National leagues 2022

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
kingscounty
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National leagues 2022

Post by kingscounty »

Just seen the fixtures in both codes , both extremely difficult. Galway away first and Limerick last in the hurling. Massive games for footballers in division 2 also , it’s where we want to be let’s hope we can acquit ourselves well in both.
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Claffey
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by Claffey »

Master Fixture list published here: https://res.cloudinary.com/dvrbaruzq/im ... xoglph.pdf

Not only is the promoted team put into the harder Div 1 NHL Group, but also only given 2 Home games - really stacking the cards there.
3 away and 2 home in Joe McDonagh as well.

BiffoInThurso
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by BiffoInThurso »

Jesus lads theres no two ways round it. Will be a year of bad beatings in the leagues, hard to see where the footballers are going to pick up points.

private joker
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by private joker »

Going to get whipped in the league. But , if they are mentally right which I suspect they will be, it will ultimately stand to them in the joe mcdonagh.

SearingDrive
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by SearingDrive »

BiffoInThurso wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 5:22 pm Jesus lads theres no two ways round it. Will be a year of bad beatings in the leagues, hard to see where the footballers are going to pick up points.
Where do Offaly footballers play Cork? I didn’t see that game on the fixture list.

frankthetank
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by frankthetank »

Absolutely infuriating that we are playing Galway in Salthill in both codes and it’s not a double header. Has anyone any intelligence in Croke Park’s fixture making committee?

Also surely a double header with Clare could have been facilitated aswell with reverse fixtures or something of the like for next year or the next time they meet in the league.

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bracknaghboy
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by bracknaghboy »

frankthetank wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 7:28 pm Absolutely infuriating that we are playing Galway in Salthill in both codes and it’s not a double header. Has anyone any intelligence in Croke Park’s fixture making committee?

Also surely a double header with Clare could have been facilitated aswell with reverse fixtures or something of the like for next year or the next time they meet in the league.
Whatever about the Clare one (it is 2 different venues and would require some sort of deal) you are correct about Salthill.
Are they playing it safe and thinking in advance about possible future Covid restrictions? Remember double headers were off the menu for a long time this year.
Are they thinking pitches will be shite that time of year?
I honestly don't know but I can tell you for us Offaly supporters a double header in February would be a long afternoon out west!!

Claffey
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by Claffey »

SearingDrive wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 6:56 pm
BiffoInThurso wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 5:22 pm Jesus lads theres no two ways round it. Will be a year of bad beatings in the leagues, hard to see where the footballers are going to pick up points.
Where do Offaly footballers play Cork? I didn’t see that game on the fixture list.
Offaly v Cork (football) in O'Connor Park 27th March.

I sent the wrong link for the masterlist earlier. The fixtures can be downloaded here: https://www.gaa.ie/news/gaa-publish-mas ... -for-2022/

kingscounty
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by kingscounty »

I’d be more optimistic about the football , Meath only beat us by a point in Navan few years back, Cork no great shakes and we have them at home, Roscommon the same. A win against Clare would be a great start, it was between ourselves and them 3/4 years ago on score difference that decided who was promoted!

The hurling is a different kettle of fish altogether, for me it’s to big a jump to soon to be playing against the big boys.

SearingDrive
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by SearingDrive »

Claffey wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 8:35 pm
SearingDrive wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 6:56 pm
BiffoInThurso wrote: Tue Dec 21, 2021 5:22 pm Jesus lads theres no two ways round it. Will be a year of bad beatings in the leagues, hard to see where the footballers are going to pick up points.
Where do Offaly footballers play Cork? I didn’t see that game on the fixture list.
Offaly v Cork (football) in O'Connor Park 27th March.

I sent the wrong link for the masterlist earlier. The fixtures can be downloaded here: https://www.gaa.ie/news/gaa-publish-mas ... -for-2022/
Thanks for that Claffey. It’s a very tough league for Offaly footballers.

Dodge83
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by Dodge83 »

Very tough games for the hurlers , but it’s great to be playing the best teams in the country again. Those games should stand to us come championship, like it did for Westmeath this year

Fairplayalways
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by Fairplayalways »

Ide be hopeful rather than optimistic looking at the football fixtures, there are a few teams there we can pitch against on any day (beating or gettting points off them is another issu I know) but it will be interesting and I think we will pick up points in some games...hurling looks daunting for sure, but this is where we waanted to be and no we are promoted we must give it a go..I think possibly Clare and Wexford we will go toe to toe with (again will we beat them is the question) possible hammerings in some of the other games but as others said its a learning curve and the challenges should be embraced as these are top opposition and not like what we will face in the Joe McDonagh Cup, so again interesting to see how we go in the hurling, but as most say, the football looks a bit more encouraging fixture wise...isnt it good to be havintg this conversation compared to where we were...

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bracknaghboy
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by bracknaghboy »

Hurlers
In 2021 the hurlers played 5 league and 3 Christy Ring games with an average winning margin of just over 21 points.
They would have had an overwhelming majority of the possession in these games which allowed Fennelly to implement a clear game plan.
Last year you could see the players knew what they were at and what they were supposed to do. That easier when you have 2/3 of the possession.
The biggest worry for 2022 is that the roles will be reversed and Offaly will be the team with the limited possession. In addition the physicality will be up 3 or 4 notches as will the pace of the game. Playing Sligo and Wicklow on nice sunny afternoons doing as you please is a world apart from taking on 15 wrestlers from Galway out to impress their new overlord in February.
Fennelly knows this and he and the players will have discussions about expectations and on what they are trying to achieve over the course of the 5 games.
A win somewhere along the way wouldn't be totally out of the question as Antrim have shown but it looks like a relegation playoff is on the cards.
In an ideal world this is probably too steep a jump up in terms of the teams development but alas an ideal world we do not live in.
The boys will have to get stuck in!!!

Footballers
Some say that the format helped the footballers in 2021 but it was the same for all teams in Division 3 so it's not worth looking too much into that point. I had high hopes about Division 2. Clare, Meath, Roscommon and Cork are hardly a million miles ahead of a full strength Offaly, are they?
But this year the amount of players missing is very unfortunate indeed. Cruciates, travel, army duty and unavailability will deny Maughan Eoin Carroll, Cian Farrell, Peter Cunningham, Eoin Rigney, Cian Johnson and Shane Horan.
If all were fit and available it's not out of the question that all would start. Of course you have to remember more injuries will be picked up as the campaign goes on. Overall it's not a pretty picture.
On the plus side of things Niall McNamee will be available and his nemesis Declan Hogan is performing at a frightening high standard.
Maughan liked the role Shane Horan played and I think Micky B or Conor Carroll could do that job?
Whats the word on the street folks in terms of new faces called into the panel? Any of the U20's in?
There are plenty of good footballers in Offaly and they should not be fearing these teams in Division 2 but you have to be realistic and it's worrying to see who is missing before the campaigns even begins. Staving off relegation would be one of the great achievements for the county.

ryot
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by ryot »

Any word on how training has been going for Hurlers and for Footballers ?

Should have 20 or so sessions each by now which should be showing results of who are up for and to it=====

private joker
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Re: National leagues 2022

Post by private joker »

Offaly hurlers going very well in training. About 35 players minus st rynaghs players. A very clear game plan is been developed. Drills and games they are playing are at a high intensity. But, they look very small or very light compared to limerick, tipperary and galway. A lot of catching up to do in that regard and that takes years to build up. But they are doing it and hopefully it bears fruit in the joe mcdonagh.

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