SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

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The Biff
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SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by The Biff »

When is this fixture going to be confirmed? The gaa.ie website still has it listed for either Saturday or Sunday July 9th or 10th.
I'll even welcome rumours at this point.
Peter Parker: I missed the part where that's MY problem.

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Bord na Mona man
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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by Bord na Mona man »

A Sunday fixture would give them an extra day to try and fumigate the venue.
In fairness, it's slightly better now than it was in the 70s.


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SearingDrive
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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by SearingDrive »

Bord na Mona man wrote:A Sunday fixture would give them an extra day to try and fumigate the venue.
In fairness, it's slightly better now than it was in the 70s.


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Looks like the old GAA grounds in Clara to me!!

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Waiting to see if the Offaly Senior hurlers progress on Saturday. If the hurlers won, both Senior footballers and hurlers would be playing on the weekend of 9th/10th July.
The Biff wrote:When is this fixture going to be confirmed? The gaa.ie website still has it listed for either Saturday or Sunday July 9th or 10th.
I'll even welcome rumours at this point.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

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The Biff
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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by The Biff »

I see the Flour Bags Board has finally gotten around to confirming this.

Saturday next, 9th July at 6:30 pm in St.Conleths, Newbridge.
Peter Parker: I missed the part where that's MY problem.

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Bord na Mona man
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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by Bord na Mona man »

Fingers crossed! We'll have a to put in a big shift to win this, but it's very possible.
Both teams are trying to purge the shame of losing to a putrid Westmeath side.

I think Offaly need one or two of the forwards to have a hot streak and score 3 or 4 from play. Goals have been hard to come by lately for Offaly. We might get one, but it would be big news if we got 2 or more.
As usual Kildare don't have great firepower. Against sides of a similar or lower level than them, they are good at keeping the ball until a scoring chance presents itself. If we can keep them shooting from difficult angles and from tight spaces they won't rack up much.

I must check what specials there are in cider at the Whitewater shopping centre.

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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by Buttons »

Seems to be the same team but Smith back in for Panda, best of luck today, last team remaining now.

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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by NewEra »

Best of luck to team and management this evening. Our last white hope. Am I right in saying that a win today would be or first time since 2010 to win more than 3 championship games?

Smith in for Panda which effectively means Antony replaces Panda. Praying for a couple of goals today. Would love to get Kildare monkey off our backs - it seems to be the same teams every year!

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Bord na Mona man
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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by Bord na Mona man »

Close but just not enough to get over the line. When Offaly drew level with 13 to go, all the momentum was in their favour.
Kildare got the next score, but crucially won the next few kickouts that went long to keep Offaly penned back.
Considering that Offaly were second best in midfield for most of a game, it was a great effort from Offaly to be in the driving seat at any point.

Sadly you have to conclude that like the Longford and Kildare games last year and Westmeath this year, the games Offaly win are ones where they have a to be clearly better and pulling away. In the tight ones they get edged out. People instantly say fitness, but I think there isn't always clear headed thinking in these situations.

Yesterday evening Offaly lost their way in the closing minutes. Too many players got distracted by provocation. When Offaly lads conceded a free, they were still having a go and not getting back into position.
Even when there was 7 minutes injury time announced, you felt that Offaly's heads were already somewhere else and no chance of a comeback.
A little too often Offaly get on the wrong side of the ref with back chat. When you have bad ref, leave him at it and you'll hopefully get a quota of bad decisions going your way, Piss him off by querying the dodgy ones and you risk turning him on you. For example, the dubious call against Alan Mullhall that was a big swing decision have gone against Offaly if there hadn't been a build up of dissent? There is no definitive answer obviously.

All that said, Offaly put in a heck of effort. If they managed to get a bigger supply to the forwards in the 2nd half, they were taking the Kildare full back line to the cleaners. Unfortunately many of Kildare's scores owed to Offaly just not having covering players behind midfield, which allowed Kildare make easy carries. Had we gotten more bodies back to close it down we would have won. Offaly had the ability to long and direct to the inside forwards and win the ball, which Kildare didn't have.

