2018 NFL

[summerindublin]

Round 1: Sunday, January 28: Armagh v Sligo, Derry v Westmeath, Fermanagh v Wexford, Offaly v Longford

Round 2: Sunday, February 4: Fermanagh v Offaly, Longford v Derry, Sligo v Wexford, Westmeath v Armagh

Round 3: Sunday February 11: Armagh v Longford, Derry v Offaly, Sligo v Fermanagh, Wexford v Westmeath

Round 4: Saturday, February 24: Fermanagh v Derry; Sunday, February 25: Longford v Wexford, Offaly v Armagh, Westmeath v Sligo

Round 5: Saturday, March 3: Armagh v Derry; Sunday, March 4: Sligo v Longford, Westmeath v Fermanagh, Wexford v Offaly

Round 6: Saturday, March 17: Fermanagh v Armagh; Sunday, March 18: Derry v Wexford, Longford v Westmeath, Offaly v Sligo

Round 7: Sunday, March 25: Longford v Fermanagh, Sligo v Derry, Westmeath v Offaly, Wexford v Armagh

only 3 home games leaves this league hard.

[Lone Shark]

Round 1: Sunday, January 28: Armagh v Sligo, Derry v Westmeath, Fermanagh v Wexford, Offaly v Longford

Round 2: Sunday, February 4: Fermanagh v Offaly, Longford v Derry, Sligo v Wexford, Westmeath v Armagh

Round 3: Sunday February 11: Armagh v Longford, Derry v Offaly, Sligo v Fermanagh, Wexford v Westmeath

Round 4: Saturday, February 24: Fermanagh v Derry; Sunday, February 25: Longford v Wexford, Offaly v Armagh, Westmeath v Sligo

Round 5: Saturday, March 3: Armagh v Derry; Sunday, March 4: Sligo v Longford, Westmeath v Fermanagh, Wexford v Offaly

Round 6: Saturday, March 17: Fermanagh v Armagh; Sunday, March 18: Derry v Wexford, Longford v Westmeath, Offaly v Sligo

Round 7: Sunday, March 25: Longford v Fermanagh, Sligo v Derry, Westmeath v Offaly, Wexford v Armagh

only 3 home games leaves this league hard.

When you see it on paper, that's a really tough run. Rounds 2-5 involves three games on the road (all a long distance) and three matches against Ulster opposition. You get the feeling that a first round win over Longford is vital, because you could play well in that run and still come away with very little. Of course there's no game is unwinnable either, and if you did come through that run with six points on the board, you'd be in a great position to try and drive on against Sligo and Westmeath. Still, with just three home games overall, you'd have to say that mid-table would be respectable. Mid-table, combined with relegating Westmeath with a win in Mullingar, well that would do just nicely altogether......

[substandard]

Think this will be a very competitive division. No real gimmes stand out, and I'd say any team capable of beating any others on a given day. For any team to lose, say, their first two games, that could leave them playing catch up if they have any interest in promotion, and I could see several teams in danger of relegation when down to the last two games. A good start would be great for new management, and I think the players are there to give it a right good crack, but by the same token a few early defeats would make life very difficult.

[Lone Shark]

On a different note, it's a pity there are no Saturday night fixtures. I'm at a different stage of life now and the days of looking at the fixture list with an eye on possible overnight trips and local nightlife are long past me, but they are a nice feature of the league and it's a shame not to have at least one of them.

Not including Wexford of course. You'd always want to get the hell away from there as quick as possible.

[Bord na Mona man]

If Offaly start a bit quicker this year, the Longford game should be winnable. My suspicion was that Longford were more advanced in the winter preparations when Offaly faded in the latter stages of last year's opener.
2 points here are extra important when you see Rounds 2, 3 and 4 - Two aways to Fermanagh and Derry and home to Armagh.
The final 3 games, see trips to Mullingar and Wexford and it may be that a win is needed in one of these. Just like Longford, the home game against Sligo is one that needs to go into the win column.

Rightly, or wrongly people will see the trip to Dunnes Stores as the yardstick for whether Stephen Wallace has moved the team forward. Pat Flanagan went there 3 times in 2 years, including two championship fixtures and didn't bring home the groceries. I believe this is the key reason he got shelved. If Wallace can check out of here with 2 points in the basket, he'll be moving in the right direction.

[LooseCannon]

If Offaly start a bit quicker this year, the Longford game should be winnable. My suspicion was that Longford were more advanced in the winter preparations when Offaly faded in the latter stages of last year's opener.
2 points here are extra important when you see Rounds 2, 3 and 4 - Two aways to Fermanagh and Derry and home to Armagh.
The final 3 games, see trips to Mullingar and Wexford and it may be that a win is needed in one of these. Just like Longford, the home game against Sligo is one that needs to go into the win column.

