Leinster SHC 2011-Dublin v Offaly

[allstar2010]

Lads, can any of ye come up with one player even that could be considered from this years club championship that could be an addition to the current Offaly team because I'm struggling. Maybe Damien Murray but he's no spring chicken either. Jez do we have nothing coming through, what the hell is going on with our underage system?

[townman]

have to agree not much talent coming up in the hurling Damien Murray was there with offaly before and his not a inter county player
and was shocking bad last sunday, mind you he was not the only inter county player that was bad last sunday.

as for watching the game's that Birr played this year i would like to see Brian Watkins getting a run theres plenty of hurling in him
it's a pity Sean Ryan doesn't throw his lot in with offaly hurler's this year as i can't see him making the football team if he didn't
make it this year he will never make it i also think he has the making of a great hurler his display again tipp a few years ago proved it.

a few young hurler's like Coolderrys Kevin Connolly and Seir Kierans Sean Coughlan also caught my eye this year.
Micheal Cordial also had a good year and is hurling well again i think a fit Cordial is a good as some players that have
played league and championship this year and should get a run.

[Plain of the Herbs]

I’d be in favour of the matches being played on a home / away basis. I suppose it really only becomes a problem when an Offaly team are playing Wexford and there is a long bus journey involved. Not the place to be with tight hamstrings!

I’d also favour Leinster U21 finals being played at the home of either of the participants. What I would like to see changed is the ending of selecting venues on an annual ‘first out of the hat’ basis, to a rotating basis, like they do in Munster, for example.

That current ‘first name out’ is going to see Offaly U21s travel to Parnell Park this year for what (I think) is the third time running.

I think neutral venues should be the case for every championship game. These teams train so hard all winter for that big 1st championship game. It should be an even playing field for all, neutral venues should be in place and theres no question about it, if right was right that would be the case. But this is the big thicko's in the GAA as always. Similarly I cant understand why u21 provincial finals are played at the home venue of a county taking part in it. That is utter crap also.

If there was neutral venues for all championship games, Id imagine O' Connor park would be well up on the list for alot of games. I think Offaly would benefit financially from this. Other counties would bring bigger crowds to OCP than Offaly's own supporters on championship day.

[Long John]

From a players point of view anyway I think it is unfair for them to have to play championship games against counties on their home patch. Next year Offaly face Dublin in Parnell park, if that had been fixed for a neutral venue I dont think their would be as much fear in this tie. But the Parnell park effect is a huge advantage to the Dubs and there is no getting away from that. Equally if Offaly were to meet Wexford in the 1st round and either team had to trot off to the oppositions ground, its advantage home team.

I take LS points and yes he is bang on saying what would be the case for local derbys. That is very true, Newbridge would hardly cater for an Offaly Westmeath or Laois game. Thats where common sense would prevail and thats where the home and away agreement should be in place but not for games with Wexford and Dublin and further afield. My point is no team should be given an advantage when it comes to the one game of the year that teams have been training for and looking towards.

I agree with some posters saying theres not much talent coming through from this years championship. Derek Molloy is apparently taking a year off hurling and its impossible to know what Diamuid Horan will do as will be the case with alot of hurlers who with the current economic climate might prefer to head off to America for summer. Players Offaly cant afford to be without.
Diarmuid Horan and Sean Ryan would be great additions to the county team. Connolly of Coolderry is decent, Cordial interested would be a great panelist to have and maybe the likes of Nigel Dunne of shamrocks and Stephen Molloy of Kinnitty if he gets back to fitness after a year of injuries. But other than that I saw nothing outside whats already in there during this years championship.

[joe bloggs]

Lads, can any of ye come up with one player even that could be considered from this years club championship that could be an addition to the current Offaly team because I'm struggling. Maybe Damien Murray but he's no spring chicken either. Jez do we have nothing coming through, what the hell is going on with our underage system?

Diarmuid Horan would be a big addition to the championship panel for next summer. remember we didn't have him this year as he was in the states

[Offaly2010]

Bad news lads...

Faithful trio doubtful for championship opener


29 March 2011


Paul Cleary, James Rigney and Joe Brady all face a race against time to be fit for Offaly's Leinster senior hurling championship opener against Dublin in two months' time.

The Faithful trio are nursing long-term injuries and are far from certain to be fit for their side's make-or-break championship encounter against the in-form Dubs.

Rigney has been out of action since breaking a bone in his arm during the opening game of the Allianz National League against Cork last month.



Brady and Cleary have played no part in the NHL campaign with hip and foot problems respectively.

