Barring a miracle, we're relegated.
The only possibilities of escaping are:
1) Cork and Monaghan draw.
We beat Fermanagh handsomely
Cork lose to Tyrone heavily, meaning we make up 9 points in scoring averages deficit on Cork.
2) Monaghan beat Cork.
Offaly beat Fermanagh by 13 points more than Monaghan beat Cork by.
So basically, we're down to Division 2. We'll be visiting the great cathedrals of football like Ruislip, Mullingar, Dungarvan etc.
Worst thing is, we rarely looked good enough for Division 1 this year.
I'll try and be positive and point out that yesterday after half time we played some great football.
At long last our players attacked with purpose, we ran at Monaghan but not into them, the ball was used well, the support play was great, good foot passing, players received the ball on the move, and we reeled off 5 points in a row.
All while down to 14 men. We made a few mistakes and occasionally kicked the ball away where there was the spare man, but overall it was pleasing to watch.
There were some much improved performances also. Scott Brady came into the game and set up some good attacks, Alan McNamee also. James Coughlan, when he came on, played some clever balls, that stretched the Monaghan defence. Niall Mc has steadily improved over the campaign also. I thought Nigel Grennan did very well on Thomas Freeman. Whenever Freeman managed to give him the slip, Grennan always managed to recovered enough to put pressure on him. Great workrate from McManus, sometimes he was the last man back with his covering.
A few players look a bit short on confidence at the moment. Maybe we can go up to Fermanagh and throw caution to the wind.
Offaly vs Monaghan
-
the bare biffo
- All Star
- Posts: 444
- Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:37 am
- Location: Nth Roscommon
-
Bord na Mona man
- All Star
- Posts: 4092
- Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:34 am
- Club: Clara
Thomas Deehan was taking a 20 metre free to win the game.
It was over on the stand side, at the near goal. It was at a slight, but not impossible angle.
As he struck the free the ref blew the whistle to indicate he took it from the wrong place.
The free was switched to a hop ball.
To try and justify himself, the ref hopped the ball about 5 yards further back from where the original foul had occured.
There was certainly no noticeable yard stealing from Deehan, but the ref was obviously out to show everyone who was boss.
The final whistle went, the ref was booed off and had a couple of guards beside him to usher him to the dressing room.
That free, and the very harsh sending off of Karol Slattery had enraged the Offaly crowd.
It was over on the stand side, at the near goal. It was at a slight, but not impossible angle.
As he struck the free the ref blew the whistle to indicate he took it from the wrong place.
The free was switched to a hop ball.
To try and justify himself, the ref hopped the ball about 5 yards further back from where the original foul had occured.
There was certainly no noticeable yard stealing from Deehan, but the ref was obviously out to show everyone who was boss.
The final whistle went, the ref was booed off and had a couple of guards beside him to usher him to the dressing room.
That free, and the very harsh sending off of Karol Slattery had enraged the Offaly crowd.
Reasons to be Cheerful. Part 4:
1. James Coughlan looked sharp. He has a great ability to win frees or possession when the ball is sent into him. He also delivered a few great foot passes. Maybe a withdrawn role as the next "Colm Quinn" might suit him.
2. Nigel Grennan did indeed match Thomas Freeman well for most of the game. Agreed good displays also from Scott Brady, Alan MacNamee.
3. Mac is back to his maurauding best. He nearly won the game by bursting a gut to run 20 yards to knock the ball out of a Monaghan defender's hands only to see the resulting chance put wide from in front of the posts.
4. A man down, unluckily, and 4 points down - what can Offaly do - score the next 5 points. Good spirit.
5. Bar some inexplicable refereeing decisions - including calling back the winning free because of a highly questionable judgement about taking the free from the correct position - Offaly would have beaten Monaghan.
6. The free taking has improved.
7. The team will probably be better on a dry sod on a big pitch with some sun on their backs.
8. Westmeath and Kildare could only score 0-7 and 0-8 yesterday yesterday in bad conditions against Division Two opposition - we managed 1-11.
