Roscomon V Offaly

[redser]

Here is the team, from offaly express alerts:

Mulhall- Deserves a decent run. kelly should be no1 when he returns from injury.

Evans- Not a corner back, maybe centre back as he can control the play pretty well, doesnt waste possession.

McManus- Obviously Richie sticking to the experiment. It doesnt appear to be working however.

Slattery- Has the perfect qualities for corner back, needs a full league campaign there though to settle into the role.

B Darby- Not county standard, and if i were to play him anywhere it would be corner back not wing.

Quinn- Big lad, but has he the football brain for centre back i dont know.

Mitchell- Has potential, another lad that would be more at home in centre.

Egan- Bit of a suprise. Ive seen nothing to inspire confidence anyway.

Smith- Developing well at midfield but still has much to learn. A good prospect.

N Darby- Was exceptional in sigerson last year and with Rhode. Not a starter in my opinion however. Id spring him in 2nd half.

G Rafferty- Oh lord, what is Richie thinking at all.

Allen- Good potential, was a great minor last year, big lad for his age, might suffer with the lack of quality around him in this sector.

Ward- Most dangerous forward named. Needs to be given a fair shot in that position for the entire league.

B Connor- Im not a major fan, but he does try hard and can cause a bit of chaos if lacking in natural talent.

Casey- Like Ward, deserves a good league campaign, given plenty of games. Great potential.

[bracknaghboy]

Right the mortage is due next week so i always like a punt here and there to get a bit of spare cash for a night or two out. Well i dont have to look very far this weekend do I. Roscommon are 10/11 minus 1 point against Offaly. Thats the bet I've seen in 15 years of GAA betting!!
The Offaly team that has been named is terrible to say the least. McManus and Evans will be destroyed, we'll be ran out of it around the middle and we've no forwards! O and throw into the mix that Richie Connor is totally out of his depth here. This will be painful to say the least but we may as well a few quid out of this mess. Theres a very real danger of relegation this year. Al other teams will be targetting us for a handy.
A embarressing defeat is on the cards againat the Rossies.

[black and red exile]

God it 's depressing reading. How McManus and Evans are left in the full back line after the O'Byrne cup disaster beggers belief, surely Slatts and Brian Darby will swap positions before the throw in. Colin Egan has terrific potential but he is very young and raw for this level right now, the same can be said for Allen although he was very impressive scoring a few points against Carlow in the O'Byrne cup but this will be another step up for him.
As BNM has stated this selection is probably forced on Richie between injuries and unavailability and I think that the few faithful supporters that will travel on Sunday won't be expecting to come away from the Hyde with 2 points in the bag. It's just a personal opinion but surely if this 15 is forced on our new boss then it would have to read as
1.MULHALL
2.QUINN
3.RAFFERTY
4.B DARBY
5.MITCHELL
6.EVANS
7.SLATTERY
8.SMITH
9.MCMANUS
10.N DARBY
11.EGAN
12.ALLEN
13.WARD
14. CONNOR
15. CASEY
As iv'e said there is no chance whatsoever of this even being 100 miles of being the starting 15 come may 24th but if this is the personel he has to start with then surely these positional switches would make more sense. By the way has Kevin Meehan left the panel in the last couple of weeks because if he is fit and available then I defy anybody to tell me how Alan Mulhall should be standing between the posts instead of him.

[the rat]

I thought PJ Ward wasnt playing with Offaly this year???

[Lone Shark]

I'm trying as hard as I can to bite my tongue because it feels like I've been picking on Managers for years, but it's too hard not to say this - WHAT THE FECK IS GOING ON??????

Now I understand that the McNamees are in Australia - I understand that he wants to continue the McManus at full back experiment to give Ciarán a chance to learn that particular role, and I understand that Deehan, Sean Ryan, McConway and Padraig Kelly were all ruled out, but this team is ridiculous. Now I don't know how the likes of Ruairí Allen and Brian Connor have been shaping up for the under 21's, but I do know that a teenager needs to be brought in gradually, to have other lads around him who can show him the ropes. Two of these lads have been brought into the forwards, and who are the wise heads that we have to help them along? One lost corner back, another under 21 who only got parachuted into the panel late last summer, yet another under 21 who has yet to settle into his own game and a guy who could be on or off the panel on any given day, depending on what side of bed he got out on. Who in God's name are these young lads supposed to learn from? Why is Slattery not up there. he'd help them out? Why not McManus? Feck sake, you've four lads on the team with a little bit of experience and you pick three of them in the full back line and one more at centre forward where he's not so much a fish out of water as he is a zebra in the antarctic.