"All three are probably touch and go for the Dublin game but James Rigney, who could be back in a month or six weeks, has the best chance," said manager Joe Dooley.

http://www.hoganstand.com/Offaly/Articl ... ?ID=145211

[Offaly2010]

Rigney hopeful of Championship return


19 April 2011


Offaly star James Rigney remains hopeful that he will prove his fitness in time for the Leinster SHC opener against Dublin next month.

Rigney has been sidelined since breaking a bone in his hand during the Allianz National League opener against Cork in February.

He has an x-ray appointment for mid-May and hopes to be given the go-ahead to resume full training - with a club championship game for Kinnitty earmarked for his return to action.



He told the Irish Independent, "I'll be back in four weeks for an x-ray and I hope to get the all-clear. The championship game is against Dublin in six weeks and I'm looking at the second round of the Offaly championship against Shinrone, which is fixed for three weeks from next Sunday.

"It's going to be very tight for Dublin and I don't know if I'm fit enough to hurl a full game. It could be very hard to get fit for that match."

http://www.hoganstand.com/Offaly/Articl ... ?ID=146541

[uibhfaillian]

That was some win for Dublin today. Maybe Offaly and others in Leinster will now stop lieing down when they play Kilkenny now.

[kinnittyman]

Well lads what do we think now??

Looks like we could be in for a long day at the office. They're very strong, very fit and excellent in the air. And unlike us they have a tangible game plan. I'd be very worried that we could be on the receiving end of a trimming.

[bracknaghboy]

Well lads what do we think now??

Looks like we could be in for a long day at the office. They're very strong, very fit and excellent in the air. And unlike us they have a tangible game plan. I'd be very worried that we could be on the receiving end of a trimming.

To answer that we have to answer this first:
How many Offaly players would make that Dublin team?
Bergin, Dooley and maybe Del? Thats it. All this talk of Offaly ambushing Dublin can now be rubbished. The fact thats its on in Parnell Park is now an advantage for us......did you see the way they used the open space today. End of the day even if it was played out in Clonbullogue Dublin will be winning this game no doubts about it now at all. The totally outmuscled Kilkenny and destroyed them in the air. They did a Kilkenny on Kilkenny.

[old yellar]

Be afraid, be very afraid...!!

[Plain of the Herbs]

A trimming is inevitable now, isn’t it? Feckitt, Dublin were awesome. They’re as good as anything that’s in Munster at the moment anyway. Bracknaghboy is right, they out-Kilkennyed Kilkenny. Kilkenny didn’t like it either and there were quite an amount of nasty strokes pulled.

The Dublin football supporters were out in force to support the hurlers today – for the first time since 1997. They’ll have liked what they saw. Parnell Park will almost certainly be all-ticket now.

But shure Joe will be proud of them. And it’ll all be grand. Forty times.

Well lads what do we think now??

Looks like we could be in for a long day at the office. They're very strong, very fit and excellent in the air. And unlike us they have a tangible game plan. I'd be very worried that we could be on the receiving end of a trimming.

[kinnittyman]

I'd be very fearful now to be honest. But before I go on I'll just put my club hat on here and say I think Dempsey and Rigney would make the Dublin team.

Anyways that's neither here nor there as the main issue will be how in the name of God are we going to cope with the physicality and ball winning ability of Dublin. Some of those Dublin guys e.g Liam Rushe look like they are going to burst out through their jerseys. They're top class under the dropping ball and they have an abundance of scoring forwards.

The only chance we have I think is to move the ball as quickly and directly as possible and avoid bringing the ball into contact and avoid the rucks that are now part of the modern game as we will be blown away. Also if we are going to move the ball quickly let's hope the forwards know the areas the half backs/midfield are going to hit it into when they get it rather than just aimlessly lashing it towards the square. However that would necessitate Joe coming up with a gameplan and I wouldn't be too confident of that happening.

By the way good shout on the game now being all ticket-could the demand outstrip the supply by that much that the game could be moved to Croker. Obviously it would be Dubs demanding the tickets and not us!!

[old yellar]

Shane Dooley would be the only Offaly player in the hunt for a start if he was a dub.. Or an import! They are fond of them too! But yeah it's going to be a big ask to beat them. I know it's championship hurling and lads raise their game, but it's a fine Dublin team. Powerful, fit, fast, savage hands and good strikers.. More luck to ye!

[uibhfaillian]

Does anyone think the emergence of Dublin can inspire the likes of Offaly, Wexford, Clare, Waterford and Limerick to become competitive again?

Would Offaly be in a position in a year or two to take part in a more competitive All Ireland championship like it was in the 1990's before Cody re-established Kilkenny and the other traditional counties stranglehold on hurling.