offaly minor hurlers 2015

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
suckindiesel
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by suckindiesel »

plain, my quip was not an insult, merely a play on the old stat from a few years ago that the 3L's and O, Leitrim, Longford, Laois and Offaly had the lowest 3rd level participation and were deemed in certain Dublin 4 quarters as the illiterates.

one must feel sympathy for dearest townman, last I heard there were more questionable dubs populating the town of port than laois or offaly folk.

ah lethimoutwithit
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by ah lethimoutwithit »

Townman you are an ape!

Best of luck to Leix, not one of our worst neighbours!

TheGreatGame
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by TheGreatGame »

Plain of the Herbs wrote:I will never forgive the Laois folk for introducing Townman to the gaaboard at the time LaoisTalk ceased. Gaaboard was a Townman free zone prior to then.
Laois may have a lot to answer for, but ya can't lay Townman on our doorstep PotH, he's yers to keep! I've lost track of his user names on different boards at this stage, but childishness and poor points don't change with an alias, unfortunately for him.

Suckindiesel may have been a bit blunt with his post, but the gist of it isn't far off either. It was easy to pick out the likes of Conor Doughan and Cillian Kiely as potential seniors over the last few years, but Saturday's Offaly team didn't show any stand outs as far as I could see. If it did, Townman would surely have heralded the chap by now. It would be a bitter person that wouldn't admire what Offaly have achieved over the years for a small county like our own, but when Dooley, Bergin, Carroll etc. retire what is coming behind? I don't share Townmans blind optimism.

A genuine question PotH, how would you rate the Dubs compared to Laois? The margin when ye played both counties was similar, but that's seldom a reliable indicator. And from what I hear W'meath are physically very strong so the size advantage that Dublin typically enjoy may not be there. It's in Mullingar too, so I'd give W''meath a right chance of making the final. We have Kilkenny and while some lads I've been talking to are disappointed with the draw I think we're better off getting them in a semi-final. If Laois can sort out a few things and get a slice of luck I actually think we could win the damned thing.

SearingDrive
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by SearingDrive »

Can I wish both Laois and Westmeath minors all the best in their respective semi finals. It would be great if both or either of them made the Leinster final, and good for hurling if they could win. Hurling needs more teams competing with the Kilkennys of this world.
Offaly are behind those counties at underage, hopefully in a few years we can improve. At present we are getting a few promising players from underage teams for the Senior squad for championship.
TheGreatGame wrote:
Plain of the Herbs wrote:I will never forgive the Laois folk for introducing Townman to the gaaboard at the time LaoisTalk ceased. Gaaboard was a Townman free zone prior to then.
Laois may have a lot to answer for, but ya can't lay Townman on our doorstep PotH, he's yers to keep! I've lost track of his user names on different boards at this stage, but childishness and poor points don't change with an alias, unfortunately for him.

Suckindiesel may have been a bit blunt with his post, but the gist of it isn't far off either. It was easy to pick out the likes of Conor Doughan and Cillian Kiely as potential seniors over the last few years, but Saturday's Offaly team didn't show any stand outs as far as I could see. If it did, Townman would surely have heralded the chap by now. It would be a bitter person that wouldn't admire what Offaly have achieved over the years for a small county like our own, but when Dooley, Bergin, Carroll etc. retire what is coming behind? I don't share Townmans blind optimism.

A genuine question PotH, how would you rate the Dubs compared to Laois? The margin when ye played both counties was similar, but that's seldom a reliable indicator. And from what I hear W'meath are physically very strong so the size advantage that Dublin typically enjoy may not be there. It's in Mullingar too, so I'd give W''meath a right chance of making the final. We have Kilkenny and while some lads I've been talking to are disappointed with the draw I think we're better off getting them in a semi-final. If Laois can sort out a few things and get a slice of luck I actually think we could win the damned thing.

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

TGG,

I wasn't in Portlaoise on Saturday so I'm not in a position to make a comparison. I will say that I expected more from Dublin, and Offaly were still in that game with ten minutes left, and the 19 scores to 13 was probably a fair reflection of events. Now, Dublin's performance might well be because it was their first championship match of the year. Or that might be where they are. I don't know.

As for Laois' draw, well, the draw is the draw. Wire into them anyway, and anything is possible. They stuttered through their first round too, remember. That'll probably be played as curtain-raiser to Kilkenny v Wexford in Senior (fixed for the same date), so the pressure is all on Kilkenny to perform.

