Byrne v Duignan

[oneshot]

The main argument the 'high powered group' is putting forward is about taking things in "a new direction" with "a different new vision". Good buzzwords in fairness. Whilst the media asked the questions they didn't dig into the responses much understandably so in order to keep things flowing without constant interruption. So many I've spoken to have been digging into the responses to understand more about the new direction we'll be headed. Some examples:

Minor Hurling
One thing that kept coming up coming up in recent years is how our underage teams are way behind other counties in terms of preparation for the championship. This has been addressed and the minor hurlers are apparently training 3 nights a week now. However, Duignan doesn't agree and says in the Tribune that "starting in January and February is plenty of time for a minor team". Is it really? It wasn't good enough in the past so why would it be now? Thats a worrying statement from a potential chairman. So much for the "progression" we are being promised.

Development Squads
We spent years lamenting the fact that unlike all other counties we didn't have proper development squads. Well we have very good development squad systems in place and there is huge work being done in this area.The fruits of which will be seen in the next 5 years. Again Duignan isn't too keen on development squads, and in the Tribune he says "Just because they are a nationwide solution, are they the best thing for Offaly". Wow, read that back again to yourself. Can you imagine how the media would rip into Tommy Byrne if he made made such a statement? Not very progressive again.

Kevin Martins removal
Tommy Byrne and the committee made the obviously very difficult decision to remove Kevin from his post with 2 games in the hope that Joachim could turn things. Thats called leadership. Making the hard unpleasant decisions. It didn't work out but it had to be tried. Duignan would not have removed him and spoke in the media of "feeling very sorry" for Kevin who was "a great friend". When it comes to the chairmans role you have to be "ruthless" as Byrne described it, feeling sorry for someone in a role or not acting because they are a legend or friend is not leadership.

Hurling in Birr
There are some suspicions out there that this is the main driving factor behind the 'high powered group'. Byrne has been clear that the existing arrangement he agreed to will stay in place. So that means plenty of club action there including 1/4 and 1/2 finals, Keogh/Walsh cup games and a NHL fixture. Duignan is all the over the place here on this. He has continually said that the matter "has to be put to bed" and he is "looking for a solution that suits everyone". He then says that playing the county final there "is going to be part of an overall solution". However he states the capacity of SBP is only 3,500 in the Tribune so that creates a problem obviously. Then on Radio 3 it's 8,800 according to him. Playing county finals and big intercounty games in Birr would be like taking the Offaly footballers out of Faithful Fields and sending them back to Gracefield to train in winter because thats where they were based when winning Leinster in 1997. Mad stuff.

Strategic plans
Byrne has been criticised for calling them "airy fairy". They are only as good your capacity to implement them. A great strategic plan could be written up with a goal to making Meath the All Ireland Hurling champions in the next ten years but it wouldn't be worth the paper it is written on. The man running for Vice Chairman is being championed as a great strategist with huge experience of strategic plans. Well the Edenderry development plan 2010-2015 failed to stop hurling becoming extinct in the town after a proud 100 year history. So these plans whilst they look great and get applause they simply have to be implementable and realistic. It appears from the Tribune that Duignan will be reaching out to the clubs in the new year with the goal of putting a new strategic plan in place. So as of now nobody knows what will be in this. Your guess is as good as mine.

Hurling in general
We have been complaining for years now that our senior teams can't play against sweepers, can't play with sweepers, don't know how to use an extra man, can't do short puck outs, can't play a short possession game etc. etc. etc. I think we all agree that Fennelly will hopefully work on these things and turn us into a modern outfit equipped to have a shot at Leinster in the next 3-4 years. It has to be noted that Duignan isn't big into all this modern stuff and regularly says on air that we wants to see 15 against 15 man on man stuff. It's never going back to that.Romance of ground hurling is just that, romance.

Right the bottom line as I see it is that things have turned the corner and the progress made by this current county board in the last 2-3 years is the most progress we have seen ever at CB level. Now is not the time for change but rather stability is needed. Tommy Byrne is not perfect but right now he is the progressive one that is pushing things forward. Duignan it seems from a lot of what he says about hurling actually seems to be stuck in the past and wants us to go back doing the things that haven't worked for us in decades. Like US elections and Brexit big statements and buzzwords and terms like "new direction", "new vision" "progressive" all sound great in newspaper headlines but when you dig deeper and see whats actually on offer it's not all it seems.