Over the year a few players like Peter Cunningham, Joey O'Connor, Nigel Dunne and John Maloney enhanced their standing. While we might have other players pushing on in age, it's nice to see other players stepping up and hopefully 2017 will see more again.

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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by first_touch »

While it was a reasonably good effort by Offaly it also showed up key deficiencies that have to be worked on if further progress is to be made. Inability to win ball around the middle is critical. What is even more worrying is that there doesn't seem to be any strategy for winning possession there, especially breaking ball. Our tackling and tracking back were very disappointing. Several Kildare scores emanated from deep without an Offaly hand being laid on an opposition player. A much higher workrate is required from our forwards in order to prevent or slow down attacks. Nigel Dunne apart, the Offaly half forward line was totally ineffective, not helped by the half time substitution.

We were physically second best to Kildare on the night and didn't seem as mentally tuned in either. This points to the need for further work on strength and conditioning and on mental preparation. It is no coincidence that we were physically and, indeed, mentally intimidated by Westmeath and Kildare and lost both games. We need to learn to stand up to opponents and there is no point pleading to the referee or linesman for intervention.

On the plus side, Offaly are capable of playing good attacking football and taking good scores as they showed Saturday night

Peter Cunningham and Johnny Moloney were our standout players. Ironically, I think Moloney would be better deployed at centre back with Cunningham playing further forward. Peter is a brilliant footballer but he is not a stopper and Moloney would be better capable of marshalling the defence and still joining attacks.

Kildare were unrecognisable from their display against Westmeath. I can't help but think that they had no particular desire to win that game as they didn't savour the prospect of playing Dublin. And, unlike Offaly, they have a good record in the qualifiers.

Finally, is there any way Pat Flanagan could have a word with a couple of his players to ditch the red boots? Flashy footwear is all very well for a flamboyant corner forward but for guys that are meant to be getting stuck in and physically imposing themselves on the game it just doesn't fit!

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Tuco Salamanca
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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by Tuco Salamanca »

I was impressed by what I saw when Offaly attacked on Saturday. Nearly every ball we put in led to a score or a free. If we had got a few more high balls in there was more goals for the taking. As people are saying our defending was poor and this killed us. How many times could we let their big midfielders catch a ball and have everyone standing the wrong side of him? Joey O'Connor was a big loss.

This sledging is a bad thing. I wonder was something very bad said to Niall McNamee, because I've never seen him react like that. He'd have been getting special attention all his career and always managed to stay out of getting involved.
I'm not surprised that its counties like Westmeath and Kildare that excel in it. Their players on the field are as bad as their fans off the field.

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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by ryot »

I was close enough to the start of the rucus. Pretty sure the Kildare lad did not say anything to Niall, but laughed 9or sneered !!!) as Offaly conceeded a needles stupid free and were in no hurry to take the free as Offaly returned the ball and the Kildare lad walked away , laughted at Niall who lost it... Niall started well with a great catch, turn and point but was hardly seen for the rest of the game so he let his frustration erupt.... Not helpfull when 4 points down and a few minutes left.... It just wasted 2 or 5 minutes which suited Kildare not us.....

If Offaly lads saved their energy for when the play was on rather than pushing , Shoving & needling when the whistle had stopped play it might have worked better..

Now the ref was a turnip, but that was for both teams, but when the game was there to be won, Alan coming barreling out and charging into an opponent when he should have passed the ball 10 yards earlier was really braindead and changed the course of the game and that was no fault of the ref...

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The Biff
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Re: SFC Qualifier Kildare v Offaly

Post by The Biff »

I'm still fierce disappointed that this was another opportunity wasted for what might have been a very gratifying win. We got little or one of the breaking ball in midfield, and that cost us dearly. The way Kildare defended could have been a glorious chance for the likes of Joey O'Connor's raiding runs. Kildare's goal from a save-rebound was a sign of alertness lacking. We could have won it, so we should have won it.

Stupid curious question - anyone know why the team wore the old jerseys? Just wondering if it is a sign of some bad preparation on the team-admin side. I hope not.
Peter Parker: I missed the part where that's MY problem.

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