The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
User avatar
Silken Thomas
All Star
Posts: 162
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:10 pm

The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Silken Thomas »

Would anyone care to put this team up and subs?

It would be great too if someone could show their repective clubs, the panel on the day and a small piece on what happened to each player.
I'd know a few myself but nowhere near the team and there might be someone who was at their celebratory night in the Bridge House.

A bit of an ask but I, along with other board members i'm sure, would be very grateful.
The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.

User avatar
Muck Savage
All Star
Posts: 307
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 10:07 pm
Location: CA USA

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Muck Savage »

D. O’Neill, Padraig Moran, Garrett O’Brien, Tom Coffey, James Stewart, Aidan Bracken, Phil O’Reilly, Mark Plunkett, Ken Kelleghan, Gary Daly, Vinny Claffey, N. O’Shea, Mick Casey, James Mullan, Brendan Flynn. Subs: B. Scully, V. Daly

Got this of the Offaly GAA page but Vinny Claffey was not on this team, he was on it in '84 when Cork beat them. That was his last year U21. Eugne Boland was on it in '88. Here's my best shot at the clubs

D. O’Neill, (E'derry)
Padraig Moran, (Clara)
Garrett O’Brien, (Shamrocks)
Tom Coffey, (Ballyfore)
James Stewart, (Clara)
Aidan Bracken, (Shamrocks)
Phil O’Reilly, (Tullamore)
Mark Plunkett, (Tullamore)
Ken Kelleghan, (Rhode)
Gary Daly, (Rynaghs)
Vinny Claffey, (Doon - this whould be E Boland I think)
N. O’Shea, (S'bridge)
Mick Casey, (St. Bridgs)
James Mullan, (E'Derry)
Brendan Flynn. (Ferbane)
Subs: B. Scully, (Clara)
V. Daly (??)

Don't know the rest of the subs

biffoabroad
Junior B
Posts: 16
Joined: Fri Jul 04, 2008 6:49 pm

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by biffoabroad »

Good post, always interesting to see what happens to former players. I was pretty young at the time but vaguely remember going to the game and having to walk miles (Longford?). Can't be sure but was there a Gary Clarke from K/K on the subs bench that day?

User avatar
Silken Thomas
All Star
Posts: 162
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:10 pm

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Silken Thomas »

That's more than a start M.S. fair play.


The only two starters first names you're missing (though you probably know yourself) are;
Donal O' Neill
Niall O' Shea


Garret O' Brien :?: What happened to him. I'm aware that Shamrocks fought under two names back then Mucklagh and Rahan circa 1988-1993.

Gary Daly :?: Again can someone step up :) . Wouldn't doubt you now M.S. but it's not Gerry Daly who would have been soldiering with Ferbane at the time. AZ Offaly :?:


Subs anyone?
The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.

birr are magic
Junior B
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:45 am

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by birr are magic »

WAS PADRAIG MORAN OF CLARA ON IT. JESUS HE WAS YOUNG HE WAS ON THE MINOR TEAM OF 89.
HE MUST HAVE BEING ONLY 16 OR 17 YEAR`S OF AGE. THAT TAKE`S DOING. FOOTBALL WAS HARD THEN.

Coolestown1562
Senior
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:34 pm
Location: Top of the right

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Coolestown1562 »

Mucklagh/ Rahan was known as St Carthages Mucklagh in those days.

Vinny Claffey wasnt on it. Derek Claffey from above club was centre forward.

Padraig Moran of Clara wasnt on the panel. this may be Tubber Padraig Moran (although not sure)

Beat Cavan in the final who were missing their best player Ronan Carolan who was one of the top forwards in Ireland in the mid 1990s, they beat Kerry after a semi final replay in Bruff in Limerick, and took four games to dispose of Wexford in Carlow.
Lost Midlfielder, who was a Hynan (think his name was Packie) lad from Bracknagh, who was carried off with a broken leg in the Leinster final against Carlow.

James Mullen joined the Gardai and played for them in the Dublin championship before returning to win a county medal with the reds in 1999

Donal O'Neill, was the captain of the Offaly Seniors and the under 21 in 1986. He went to college in Edinburgh and Iowa, didnt play in 1987, returned to play in 88 and didnt play again until the 1995 county final for Edenderry against Clara. He is currently a lecturer in Economics at NUI Maynooth.

Kilcormac/ K were beaten in the 1987 Minor county final (See post on Anton Sullivan) so surely had someone near the team

Most of these players were solid players for their clubs and achieved some form of success at club level, i.e. Scrap Bracken, Plunkett, Brendan Flynn and Niall O'Shea.

