Commented on the back door system over the past few years and how it has changed hurling in general.
Fair play to him tho, he made a strong arguement for Offaly hurling and for the likes of Antrim and Laois. How the GAA are trying to move forward with the state of hurling, by pushing back Offaly and others to Division 2.
This program seems typical of so many tv and radio programs that just brush over issues without anyone ever asking the questions that you would like to hear asked. Just "celebrity" style coverage.
It just makes me appreciate the postings on this site of people like Offaly's future, lone Shark, Plain of the Herbs and a few others. You may not agree with all that is posted but at least it is genuinely from the heart.
BTW maybe it's admirable that McIntyre cares now, but he presided over the relegation and I don't remember any outcry at the start of the league. I am a little tired of it. What the GAA are doing is wrong but jesus, just get on with it and stop whinging. Offaly came from a lowly position before and if the hurlers and the will at all levels is there they will do it again.
I think it says it all that McIntyre is the one doing ALL the running on this issue. He is/was employed as the manager of the Offaly senior team not as an administrator of the game in the county yet he is the one running with this issue. True he did not make a huge fuss about it at the time but is it honestly his responsibility to do so? Hardly.
Nicky Brennan has said last week that, that issue will be adressed in the coming months so get over it John and talk about the real issues..
John McIntyre
Des i took on a team that was relegated to division two and we were hammered by Kilkenny, now three years on we are again facing Division two hurling.
What Des Cahill should have asked back?
Well John what the hell have you been doing for the last three years and how come three weeks before championship you hadnt four guys on the panel that started against Cork?
Do you really think you are capable of managing an intercounty hurling team?
And just also last night, John McIntyre told whoever was watching on t.v that Offaly have invested heavily into underage in the county which is a complete lie.
" In The Presence Of Confidence Doubt Cannot Exist "
Im sick of reading about the work thats going on at underage level in other counties. Dublin have hurling underage blueprints coming out their backsides and clearly its beginning to work.Dublin are only going to get stronger at underage. I saw on the KK website that a Dublin U14 divisional side beat the full strenght KK U14 side recnetly. I was told recently that Leix have development squads from UNDER 11 up in hurling. Wateford reorganised a while back at underage. They hava a west Waterford combined colleges side in the Harty along with DLS i the city. They're doing v well in the Tony Forristal/Arrabawn Coop u16 tournaments. Wexford have buildt up development squads from scratch. A lot of ex senior intercounty hurlers are giving their time. They won last yrs Forristal for the first time in years. Expect a significant improvement in the standard of the minor hurling sides from next yr on.
All of which begs the question - WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON IN UNDERAGE IN OFFALY?
The bar has been risen significantly around us. Resond or die Offaly.
In order for the underage structure to work you need qualified coaches, ex players of the last fifteen years, the county board, development offciers and clubs working together.
In Offaly the above doesnt happen.
The County Board have only their sights on the development of o'connor park and nothing else.
Ex players have went to Galway, Meath, Tipperary, Westmeath, Laois, Dublin, Kildare but many of them either wont or havent been asked to help out with the underage in Offaly.
Take Michael Duigan - easy for him to write about training an underage team, but a man of his experience as a coach and hurler should be involved with a minor team not a u-10 club team.
Look at Johnny Dooley who gets two pages in the programme on Wednesday night and then goes off to westmeath and coaches there.
Look at Brian Whelehan and Johnny Pilkington that were involved with Galway Teams last year.
Look at John Leahy a fully qualified coach and is he over a county team - NO, training a club team.
And i am sure the response will be these lads did enough for Offaly hurling well to me thats Bullshit.
Now these guys and the likes of Kevin Martin, Martin Hanamy, Joe Errity etc are needed more than ever.
Unless they decide to help and the county board back them financially, unless this happens and the attitude throughout the county changes, it will be a long time before we have success at any grade again
" In The Presence Of Confidence Doubt Cannot Exist "
what investment in underage hurling? McIntyre is talking crap imho
I've heard multiple stories of underage teams from clubs inWestmeath and Roscommon coming down and dishing out beatings to various strong Offaly hurling clubs.
paid coaches can only do so much anyway. its the volunteers in the clubs and teachers in schools who need to be taught how to coach properly, and then be motivated to go out and do things properly across the board.
if the current model isn't working, its must be changed or else offaly will be left behind
coaching hurling is like spreading a new religion. you have to be fanatical and enthusiastic about it.
Can someone outline what underage structures/plans/initiatives are currently in place within the county aimed at raising underage hurling standards?
In a memorable piece in the Tribune, Enda McEvoy outlined the outrage in Kilkenny County Board at the failure of the County minor side to beat Offaly in the 2000 Leinster final. Such a result resulted in a complete overhaul in KK underage developmental structures.
What was the response at the Offaly board meeting after the County minor side failed again to make the Leinster semi finals?
