Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
NewEra
County player
Posts: 135
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2015 4:50 pm

Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by NewEra »

As disillusioned as I am this week with Offaly GAA I want to recognise our senior footballers and Pat Flanagan ahead of their championship campaign. Quite a rivalry has built up with Longford over the last 3 years with Longford having bragging rights.

Very excited about this Sunday at what is a great opportunity and what awaits the winner...momentum and a a very winnable game to get to a Leinster semi final. However I am anxious...Offaly have struggled up front this year up front IMO especially when it comes to goals. Niall Mc is not the force he once was and nobody has stepped up to the plate. Hoping Nigel Dunne can have a solid day on the frees as I feel this will be crucial if we are to win.

Any team news as of yet? Jamie Evans is out for the year but apart from that I'm not aware of anything else.

I'm going for an Offaly win by 4-5. Best of luck Pat and co. Lets get it done and lets everyone get out in support.

True Red
All Star
Posts: 760
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2005 12:25 pm
Contact:

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by True Red »

Best of Luck to this panel of players and management team.

I expect them to deliver a real cut throat championship performance, and banish the nightmarish result from last year to the memory banks.
If you don’t stand for something you fall for anything

Toxicity234
All Star
Posts: 872
Joined: Mon Feb 18, 2008 1:26 pm

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by Toxicity234 »

Best of luck to the manager and players.
“Common sense is not so common.”

first_touch
All Star
Posts: 173
Joined: Mon Mar 01, 2010 1:26 pm

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by first_touch »

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2016/0428/784990-longford/

Just seen this article which was published on 29th April. Is it gamesmanship or genuine on the part of the Longford manager?

User avatar
Bord na Mona man
All Star
Posts: 4021
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:34 am
Club: Clara

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by Bord na Mona man »

Flanagan: 'The biggest spenders are the top dogs'

Donnchadh Boyle

12/05/2016

"It would be an interesting experiment," Pat Flanagan smiles, when asked what he could do with the Offaly football team if given a blank cheque.

The argument will continue to rage. Just what difference unlimited backing would make to a county would help define exactly what sort of disadvantage the 'have nots' are trying to surmount when they take on the 'haves'.
The Faithful County start their championship campaign on Sunday when Longford come to Tullamore after a decent spring.

Offaly looked to consolidate in the league this year after promotion from Division 4 last spring, though they still went into the final round of matches with an outside chance of a second successive promotion.
And with championship now looming, Flanagan is bullish about his side's chances both this summer and further down the line.

However, he accepts there is a gap between the top sides and the rest that is only underpinned by the relative financial backing available to county set-ups.
Flanagan insists that the sides spending the most money are the ones emerging with the silverware.

"There is an onus on Croke Park as well to have a good serious look at closing the gap between Dublin and the rest," he said.
"Every county board is under pressure to keep things ticking over in the last few years and I'd love to be in a position to get a blank cheque and see how I could improve Offaly.

"We are given a budget at the start of the year and let's be honest here - the ones spending the most money are the ones at the top of table, there is no point in saying otherwise. I would pump money into gym equipment, how we train the boys, how they perform, dietary requirements.
"Get all those things right and have all that financial backing to pay for it and you're in a better position - players will improve a certain percentage.

"Now, I'm not going to get a blank cheque, but it would be an interesting project."
He's keen to point out he's not crying foul against the Dubs who have ten of the last 11 Leinster titles. Their success makes them an attractive proposition for sponsors he says and he wants to see the rest of the province make more progress quickly.

"The simple truth is I would love the challenge every day of the week to play against Dublin," he said.
"I admire them greatly - they are definitely the benchmark and they play the best style of football.

"It is every player's dream - and mine too - to test ourselves against them because they are the best.
"With that in mind my aim is to get Offaly to the highest level as far as the league is concerned so that we can play the best teams on a more regular basis and get the players up to that level.

"So that's down to us. Why blame Dublin? They put themselves in position to get extra resources because they play brilliantly and win so much.

"Sponsors don't come knocking on the door, and throw money around for no reason.
"It's up to the other counties to find reason to attract their own backers and to stop berating Dublin. We should all get to that standard."

Offaly take on their midland rivals for the fifth time in just 18 months across league and championship on Sunday and the results have been mixed. Offaly won the Division 4 final clash between the sides handsomely last year only to be turned over in the championship a few years later.

And Flanagan admits he'd have liked to have drawn someone else.
"It was a bit disappointing to get them in the draw - it was not what we wanted and I wouldn't say the Longford boys wanted it either.

"There has usually only been a couple of points between us - apart from the league final when we got a run on them.

"But last year we set our stall out to win league final because we hadn't won much in the years beforehand and maybe we suffered in the championship a small bit because of the emphasis on the league.
"But this year we got the opportunity to get in some good players and we are looking forward to it.

"I am more convinced than ever that we can get to a different level but we need a few wins. I would be slightly unhappy that we are not at the position I thought we would be. But I think (if we get) a few wins, we can make some moves."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic- ... 07392.html

Kevin
All Star
Posts: 965
Joined: Thu Dec 02, 2004 10:00 pm
Location: New Jersey

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by Kevin »

first_touch wrote:http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2016/0428/784990-longford/

Just seen this article which was published on 29th April. Is it gamesmanship or genuine on the part of the Longford manager?
Thx for spotting.

This is hilarious!!

Wipe your ass w the rag that's written on and you'll get a nasty rash.

I hope we really stick it to them.