And I echo Searing Drive's sentiments towards Laois and Westmeath Minors.
TheGreatGame wrote:A genuine question PotH, how would you rate the Dubs compared to Laois? The margin when ye played both counties was similar, but that's seldom a reliable indicator. And from what I hear W'meath are physically very strong so the size advantage that Dublin typically enjoy may not be there. It's in Mullingar too, so I'd give W''meath a right chance of making the final. We have Kilkenny and while some lads I've been talking to are disappointed with the draw I think we're better off getting them in a semi-final. If Laois can sort out a few things and get a slice of luck I actually think we could win the damned thing.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

Phoenix
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by Phoenix »

Good luck to Westmeath and Laois minors!

ah lethimoutwithit
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by ah lethimoutwithit »

Indeed, the best of luck to the neighbours, would be some crack to have Westmeath v Laois in the Leinster final!

greenairfield
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by greenairfield »

Can I just say it's frightening how far we are off the pace at underage level. 4th year in a row we have been beaten by Laois am I right in saying that?This is when people say "there is great work been done in Laois" but yer that haven't won a leinster title or even got to a final it's about time Boland and his gang took the finger out and really put a proper structure in place.
It's funny how short memories we have what happened to the night in the county arms and why did healy walk away????? Pure madness it is how long more will they pull the wool over people's eyes.

Truth as i see it
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by Truth as i see it »

greenairfield wrote:Can I just say it's frightening how far we are off the pace at underage level. 4th year in a row we have been beaten by Laois am I right in saying that?This is when people say "there is great work been done in Laois" but yer that haven't won a leinster title or even got to a final it's about time Boland and his gang took the finger out and really put a proper structure in place.
It's funny how short memories we have what happened to the night in the county arms and why did healy walk away????? Pure madness it is how long more will they pull the wool over people's eyes.
I Suggest you listen to the interview on Midlands radio 3 with Padraig Boland to get a full picture of what the County board are doing regards a hurling development plan. it sounds to me like Padraig and the Board are putting together a proper blueprint for both hurling and football moving forward and i for one would give massive credit to the board for this

Its like that rolling stones song, we can't always get what you want but sometimes you get what you need :)

greenairfield
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by greenairfield »

I am asking the question what happened to Healy and his review committee???That was Bolands plan back 6 months ago ..was that not the start of this new structure ...it was then it was binned...!!Now they have come up with this new plan to keep supporters happy...I will be happy when it works and you need good people in charge and to oversee it people we don't have.Anyone who can't see past Boland needs there eyes tested.

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Bord na Mona man
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by Bord na Mona man »

greenairfield wrote:This is when people say "there is great work been done in Laois" but yer that haven't won a leinster title or even got to a final
Maybe not, but they've made big strides coming from a relatively low base. It's not always about trophies. It's about making the best use of whatever hand you've been dealt resource wise.

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: offaly minor hurlers 2015

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Absolutely agree. It's not about winning trophies. After all, what did Offaly's 1981 team win at underage, except a single Leinster U21 trophy?

It's about developing a game you are comfortable with, that everyone buys into, it's about developing a spirit, that we are going to inflict our game, that we are not going to accept defeat, that we are going to do our county proud. That some day this will all be worthwhile.

Offaly hurling was coming since winning a NHL Div 2 in 1966. They gave Kilkenny a good run in that year's championship, then seemed to feck the whole thing away when losing to Westmeath (it Townman was around then he would say Westmeath gave them a lesson) before giving Kilkenny a run for it in three sucessive championships. That team of the 1960s broke up shortly afterwards and it took almost the full decade before a new team arrived to replace the likes of Dermot Flanagan, Éamonn Fox, John Joe Healion, Paddy Spellman and Joe Murphy who had soldiered faithfully for so long without tangible reward.

It may well be that the Westmeath and Laois hurlers of today will not reap tangible reward. Whether they do or not, they have done their county some service and they may well be the Dermot Flanagans, the Éamonn Foxs, the John Joe Healions, the Paddy Spellmans and the Joe Murphys who will eventually pass the torch of success to a more successful generation.

Because our Association is built on begrudgery on the one hand, on keeping the neighbour down on the other. Let me say this - if Laois and/or Westmeath go on to Leinster success playing a progressive, modern brand of hurling that promotes thinking the game through, then I will be delighted for them. Every underdog's win is met with a chorus of "aah, 'tis good for hurlin'". All the better if that Laois or Westmeath Leinster title win shows up Offaly hurling for vacant mess it is, if it prompts a change to a more progressive method of hurling in its stead.

i remember seeing a quote of Damien Martin somewhere, recalling meeting Frank Keenan from Camross congratulating him at Heusten Station in the aftermath of 1981's All-Ireland win, and that gesture of congratulations meaning such alot to the All-Ireland winning goalkeeper.

Some day those roles may be reversed. If Laois and/or Westmeath do that in time, then the blood, sweat and tears of the current generation will all be worth it.
Bord na Mona man wrote:Maybe not, but they've made big strides coming from a relatively low base. It's not always about trophies. It's about making the best use of whatever hand you've been dealt resource wise.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

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