling brain. He was also ridiculously cool under pressure, best seen in the notorious dummy jumps that he used to make for high balls when competing with an oncoming forward.

Oakley was another breed entirely - a man who only ever knew how to hurl at full speed and commitment, with a tenacity and fearlessness that always won the crowds over. His attitude and willingness to compete in any situation meant that he got moved around the field a lot, which possibly meant that he didn't always get to nail down his own place in the team, but in my eyes anyway we were always a much better outfit for Oakley's presence on the field. I'd say there hasn't been a more universally popular player among the supporters for a long time, and rightly so.

Thanks lads, and best of luck.

[Kevin]

To these gentlemen..thank you for your service.

Mullins definitely did his part in keeping the goal tally down. Some saves in there as good as any around. Some nice highlights must be buried around somewhere Brian.

Babs said in 1998 that ... 'Ger Oakley is just not good enough for inter-county hurling'.

Its good that Oakley paid that comment as much mind as it deserved.

Oh yes Ger, BNM man is right. You were absolutely behemoth against Cork in 2000.

Best wishes to both men going forward!

[The Biff]

Two stalwarts who have worn the Tricolour jersey with immense pride and passion. Ger Oakley may be one of the last of a fading breed of Hurler, the tough-as-teak farmer who just played the game simply, ... gimme the ball then get outta my way. Brilliant to watch.

Breeder also leaves plenty of good memories. Did he even wear the tracksuit bottoms on the hot days? Puck-outs that would land only after circumnavigating the Earth. Diving saves where the attacker had already started celebrating his "goal".

Those are big boots to fill. Enjoy the quiet life lads, you've more than done your bit.

[tipptopper25]

Oakley was a great player. One of the best to come out of the faithful in the past decade. Took a lot of abuse from some sections of the Offaly supporters but was always big enough to rise above it. His presence
will be missed in the Offaly dressing room.

Mullins I thought was over rated and will be no great loss to Offaly. There are plenty of players better than him.

Best of luck to the two lads.