What are they smoking in Birr?

[keyboardwarrior]

Townman,

Can I ask you two questions?

1. What age are you?
2. Where are you from in Offaly (originally)?

I'm intrigued …

[Keiap]

I would say about 10 county titles have gone to the north of the county in the history of the championship,1 in 51 years yea that's a great return.tullamore are the only team up that side of the county who can put it up to the teams in the south in the knockout stages..granted clodagh Gaels are only starting out but they are a very long way from competing ballinamer also.its very interesting none of ye are talking about brosna Gaels anymore..why???is it because there is talk of some of there players heading to tullamore???

[Plain of the Herbs]

A true Offaly hurling supporter wouldn’t jeer at the difficulties of another hurling club, whether big, little or small, whether north, south or west. By doing so, Kelap, you've made a mockery of your own previous arguments. The county is too small for people to think we can get by with just a fraction of the county prospering.

And it's Clodiagh Gaels, not 'clodagh Gaels' and they are not starting out, they've been playing hurling in Killeigh parish for over a hundred years.

[SearingDrive]

A true Offaly hurling supporter wouldn’t jeer at the difficulties of another hurling club, whether big, little or small, whether north, south or west. By doing so, Kelap, you've made a mockery of your own previous arguments. The county is too small for people to think we can get by with just a fraction of the county prospering.

And it's Clodiagh Gaels, not 'clodagh Gaels' and they are not starting out, they've been playing hurling in Killeigh parish for over a hundred years.

Na Fianna, the Killeigh Parish team, beat Birr today by 3-19 to 3-15. Not bad for no hopers! Birr contested to the end. Losing manager, Gary Cahill was very gracious in his address to the Na Fianna team and management, despite his disappointment.

[joe bloggs]

A true Offaly hurling supporter wouldn’t jeer at the difficulties of another hurling club, whether big, little or small, whether north, south or west. By doing so, Kelap, you've made a mockery of your own previous arguments. The county is too small for people to think we can get by with just a fraction of the county prospering.

And it's Clodiagh Gaels, not 'clodagh Gaels' and they are not starting out, they've been playing hurling in Killeigh parish for over a hundred years.

A little bit of pot calling kettle black there from you plain... Tellamore ring a bell

[allstar2010]

A true Offaly hurling supporter wouldn’t jeer at the difficulties of another hurling club, whether big, little or small, whether north, south or west. By doing so, Kelap, you've made a mockery of your own previous arguments. The county is too small for people to think we can get by with just a fraction of the county prospering.

And it's Clodiagh Gaels, not 'clodagh Gaels' and they are not starting out, they've been playing hurling in Killeigh parish for over a hundred years.

A little bit of pot calling kettle black there from you plain... Tellamore ring a bell

I think it's Keiap, not 'Kelap'

[allstar2010]

Massive win for NaFianna over Birr in the minor, but not a surprise either. This bull being spewed about hurling suffering in the home of offaly hurling - The Peoples Republic of South Offaly - because there's not enough matches in birr is gone beyond a joke. I think the NaFianna club are showing what can be achieved if you can get the most out of the players at your disposal. Very progressive club and fair play to them. Then you have the Lusmagh/kinnitty combo and ferbane/belmont in the other semi, what great year Lusmagh are having. Possibly having some lads playing minor, u21 and intermed finals in one year - great stuff. Some great young lads coming through in Lusmagh and I hope Eamonn Kelly is taking note of what's out there.

A lot of things to be positive about the spread of hurlers across the county, great to see. Instead we'll hear of lads writing letters to newspapers and former county players talk about poor auld birr not getting any matches.

[Keiap]

Was not jeering any club was asking the question don't try taking the high ground and making it something it's not..every club has lost players over the last few years I'm not question there decision I'm asking the question why tullamore,clodiagh Gaels and ballinamer were used as examples but not brosna gael..also clodiagh Gaels are a new club I never said killeigh..

[Keiap]

Allstar if you don't wanna hear about it just don't read this thread..simple..but what your saying is your opinion is the only opinion

[Plain of the Herbs]

None whatsoever.