9. One jammy championship win to give them confidence and this team could make us proud!!
1. James Coughlan looked sharp. He has a great ability to win frees or possession when the ball is sent into him. He also delivered a few great foot passes. Maybe a withdrawn role as the next "Colm Quinn" might suit him.
2. Nigel Grennan did indeed match Thomas Freeman well for most of the game. Agreed good displays also from Scott Brady, Alan MacNamee.
3. Mac is back to his maurauding best. He nearly won the game by bursting a gut to run 20 yards to knock the ball out of a Monaghan defender's hands only to see the resulting chance put wide from in front of the posts.
4. A man down, unluckily, and 4 points down - what can Offaly do - score the next 5 points. Good spirit.
5. Bar some inexplicable refereeing decisions - including calling back the winning free because of a highly questionable judgement about taking the free from the correct position - Offaly would have beaten Monaghan.
6. The free taking has improved.
7. The team will probably be better on a dry sod on a big pitch with some sun on their backs.
8. Westmeath and Kildare could only score 0-7 and 0-8 yesterday yesterday in bad conditions against Division Two opposition - we managed 1-11.
9. One jammy championship win to give them confidence and this team could make us proud!!
-
Bord na Mona man
- All Star
- Posts: 4092
- Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:34 am
- Club: Clara
-
the bare biffo
- All Star
- Posts: 444
- Joined: Mon Nov 22, 2004 10:37 am
- Location: Nth Roscommon
-
Bord na Mona man
- All Star
- Posts: 4092
- Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:34 am
- Club: Clara
-
Lone Shark
- All Star
- Posts: 5394
- Joined: Fri Oct 29, 2004 5:21 pm
- Club: Ferbane
- Location: Roscommon
- Contact:
Far be it from me to try and restore a little bit of objectivity into matters, 
but as someone who wasn't at the game and as such saw nothing of it, surely the question is not whether the free went over or not, but whether or not Deehan took it from the right place?
I understand that no-one will be exactly sure, but if he stole - literally - a yard, then we were robbed. If he did still three or four, then that's cheating, and the ref did the right thing, even if it is rarely whistled. Perhaps that's the thing to be focussing on here?
but as someone who wasn't at the game and as such saw nothing of it, surely the question is not whether the free went over or not, but whether or not Deehan took it from the right place? Is that the view of everyone?There was certainly no noticeable yard stealing from Deehan
I understand that no-one will be exactly sure, but if he stole - literally - a yard, then we were robbed. If he did still three or four, then that's cheating, and the ref did the right thing, even if it is rarely whistled. Perhaps that's the thing to be focussing on here?
-
Bord na Mona man
- All Star
- Posts: 4092
- Joined: Fri Nov 05, 2004 11:34 am
- Club: Clara
Well first off, he doesn't take a long run up before hitting frees. Unlike Padraig Joyce, who has run about 6 or 7 strides, is in full flight, and by the time he hits has stolen 5 or 6 yards.
If he was starting out from the wrong spot, then surely the ref should have told him to get back.
Although not strictly the rule, it certainly is protocol for the ref to tell the player to move back to the right spot, if he is shaping up to hit a free from the wrong place.
Instead the ref had the whistle in his mouth and my guess is was waiting for the ball to be struck to catch Deehan out.
My impression is that he was about 2 yards further across the field than where the foul occurred from. Remember that after the foul, the ball would have been tossed from Billy to Jack before Deehan came over to take possession of the ball to take the free.
Maybe someone else could offer their verdict on this?
Under the letter of the law, I'm sure the ref was correct.
My feeling is that this was a classic example of a weak ref, who knew he had made a few bad calls, itching for the match to end in stalemate, so that a losing side couldn't feel aggrieved.
If he was starting out from the wrong spot, then surely the ref should have told him to get back.
