Allianz FL Division 4 2013

[Lean Times]

St Vincents are running buses as far as I know and they almost have two buses full.

[Club Faithful]

Club Faithful are running a bus that leaves Tullamore at 2pm and is stopping in Cappincur, Daingean, Rhode and Edenderry. 15 euro return and is subject to getting good numbers on it. You can book by calling Paul Bell on 0879778225 or Brian Lowry on 087 9289677.

On the issue about you paying for your tea - that certainly didn't happen on our watch. We set up after all the home games and serve tea and coffee free of charge. They tea and coffee and food for sale before games is a separate entity and has nothing to do with us.

We put the ticket information for the game on our Facebook page last week for all to see and included in that was information on group passes etc. While I am at it, tickets are on sale in O'Connor Park this Thursday from 7 to 8pm.

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Sorry, was talkin about the tay at half time, only went in after the Carroll sponsor event!

Fair enough about the bus, good initiative.
Don't do Facebook meself, ya could end up likin to many people and that wouldn't do!

What about a few flyers into the schools through the coaching coordinators, pester power works for us anyway.
I dont know, just think its fairly low key.

Pick a venue to meet up before the match in Dublin?

ANy update on numbers of members? What are Club FAithfuls view on how things have gone so far?

And full credit to ye, some great work done so far. But this is a big opportunity and not much feedback on clubs getting behind it.

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Any word on a team for Saturday, any injuries.
I heard that Offaly were beaten by Leitrim last week in Walsh Island. Seemingly very negative performance again.
After being at a few of the games, and looking ahead to championship this would be my possible lineout.
-I know Maloney hasn't played much football, but I think he has the makings of a good full back, and there are a few positional changes in the backs, (would love to see Brazil getting a good run of games at centre back). Can't see McDonnell starting him there though at present.
-Niall Darby will probably start and drop back like the last day, (hopefully not with the rest of the forward line!!)
-Eoin Carroll has done well in the last couple of games, but I still have my doubts, as regards his pace for Croke Park, but he is a good , committed lad whom I would really like to see nail down a spot.
-Cunningham will probably feature later in the game, if fit to come in
-Derek Kelly is a man who started the campaign well but has not featured, would like to see him involved, at some stage.
All the best on Saturday and looking forward to the game. I think it will be a dour game, but if we can keep 3 of our forwards up the field and get some good ball in then we have a real chance.

Alan Mul
Paul Mc
John Maloney
Sean Pender
Brian Darby
Micky Brazil
Eoin Carroll
Richie D
Alan Mc
Graham Guilfoyle
Brian Connor
Anton
Ken
Nialler
Niall Darby/P Cunningham

[kingscounty]

Best of luck to the lads in the final this week end, they have put in hard training and cant be faulted for a much improved effort this year from previous years. The target was promotion and thats done , a good performance in the final and hopefully a win would set us up nicely for the championship, c " mon the faithful.

[lostinjuniora]

Good luck Offaly!


http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/20 ... ed-offaly/

[Bord na Mona man]

Good luck Offaly!


http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/20 ... ed-offaly/

The article says:
"Not many of the Offaly side have played in Croke Park before so the clash gives them a chance to get used to the surroundings ahead of their Championship date with Kildare on 1 June in the same venue, another bonus for the young squad."

I make it that 11 have and 4 haven't (that I know of).

Played in Croke Park before:
Alan Mulhall
Paul McConway
Shane Sullivan
Alan McNamee
Richie Dalton
Graham Guilfoyle
Brian Connor
Niall Darby
Anton Sullivan
Niall McNamee(c)
Ken Casey

Have not/Don't know:
Brian Darby
Eoin Carroll
Sean Pender
Michael Brazil

[The Biff]

Same team as v Tipperary.

http://www.breakingnews.ie/sport/gaa/sa ... 92608.html

Offaly (NFL v Limerick):

A Mulhall;
P McConway, S Sullivan, B Darby;
E Carroll, S Pender, M Brazil;
A McNamee, R Dalton;
G Guilfoyle, B Connor, A Sullivan;
N Darby, N McNamee, K Casey


Really looking forward to this, going to Croker to cheer a team I have a genuine interest in and feeling that we have a good chance of success.

OOOO-falya
OOOO-falya

[Kevin]

Let's go get 'em boys!!!

COME ON OFFALY!!!!!!!

[Plain of the Herbs]

I've did some digging, mainly of the teams who played in the 4 Leinster Minor finals.

Alan Mulhall - Junior v Kildare in 2002
Paul McConway - Senior in 2006
Shane Sullivan - Senior in 2004 - 2007
Alan McNamee - do.
Richie Dalton - Minor in 2005
Graham Guilfoyle - Minor in 2008
Brian Connor - Minor in 2008?
Niall Darby - Minor in 2005
Anton Sullivan - Minor in 2008
Niall McNamee(c) - Senior in 2004 - 2007
Ken Casey - Minor in 2005 & '06

Have not/Don't know:
Brian Darby - apparently not
Eoin Carroll - apparently not
Sean Pender - played Minor in 2006
Michael Brazil - apparently not

I make it that 11 have and 4 haven't (that I know of).

