OFFALY Hurling 2014

[timber]

Apartantly Molloy is now in retirement. He didn't feature for his club Shamrocks at all last year and had surgery.

I agree, I think intermediate level is overlooked in this county, Ballinamere Shamrock and Ballyskenach had a few players that could have offered something to the county panel.

Brendan Murphy would have been a massive boost to get back for one more year!!

Skenagh killavilla; co-captains Feargus Hannon and Tim Hennessy should get a look in. This year in the leinster league we beat gleneally, wicklow senior champions for the last three years and we are playing the westmeath champions next week. We also beat lusmagh by a cricket score in our first senior league match and no-one noticed. We're playing clareen next sat at 6 in clareen. What more do we have to do? bate clareen?

Probably fair to say Skenach/Villa should win the intermediate alright. Alot of senior experience there. Very much the favourites.

[Plain of the Herbs]

With the other thread falling victim to petty arguments, here's a thought . . . That Offaly fielded inexperienced half-back lines in both recent challenge matches is a major concern. Those half-back lines were:

v Clare: Barry Harding, Ger Healion, Cathal Parlon
v Waterford: Mark Egan, Derek Morkan, Cathal Parlon

Of the five named, really only Barry Harding is at home in the position in which he was selected. Derek Morkan is a half-back alright, but not a centre half-back. Ger Healion is a club full-back. Cathal Parlon and Mark Egan are forwards. If selected to face Kilkenny in Nowlan Park they will likely be marking TJ Reid, Colin Fennelly, Walter Walsh or Richie Hogan (take your pick).

So where have all the half-backs gone to? I’ve pulled out the programmes for Offaly’s recent U21 teams to see what the alternatives are. Now I accept some couldn't commit, some are abroad and some were out of position (Colin Egan springs to mind here). Still, for the discussion, those alternatives are:

2006 v Dublin: Conor Hernon, Daniel Hoctor, James Rigney
2007 v Kilkenny: David Kenny, Brian Leonard, Brian Watkins
2008 v Kilkenny: Ger Treacy, Brian Leonard, Derek Morkan
2009 v Kilkenny: Derek Morkan, Éanna Murphy, Barry Harding
2010 v KIlkenny: Colin Egan, Stephen Wynne, Barry Harding
2011 v Dublin: Dermot Shortt, Éanna Murphy, Brian Mulrooney
2012 v Wexford: David King, Aidan Treacy, Thomas Spain
2013 v KIlkenny: Seán Gardiner, Pat Camon, David King

For a county that bores the rest of the country with claims to being handicapped by its small pick it is fierce easy for an U21 half-back to slip into a boghole.

[townman]

Parlon was also half back last year again kilkenny and in fairness he hurl well. Parlon and Healion might be inexperienced in the half back line they are no spring chickens either.

[Killeighman]

Anyone have the score or the team to the challenge match tonight against Dublin?

[kinnittyman]

Dublin 1-17 Offaly 2-10 according to Dublin's official twitter account.

[Toxicity234]

just back for Ballyboden.
2-09 to 1-16.
The Offaly team was

Dempsey.
Wynne, Hanniffy, Nolan.
Harding, Morkan, Parlon
. Ryan, Gardiner
T Gererthy, Currams, Carroll
Dooley. Bergin. Connelly.

Dooley and Bergin with the Goals. Carroll score a few nice points Gardiner score a excellent point.
Played with a sweeper for the whole game.
Dempsey make 4 great saves.
Playing with 5 forwards rubbish.
Was on the sideline not far from the Offaly Sub bench and was shocked at the way Whelehan managed the team.
Dublin sent about 20 -24 wides. including 7-8 frees.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Cummins? Who he?

I wasn't there, but a general point on using a sweeper against Kilkenny. Leaving unmarked men against them, I think, would be fatal. Kilkenny don't play low ball into space and don't tend to play low ball into their full-forward line, the kind that might be intercepted by a sweeper. Nor well they be breaking the ball in the middle third (it anywhere else on the field) so playing with a sweeper and hoping to have an extra player at the 'breakdown' is pointless. Other hand, a three-man full-forward line of Dooley, Bergin and Connolly would perhaps be Offaly's optimum full-forward line. I don't see any puckout winners on that half-forward line stated by Toxicity above.

[Kevin]

just back for Ballyboden.
2-09 to 1-16.
The Offaly team was

Dempsey.
Wynne, Hanniffy, Nolan.
Harding, Morkan, Parlon
. Ryan, Gardiner
T Gererthy, Curmmins, Carroll
Dooley. Bergin. Connelly.

