Schools Football

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Well done to both schools on their great achievements. Definitely every club should endeavour to bring as many kids as possible to see these 2 teams play in Croke Park.
Huge opportunity to market the game and inspire young lads who have never seen Offaly teams play All Irelands. If we can get lads aspiring to play football with their schools and pushing on that staandard then we will start to see some progress.

On a side note, what is the story with the schools in Tullamore? Have they had any level of success over the last few years?

As a matter of interest, how many of you guys will make the trip up for this? Was up there last year and was a fantastic days football.

[substandard]

Congratulations to both schools; the fact that they're both competing at this level not for the first time suggests it's no flash in the pan, and testament to very good players and very good work done both in the school and club level. Referring to earlier posts about the difference between colleges and vocational schools, this may not be an issue in the near future- don't know the exact details but it seems next years competitions are going to be realigned, and without having studied it in great detail, it seems to suggest that for smaller schools playing in the lower grades, there could be blitz competitions instead of the traditional group or knockout structure. If it goes ahead, and again I'd like to say I'm not 100% clear on the details, it would be a terrible backward step for GAA in schools.
The very best of luck to Emmett and the rest of the mentors and team in Marys, and to Fran and the equivalent in Gallen- a rising tide lifts all boats, they say!!
Regarding the Tullamore schools, Tullamore College got to the all-ireland/ all ireland semi final a couple of years back (Noel Andrew Graham's time), and Colaiste Choilm have been there or thereabouts a few times in the 'B' league and North Leinster in the last few years, but in fairness this would be a competitive enough grade. Killina haven't won anything of note since Chris McDonald, Dunne, Currams and Hiney were in the school, but they haven't been a million miles off the pace either.

[jimbob17]

Well done to both schools on reaching this level of competition. It is a fantastic achievement thus far for both schools. A lot of work obviously goes in at underage level in the surrounding clubs and is continued through at schools level. Ferbane have really come strong on the back of a lot of underage success in the club and have a few from Ballycumber and other surrounding areas to help it along in schools. Obviously this is a unique bunch in Ferbane and they need to cherish these days as Ferbane is a relatively small school numbers wise, though they are beginning to recreate something special that existed many years ago after the rugby had taken a strong foothold in the school.

Edenderry are more than an Offaly team really and have minors from both Meath and Kildare involved this year including a Kildare U 21 player. They have created a strong legacy through hard work in the last few years and accordingly are attracting all the good footballers from the surrounding areas. Success breeds success and young lads are going there now just for football. That is not taking away from the hard work that a lot of teachers put in in bringing their school such glory in the last few years.

The Tullamore Schools probably havent achieved the same success but there is also the fact that the powerbase in Offaly Football has just moved from Rhode to Ferbane in the last few years, who attend the schools mentioned. The Tullamore club really hasn't achieved the success that it did ten years ago at underage level and they rarely make it to underage finals anymore which is a worry for them. Nor have the catchment areas of Vincents Na Fianna or Ballinamere Durrow or Mucklagh set the world alight with only the Vincents club regularly and consistently competing in A competitions in the underage ranks.

There are also schools in close proximity to Tullamore that would pull some of their catchment area in relation to footballers, Killina, Clara, Mountmellick Kilbeggan, and Col Iosagain would all take from clubs within the Tullamore catchment clubs of Na Fianna, Ballinamere, Vincents, Kilbeggan unlike in Edenderry where all of the footballers in the neighbouring clubs go to Mary's Edenderry. Additionally, The three schools in Tullamore, Col Choilm, Tullamore College and Killina would all be reasonably competitive and compete for the talented players of the area, again unlike Edenderry, where they young footballeers tend to choose the secondary over the vocational school. Despite this, Col Choilm have done quite well in recent times reaching a Leinster final in B with the likes of Declan Hogan and Gavin Shiels on board. Tullamore College had success a couple of years ago winning a leinster with the likes of Cian Donoghue and Noel Graham involved before losing in an All Ireland semi final. Killina have always been there or there abouts with the two town schools too in the last few years, but i dont recall them winning a championship at senior level at least. They reached a few finals with the likes of currams and Nigel Dunne maybe 5 years ago and are always in the shake up in both hurling and football. These schools have generally done reasonably well in the past few years and have developed many players to play minor 21 and senior with OY. Some of the present seniors would include Jonny Maloney, L Hiney, D Currams, Nigel Dunne, Ml Brazil, Paul McConway, James Keane and Ger Treacey, while David Egan, Eoin Brennan (Goalie), Shane Dooley and the coughlans from Mucklagh would also have come through the schools in Tullamore.