Lets hope the clubs vote for stability next week and allow the great recent progress made at CB level to continue unhindered.

progress made at CB level county hurlers have went from leinster championship to christy ring. down to division 2 B in hurling footballers up between division 3 and 4 for the last few years. no underage wins since minor and under 21s in 2000. minor football 1989 .you couldn’t make this shit up.

[Towerus]

Just a point on one topic someone picked up on - the development squads. I don't know MD's reasoning on this, but I think he may have a point. Picking the cream of underage players at a young age and moulding them in development squads may well be very fruitful where there are large numbers of players, but our pick is so small, it's debatable that we wouldn't be better off to plough the resources into underage coaching in clubs and leave the "elite" squads until players are a bit older. Players develop at different rates, both in stature and in skill, and there's no guarantee that the average 10 year old won't pass out his now-slightly-better team-mate in a couple of years if they both get quality input, rather than the marginally better player getting picked for a development squad.

That aside, I may not be 100% convinced that Michael D is the right candidate for the job, but I AM 100% convinced that the outgoing chairman is NOT. It's no easy role and there's ever going to be total agreement with decisions and so on, but Tommy has been involved in some shambolic goings-on in his time, particularly with team management - starting with the shafting of Paul O'Kelly under his first term.

It's difficult to grasp why so many (not just on this board) that have been so critical of the Board for so long are not embracing the chance for change with open arms.

[Pat Mustard]

I hear Tullamore Gaa clubs executive were going to vote for Tommy Byrne but the members voted tonight at there AGM and over turned there decision and gave them a mandate to vote for Duignan fair play to the members

[private joker]

All up to the club delagate now to either follow executive or vote of AGM.

[Hasselhoff]

I hear Tullamore Gaa clubs executive were going to vote for Tommy Byrne but the members voted tonight at there AGM and over turned there decision and gave them a mandate to vote for Duignan fair play to the members

Interesting.

Wonder how many other clubs are in the same boat.

[private joker]

Who decides how to vote?. Executive and put in place to make decisions and run the club. Was it a topic on the tullamore agenda that was down for decision at the Tullamore AGM?. If the executive wanted to vote a certain way, and those people are still on the executive, that vote will hardly change.

[Hasselhoff]

Who decides how to vote?. Executive and put in place to make decisions and run the club. Was it a topic on the tullamore agenda that was down for decision at the Tullamore AGM?. If the executive wanted to vote a certain way, and those people are still on the executive, that vote will hardly change.

Unfortunately as its a secret ballot and the delegates on the night could vote what ever way they like regardless of what way they are mandated.

I think the topic of the vote has come up at most agms and commitee meetings.

I have heard of a good few clubs supporting duignan but have any decided to support Tommy.

[NewEra]

We have seen public support on club accounts for Duignan's ticket from the following clubs (as would have been expected):
St. Rynaghs
Ballinamere
Durrow
Edenderry
Clara

The 15 votes from the above will cancel out the majority of CB officer votes which will go in favour of the status quo you would imagine. Likewise for the 4 committee votes.

Purely on speculation, I would give Gracefield's 3 votes to TB. I am not sure of any other clubs who have publicly supported one of the tickets.

That will make it 22-15 in favour of TB with the following votes:
70 club delegate votes
35 county board officer votes

I imagine there will be some north/south divide on it from here, along with the rogue votes.

[private joker]

Could be a little like Trump vs Hillary. No one really openly admitted to supporting Trump, it was thought to be a sure thing for Hillary. Look how that ended. I think Duignan will win. But it's not a sure thing. I know that if duignan loses, the others with him will withdraw from the contest also. But what happens if duignan gets in, and the others don't?

[True Red]

The man running for Vice Chairman is being championed as a great strategist with huge experience of strategic plans. Well the Edenderry development plan 2010-2015 failed to stop hurling becoming extinct in the town after a proud 100 year history.