Although not strictly the rule, it certainly is protocol for the ref to tell the player to move back to the right spot, if he is shaping up to hit a free from the wrong place.
Instead the ref had the whistle in his mouth and my guess is was waiting for the ball to be struck to catch Deehan out.
My impression is that he was about 2 yards further across the field than where the foul occurred from. Remember that after the foul, the ball would have been tossed from Billy to Jack before Deehan came over to take possession of the ball to take the free.
Maybe someone else could offer their verdict on this?
Under the letter of the law, I'm sure the ref was correct.
My feeling is that this was a classic example of a weak ref, who knew he had made a few bad calls, itching for the match to end in stalemate, so that a losing side couldn't feel aggrieved.
Cop out
I agree BNMM, the ref probably looked up at the scoreboard and played for the draw, he was waiting too blow it up. Its a pity it wasn't taken off the ground, at least he couldn't blow that up. Pity Mc didn't kick the original free although it was a big ask to be fair.
That free at the end - apart from the Ref deeming it to be taken from the wrong spot was----- 100% WIDE- Sorry Lads and when i say wide Im talking about half a bus width here.
Tommo stole about 2 to 3 yards and went on to kick it wide.
So there, its not for discussion - this is a fact.
For jaysus sake I was right behind the goals when he kicked it and my eye sight aint that bad just yet.
Tommo stole about 2 to 3 yards and went on to kick it wide.
So there, its not for discussion - this is a fact.
For jaysus sake I was right behind the goals when he kicked it and my eye sight aint that bad just yet.
Metro
Article in todays Metro (free rag in Dublin) about Offaly game.
Offaly rage over disallowed free
Offaly boss Kevin Kilmurray has called on referee Michael Ryan to explain his actions following the bizarre ending to Sunday’s NFL Division 1A clash with Monaghan.
Offaly thought they’d done enough to take a massive step away from relegation when Thomas Deehan pointed a late free. But Ryan ruled that Deehan had taken the kick from the wrong spot and ruled out the score. It meant that instead of a one point win Offaly had to settle for a draw which virtually condemns them to relegation.
“I would like to ask Michael Ryan why exactly did he make that decision.?” Fumed Kilmurray. “There was nothing wrong with Tom’s kick but the referee was right there in his face counting every step. It looked like a sham, a very amateurish handling of the situation. He’ll say it was the letter of the law but I’d ask him does he pull up every incident of this nature?.”
Despite slating Ryan’s decision Kilmurray moved quickly to condemn abuse that the referee suffered as he departed the pitch from fans. It has even been alleged that a missile was thrown at Ryan after the heated finale. ”If an Offaly supporter did that then I would condemn it out of hand” said Kilmurray. Michael Ryan has a difficult job and I would apologise personally to him if I found that any Offaly fan had overstepped the mark.”
Offaly rage over disallowed free
Offaly boss Kevin Kilmurray has called on referee Michael Ryan to explain his actions following the bizarre ending to Sunday’s NFL Division 1A clash with Monaghan.
Offaly thought they’d done enough to take a massive step away from relegation when Thomas Deehan pointed a late free. But Ryan ruled that Deehan had taken the kick from the wrong spot and ruled out the score. It meant that instead of a one point win Offaly had to settle for a draw which virtually condemns them to relegation.
“I would like to ask Michael Ryan why exactly did he make that decision.?” Fumed Kilmurray. “There was nothing wrong with Tom’s kick but the referee was right there in his face counting every step. It looked like a sham, a very amateurish handling of the situation. He’ll say it was the letter of the law but I’d ask him does he pull up every incident of this nature?.”
Despite slating Ryan’s decision Kilmurray moved quickly to condemn abuse that the referee suffered as he departed the pitch from fans. It has even been alleged that a missile was thrown at Ryan after the heated finale. ”If an Offaly supporter did that then I would condemn it out of hand” said Kilmurray. Michael Ryan has a difficult job and I would apologise personally to him if I found that any Offaly fan had overstepped the mark.”