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Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Sat Jul 29, 2017 10:02 pm
by maccie
As an Offaly exile living in Kildare, i dropped down to Leixlip GAA to see 2 Offaly U14 Hurling Teams playing games against Antrim and Kildare (won all games easily) and was very impressed with the determination and toughness of players on view. Watkins, Carey, Bracken and Egan were some of the players surnames that stood out but i have no idea of their home clubs. The skill level, first touch,hooking and general awareness reminded me of minor teams from 80s,with the small lads beating physically bigger opponents to ball and showing no fear. I hope this group of players will be well looked after and help Offaly become competitive again.

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Mon Jul 31, 2017 6:24 pm
by manfromdelmonte
Listen, there are some excellent young players in Offaly at U12, U14 and U16 levels.

the difference is what happens in Offaly to those players to development them and improve them and what happens in most other tier 1 hurling counties.

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Tue Aug 01, 2017 12:43 am
by Offalygirl
As a parent of an U14 squad player I am extremely hopeful for Offaly hurling. 41 squad players are there with 4 of the most positive strong motivational coaches they could possibly have. This squad is going from strength to strength with every match they play. All these young hopefuls wish for is to wear their County Jersey and bring Offaly back to its glory days of edge of your seat hurling. And I know that the other underage squad groups have amazing players and top class coaching also. Offaly people need to row in behind the huge efforts that are being made at underage levels. This is where the future is and this is where investment of time and resources need to be put in place. Look after the coaches when their commitment to our children at all levels is their top priority. We all need to stay positive and work on the good and invest in the youth.

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 9:34 am
by manfromdelmonte
how did they get on at the Tony forristal? Or did they go?

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Tue Aug 29, 2017 10:24 am
by LooseCannon
manfromdelmonte wrote:how did they get on at the Tony forristal? Or did they go?
Cork beat them by 2
Drew with Dublin

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 3:36 pm
by uibhfhaili
manfromdelmonte wrote:how did they get on at the Tony forristal? Or did they go?
they played in the Sonny Walsh instead. Wouldn't have been up to TF standard unfortunately.

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 7:45 pm
by frankthetank
uibhfhaili wrote:
manfromdelmonte wrote:how did they get on at the Tony forristal? Or did they go?
they played in the Sonny Walsh instead. Wouldn't have been up to TF standard unfortunately.
Now that's disheartening.

As far as I know the Under 16's lost their 3 matches by an average of 10 points in the Arrabawn.

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 8:56 pm
by uibhfhaili
frankthetank wrote:
uibhfhaili wrote:
manfromdelmonte wrote:how did they get on at the Tony forristal? Or did they go?
they played in the Sonny Walsh instead. Wouldn't have been up to TF standard unfortunately.
Now that's disheartening.

As far as I know the Under 16's lost their 3 matches by an average of 10 points in the Arrabawn.
Looking at the groups seems like Laois were put into the TF and Offaly regraded into the SW. Laois by all accounts were v good taking out KK along the way.

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2017 10:38 pm
by private joker
Laois did quite well. Beat KK. Ran Tipperary very close also. Tipperary won it out in the end.
If offaly first team are in sonny Walsh then I'd fear for them. That's for B teams and the very weak counties like Kerry or wicklow.

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 3:11 pm
by suckindiesel
I was down at it with the Laois team..........the omens for Offaly look bleak. Smaller counties like OY and LS are up against it with the bigger powers who have greater numbers and that must be taken into context.
We were very happy with the laois team, competing in Div 1, aka, Tony Forristal we knocked out the Kilkenny and Limerick first teams, and gave the eventual winners Tipp a right rattle until a few injuries cost us in the last ten minutes of the semi final.
I am afraid to say the Offaly team in Div 2, the Sonny Walsh tournament, were weak, they drew with the Dublin B team and lost to the Cork B team.

As of now, based on last weekend, and unaware of any holiday absentees, there exists a massive gulf between LS and OY at under 14 level, same can be said at U15,and U16(judged on challenge match results). LS and OY ought to be on a par, with the same sort of resources and split population(hurling/football).

It is very hard to see where the work is being put in at underage level at Offaly, despite an appearance of different factions getting involved(Hogan and co, and others).

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 9:07 pm
by frankthetank
private joker wrote:Laois did quite well. Beat KK. Ran Tipperary very close also. Tipperary won it out in the end.
If offaly first team are in sonny Walsh then I'd fear for them. That's for B teams and the very weak counties like Kerry or wicklow.
Does this mean the Wicklowfication of Offaly hurling is now complete?

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Thu Aug 31, 2017 11:09 pm
by Plain of the Herbs
When the two of ye put it as bluntly as that - the project is further advanced than I feared.
frankthetank wrote:
private joker wrote:Laois did quite well. Beat KK. Ran Tipperary very close also. Tipperary won it out in the end.
If offaly first team are in sonny Walsh then I'd fear for them. That's for B teams and the very weak counties like Kerry or wicklow.
Does this mean the Wicklowfication of Offaly hurling is now complete?

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 10:49 am
by True Red
Who is the GDA for hurling in the county?

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 12:16 pm
by private joker
Connor Clancy from st rynagh
Michael clery from shinrone.
You can get their details from offaly website

Re: Offaly U14 Hurlers Skillful,Determined and Tough

Posted: Fri Sep 01, 2017 11:57 pm
by Boon
Offaly U15s beat Kilkenny at the Foley tournament last weekend and lost by just a few points to Laois. Unfortunately, Offaly's strongest U15 team wasn't playing against Laois, as the team was through to the semi final win or lose and the strongest line up had been already used against Kilkenny. So it isn't true to say there is a big gap between U15 Offaly and U15 Laois. The work that Liam Hogan, Paddy Guinan and Pat Temple have put in has been tremendous with the lads this year and they have improved greatly. In the match against Laois over the summer the results line look awful - but again Offaly were missing their strongest players due to holidays for that match. The fact is that this year the U15s got further than last years - reaching the semi final in the strong side of the competition.