Rightly, or wrongly people will see the trip to Dunnes Stores as the yardstick for whether Stephen Wallace has moved the team forward. Pat Flanagan went there 3 times in 2 years, including two championship fixtures and didn't bring home the groceries. I believe this is the key reason he got shelved. If Wallace can check out of here with 2 points in the basket, he'll be moving in the right direction.

To be fair, the ref wronged us last year. Certain penalty at the end when Niall Darby was bundled to the ground.

[substandard]

Rightly, or wrongly people will see the trip to Dunnes Stores as the yardstick for whether Stephen Wallace has moved the team forward. Pat Flanagan went there 3 times in 2 years, including two championship fixtures and didn't bring home the groceries. I believe this is the key reason he got shelved. If Wallace can check out of here with 2 points in the basket, he'll be moving in the right direction.

That alone is surely worth a power of value club card points!!

[SearingDrive]

If Offaly start a bit quicker this year, the Longford game should be winnable. My suspicion was that Longford were more advanced in the winter preparations when Offaly faded in the latter stages of last year's opener.
2 points here are extra important when you see Rounds 2, 3 and 4 - Two aways to Fermanagh and Derry and home to Armagh.
The final 3 games, see trips to Mullingar and Wexford and it may be that a win is needed in one of these. Just like Longford, the home game against Sligo is one that needs to go into the win column.

Rightly, or wrongly people will see the trip to Dunnes Stores as the yardstick for whether Stephen Wallace has moved the team forward. Pat Flanagan went there 3 times in 2 years, including two championship fixtures and didn't bring home the groceries. I believe this is the key reason he got shelved. If Wallace can check out of here with 2 points in the basket, he'll be moving in the right direction.

The championship loss to Westmeath on home turf, sealed Pat Flanagan's fate. Tough campaign in 2018 league.
Will a win in Mullingar entitle us to bonus points in Dunnes Stores?

[LooseCannon]

If Offaly start a bit quicker this year, the Longford game should be winnable. My suspicion was that Longford were more advanced in the winter preparations when Offaly faded in the latter stages of last year's opener.
2 points here are extra important when you see Rounds 2, 3 and 4 - Two aways to Fermanagh and Derry and home to Armagh.
The final 3 games, see trips to Mullingar and Wexford and it may be that a win is needed in one of these. Just like Longford, the home game against Sligo is one that needs to go into the win column.

Rightly, or wrongly people will see the trip to Dunnes Stores as the yardstick for whether Stephen Wallace has moved the team forward. Pat Flanagan went there 3 times in 2 years, including two championship fixtures and didn't bring home the groceries. I believe this is the key reason he got shelved. If Wallace can check out of here with 2 points in the basket, he'll be moving in the right direction.

The championship loss to Westmeath on home turf, sealed Pat Flanagan's fate. Tough campaign in 2018 league.
Will a win in Mullingar entitle us to bonus points in Dunnes Stores?

Home turf? It was a draw in O'CP. Beaten in Mullingar.

[SearingDrive]

Failure to beat Westmeath at home was the catalyst in Pat Flanagan's departure from the Offaly job. Westmeath got it together in Cusack Park the following Saturday.

Next year's league campaign will be a challenge.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Indeed. It felt like a loss in the aftermath too. There for the taking and thrown away.

Failure to beat Westmeath at home was the catalyst in Pat Flanagan's departure from the Offaly job. Westmeath got it together in Cusack Park the following Saturday.

Next year's league campaign will be a challenge.

[DoingUntold]

Brian Darby has retired from inter county football,a great servant to the faithful county over the year's.

Ruari Allen and Ruairi Mc Namee heading to Oz to travel and Graham Guilfoyle unavailable due to work commitments.

[LooseCannon]

Brian Darby has retired from inter county football,a great servant to the faithful county over the year's.

Ruari Allen and Ruairi Mc Namee heading to Oz to travel and Graham Guilfoyle unavailable due to work commitments.

Anyone know how long Allen is in Oz for?
Just the league or for the full season.
By far the best footballer in Offaly.


As for Brian Darby, he owes Offaly nothing.

[LooseCannon]

http://www.midlands103.com/sport-centre ... 8-mulhall/

[NewEra]

Are there any updates on injuries clearing up for Cunningham, Carroll, Maloney, Rigney ahead of this weekend?