Offaly Senior Hurlers 2023

[SearingDrive]

Hard to comment to much today after the sad news last night.

For what it's worth, there has been a gap in the type of coaching needed for the modern hurling game. Indeed it appears that there are a set of rules written down and there are the rules that are enforced during games.
But I do know that the demands on coaches that get involved are significant and there needs to be a look at how coaches who have limited time to give to clubs and county development jobs roles could be facilitated to broaden the support.
That means that often the 3 guys who put their hands up to look after a group might not have the strongest coaching background, but with a bit more support to widen that group to someone assisting various aspects that can do one session a week, that would raise the bar for the coaching offered to that particular squad and this needs to be looked at.

I have been involved right up through the ranks and looked at what was best practice and tried to implement as much as possible but you were lucky at club level if one other selector or coach had a breeze what you were on about. Development squads often have guys who might have done some of the coaching courses but often could do with support to support them to bring this to life, as often they are coaches that are learning as they go. Mentoring of coaches at all levels I suppose is what Im getting at.

In relation to the seniors, 4 wins is a great return, Kerry was the big result and we were fairly lucky to get through that one. Kildare have been far more impressive and maybe a home semi final would not be a bad thing in terms of another competitive game. By all reports , defensively Offaly were decent on Saturday.
As regards lads not committing to the panel, that is their choice but this is also something that needs to be addressed as the level of turnover kills the momentum interms of S&C, and getting touch up to the level and intensity of senior intercounty level.

Lot of talk about the work that has gone on in Kildare and there is no doubt that they will be favourites to come through this mini series and get promotion, but we should be well capable of beating them.
Funny last Saturday, on Radio 1 , they were so keen to see Kildare progress to the next tier. They have forgotten about how strong Meath were a few years ago and dropped off the charts. Very difficult for anyone to bridge the gap to Liam Mc, and I don't begrudge Kildare the day in the sun. However we need to start drawing a line in the sand and move forward now, and give this a rattle over the next few weeks.
We'll have 3 games with Kildare, then Kerry, Carlow etc again as part of league and Joe Mc, so a great window to continue to build a panel and get some momentum.

The focus is on Kildare at the moment. They visit Offaly on Sunday, with the winners qualifying for the final. There is a huge gap between Div. 1, and Div2. A few smaller counties who made some progress in recent years, found the step up in standard a big challenge.

[Kevin]

[/quote]There is a huge gap between Div. 1, and Div2. A few smaller counties who made some progress in recent years, found the step up in standard a big challenge.
[/quote]

The league structure is there to serve the elite and the elite only. If the top 6 was ‘Division 1’, next 6 ‘Division 2’ and so forth the gap would not be so huge. The promoted teams would have reasonably competitive games and not just be cannon fodder for the big guns generally.

Agree, focus on what’s in front of us is all we can do. Delighted the team is getting the results. May success breed success.

[Lookingovertheditch]

100% correct about league format. The league is designed as a safe trialling space for counties 1-9.
Counties 10-12 are the cannon fodder. Counties 10-32 should work together to change this. They won't however as only about 5 (if even that) of the Counties from 10 to 32 have a county board who genuinely promote hurling and want it to flourish.

[Anonymous1]

Oisin Kelly has torn his ACL in his other knee and faces another year on the sidelines. Big blow for Ferbane, Belmont and Offaly

[ah lethimoutwithit]

That terrible news at a personal level for Oisin. Can only wish him the very best in recovery and hope to see him get back to top level with Offaly for 2024.

Very tough to go through once, but twice is shockin. But he'll get support and hope all goes well.

[Anonymous1]

Not exactly rocket science but think it will fall between two from Kildare Kerry and Offaly with possibly Down or Carlow having impact on which two it is.

Here's the thing.....the inside of the back cover of todays programme states that the 1st placed team are into the final on the 1st or 2nd of April and that teams 2 and 3 play a semi final on the 25th of March.
Thats news to me, I wasn't aware of that until today so now there are 3 places up for grabs. Actually I think it's a good idea, means there is still plenty to play for.

It’s a great idea…if we finish 3rd

Disgrace of an idea should we wind up 2nd…

Total disgrace

[kingscounty]

Kildare the better team and should have won, why in the name of god did we keep hitting a short puck out to full back or centre back only for them to either hit in down the middle or run into trouble with the ball.
Contrast Kildare, who were hitting the ball to the wing backs who were then pumping decent ball into their forward line. We are struggling for good scoring forwards and rely heavy on Cahill from frees.
Kerry up next and I can’t see us beaten them,

[private joker]

Don't know if kildare will go up this year but it's only a matter of time. Gone from 6 minor teams in their club championship to 18 now competing.

[Anonymous1]

Kildare the better team and should have won, why in the name of god did we keep hitting a short puck out to full back or centre back only for them to either hit in down the middle or run into trouble with the ball.
Contrast Kildare, who were hitting the ball to the wing backs who were then pumping decent ball into their forward line. We are struggling for good scoring forwards and rely heavy on Cahill from frees.
Kerry up next and I can’t see us beaten them,

We beat Kerry in Kerry so we surely have a decent chance in Tullamore, I think it’s a 50-50

[Superhans75]

I suppose the Kerry game could be in the faithful fields
Or even neutral like Nenagh.
Going to be a busy couple of weeks for pitches
Especially after all this rain lots more to come.
Very average today Kildare very effective.

[JimBwobb]

Surely a double header with the football next weekend?

[Hasselhoff]

We have it all to do.
Even if we get over kerry next week, we will be facing a Kildare team who have an extra week rest.

Our Puck out strategy was a disaster. Hit it short and then it was turned over twice for two scores.. Kildare hit lots of wides.
Only we got the two goals they were home and hosed.

Our lads looked sluggish and one or two had not much interest.
Kildare played the game on their terms,particularly when they got ahead. They withdrew their forwards when defending and our backs followed them, leaving them loads of space in Kildare forward line to attack into. What are the management at?
Our backline completely lost all shape in the second half.

Charlie Mitchell played well and was dangerous.

[Anonymous1]

Surely a double header with the football next weekend?

We never do double headers anymore, more moolah to be made by splitting them up.

[SearingDrive]

I suppose the Kerry game could be in the faithful fields
Or even neutral like Nenagh.
Going to be a busy couple of weeks for pitches
Especially after all this rain lots more to come.
Very average today Kildare very effective.

Offaly were dominated by Kildare in second half, who scored an early10 points, to lead by 7 points at one stage. Offaly got 2 goals, and were a point up going to added time. A ball wasn’t cleared, and a Kildare free levelled the game. Offaly face Kerry next weekend in a semi final. Not sure of venue at present. Offaly better side in first period, but did a lot of short passing.
All down to the Kerry game.

[kingscounty]

Kildare the better team and should have won, why in the name of god did we keep hitting a short puck out to full back or centre back only for them to either hit in down the middle or run into trouble with the ball.
Contrast Kildare, who were hitting the ball to the wing backs who were then pumping decent ball into their forward line. We are struggling for good scoring forwards and rely heavy on Cahill from frees.
Kerry up next and I can’t see us beaten them,

We beat Kerry in Kerry so we surely have a decent chance in Tullamore, I think it’s a 50-50

Judging by todays performance I wouldn’t be so sure, I’d rather see the two up two down, Offaly unbeaten like Kildare and yet if and hopefully not Kerry were to beat us they would have lost twice and ended up in the final.