Again, this tread is more to do with the fellas from ferbane and Edenderry, so wishing them all the best in the finals. Any idea when it is on??

[Oceans 15]

(1) Unquestionably, Colleges A is a higher level than VEC A, in Leinster at least. I don't doubt that Gallen would be competitive, but based on what I saw from Maynooth PP today, they absolutely would not be. Note that Maynooth beat Granard in the previous round, who would have given Gallen a very close game last time out. I'm not sure what lies in wait in the final, I believe Carnew, but unless they are a good bit better than last year, they too would struggle at Colleges A.

All that said, there are a lot of colleges playing colleges A who are out of their depth too. I saw Portarlington beat St Fintans HS very easily in the first round, the eight point margin was the least they deserved, and there were a few other schools took heavy beatings along the way. The likes of St Josephs in Rochfortbridge, Carlow CBS, Portmarnock and Kilcock are all out of their depth just as much.

Ulster and Munster are traditionally the stronger provinces at this level, Gallen's win last year was the first time a Connacht or Leinster school won the title since 2001 when Clara were the winners. There'll be plenty of tests at that stage.

(2) It is possible - Athlone Community College did it a few years ago. To be honest if Gallen had a steady stream of players of this calibre coming along the line it would make sense, but you're taking about a school that is working with a much smaller enrolment than is the norm at colleges A. Gallen would have about 30 male pupils in each of the six years - St Marys would have at least double that, possibly closer to treble, and some schools at Colleges A would have four or five times that. To put it another way, Gallen today comprised of players from three clubs - a goalkeeper from Erin Rovers, three Shannonbridge lads and the rest Ferbane. Edenderry's starting team draws players from four COUNTIES, and if I'm not mistaken, at least ten or twelve different clubs. For Gallen to move grade because of one good group would seem a little rash. It's not that there aren't good footballers coming up along, but there aren't a huge number of them.

(3) Very, very tough to call. I certainly wouldn't predict it with confidence. Edenderry might have the edge simply because again, for reasons of depth, they wouldn't have to field players as young as Gallen would have to - if I'm not mistaken, four of the Gallen starters today will play Under-16 club football in 2012. I very much doubt Edenderry would have to call on Juniors like that.

Have to agree that there is a huge difference in class between colleges and voc schools.. I remember CBS Tullamore having a good team in the early 90's, they played the Offaly Vocational Schools team in a challenge and the CBS Team hammered them off the field and that Offaly team actually reached the All Ireland Final that year.. In saying that a lot of very good footballers have played Vocational Schools and that is talented Gallen Team particulary the Ferbane lads who have done it at underage all up along. Best of luck to both teams.

[Unrealbanter]

I have heard that the gallen match is on at 1pm saturday 7th of april in croker, marys is on after, have we many offaly minors on both teams?? We shouldnt be too bad at minor level this year?

[Lone Shark]

I have heard that the gallen match is on at 1pm saturday 7th of april in croker, marys is on after, have we many offaly minors on both teams?? We shouldnt be too bad at minor level this year?

From Gallen you'd have Eoghan Lowry, Ciarán Cahill, Joe Maher, Brian Grehan, Ryan Delaney and Darragh Corbett in with the county. St Mary's would have Conor and Ruaidhrí McNamee, Sean Moriarty, Cormac Hurley, Peter O'Neill and Aaron O'Connell.

[club125]

Credit where credit is due the County Board has postponed the U21 Championships games this weekend involving players from both schools.

[Unrealbanter]

Best of luck to both schools this weekend in
Croker ! Hopefully they will
Bring back 2 all irelands have both schools got full team? I heard both they had 1 or 2 injuries?

[TheManFromFerbane]

Best of luck to both schools (especially Gallen!) great bunch of lads who match their talent with their work rate.

[True Red]

Best of luck to both schools tomorrow in Croker

[True Red]

Best of luck to both schools in croker tomorrow

[DAF]

Is the Number 14 from edenderry from Offaly.He was the best player on show today by a mile today in the Hogan Cup Final

[Hyper]

Kildare