Played in Croke Park before:
Alan Mulhall
Paul McConway
Shane Sullivan
Alan McNamee
Richie Dalton
Graham Guilfoyle
Brian Connor
Niall Darby
Anton Sullivan
Niall McNamee(c)
Ken Casey

Have not/Don't know:
Brian Darby
Eoin Carroll
Sean Pender
Michael Brazil

[townman]

hard luck to the lads, they got what they wanted out of the league, the best team won tonight
offaly are going to struggle big time again kildare we have no midfield half back line and onlytwo forwards.

[dubbiff]

Agree that we only had 2 forwards - presume all would agree that they were McNamee and B Connor. Very disappointed with the sideline. Alan Mc subbed on 55 mins in an obvious preplanned move - should have been much earlier. Meantime Anton had been signalling to the line for some time that he could not continue but was left on far too long. We dominated the 1st 15 mins and were then overpowered right to the end. Why would they not throw on all 5 subs and give everyone a run? Surely Cunningham could have done a job out there. Midfield completely cleaned out but in fairness the Limerick lads did not catch too much clean ball in the 2nd half. Dalton worked very hard. Casey had his moments. Goalie was excellent. Guilfoyle very disappointing. Overall it was a real downer. I stayed for the first half of the second game and could not believe the difference in standard.

[summerindublin]

whatever about the team, management threw this game away, they could have made switches, brought on all the subs, we kicked some really bad wides, willie mulhall was a total disaster when he came on, cost us at least 2 points, why was sullivan not started, was not injured, picked at number 3, mcdonnell needs to pick a team and stay with it, none of this mind games, apart from the goalie, Conner at times, Nialler and maybe Casey, we need a miracle against Kildare.

[kingscounty]

A great first 15 mins but I knew we were not gona be able to keep the pace up for 70mins. I wouldnt be so hard on the lads , this is Mcdonnells first year and he has done more so far than anyone else in the past 5 or 6 years. We cant forget this is Mcdonnells first big job and he is learning like some of the young lads that played in Croke Park for the first time.I would liked to have seen a few subs like Cunningham etc coming on but at least it gives us some new faces to use against Kildare. I would liked to have seen Pender moved off Ryan because I think he couldnt handle him at all, Anton wasnt at the races at all dont think he got the ball in the first half at all. The one big worry I would have is that we still cant find a settled free taker, Casey hit 2 or 3 handy frees wide or short , compare that to Ryan from Limerick I dont remember him missing to many frees. League is done and dusted , championship is up next and all we can ask and expect is an honest hard working display and maybe we might give the flourbags a rattle.

[Truth as i see it]

A great first 15 mins but I knew we were not gona be able to keep the pace up for 70mins. I wouldnt be so hard on the lads , this is Mcdonnells first year and he has done more so far than anyone else in the past 5 or 6 years. We cant forget this is Mcdonnells first big job and he is learning like some of the young lads that played in Croke Park for the first time.I would liked to have seen a few subs like Cunningham etc coming on but at least it gives us some new faces to use against Kildare. I would liked to have seen Pender moved off Ryan because I think he couldnt handle him at all, Anton wasnt at the races at all dont think he got the ball in the first half at all. The one big worry I would have is that we still cant find a settled free taker, Casey hit 2 or 3 handy frees wide or short , compare that to Ryan from Limerick I dont remember him missing to many frees. League is done and dusted , championship is up next and all we can ask and expect is an honest hard working display and maybe we might give the flourbags a rattle.

Yep totally agree with this, Mcdonnell did make it clear in the run up that he would be using this as an opportunity to both give the lads experience at Croke Park and Identify any problems that might arise when we play Kildare next month so i would think he has some points stored away that he will work on in training over the coming weeks, effectively this was the perfect challenge match for for him, Competitive with something at stake yet doesn't see the team knocked out of a competition or effect league status

As regards to the game itself i thought that once Limerick realized that they had the bigger men on the pitch they started to target their biggest men with kick outs and towards the end of the first half we couldn't win any high ball or breaking ball from about 7 or 8 kickouts

I thought we had the better players on the field but they used their height to their advantage which was effective in unsettling our back line

Its something Mcdonnell will have to find a way to neutralize in the coming year

As for the forwards i thought that Ken Casey was barely in the game aside from his scoring opportunities and i'm a little worried that Anton is playing with a injured shoulder he should get the surgery out of the way otherwise one hard bump could put him on the side lines for an even longer period next time, its a dangerous game he's playing

Brian Connor was excellent in the first half, breaking through tackles and driving forward but Limerick decided to adopt a more defensive stance after 15 minutes which made such runs a little harder to come by

Niall Mc was Niall mc

Overall its disappointing to lose as i would have liked the lads to pick up some silver ware as a reward for their hard work this year but if we learn some lessons from yesterday and ambush Kildare next month the loss will have been worth it

Oh and to all those with their Knickers in a twist over yesterdays results i have two words for you

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