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Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 11:08 pm
by first_touch
SearingDrive wrote:Question. Would Offaly have beaten Sligo yesterday if Pat Flanagan was still manager? Please discuss.
I have little doubt that if Pat Flanagan was still in charge we would have beaten Sligo. Remember, we beat them away last year. Yes there were deficiencies last year, particularly in the second half against Westmeath in championship in Tullamore. But in Flanagan's last game Offaly, despite a number of injuries, were unlucky not to have beaten Cavan, a side that is now competing for Division 1 status. Those of you on this forum who were cheerleaders for Flanagan's sacking....well, it's a case of 'be careful what you wish for'.

Offaly have regressed badly since Wallace took over. Some of that is due to the loss of key players but how much effort was made to keep these players on board (those that are not missing through injury) and to assemble the strongest possible panel? Apart from that you have crazy tactics and a team that is rudderless and dispirited.

As we can see with the massive improvement in the hurlers it's all down to management and the players responding accordingly.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Fri Mar 23, 2018 11:08 pm
by LooseCannon
Stephen Wallace and his Management Team have announced their panel to face Westmeath on Sunday in the 7th Round of the Allianz National Football League at 3pm in Teg Cusack Park, Mullingar

1. Paddy Dunican (Shamrocks)
2. Declan Hogan (Tullamore)
3. Paul McConway (Tullamore)
4. Sean Pender (Edenderry)
5. David Dempsey (Ballycommon)
6. James Lalor (Raheen)
7. Niall Darby (Rhode)
8. Peter Cunningham (Bracknagh)
9. Michael Brazil (Tullamore)
10. Conor McNamee (Rhode)
11. Anton Sullivan (Rhode)
12. Cian Donohue (St. Brigid's)
13. Bernard Allen (Tubber)
14. Conor Carroll (Raheen)
15. Nigel Dunne (Shamrocks)
16. Alan Mulhall (Walsh Island)
17. Shane Tierney (Daingean)
18. Cian Johnson (Ferbane)
19. Bobby O’Dea (Durrow)
20. David Brady (Edenderry)
21. Jordan Hayes (Edenderry)
22. Shane Nally (Ferbane)
23. Sean Doyle (Edenderry)
24. Aaron Hensey (Tullamore)
25. Jack Egan (Ferbane)
26. Anthony Cunningham (Bracknagh)

I’m happy that Anthony Cunningham has been added to the panel. A quality player from what I’ve seen of him. In my opinion, he’s a better option than some players starting in and around the middle third.

For quite an optimistic person, I’m not confident that we can get anything from this game, and I despise Westmeath. A county so sh*t that really and truly, it’s merely the western part of the much more superior Meath.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Sat Mar 24, 2018 10:29 pm
by Kevin
Question folks:

Does Westmeath have anything to play for?

If not then this is a 50/50 game.

Regardless I hope we tear into them and get something out of it. God knows we owe them at this stage.

UP OFFALY!!!!

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 9:45 am
by Bord na Mona man
The only real incentive for Westmeath today is a 3 for €5 special on Cadbury's Easter eggs.
However they'll relish a chance to try and relegate Offaly.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 1:05 pm
by SearingDrive
Kevin wrote:Question folks:

Does Westmeath have anything to play for?

If not then this is a 50/50 game.

Regardless I hope we tear into them and get something out of it. God knows we owe them at this stage.

UP OFFALY!!!!
Beating Offaly is their incentive.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 5:45 pm
by Kevin
Exhale!!

Congrats to all involved for doing what was needed to get over the line.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 6:41 pm
by SearingDrive
Kevin wrote:Exhale!!