I've great hopes for both Connor and Allen and I've nothing but praise for either of them after they dug in and put their shoulders to the wheel against Carlow, but this isn't fair on them. Colin Egan too will be put into midfield, after playing feck all football this year, to mark Seamus Ó'Neill of all people? Now I know Colin and he's a good lad with a great attitude, but O'Neill is a guy who burst onto the scene as a teenager himself with a glorious display against Galway and expected that the world would fall at his feet. It didn't happen, so he got rougher and rougher to the point now where Colin will have to watch his back at every turn - that's not fair to put a young lad who's trying to play two codes at under 21 and senior into that situation in my eyes. Now I hope that he'll turn around and prove me wrong, but I think this is too quick - if he has a few good outings at under 21, then and only then should this have been thought of.

While all this is going on, where is James Keane? Why are players like Stephen Lonergan, Alan Lynam, Gerry Grehan and Nigel Dunne, all of whom either have a few more years behind them or else have a few good displays at third level under their belts, why are none of these being brought in? Surely these are more obvious contenders?

I'll be utterly delighted if Richie Connor's selections are vindicated this Sunday, but right now this isn't even fair on this team. Niall Smith, Niall Darby and Ken Casey are being picked in their right positions, everyone else is being moved around. You can't learn anything about a guy if it's not in a reasonable context, and I don't think we'll learn anything this Sunday, except that we are really in dire straits.

[Lone Shark]

This match has been confirmed for Kiltoom by the way. Just on the Roscommon road out of Athlone, for any of those who don't know it.

[Lone Shark]

I think this game will fairly bring it home to everyone quite how far we've fallen. It would be hard to argue that we're anywhere but in the bottom five counties in Ireland right now - I'd say outside of Kilkenny and London, pretty much every county out there would fancy a shot at us.

This has gone beyond blaming the manager, or the players, or the county board, or anyone else. There are now around 100 footballers in the county aged between 18 and 22 who were involved in good underage teams in the last few years, and between that 100 players there is every reason to believe that we will have the guts of a decent senior team for the next decade, provided we can muster up a few decent older players to help them along for now, and a few decent younger players to come up behind them in six or seven years time. These guys may decide to stick around in what looks like being a tough time for everyone in this country, or they could bale out and head for Canada, or Australia, or anywhere that offers the prospect of a career and a fresh start. We need to make sure that Offaly football gives all these guys something to stay around for, and what was on offer in Kiltoom today was nothing short of shameful. Everything we did today was a shambles, and a team that won't get promotion out of division 3 this year absolutely handed our arses back to us on a plate. Now compare and contrast that with the standard of football that was on display in Croke Park on Saturday night - truly a world away.

In a metaphor for the country itself, we are in a massive hole, and a lot of people need to take a good, long hard look at themselves and ask if they are willing to put the effort in to get us out of this mess, or whether they are just in it for their own reputations, or their own selfish reasons, or out of habit. I have no doubt that there are the administrators, the tacticians, the innovators and yes, the players, to make Offaly a very competitive football county, one which will do justice to our history and tradition every time we take the field. Those who are currently holding the offices, the bibs and the jerseys need to look at themselves and ask if they are the right person to turn things around, and if not, to step aside and let someone else step in who might do what it takes.

This has gone too far. Today was utterly, utterly shameful, and an insult to those who have gone before. This CANNOT be allowed to become habit.

[Johnno81]

I dont like sayin this but I walked out of this match after 15 minutes of the second half. We were a shambles and i am coming to a stage whether I can go and keep supporting them if they play like that!!! They looked like 15 lads that turned up to a game and had never met each other beforehand.

I hope im wrong and that they will turn things around but if they keep playing like they did today and we are gone for a very very long time....

[Barracuda]

No question whatsoever but that Offaly has enough players to make us more than competitive, and thats all all we ask for.
But come on, picking the team like that and giving 3 young guys starting positions and they barely over 18 is an insult to us and the rest of the more senior players which are available to the management team.
Examples of being down right stupid or maybe its just arrogance to the point of insulting the fans and other players is the placing of Mac and Raff in such crazy positions. How come everyone knew it was stupid before hand, everyone said it was stupid before hand, and now all they did is take any level of confidence away from the likes of Raff by doing that to him. Shame on you, management shame on you.