Dooley and Bergin with the Goals. Carroll score a few nice points Gardiner score a excellent point.
Played with a sweeper for the whole game.
Dempsey make 4 great saves.
Playing with 5 forwards rubbish.
Was on the sideline not far from the Offaly Sub bench and was shocked at the way Whelehan managed the team.
Dublin sent about 20 -24 wides. including 7-8 frees.

Thanks for this Tox.

Out of interest, what was shocking about the management from your perspective? Not asking you to hang anyone, its just that you observed things that you clearly concern you. What were they (at your convenience and if you are inclined to elaborate Sir)?

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

I presume its Currams, and I'm sure you know that to POTH.

[Toxicity234]

I presume its Currams, and I'm sure you know that to POTH.

sorry about that. Talking and typing = mistake.

His instruction were all over the place.

a few mins into the game he shouted at Morkan to follow his man out the field from an Offaly puck out and about 5 mins later from another offaly puck out he shout at him of not holding the middle. The Dublin centre forward pushed in midfield both time.
this continued for most of the game. He could make up his mind if Morkan and Connelly should hold the middle or Connelly should do it himself.

Connelly was told to take on the ball when he won it all the time. which meant that he was running at the dublin midfield who were much bigger men than him. when it worked it look good but as for an end product of it that was Zero.When it didn't work it turned into a scrum or a turnover that mean that dublin have a free shot at goal which they missed. I don't think the idea of Connelly running at Lester Ryan or Fennelly is going to work out well for Connelly.

Gardiner was giving clear instruction to follow his man from Whelehan and then got a tell off about being in the half forward line and not in his midfield position. What the lad meant to do.
Gardiner end up in the half back line at the start of the second half and we doing great but was sub after about 5 mins.

Ryan pick up a ball and was told straight away to take on his man but they was no space for him to run into. So he beat his man and ran into the wing back and then he was told he should have let the ball off.

T Gererthy got a tell off for not challenging for the ball when he was outnumbered 4 to 1, Gererthy block the ball down and a scrum ensued of him and 4 dublin players the balls was cleared and Gererthy got a tell off again for the ball being cleared.

Screaming at the half back line to use the corners followed by 10 second later telling Parlon to hit Bergin who was standing at full forward. Parlon got the ball left it on top on bergin who broke it and the Dublin sweeper picked it and cleared it. Clue Whelehan tell Parlon it was a shit ball and it need to be better. It was the only ball that would have made it to Bergin.

Screaming fuck when someone sent a bad wide. Badgering his players so much that in the last 5 mins he lost his voice.

At the start of second half Nolan started just launching the ball every time he got it. He ignored Whelehan instruction 4 or 5 time and just let fly. that where Bergin Goal came from and about 4 frees. Dublin sorted this by pushing his man further up the field and taking his long ball out of the game.

Whelehan is frustrated and it flowing on to the pitch. The players are all over the place, They doing they best but their two many out of position and there game plan may as well be from a Noddy book.

Fitness level are much better. Dooley and Slevin are looking like they are about half a stone lighter and the players touch is excellent.

Was really impressed with Ger Coulghan who was encouraging players and one of subs in the second half who was shout encouragement.

If i was to mark the players out of 10 they all get 10 and a big hug for having to listening to the abuse they got yesterday.

[Troy boy]

A poor dublin team named too
Chester (third choice)
Trainor Schutte Timlin
Boland Carton Doughan
McCaffery Quilty
Keaney McCormack McMorrow
PRyan MSchutte McGrath

7/8 starters. Dublin were poor Offaly were worse. Bad game .

[allstar2010]

Dempsey.
Wynne, Hanniffy, Nolan.
Harding, Morkan, Parlon
. Ryan, Gardiner
T Gererthy, Currams, Carroll
Dooley. Bergin. Connelly.

Pardon my ignorance Toxicity but who is Nolan?

[Kevin]

Thx for the detailed observations Tox.

We're in a tough and stressful situation for all involved. I'd agree that if frustration is filtering from the sideline onto the field it most likely won't improve the quality of play.

Morale rarely improves under such conditions either.

Let's hope we can get the most out of everyone over the next few weeks. Surely we'll need it.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Nolan would be Emmet Nolan from Birr. Right half-back on Offaly's 2012 MInors. Wasn't on the U21s last year. Started the County Final at centre half-forward.

I wasn't at the recent Birr v St Rynagh's SHC match so I can't vouch for his recent form.

Pardon my ignorance Toxicity but who is Nolan?

[allstar2010]

Ah yes, cheers POTH. He must have impressed to get the call up, more luck to him. But as I've said before it's unreal worrying at this stage that the management can't pick a settle 15. I'd give 1000/1 if anyone could correctly name the starting 15 for the 7th June