Congrats to all involved for doing what was needed to get over the line.
Good result, but we had to sweat at times. Congrats to all concerned with today's win.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 9:36 pm
by Buttons
Great win today, important to avoid that division 4. I think with Carlow, Laois, Louth all coming in we should hope to maintain it again next year and build from there.
Wicklow next and then hopefully the dubs in tullamore.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 9:37 pm
by Bord na Mona man
Well done to all. After the Longford loss and 3 difficult fixtures it was set up for another great escape
Next year we should be at the other end of the table if progress is maintained.
With all the chopping and changing, keeping D3 status is a good outcome.
Going to Ben Dunne Park and getting a win is always enjoyable.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 11:56 pm
by substandard
Well done to the team, panel and management. Hopefully this will give a bit of breathing space and confidence before championship: losing today would surely have shattered morale. As BnaM Man said, hopefully next year will be looking at the other end of the table. Carlow and Laois going up, and possibly Meath coming down would make for a lot of Leinster opposition in the division. It'd be great to gain promotion in those circumstances ahead of the 2019 championship.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:15 am
by LooseCannon
https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/st ... eat-escape

Good to hear him say that he’s looking to add to the panel. I’d be hoping of 4 or 5 new additions at the very least.

https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/mi ... -westmeath

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 7:37 pm
by bracknaghboy
Credit where it's due, that was a job well done in the circumstances yesterday. What a difference a week makes. Offaly raised 20 white flags yesterday which was more than any other team this weekend! Dublin and Cavan were closest with 17 each. Yesterday faith was placed in the forwards to go and win the game and they showed they can score and do just that. It should have been done last week but look if all concerned have learned from last week then it may turn out to be the best thing that could have happened. Fear wins nothing.....go out and have a go. No problem with Wallace coming out and backing his players, they are in this together, they've put in huge effort and a drop to D4 would have been soul destroying. Wicklow next are beatable but for the superstitious among I make it that Offaly have played 9 championship matches in Portlaoise since 1980 and have lost 7, drew 1 (v Laois) and won 1 (V Carlow 11 years ago). We don't get much to shout about in the championship so a win against Wicklow would do nicely!

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Mon Mar 26, 2018 9:12 pm
by Kevin
bracknaghboy wrote:Credit where it's due, that was a job well done in the circumstances yesterday. What a difference a week makes. Offaly raised 20 white flags yesterday which was more than any other team this weekend! Dublin and Cavan were closest with 17 each. Yesterday faith was placed in the forwards to go and win the game and they showed they can score and do just that. It should have been done last week but look if all concerned have learned from last week then it may turn out to be the best thing that could have happened. Fear wins nothing.....go out and have a go. No problem with Wallace coming out and backing his players, they are in this together, they've put in huge effort and a drop to D4 would have been soul destroying. Wicklow next are beatable but for the superstitious among I make it that Offaly have played 9 championship matches in Portlaoise since 1980 and have lost 7, drew 1 (v Laois) and won 1 (V Carlow 11 years ago). We don't get much to shout about in the championship so a win against Wicklow would do nicely!
Hear, hear!! Well put.

We know where the superstition can go. Along with it we can put the tired old notion of Offaly 'not being comfortable with a favorites tag' (assuming we will be unless something drastic happens). No room on the bandwagon for any of that foolishness. When you've been where we've been for so many years any team we play is worth beating. Hopefully we can get the job done against Wicklow. Great to see the boys do their part in keeping us in D3 it is a lift. Big thanks to Sligo for making space for us. The score in that one was tied and then close as it came down to the end. It all worked out is all that matters.

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Tue Mar 27, 2018 11:56 pm
by first_touch
Well done to players and management for retaining Division 3 status. There was obviously a lot of hard preparation put in after the Sligo game in order to achieve that performance and result on Sunday.

Wallace has said he is open to adding to the panel. I wonder will any of the lads who are travelling or who haven't committed be brought back. And are any of the guys that are injured likely to recover for the Wicklow match?

Re: 2018 NFL

Posted: Thu Mar 29, 2018 10:35 am
by NewEra
Well done to players and management last Sunday on a well deserved win, albeit not Westmeaths strongest team. A lot of similarities between last year and this year's campaign....poor start with an improvement in fortunes in the last 3 games. Confidence seems to be such a factor with this group....it is so brittle. A bad start to a game with murmurs and tutts from a scarce crowd has such a negative impact on how they perform.

I haven't been a fan of Wallace's media presence since his appointment but I have to say he spoke well on Sunday after the game with a rallying call. Hopefully players don't lose too much momentum with the clubs for April, we don't pick up any further injuries and they put the heads down for Wicklow!