Have to pull first time on this hopping ball.....it suggests that Colm Cummins was responsible for the downturn in hurling fortunes in and around Edenderry.

Nothing could be further than the truth. He has organised and trained underage hurling teams the past couple of years (2 teams at under 7, Under 9 and Under 11) all playing Go Games and practice matches in Kildare. We had a Minor team 2 years ago that got to the County Final.

The demise of adult hurling in Edenderry occurred as a result of neglect of underage structures which happened way before his tenure. As a club Edenderry now have a realistic goal of togging out at Junior level in the 2020 championship.

Also, I would just like to say that the opportunity for meaningful change is now and I for one hope that county board delegates embrace it. Whats in the past is done, and cant be changed and while the officers are decent people no doubt, it did occur under their watch. Now is the time to unite and push on as a county and drag ourselves out of this morass we are in.

I wish them the best of luck.

[kingscounty]

Is this been televised and what time should we know the results?

[offalys future2]

you know whats hilarious, Lone Shark, Plain of the Herbs and good few more on this have for years been on this forum writing mostly horse shite week in week out. Now when something really positive and meaningful is about to happen they are quiet.
I have always said it this forum and Offaly's demise is just a vacuum for a few wannabe journalists whose careers have progressed while reporting every incident in Offaly over the past 10 years.

Offaly need change and leadership and Michael Duignan has proved to me that he is the person to hopefully bring about that change.

[Hasselhoff]

Is this been televised and what time should we know the results?

Its live on tg4 with subtitles and also live streamed (with the 5 euro pass) in English on offaly gaa tv. For the younger generation, Buff egan will be live on Snapchat and Instagram for live updates.

If duignan wins there will be a special documentary on rte over the Christmas. It will be called offaly the duignan years the beginning. Fly on the wall stuff with him meeting the clubs and canvassing, then showing the plan...

If Gavin gets in as leinster delegate, there will be a complete wall to wall coverage and interviews on radio 3 and newstalk for the week following. It will put the Gavin Stephen Wallace coverage in the ha penny place. Nothing like this County or Country has seen before.

Both Gavin and duignan will be on a gaa special the following morning on morning Ireland around 740 with marty morrissey. This will be repeated all through the day. Then on the six one news there will marty morrissey down in o Connor Park with a live broadcast with duignan and Co. A few interviews with offaly supporters and what it will mean for the county.

Big spread and feature piece in the weekends Sunday independent will follow.

The tribune will be holding the front page for the result.

There will be media work to be done and money to be made!

I think the result should be known at 8.05. The meeting kicks off at 730 and there is reports to go through, appointment of tellers etc. Takes about 10 to 15 mins to count the votes or more is its a pr vote.

[private joker]

Duignan has to win and probably will. What changes are to be made in the short term, I don't know if they will have the desired effect. It will be at least 3 to 4 years before whatever the new chairman does has an impact on the playing field.

[kingscounty]

Is this been televised and what time should we know the results?

Its live on tg4 with subtitles and also live streamed (with the 5 euro pass) in English on offaly gaa tv. For the younger generation, Buff egan will be live on Snapchat and Instagram for live updates.

If duignan wins there will be a special documentary on rte over the Christmas. It will be called offaly the duignan years the beginning. Fly on the wall stuff with him meeting the clubs and canvassing, then showing the plan...

If Gavin gets in as leinster delegate, there will be a complete wall to wall coverage and interviews on radio 3 and newstalk for the week following. It will put the Gavin Stephen Wallace coverage in the ha penny place. Nothing like this County or Country has seen before.

Both Gavin and duignan will be on a gaa special the following morning on morning Ireland around 740 with marty morrissey. This will be repeated all through the day. Then on the six one news there will marty morrissey down in o Connor Park with a live broadcast with duignan and Co. A few interviews with offaly supporters and what it will mean for the county.

Big spread and feature piece in the weekends Sunday independent will follow.

The tribune will be holding the front page for the result.

There will be media work to be done and money to be made!

I think the result should be known at 8.05. The meeting kicks off at 730 and there is reports to go through, appointment of tellers etc. Takes about 10 to 15 mins to count the votes or more is its a pr vote.

Some coverage