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Whoever had the final call on playing a challenge match vs the reigning All Ireland champions 2 weeks before championship needs their head examined.

Tipp with a more or less full strength team obliterate us by 29 points and this is what happens when you appoint a rookie manager to an intercounty position.

Let’s not forget Offaly getting out of Division 2A of rhr league had equal importance to us winning the Christy Ring Cup and Michael Fennelly couldn’t navigate us through that. He’s getting a free ride for poor performances, poor results and now poor logistical decisions.

In my opinion, playing the All-Ireland champions, or any other top nine team, at this stage is not a wise thing to do.

Apart from the obvious damage to morale a 29 point defeat will bring, Offaly won’t have had the opportunity to play the type of game they would hope to play against Kildare in a fortnight.

You would imagine (playing against a consistent Christy Ring and division 2B team) that Offaly will look to control the game and dominate possession. They won’t have had the opportunity yesterday to practice that. Instead, it is obvious they spent 70 minutes on the back foot with little opportunity to use the ball themselves, to practice their support play or to practice dealing with opposition puckouts.

They should be arranging challenge matches against Joe McDonagh standard teams.

The again, the Offaly way of playing the game is to let the opposition have the ball. They could be in for a rude awakening if they find Kildare are able to support the ball carrier, make off the shoulder runs and have the ability to draw frees. It’s not too long ago since Kildare eliminated Offaly from the Leinster Minor hurling championship either, so they’re not going to be intimidated by tricolour jerseys who can’t keep the scoreboard ticking over when playing with a stiff wind and who couldn’t deal with balls dropping in their own square, both of which happened against Antrim.

Saturday week has the potential to be a rough ride.

I'm more surprised that Tipperary agreed to play offaly. zero benefit to both teams. It really does raise questions about the notion that offaly mgt thought this was a good idea. Maybe play Dublin, who would win by 9-10 points or westmeath or Carlow where it would be a little closer. Not Tipperary.

So as not to finish on a note of complete doom and gloom, I would point out that four of the six top scorers in this year's Senior hurling championship were on the Offaly U20 team last year. They are Cathal Kiely, David Nally, Brian Duignan and Killian Sampson. And yes, I know they are freetakers, but it is a positive sign that their clubs are giving them that responsibility.

Plain of the Herbs wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 5:32 pm In my opinion, playing the All-Ireland champions, or any other top nine team, at this stage is not a wise thing to do.

Apart from the obvious damage to morale a 29 point defeat will bring, Offaly won’t have had the opportunity to play the type of game they would hope to play against Kildare in a fortnight.

You would imagine (playing against a consistent Christy Ring and division 2B team) that Offaly will look to control the game and dominate possession. They won’t have had the opportunity yesterday to practice that. Instead, it is obvious they spent 70 minutes on the back foot with little opportunity to use the ball themselves, to practice their support play or to practice dealing with opposition puckouts.

They should be arranging challenge matches against Joe McDonagh standard teams.

The again, the Offaly way of playing the game is to let the opposition have the ball. They could be in for a rude awakening if they find Kildare are able to support the ball carrier, make off the shoulder runs and have the ability to draw frees. It’s not too long ago since Kildare eliminated Offaly from the Leinster Minor hurling championship either, so they’re not going to be intimidated by tricolour jerseys who can’t keep the scoreboard ticking over when playing with a stiff wind and who couldn’t deal with balls dropping in their own square, both of which happened against Antrim.

Saturday week has the potential to be a rough ride.

There’s one next weekend.

private joker wrote: ↑Sun Oct 11, 2020 6:17 pm I'm more surprised that Tipperary agreed to play offaly. zero benefit to both teams. It really does raise questions about the notion that offaly mgt thought this was a good idea. Maybe play Dublin, who would win by 9-10 points or westmeath or Carlow where it would be a little closer. Not Tipperary.

The opposition.

Arra hould on! Do you want the Kildare management showing up for a look? 400 years on, some people still haven't learned the lessons of the Battle of Kinsale.

Plain of the Herbs wrote: ↑Mon Oct 12, 2020 6:38 pm Arra hould on! Do you want the Kildare management showing up for a look? 400 years on, some people still haven't learned the lessons of the Battle of Kinsale.

Didn’t say where the game will be!

Excellent win by minors today, well done to all involved.

Good win, raises the spirits. The work done in the last few years at both club and development squad levels starting to bear fruit hopefully.

private joker wrote: ↑Sun Oct 18, 2020 9:53 am Good win, raises the spirits. The work done in the last few years at both club and development squad levels starting to bear fruit hopefully.

Great result for Offaly hurling yesterday. Well done to all.

Great win by our minors.
how times have changed
What's wrong in South offaly, kk are producing players consistently but they were always regarded as outside the hurling heartland of South offaly..
5 of next years senior a clubs have no player on the team and clareen birr and Belmont have 1 each.
The minor team used to be made up of players from birr and banagher schools.
Do the still play hurling in those schools?????

great win great work been done by leo oconnor .

For offaly to be a strong hurling county, a liam mccarthy county, Then whole county needs to produce quality players. Put in the work, up skill players and more importantly, the coaches!!. Better coaches equals better players. Your geographical location will not determine if you are good at hurling. Please knock that notion on the head.

Great win by the minors against Laois. Perfect coverage on 247.tv. Fair play to Leo O'Connor and all concerned.

private joker wrote: ↑Mon Oct 19, 2020 2:04 pm For offaly to be a strong hurling county, a liam mccarthy county, Then whole county needs to produce quality players. Put in the work, up skill players and more importantly, the coaches!!. Better coaches equals better players. Your geographical location will not determine if you are good at hurling. Please knock that notion on the head.

Good point PJ. We need to look at developing Offaly hurling over the whole county, both in the north county, and in the traditional heartlands of South Offaly. I think Kildare are up next for Offaly, and we play the same county in the Christy Ring Cup on Saturday in Tullamore. Everything depends on the proposed lockdown level to be announced tonight.