A little bit of pot calling kettle black there from you plain... Tellamore ring a bell

[Plain of the Herbs]

I see that now. Thought it was 'Kelap' when reading off the phone.

I think it's Keiap, not 'Kelap'

[greenairfield]

Was at the minor final yesterday slightly worried at the standard of hurling but I suppose that's where Offaly is at..Cliodagh gaels are a plysical strong team with 7 or 8 very big hurlers but unfortunately I can't see any of them progressing to be huge players for Offaly in the future as there basic skill level was pretty much ordinary bar there full forward.

Also allstar maybe it's an indication while Cliodagh Gaels are doing well and Birr and the likes struggle maybe that's why Offaly hurling is poor cos the so called strong teams are not at the top anymore.

[kaiserchief]

Was at the minor final yesterday slightly worried at the standard of hurling but I suppose that's where Offaly is at..Cliodagh gaels are a plysical strong team with 7 or 8 very big hurlers but unfortunately I can't see any of them progressing to be huge players for Offaly in the future as there basic skill level was pretty much ordinary bar there full forward.

Also allstar maybe it's an indication while Cliodagh Gaels are doing well and Birr and the likes struggle maybe that's why Offaly hurling is poor cos the so called strong teams are not at the top anymore.

Why cant you see any of them hurling for Offaly in the future?

I am with all star, its great to see the spread of Offaly hurling happening. Its just showing how much work was going on in the 'so called' weaker clubs in the last 10 years and how much the stronger clubs where just focused on their senior team. This happening the Offaly system as well. Focus was put on the winning team of the 90's and we have suffered for this for the last 15 years.

[Lone Shark]

Also allstar maybe it's an indication while Cliodagh Gaels are doing well and Birr and the likes struggle maybe that's why Offaly hurling is poor cos the so called strong teams are not at the top anymore.

I can understand why a lot of people believe this as it feels logical, yet there's no actual reason for it to be the case. All across the country, you see instances of a changing of the guard on the domestic club scene. The Clare situation has been posted above, but similarly you look at clubs like Na Piarsaigh in Limerick, Kilmacud Crokes in Dublin, Clara in Kilkenny and St Thomas in Galway. None of those are traditional powers going back generations, yet all of them are front runners in their respective county right now and you wouldn't rule any of them out of winning a provincial or even an All Ireland club either. Any more than you'd rule out Kilcormac-Killoughey from doing so, despite never winning a Robbins Cup at all until a few years ago.

Every club needs to look after themselves, it's not for anyone at a county level to say that club A or club B going badly is a big problem. It's for each club to address their own issues. Of course we want all our clubs operating at a high level, but if I get to see an Offaly minor team make real progress in the Leinster MHC next year, I sure as hell won't care whether the players come from Birr or Killurin, or neither, or both.

[SearingDrive]

Also allstar maybe it's an indication while Cliodagh Gaels are doing well and Birr and the likes struggle maybe that's why Offaly hurling is poor cos the so called strong teams are not at the top anymore.

I can understand why a lot of people believe this as it feels logical, yet there's no actual reason for it to be the case. All across the country, you see instances of a changing of the guard on the domestic club scene. The Clare situation has been posted above, but similarly you look at clubs like Na Piarsaigh in Limerick, Kilmacud Crokes in Dublin, Clara in Kilkenny and St Thomas in Galway. None of those are traditional powers going back generations, yet all of them are front runners in their respective county right now and you wouldn't rule any of them out of winning a provincial or even an All Ireland club either. Any more than you'd rule out Kilcormac-Killoughey from doing so, despite never winning a Robbins Cup at all until a few years ago.

Every club needs to look after themselves, it's not for anyone at a county level to say that club A or club B going badly is a big problem. It's for each club to address their own issues. Of course we want all our clubs operating at a high level, but if I get to see an Offaly minor team make real progress in the Leinster MHC next year, I sure as hell won't care whether the players come from Birr or Killurin, or neither, or both.

You can include Killeigh, Geashill, Ballinagar, in that mix, as Na Fianna draw from those areas along with Killurin.