Offaly Senior Hurlers 2023

[Bord na Mona man]

I must find out what Kerry and Kildare hurlers have been up to lately.
Sounds like they've cloned a few Christy Rings and Brian Whelahans since last year.

Anyway, glad Offaly went up to near Stranraer and got the win. I'm told Ballycran is like Birr for Down hurlers. Teams fear playing there.

[private joker]

Well in kildares case it's what Naas have been up to and maynooth now following. Got their urban areas to start mass producing hurlers. Same needs to happen in Birr, tullamore and edenderry in offaly s case.

[Fairplayalways]

I'll say it again, scoring no goals at this level is a concern, no team is entitled to score a goal but the points tally is probably not that wonderful either by today's standards, surely a goal or two we should be getting against the perceived stronger teams in the division and more against the weaker teams, are we going for goals or just content on shooting points only, but we will use the time of year and heavy pitches to allow for that here..it sounds like it's all playing the ball around and shooting from our the field with no one wanting to go into battle for a goal.. We will win games in this division with all points only scores probably.. a win is a win as they say but beating 13 men by 3 points despite having numerical advantage for a fair chunk of the game is worrying enough, Down will rightly feel if they had a full compliment of players for all they game they would probably have won out this game..how many of our 21 points came from frees..other future games look like potential battles going by yesterdays game...

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Very little information on this game other than the fact that Down played close to 35mins with 13 men.
At the same time we were nudging ahead with 15 v 15 , but were we playing with a stiff breeze? Is there a challenge with fitness with some of our lads?

Either way, a win was vital and you take that and move on. We have the Derry game I think and then Kerry away. we should be going there with 4 points , and we need to get behind these lads. We beat them last year down there and should have beaten them in the league the previous year I think.

Kerry beat Derry well and have Molumphy in place for a couple of years. Hopefully the weather continues like it has beenfor the last week and a bit drier ground should suit us better.

[Lone Shark]

Just seen this comment in this weeks offaly indo

‘ The absence of a significant cohort of players making an impression in the Fitzgibbon Cup is a concern’

Has anyone an idea of what players we have making an impression in the fitzgibbon cup?

Sorry, just to come back on this - the point was that we don't have players making an impression in the Fitzgibbon Cup. We do have lads named on panels all right, but they don't seem to be getting much game time, and even one of our frontline players - Killian Sampson - only came off the bench for UL last time out against LIT (or TUS Midwest, in new money!). It doesn't bode well for the group of players that are currently in the 20-22 age bracket, that we are so poorly represented at college level.

From what I can tell, the only ones that have got meaningful game time at all are Sampson (UL), Conor Doughan (TUS Midwest) and both Mark Troy and Ciarán Burke (SETU Carlow).

No idea what's happening in the Ryan Cup to be honest, but that's a huge step down, it's not the same type of environment at all.

[bracknaghboy]

Down topped division 2A last year and were only beaten in the final by Westmeath who for some reason were allowed field a Galway senior hurler who helped himself to 3 goals......hardly cricket that! Going up there was never going to be easy.

OK so the lads struggled to close out the game despite the numerical advantage in the kip (Meath GAA's words not mine ) that is Ballcran but I'm sure the "performance coach" will be able to iron all these little bits out....I think he said a few months back he'd do it by phone or Skype or the like so no need to worry at all.

[greenairfield]

Bracknaghboy would love to meet you your a complete jackass.

[Anonymous1]

He’s not wrong though, why on earth are we wasting money on having Brendan Maher available on the phone a few times per month?

[private joker]

How do you know money is been wasted?

[Anonymous1]

He’s certainly not doing it for free

[Onionbag]

Down topped division 2A last year and were only beaten in the final by Westmeath who for some reason were allowed field a Galway senior hurler who helped himself to 3 goals......hardly cricket that! Going up there was never going to be easy.

OK so the lads struggled to close out the game despite the numerical advantage in the kip (Meath GAA's words not mine ) that is Ballcran but I'm sure the "performance coach" will be able to iron all these little bits out....I think he said a few months back he'd do it by phone or Skype or the like so no need to worry at all.

Galway player scored 3 goals ..

Is there any other div 1 or 2 county doing that. How can you build team spirit and a let's do it for our county when you've a lad who used to play for another county.

[Superhans75]

Was at the game in balycran Offaly have become a team of 60 minuters mentality and natural skill wise we are playing club hurling in a inter county competition.
The answer I don't think even NASA have a program for it
But rubbish club hurling for the sake of having a club team is not the way forward.
Down only have 6 senior clubs I was told be there supporters but a thriving intermediate setup
There population is greater than ours but you rule out
The other half and the football lot we probably at the same numbers game
But the school system especially primary is alot more
Active sports wise remember there school days and year
Are longer ( we have awful PE facilities for primary school ) I have seen and lived through both systems.
Remember if you can catch a ball and basic skills at 6/8
The future is bleak no matter how much time you spend at the gym .
Sorry about the wrant

[Dodge83]

Bracknaghboy would love to meet you your a complete jackass.

Why do you say that ??

[greenairfield]

Read above and you might figure it out

[private joker]

Just read there ucc starting 15 had 14 from cork starting. Two galway college teams, 29 starting on their teams from galway. UCD and DCU have something like 17 Dubs starting. That's a huge number of players been exposed to quality training and matches.