Can I add as a footnote on Brendan Flynn...My abiding memory of him will be...a couple of us were on the pitch in Edenderry one evening around 2000(?) and Peter Brady (as was the custom) said we should have a go at kicking the ball over the bar from the distance and angle that Flynn missed against Edenderry in the 'Mick Mahon' County Final of 1997..We all scored...to this day I can remember Flynn kicking it wide

Slan :D
Contae an Riogh

birr are magic
Junior B
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2008 12:45 am

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by birr are magic »

I THINK YOU RIGHT COOLESTOWN1562 THAT PADRAIG MORAN WAS FROM TUBBER
A BROTHER OF JOHN MORAN CAME ON AS A SUB IN 81 FINAL V KERRY .ME THINK`S

User avatar
Bord na Mona man
All Star
Posts: 4022
Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:34 am
Club: Clara

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Bord na Mona man »

Coolestown1562 wrote: Padraig Moran of Clara wasnt on the panel. this may be Tubber Padraig Moran (although not sure)
Yep, it was Padraig Moran from Tubber.
Padraig Moran from Clara was around 17 at the time.

Coolestown1562
Senior
Posts: 84
Joined: Wed Oct 08, 2008 3:34 pm
Location: Top of the right

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Coolestown1562 »

it just dawned on me there that pat 'dingle' daly from rhode was on this team aswell. Sure Wasnt' the great Jody Gunning the manager. Offaly were beaten in 1986 all ireland under 21, would love to see that team posted up. they were a better fifteen, and were pipped by Cork led by John O Driscoll and Teddy McCarthy. Offaly beat Mayo after a replay in the semi final, Peter Brady kicked 12 points. Team also included the Claffey twins from Doon
Contae an Riogh

Over The Black Spot
County player
Posts: 119
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 1:07 pm

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Over The Black Spot »

Coolestown1562 wrote: Can I add as a footnote on Brendan Flynn...My abiding memory of him will be...a couple of us were on the pitch in Edenderry one evening around 2000(?) and Peter Brady (as was the custom) said we should have a go at kicking the ball over the bar from the distance and angle that Flynn missed against Edenderry in the 'Mick Mahon' County Final of 1997..We all scored...to this day I can remember Flynn kicking it wide

Slan :D
Ye did of course have the luxury of not having a county title at stake when ye took the kicks!!

It was indeed Gary Daly of St.Rynaghs that was on the team. Not sure what he got up to in football terms from there on but would have spent most of his club career with football as the distant second sport in his club id say. Has a butchers in Cloghan. Wouldn't know much about the rest of them.

Just noticed something which I had never before and I'm sure everyone here knows anyway but am I right in thinking that Offaly won their 3 AI senior football titles in different style jerseys.

User avatar
Muck Savage
All Star
Posts: 307
Joined: Mon Feb 14, 2005 10:07 pm
Location: CA USA

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Muck Savage »

Alan Shea from S'bridge was also on the '88 panel, brother of Niall. I'm not sure if Mick Devine was on the panel as well.

For the '86 team - they got a fair beating by Cork in Thurles. That was a very good team. I'd have to dig into a few old programs to get the team but Vinny and Dave Claffey were on it as well as Keiran Rigney from Doon. Ger Corbett was on it from S'bridge, Peter Brady from E'derry and after that I'm a little rusty.
Will dig later

User avatar
azoffaly
All Star
Posts: 649
Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 12:02 pm
Location: Tipperary

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by azoffaly »

I think Mick Devine was on that panel. I remember going to the semi final replay dow in Bruff against Maurice Fitzgerald's Kerry.
Shane Gavin. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

Oceans 15
County player
Posts: 123
Joined: Mon Jun 11, 2007 12:46 pm

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Oceans 15 »

Mick Devine was called onto the panel after the Leinster Final. Locky Murphy from Rhode was also a sub.

User avatar
Silken Thomas
All Star
Posts: 162
Joined: Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:10 pm

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Silken Thomas »

Would I be correct in saying that Jimmy Stewart and Mick Devine are the only two still playing :) :?:

I know that the two of them would still make a show of a lot of lads half their age :D
Who can speak from experience?!




By the way I was thinking of Gerry Egan from Ferbane not Gerry Daly.
Ronan Carolan was centre forward on Cavan's Senior Ulster breakthrough in 1997. Serious freetaker. Why was he missing?.


Could anyone tell me what time of the year these matches took place? Namely 1986 and 1988 finals.
The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.

User avatar
Hocker
All Star
Posts: 303
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 11:24 am

Re: The Offaly 1988 All-Ireland U-21 Winning Team

Post by Hocker »

Muck Savage wrote:Alan Shea from S'bridge was also on the '88 panel, brother of Niall. I'm not sure if Mick Devine was on the panel as well.
These lads are no relation....
Silken Thomas wrote:Would I be correct in saying that Jimmy Stewart and Mick Devine are the only two still playing
Mick Devine finished playing football this year.... He's 40 years old now.

Post Reply