Offaly Hurling Squad

[green&white]

Heard the Offaly hurling squad met last Saturday night. By all accounts the players are delighted with the set-up! Joe Dooley might just be the man to turn things around in this county, lets give him a achance and get behind him and the players. I've said it before that the players are there, McIntyre wasn't getting the best out of the players, belief and confidence was at an all time low, they played like individuals worrying about their patch rather than working a system together. What we now need is 100% committment from all the players not just 90% of them.
P.S. Was very dissapointed to hear Padjo wouldnt let the birr players attend the meeting because it might interrupt with their preparation a whole two weeks prior to their game vs Ballyhale!!! (they weren't training at the same time)

[Lone Shark]

Good to hear the early signs are positive anyway. I wasn't really in a position to post loads when Joe was getting the nod, so I haven't really remarked on his appointment yet, but if the players are buying into it then that's a great start. The Birr thing is a bit of an annoyance, but in fairness it's not like a few years ago when the county panel wouldn't be seeing them until the spring - Ballyhale will boot them out with a bit to spare I suspect.

I'm unsure myself as to how much ability these lads really have, but certainly we've got a plum set of league fixtures, the humour is good, so it's nice to have something to base a bit of optimism on.

[Hyper]

Is it true that Joe is getting Jim Kilty in for the fitness regime?

[corner back]

can somebody post up the panel please

joe must have lost my number!

[green&white]

Birr:
Mullins, Verney, Claffey, Hayden, Cleary, Watkins, Hannify x2, Ryan, Mulrooney
Coolderry:
O'Connor, Teehan, Brady x2, Carroll, Murray, Parlon, T Corcoran
KK:
Mahon, Lee, Slevin, K Grogan, G healion, Currams, Gorman, Leonard
Kinnity:
Rigney
St Rynaghs:
Hernon, Horan x2, Wynne
Tullamore:
Dooley, Kerrigan
Ballyskenagh:
Murphy
Carrickshock:
Franks
Shinrone:
Cordial, Hoctor
Seir Keiran
Bergin
Lusmagh:
Bermingham

Asked in but didnt attend:
Conor Gath,David Moran

[midfield]

Are they back training yet and if so , What nights are they training and where?

[Lone Shark]

Still no Brendan O'Meara - I can't understand that at all. I'd have him in there before several of those named. I presume it's safe to assume that the absence of David Kenny is a typo also? You hardly go from being county centre back one year to being absent the next!!

[green&white]

sorry ya typo and the same with Alan Egan..
Brendan O'Meara is gone travellin with his girlfriend so obviously he wasnt involved. Heard they're back training next wed. They were back last week and got a core programme to complete at home for 2weeks.

[Loughers]

Isn't Joe Bardy invited back also? O'Meara is a fine hurler. Very unlucky last year. Hope he enjoys his travels. If Birr keep going, there'll be an interesting team selections for the first four and presumably all our league games.

[Loughers]

Sorry, I see Brady x2 now. What about Shamrocks?

[Offalys Future]

Brendan O'Meara is good enough to be on the panel, but he will never be a intercounty hurler.
Odhran Kealy not asked in- incredible

[Loughers]

Where's Derek Molloy?

[Lone Shark]

Again, I would assume that Derek Molloy is in there, as would be Ger Oakley. Of all the players that could have been cut off the panel, I couldn't see these being on the list.

In general it looks a lot more sensible than what our football management team have done, though unless a few of the Kilcormac/Killoughey lads step up the plate there isn't really a lot of fresh blood there. Having said that, so much of what has been wrong in recent years has been about fragile mentality and poor attitude than poor selection.

Regarding Odhran Kealey, there is no way he should have been on a county team yet - and I'd say the same about Diarmuid Horan and Daniel Currams. All three have great potential and will no doubt play on Offaly teams in the future, but there is zero chance of them being physically ready to play a championship match against Laois in may, never mind marking JJ Delaney or John Ryall in a Leinster semi if we get past that. I'm a firm believer that those lads, along with the likes of Colin Egan and Karl Mollin should be given three year plans to develop them into county players physically and skill-wise rather than
horsing them into intercounty hurling too early. Let them play Fitzgibbon Cup, under 21 and club (hurl in America for a summer or two if they want) and learn the game amongst their peers rather than pushing them too far too fast and running the risk of them being utterly sick of it by the time they're 23. They'll be long enough playing senior county hurling - hopefully.

[green&white]

Odhran Kealey has great potential.. but not yet ready to make that break through. He's in UL at the moment and isnt even considered for the Fitzgibbon panel so surely that speaks for itself.
I have a feeling Currams was picked to ensure he doesn't wander to the football.. again great potential but probably a bit young.
For too long Offaly have introduced too many players just out of minor ranks, and I would even consider 20 to be too young, instead of letting these players devlop at u21, then gradually introducing the cream of the crop to senior level. Obviously the exceptions to the rule can be included. Look at the last 7/8 years R Hannify, J Brady, B Carroll, S Brown, D Hayden, J Bergin, P CLeary have all played just of minor.. nobody doubts they're talent but I feel we have compromised these players in the long run as none of them have really lived up to their potential. We have seen flashes of brilliance but not what they are really capable off. In Kilkenny/Cork/Tipp/ W'ford/ Wexford/Limerick/Clare/Galway- (the big 8!) they have only introduced maybe one or two players into their squads at a young age, because they couldnt ignore their obvious talent i.e. , Jj Delaney, Shefflin, Eoin Kelly
Even look at the situation with Richie Hogan and TJ Reid in KK at the moment.. dont tell me for one moment they wouldnt be playing for Offaly and carrying the weight of expecation of the whole county on their young shoulders, similar to the above named in our wee county.

[Lone Shark]

I have a feeling Currams was picked to ensure he doesn't wander to the football.. again great potential but probably a bit young.

Strong likelihood of this with a few of that generation. Himself, Karl Mollin and Colin Egan are all likely to have the two codes fighting over them a little bit, which is all the more reason why there should be a coherent plan laid out for these lads between county and club so as to assist their development as much as possible, and then let them find their own way naturally.

Stephen Egan of Tullamore is one that surprises me - I always rated him very highly at both codes, it genuinely amazes me that neither seems interested in him - but that's an aside I suppose.