COME ON OFFALY!!!!
Kevin Clancey. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

hopper82
Junior A
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:55 am

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by hopper82 »

Laughable whats coming out of the Longford camp the days prior to a first round , looks like the managment is trying to create its an us against the world mentality, not sure its going to have the desired effect .
If you are having trouble is reporting it to the national media going to help things??..is it going to give the oppisition a false sense of security ??i severely doubt it after what happend last year , The element of suprise is well and througly gone with Longford.
A massive prize on offer Sunday and i think well do it with 3 or 4 to spare.Best of luck to the players and managment , havnt heard much since the Limerick game other than we played Laois and Meath, not sure how these games went but a quiet camp is a happy camp , im looking foward to the championship and feel we can cause an upset or two .

kingscounty
All Star
Posts: 1082
Joined: Fri Jan 21, 2011 4:42 pm

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by kingscounty »

Best of luck to pat and the lads this weekend , I think it gives Sunday to be a fine day so let's get out and support the lads for this crucial game . (Sun's out gun's out ) lets go get em

User avatar
Bord na Mona man
All Star
Posts: 4021
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:34 am
Club: Clara

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by Bord na Mona man »

It's an ideal day for a 6 pack of cider on the terrace!

SearingDrive
All Star
Posts: 1196
Joined: Sun Jul 13, 2008 10:00 pm

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by SearingDrive »

Bord na Mona man wrote:It's an ideal day for a 6 pack of cider on the terrace!
We're not in the Aviva on Sunday

User avatar
Bord na Mona man
All Star
Posts: 4021
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:34 am
Club: Clara

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by Bord na Mona man »

SearingDrive wrote:
Bord na Mona man wrote:It's an ideal day for a 6 pack of cider on the terrace!
We're not in the Aviva on Sunday
Luckily not. They ban alcohol there for soccer matches!

manfromdelmonte
All Star
Posts: 246
Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:21 pm

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by manfromdelmonte »

Bord na Mona man wrote:
SearingDrive wrote:
Bord na Mona man wrote:It's an ideal day for a 6 pack of cider on the terrace!
We're not in the Aviva on Sunday
Luckily not. They ban alcohol there for soccer matches!
you'd want to tell people who were up there on good friday that
only place you could get a pint
only the best...

hopper82
Junior A
Posts: 37
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:55 am

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by hopper82 »

I would imagine there will be a change or two before we throw in tomorrow. One would presumeJohnny Malloney will come out the field and possibly swap with P cunnigham to let him roam around the pitch.

It will be intresting to see who leads the front line with Mcnamee , wheather it is B allen or someone else they need to be kicking scores . Mcnamee as always is well tied up and if were only playing two men inside his partner in crime will have to produce the goods ,this didnt happen in the Westmeath and Kildare games which was a contributing factor in both losses.

Team v Longford (taking from midlands 103 )

1 GK Alan Mulhall Walsh Island (captain)
2 Brian Darby Rhode
3 Eoin Rigney Rhode
4 Sean Pender Edenderry
5 Niall Darby Rhode
6 Peter Cunningham Bracknagh
7 Joey O Connor St Rynaghs
8 Eoin Carroll Cappincur
9 Niall Smith Gracefield
10 Graham Guilfoyle Clara
11 Nigel Dunne Shamrocks
12 Michael Brazil Tullamore
13 Bernard Allen Tubber
14 Niall Mc Namee Rhode
15 Johnny Moloney Tullamore

16 GK Ken Garry Rhode
17 Daithi Brady Edenderry
18 Cian Donohue St Brigids
19 Rory Allen Gracefield
20 Jason Gethings Cappincur
21 Conor Mc Namee Rhode
22 Leon Fox Ferbane
23 Anton Sullivan Rhode
24 Nigel Bracken Tullamore
25 Sean Doyle Edenderry
26 Willie Mulhall Walsh Island

DonHurley
Junior C
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun May 15, 2016 6:04 pm

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by DonHurley »

Good game. Lots of nice scores. Offaly have made significant progress this year, Longford have not. You could see it in certain players - they are maturing nicely. Eoin Carroll is a good example - he's becoming much more reliable and now his head better and MF is the right place for him. Cunningham looks good at CHB and Moloney up front in the first half worked well. Guilfoyle's goal was a bit of class. They looked physically improved over last year too. McNamee was leaner and faster than for a number of years and that great solo point was a joy to watch - should lift his confidence a notch or two. The defence was very good (excepting the first goal - an u-10 error). But even that goal did not derail them. There was a patch early in the second half when they started to play more defensively and handed (literally in one case) the initiative to Longford. T'was as if they wanted to loose for a minute or two. I't like to see that penalty on TV tonight, thought the touch was outside the box. Good day in OCP.

Buttons
All Star
Posts: 305
Joined: Thu Jan 30, 2014 9:34 pm
Club: Club

Re: Leinster SFC Round 1 vs Longford

Post by Buttons »

Well since it was 2007 since last Leinster victory today was well overdue. I am only going to comment on 2 standout players from today, the 2 Nialls- Smithy and McNamee. I still think if Smithy didnt get his black card last year we would have beaten them but today thought he was excellent, definitely won the midfield and capped it off with a goal, not quite sure how he ended up that far up the field, some of his fielding and tackling were as good as you could get and a great example for any young lad watching.

Niall McNamee went back through the years with his 4 points, one that he scored in the first half had some burst of speed to make the space before slotting it over, one of the best over the last 10 years in an Offaly shirt without getting the results.

The game was won in the last 15-20 of the first half, i think we were 1-6 to 1-4 down and Kavanagh missed an easy enough free to put them 3 up and we went and score 0-8 without reply.

There is a lot to work on and there will be no motivation in getting them up for Westmeath on 12th June in Mullingar. It is great to see the team playing well after a couple of hard years, Pat has done well getting them very competitive and hopefully a good summer lies ahead. It was great seeing the terrace full on a great summers day.

Post Reply