Offaly Hurling team for championship v Dublin

[rocket57]

here here townman we we should be getting behind the team not running them down they deserve better as they put in the time and effort all the sacrifices for the sport give them credit and get behind them all they can do is do their best and if it is good enough then good if not so be it they will give it their all next sunday come on the faithful

[black and red exile]

Guys, getting the debate going about supporters going or not going to matches is a waste of time, we all know a large percentage of people on this site don't go to matches so why bother even getting into debates with these eejits. Last night was a perfect case in point, Westmeath outnumbered us in our own back yard yet again but I guess we are all used to visiting support taking over. Next Sunday in my opinion we will see an all time low support for Offaly, with the game on tv it's the perfect excuse even for the Summertimers to stay at home, the real fans will get behind all Offaly teams from all grades no matter how bad things are going, basically my point is don't waste yer time by getting into arguements with gobshites

[Bord na Mona man]

the thing that driver me mad is most lads on this site hope they do lose

FFS!

[bracknaghboy]

Last thing i'll say on this. Find me one post on this thread where lads are hoping Offaly will lose next sunday. Theres a world of difference between predicting a deteat or criticising a management set up and actually wanting the team to lose.

[townman]

Last thing i'll say on this. Find me one post on this thread where lads are hoping Offaly will lose next sunday. Theres a world of difference between predicting a deteat or criticising a management set up and actually wanting the team to lose.

wonder what the talk will be if we win

[Kevin]

Last thing i'll say on this. Find me one post on this thread where lads are hoping Offaly will lose next sunday. Theres a world of difference between predicting a deteat or criticising a management set up and actually wanting the team to lose.

wonder what the talk will be if we win

When we win!!!

UP THE FAITHFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lone Shark]

Lads, I'd love nothing more than to see us win next Sunday and I will certainly be in Croke Park for the day, but it's a bit harsh to be criticising lads for being unable to disengage their faculties and ignore the overwhelming evidence that suggests that Dublin are going to give us a hiding.

I'm genuinely fearful that this could be a 20pt defeat or so. If anyone can tell me, in my capacity as a fervent Offaly supporter who would do anything for the cause, how to turn off that fear and to travel up to Dublin in optimism, I'm all ears. I'd genuinely love to hear it because I'm not enjoying the sense of trepidation one bit.

[Real Rob]

Lone Shark im far from a die hard Offaly Hurling supporter but I do know my bit about them and am aware of their troubles with injury and other aspects were players and backroom staff have had a difference of opinion with Joe Dooley and maybe im not judging my opinon on the Performances this year but I strongly believe that Dublin Hurlers are being totally blown out of proportion,they are massively fit and hugely physical but they are not a proven side and I would gladly face them ahead of Kilkenny or Galway, so taking this into account lets go to Croker with the Belief that this is just another Dublin Media Boosted Team that can be turned over by the Faithful

[plain the maggot]

am i right in saying galway were league champions last year and no one gave us a chance and were unlucky not to beat them. this dublin team are good but are they like every other team that comes from there peak too early.
there are way too many on this running offaly down and how much they are going to be bet. why dont ye set up a site for yourselves. when all the plaers on the offaly panel hear or see something like this just think how dishearting it gets. its less than a week now and all they can do is give it there best which i think they will with or without key players.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Lads, I'd love nothing more than to see us win next Sunday and I will certainly be in Croke Park for the day, but it's a bit harsh to be criticising lads for being unable to disengage their faculties and ignore the overwhelming evidence that suggests that Dublin are going to give us a hiding.

I'm genuinely fearful that this could be a 20pt defeat or so. If anyone can tell me, in my capacity as a fervent Offaly supporter who would do anything for the cause, how to turn off that fear and to travel up to Dublin in optimism, I'm all ears. I'd genuinely love to hear it because I'm not enjoying the sense of trepidation one bit.

Im along these lines too.

Save me the nonsense about being too negative/wanting to see our team to loose. I have nothing but the height of respect and admiration for all of the players involved in the 2011 Offaly Senior Hurling Panel and would love to see us beat Dublin. I can not however, quell the sense of anger within over the complete mishandling of these fine hurlers by this utterly incompetent expense loving management and County Board. These players are capable of so, so much more - it's infuriating.

[townman]

Lads, I'd love nothing more than to see us win next Sunday and I will certainly be in Croke Park for the day, but it's a bit harsh to be criticising lads for being unable to disengage their faculties and ignore the overwhelming evidence that suggests that Dublin are going to give us a hiding.

I'm genuinely fearful that this could be a 20pt defeat or so. If anyone can tell me, in my capacity as a fervent Offaly supporter who would do anything for the cause, how to turn off that fear and to travel up to Dublin in optimism, I'm all ears. I'd genuinely love to hear it because I'm not enjoying the sense of trepidation one bit.

do you really think that Dublin will beat us bye 20 points on sunday

[Lone Shark]

Lads, I'd love nothing more than to see us win next Sunday and I will certainly be in Croke Park for the day, but it's a bit harsh to be criticising lads for being unable to disengage their faculties and ignore the overwhelming evidence that suggests that Dublin are going to give us a hiding.