2 yound lads just out of minor and we start them when we have more senior players available, Lone Shark has refered to this on many occassions in the past, we need to be guiding and teaching these young men bit by bit and not throw them to the lions like that. It also sucks that the manager has insisted of keeping his 2 sons on the panel, ya need a fair bit of neck for that, but then maybe time will tell that such a trait is there in abundance.
I could go on but I wont, whats the point, a political appointment (Manager) like most of the other ones witihn the County Board that we have come to accept and pay the price for. Different day, same s..t

[lovelyhurling]

shameful...its like pat roe is still in charge..but im not sure its quality of players its the attitudes in general..no one seems to give a s**t. Just shameful

[Bord na Mona man]

With Offaly football at such a low ebb, you at least have to give yourself a chance in these matches.
You need to pick 12 or 13 of your best players in their positions and perhaps try 2 or 3 new things.

Yesterday there were about 5 or 6 players who were in unfamiliar positions and with 3 debutants you aren't giving yourself much of a chance. The outcome was fairly predictable and I believe young players learn little from double digit hammerings (which yesterday essentially was).

You could re-post up one of the O'Byrne Cup match reports and it would be the same today.
- Offaly players getting ushered out of possession with ease by either not being strong enough
- Not enough support play leaving players isolated until they give away the ball.
- The opposition cutting through the Offaly ranks handily and always having a player or two in support

Whatever about the long term prospects for Offaly, it is time to stop the messing and make sure we don't get relegated. Pat Roe "experimented" his way into Division 4 with his crazed selections. I fear there is a real danger that Richie will end up doing the same. The next team selection will be crucial.

There are several changes needed. Will Richie make them now, or in March or April when the damage has already been done?

[Phoenix]

I was there and it was bad but on the credit side there were some good signs. The defence stuck to their tasks well, hit hard and got some great turnovers. Mac played really well at full back and made some great bursts up the field to send in prime balls to the forwards. Colin Egan looked promising at midfield. Some of the other young guns looked like they would make it - for instance Niall Darby, Rory Allen.

[Bord na Mona man]

I was there and it was bad but on the credit side there were some good signs. The defence stuck to their tasks well, hit hard and got some great turnovers. Mac played really well at full back and made some great bursts up the field to send in prime balls to the forwards. Colin Egan looked promising at midfield. Some of the other young guns looked like they would make it - for instance Niall Darby, Rory Allen.

I wish I could be as optimistic.
There may have been a few defensive turnovers, but that is like saying that the Bull McCabe hit the water some great belts when he waded into sea to beat back the tide at the end of The Field.
It was usually futile, the ball was often turned back to Roscommon twice as quick, where they got the score at the second time of asking.

[MF35]

Anyone stay long enough to give a player by player rating?

What subs were used?

Heard last night that a good few lads left the panel after the game - only a rumour but any truth in it?

[Bord na Mona man]

Anyone stay long enough to give a player by player rating?

What subs were used?

Heard last night that a good few lads left the panel after the game - only a rumour but any truth in it?

Someone might give a more detailed analysis...

Mulhall - Good length on kickouts. Made one great save.
Evans - Coming back to form, started slowly but got into it and managed to get a hand in a few times to intercept.
McManus - Played well, but clearly wasted here.
Slattery - Not match fit yet. Looked very uncomfortable at corner back and was caught out a few times.
Darby - Tried hard defending. Doesn't really have the power surge forward that Slattery would have for a wing back.
Quinn - Found it tough at centre back and improved a bit at wing back. Needs to start nailing oncoming players in the tackle.
Mitchell - Mixed bag. Lost his man a bit too often by following the ball.
Egan - Not bad for someone thrown in at the deep end. His distribution was lacking at times though. Wouldn't have the strength to trouble most intercounty midfielders.
Smith - Battled for the game and nearly got a goal at the end for his efforts. Dropped a couple of kickouts that should have been his though. Overall Offaly were very much 2nd best at midfield
Darby - Kept going and kicked two nice points. Lacks a bit of physical presence and has a tendency to run into blind channels.
Rafferty - Not comfortable here at all. Was taken off as John Casey was cleaning up for Roscommon. Hopefully he will be restored to corner back.
Allen - Did well enough going forward. Lost confidence in his shooting after a couple of wides. Crucially though his man got forward a lot and was part of several good Roscommon attacks
Ward - Not fit and miles off the pace.
Connor - Put himself about at full forward, but didn't look like scoring. Moved outfield and kicked a few speculative balls into the forwards.
Casey - Never really looked like scoring. Passed the ball to Ward when he was through on the Roscommon goal.

Subs:
James Coughlan - A shadow of his '04 self and I can't see him getting much more game time this year.
Rory Guinan - Came on and did well. The only forward who could win ball and get past his man. In saying that, Roscommon weren't trying hard at this stage.