Offaly Cork 1999

[Phoenix Arms]

Did anyone see the re-run of this game on TG4 last Saturday night? I'd forgotten what a great game of hurling it was. some of the point scoring (especially in the first half) was breathtaking. On what was a horrible day for hurling (and standing on the Hill) both teams served up a cracker. If only John Troy's shot had gone the other side of the post in the 2nd half, we would have got the result we deserved.

It was also the day that convinced me that next time I stood on the Hill in the rain, I'd be wearing contact lenses instead of glasses. Either that or a set of wipers. The Cork fans around us were some of the most ungracious winners I ever met in my life. I've harboured a serious dislike of them ever since.

[Hocker]

Watched it Saturday nite... and I have to say it as arguably the last great game of hurling... Truly breathtaking. They made two big mistakes in my opinion which allowed a young Cork side to beat them.. John Ryan should never have been substituted, he was doing a great job on Brian Corcoran and winning the majority or possesion that came his way and poor Martin Hanamy should have been taken off ten minutes into the second half if not half time... What entertainment it was though, confirmed that offaly side as a great side!!

[Bord na Mona man]

Missed that.
It was some game all right.
I remember most of Offaly's points were from long range, while Cork's tended to close in and several were from frees.
The better hurlers beaten by a better hurling team perhaps?

I thought Daithi Regan should have been brought on to test Brian Corcoran. Possibly the losing of the game was when Corcoran took control early in the second half for about 10 minutes and Cork pushed in front.

Martin Hanamy had a tough time in the corner. He even asked to be substituted at half time because he was struggling against Cork speed merchants like Ben O'Connor and Seanie McGrath.
If we had thrown in Barry Whelahan or Niall Claffey, they might have done a bit better.
The best option would have been Colm Cassidy, but he had buggered off to the States for the first of his many walkouts.

Cork got a few lucky calls also that day from Dickie Murphy, but it hardly warranted the furore afterwards.
I remember Peter Finnerty gave the man of the match to Brian Corcoran, who played well but was still taken to school by John Troy who snatched the ball off his stick twice for Offaly points.

Yep, the Cork crowd were/are super arrogant. I remember when Cork kicked for home that day, a Cork guy a few rows in front of me stood up, turned around and motioned his arms like a conductor of an orchestra to celebrate one of their points.
It was some hoot to beat them the year after and shock them. In fairness, they can dish it out when they win, but they seemed to be gracious losers too.

[Rynaghs Biffo]

I remember watching the highlights of this on youtube, quality wasn't great. But ever since I've gone searching for it, I can never find it?? Anyone help me out?? Pity they don't have TG4 in oz.

But what a great game of hurling that was, possibly one of the greatest I've witnessed, even tho we did lose that day.

[Phoenix]

Did anyone see the re-run of this game on TG4 last Saturday night? I'd forgotten what a great game of hurling it was. some of the point scoring (especially in the first half) was breathtaking. On what was a horrible day for hurling (and standing on the Hill) both teams served up a cracker. If only John Troy's shot had gone the other side of the post in the 2nd half, we would have got the result we deserved.

It was also the day that convinced me that next time I stood on the Hill in the rain, I'd be wearing contact lenses instead of glasses. Either that or a set of wipers. The Cork fans around us were some of the most ungracious winners I ever met in my life. I've harboured a serious dislike of them ever since.

Saw a few minutes of this on TG4 and was impressed again by the quality.

Uncanny how I have exactly the same memories as Phoenix Arms of standing on the Hill that day - the rain, ignorant Cork supporters, great game etc. The amazing thing for me was that some of the Cork supporters wern't sure how to navigate around the environs of the new Croke Park - their hurlers hadn't been regular visitors over the preceding years while Offaly hurlers and footballers were there every year (those were the days). They were hard to listen to on the Hill, especially when they started to edge ahead.

I remember the moment when John Troy was whistled for a pick-up by Dickie Murphy as a turning-point because the game was so finely-balanced then. You could see John hesitating before doing it because he knew he might be whistled but deciding it was o.k. and then of course he was whistled.

It reminded me of the finishing minutes of the 95 All-Ireland when Dickie gave a few marginal decisions against us after Clare scored the goal.

But I don't blame the referee particularly - it was just that the game was on such a knife-edge.

All in all - a Heart-Breaker in 1999 and great to beat them the following year 2000 in another wonderful game - the last great display from the Offaly 90s team.

[Bord na Mona man]

Uncanny how I have exactly the same memories as Phoenix Arms of standing on the Hill that day - the rain, ignorant Cork supporters, great game etc. The amazing thing for me was that some of the Cork supporters wern't sure how to navigate around the environs of the new Croke Park - their hurlers hadn't been regular visitors over the preceding years while Offaly hurlers and footballers were there every year (those were the days). They were hard to listen to on the Hill, especially when they started to edge ahead.

I remember on Sportscall the following night (when all the Offaly supporters were ringing in about Dickie Murphy), Des Cahill said he was talking to a steward who was on duty on the day.
The steward said they had spent they day giving directions to thousands of lost Cork fans who hadn't set foot in Croke Park in almost a decade and hadn't a breeze about the stadium layout.

Then the following year for the rematch An Maor wrote this:
"The Cork crowd went from looking for directions last year, to owning the place this year and boasting about the great odds that they had got on Cork again winning 'Liam' earlier in the year... Others staying at home, waiting to come up for the All-Ireland in September... and then shocked at their hubris as Offaly hurled them off the field last Sunday.

Lads joked of having to buy these ten-year tickets and the value that they'd get out of them. Then the guff about Munster hurling being the best... Well, Munster hurling how are ya!!! The Cork confidence before the game was great gas altogether. They were planning the parties for September and many Septembers to come - their team was unbeatable. "
http://www.anfearrua.com/story.asp?id=29

[Plain of the Herbs]

And the 2000 semi final is being shown on TG4 this coming Saturday evening . . .

[The Biff]

I remember much more about the 2000 match than the 1999 version. I echo the sentiments mentioned above about the "Langers" on the Hill. 2000 was a very sweet feeling. Jayz, I'm away this weekend. I'll have to dig out an oul' video tape and see if I can rememeber how to record a TV programme.

[flairgun]

I've kind of the opposite experience to Biff at least as far as the games go. But the session we had after the 2000 game was much more memorable!
But I remember thinking even in the immediate aftermath of the game in 2000 that the hurling wasn't of the same quality as the previous year.
I was living in Cork at the time for both games and I was pretty confident in '99 that if Offaly played up to their potential then Cork wouldn't be able to live with them. In fairness to Cork, that was the day they really stepped up and showed what they were capable of.
Hanamy did have a tough day that day though he owed us nothing at that stage, it seemed like a real turning point in both players careers (in opposite directions) when Ben O'Connor just ran past him down the sideline before slotting over a great point at the end to clinch it.
Revenge the following year was sweet for me, as the Cork lads gave us no chance in 2000, whereas at least to my face the previous year, they weren't sure at that stage how good that team was. I remember turning up for work on the Tuesday after the 2000 game and doing the rounds of the factory floor to talk to everyone who was telling me the previous week how they were waiting for the final!