I'm genuinely fearful that this could be a 20pt defeat or so. If anyone can tell me, in my capacity as a fervent Offaly supporter who would do anything for the cause, how to turn off that fear and to travel up to Dublin in optimism, I'm all ears. I'd genuinely love to hear it because I'm not enjoying the sense of trepidation one bit.

do you really think that Dublin will beat us bye 20 points on sunday

Do I think it's the most likely outcome? No. I'm a betting man by trade and my gut feeling is that the market will be offering a five point handicap or so, while personally I feel that around a ten point margin is the most likely gap. However if you ask me which is more likely - Dublin to win by twenty or more or Offaly to win the match by any margin, then I find it a lot easier to visualise the former.

This is just one man's opinion and I apologise to any of the hurlers reading this for my excessive negativity, but rest assured there is no agenda. I just find it hard to ignore the evidence that is in front of me.

[Bord na Mona man]

Yes, there is a good chance that Dublin are there for taking. This current Dublin team seems to take 2 steps forward and 1 back.
Last year they lost to Antrim when they were expected to cruise home. The year before, they lost to what proved to be a poor Limerick side. On both occasions Dublin showed frailty in closing out a winning position.

In 2008 they couldn't put away Wexford in the Leinster championship in a game they lead handsomely in and mostly lorded. Maybe they have improved and eliminated this brittleness, but maybe they haven't.

Bear in mind for as long as I can remember Dublin have been a far better league than championship team.
For example, back in 1998 they beat both Offaly and Kilkenny in the league are were the a hot tip to make an impact in the championship. I remember DJ Carey and Kilkenny went to town on them and ran up a cricket score in the championship opener in Parnell Park.
Back in 2004 they beat Offaly by 20 something points in the league and a couple of months later in championship Offaly gave them a 15 point drubbing.

It may be irrelevant, or it may point to Dublin traditionally reaching their ceiling of ability early in the year, while other counties are still building up momentum. Dublin's more robust style of play and the superior training facilities would contribute to this.

Dublin may not yet be as good as the hype and maybe they'll take Offaly for granted. The biggest deciding factor in this result will be how well prepared Offaly are though.

Recently Offaly have had some woeful league campaigns and managed to come good in championship. In 2008 they got relegated to Division 2, having lost to the likes of Leix and still bounced back to beat Limerick and gave Waterford a good game in championship.
In last year's league, they won only one meaningful game and performed much better than expected against Galway. An Offaly win against Dublin in that context wouldn't be unprecedented.

However my worry is that morale is lower in Offaly this time. The murmurings seem a little more negative than usual. And also I fear that while the public might think Offaly are a beaten docket, Drumcree Daly won't see it the same way. He'll be firing up Dublin like goodo, because if they lose to Offaly, their league win will be hugely tarnished. Just like Offaly in 1991.

The long term outlook is that Dublin will continue power on ahead of us in the hurling's hierarchy, unless we wake up and sort out our coaching and underage...ah shure its grand. We might manage to elbow ahead of them on Sunday, but it would probably be the last time that it happens for a long time.

[Lone Shark]

Let's not forget who eliminated Dublin from last year's championship - Antrim.

There is no danger of Dublin looking past any opponent this year from what I can tell. Plus there is a difference between some good league form and playing consistently excellent stuff throughout, in Croke Park. I mean they've beaten Kilkenny twice already this year, beaten the All Ireland champions Tipperary, swatted Offaly and Wexford aside with ease and took two points out of Páirc Uí Chaoimh - this Dublin team is a clear step up on previous years and while they may step back at some point, I don't think we're hurling well enough to catch them on the hop even if they do.

[faithfulman]

Right we can argue all day about the manager and how good this dublin really is but it's getting closer and closer, so what do ye think the team will actually be?
Seemingly Carroll is out as well, but i hope i'm wrong on this one.given all the injuries we need everyone we have.Taking everything into account this is what i'd start with...
1.Dempsey
2.Verney
3.Kenny
4.Egan
5.Morkan
6.Hanniffy
7.Hayden
8.Mahon
9.Cordial
10.Egan
11.Healion
12.Molloy
13.Dooley
14.Bergin
15.Currams

If Carroll is able to play some part i'd have him in the corner ahead of Currams.We havent much in reserve (Murphy, Wynne,Kelly, Parlon), and i fear for Healion at centre forward.also cordial could be shaky if it gets physical.i'm not gone on the idea of hayden in the backs but there are little alternatives, apart from throwing in eanna murphy. with regards to the game itself, i think offaly need to lay down an early marker. let them know that we're not there to make up the numbers. remember the hit oakley took below in wexford two year ago? but then again who do we have to give out a hit like this. all in all, i wouldn't write us off by any means but i think we're going to need 3-4 goals to win this.really we need 3-4 goals to win any match coz we havent the players to pick off scores out the field, none of our midfielders, half forwards would be known for their prolific point scoring.in fact if the team were to line out as above, we've better scoring half-backs than half forwards.

anyway best of luck to the lads and if any of them happen to be reading this, i for one think ye can do it!
Uibh Fhaili Abu!