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CONFIRMED
Sunday June 24
Offaly v Clare, Bord Na Mona O'Connor Park, 1.30pm

For me too, Saturday night was a very heartening display. Our style of football was way ahead of Antrim's, showing a lot more confidence in our own ability and looking to dictate the flow of play with some air of confidence. I was very impressed with Anton's play' he's showing a level of maturity that is a little overdue for him. Johnny Maloney and Brian Darby earned big "welcome back" accolades, and Paul McConway cleared up a lot from the back. A really enjoyable match for the Faithful.

I didn't see what Nigel Dunne did. BnMm says that he's been told it was merited. If so, then he has let his team down badly on a night of big performance. If we have to rely on Shane Tierney for first crack at the frees against Clare, and assuming Panda keeps his place too, it becomes quite a small-stature forward line. No disrespect to those two lads, they have some speed and awareness to make up for it, but it means more expectancy on the right type of passes to be sent in their direction.

Sunday at 1:30 seems an unusual time for the fixture, unless it is at Clare's request. But I doubt their Hurlers would be out that day as the Munster round-robin only finishes next week. But ... it is when it is.

I for one was hoping it would be on the saturday, minor hurlers were playing laois and then u20s playing louth at 3. Sunday at half 1 it is though.

Buttons wrote:I for one was hoping it would be on the saturday, minor hurlers were playing laois and then u20s playing louth at 3. Sunday at half 1 it is though.

But it’s on Sunday week, not Sunday. Clare minor footballers are in the Munster final on the Saturday evening.

Great game to get. Little between teams in league games in last few years. Would hope there is bounce in offaly after last day while Clare could be reeling after huge loss to Kerry. Great chance if we can up it a notch or two.

Really enjoyable evening of football last Saturday.

A pleasure to watch a committed and positive display from the Offaly footballers. If we can manage to get our act together at board and management level, Offaly can become a competitive force in football in future years.

We haven't stopped producing inter county footballers in this county. We are as good as anyone in Leinster (Dublin excluded) and if we can row the boat in the right direction TOGETHER as a county well then we will do perfectly fine.

Looking forward to the next game v Clare with optimism.

In addition, I just listened to the interview with Paul Rouse on the Off the Ball AM podcast, and if anyone wanted their spirits to be lifted in terms of Offaly football, its a must listen.

Great news! Paddy Neilan is reffing v Klare.

LooseCannon wrote:Great news! Paddy Neilan is reffing v Klare.

In a year like we've had, good news is welcome.

Would be interested as why this is great news as I a bit away from the scene and am not familiar w him.

Many thx!

Kevin wrote:

LooseCannon wrote:Great news! Paddy Neilan is reffing v Klare.

In a year like we've had, good news is welcome.

Would be interested as why this is great news as I a bit away from the scene and am not familiar w him.

Many thx!

Unfortunately that was sarcasm.

He was reffing Meath-Tyrone.

I've actually got to know Paddy a bit on the club scene here in Roscommon and it's funny, put him in a club game or a low profile county game, and he's excellent. If you'd asked me two years ago, I'd have said he was destined to referee an All Ireland final sooner rather than later.

However he has had a few shocking displays on the national stage now, and I really don't know why that is. He's a genuine guy, very fit, certainly wouldn't have an agenda, but it's almost as if nerves gets the better of him on some of the bigger occasions. He made some very poor calls in the Tipperary vs Armagh qualifier last year, and didn't cover himself in glory in the league final where Kerry beat Dublin by a point either.

This might be a blip in a young man's career, but certainly he has the potential to be a factor in the game on Sunday week, absolutely.

Heard Paul Rouse on off the ball yesterday and liked everything he said. Similar to Kevin Martin he has a positive and realistic attitude as to where we are at and what needs to be done. Has a positive approach going into the Clare game.

Antrim was a necessity and now the Clare game is a test. Test of his and the teams attitude.

Paddypower has Clare as favourites (4/7) and Offaly (7/4) with the handicap at 2 points. This is what I would have predicted with us getting home advantage. Clare will surely be feeling the effect of the Kerry demolition and could be an advantage to Offaly. Player to watch out for is center forward Eoin Cleary. He is as good a player as there is in the country and can control a game on his own.

Nigel Dunne will be a loss on the 23rd. Dunne had scored 3 points from play before being sent off but one thing I did notice against Antrim is 13 of the 21 players scored.

Don't see many teams changes other than the necessary. Would love to see Carroll in midfield and maybe even Cunningham on the bench. Is there any update on his injury?

More realistic we will see Ruari McNamee at 13 for Dunne and the other 14 being the same faces from the team that started against Antrim.

https://youtu.be/SIvKNUomPtY

Paul Rouse on OTB AM yesterday morning.

Must have been out of position or somehow did not get a good look at that one.

Somehow I managed to end up at the Clare SFC Final last year between Kilmurray/Ibrackine and Clondegad and I know it's obvious to say it but if we can't get a handle on Gary Brennan in the middle of the field we could be in for a long day!!