Offaly v Kildare Leinster SFC 1/4 Final 2021

[bracknaghboy]

Boylesports go Kildare 1/7 with Offaly 11/2.
Offaly getting a 6 point start on the handicap.

It'll be Kildares first game in 3 weeks whereas Offalys 4th game in 4 weeks or 7th in 8 weeks in total.
They looked flat a couple of times yesterday but overall I've never seen a fitter Offaly side take to a football pitch. The 20 mins extra time yesterday was remarkable. I don't know what Maughan is putting in their soda-pop but we could all do with a slug of it.

All is not perfect, few issues raised their head again yesterday that if not addressed then the Boylesport price will look about right.
More on this in a couple of days when time permits.

[Sur lookit]

Assuming that Offaly can recover well and no injuries, then I fancy us to give this a good rattle in that we could pose some trouble to them up front.

Louth game was a tough one and the mindset would have been different and as was seen in the last few minutes of normal time, there was a fear of losing the game rather than a confidence that we can win it.
At half time given that we had settled well after the first 10 minutes, led comfortably 6-3 at water break, but were 9-7 down at half time, I didn't give us a prayer of getting a win. And indeed only for that fortuitous goal, I'd say it would be a different story now.

Few things and I don't think they can be addressed,
1) Kick out, we have no strategy (that works) if we can't get away the short kick out, that last effort in normal time was kamikaze and I don't think we can fix this during the week, we've had long enough. We must have a plan??? But not working.
2) Game management, we worked the ball around quite well to overcome the blanket defence, but dissolved badly in last 5 minutes, literally panicking on frees and soloing the ball into trouble...again basic that can be fixed , but is mindset issue.
3) Getting a stop on runners, and general lack of pressure on players shooting, Louth kicked 18 points in normal time, hit 16 wides and dropped around 4 short. Yes we are not conceding goal chances, but our retreating players are not even marking space properly it appears at times.
4) We turned over the ball under no pressure (Anton and Shane Horan 6 times in first half alone) too easily at times.

Now, how much of this can be sorted between now and start of next league is the main point, but in the short term, with promotion achieved and pressure off to a degree with a championship win under the belt, maybe some of these areas may not be as obvious. In a week it is difficult, but the benefit of the win last Sunday should make a huge difference to the mentality.

Anton, get back to doing the simple things well as he did during the league. Eoin Carroll needed in midfield. Cunningham needs to bring energy and dynamic runs through the middle, Carl Stewart needs to break up play and move ball quicker but is doing well. Bill Carroll looked very decent when introduced and might be just the man from half forward to give an option for kick outs. Shane Horan had a stinker last Sunday but played some decent football during the league. Cian and Niall with direct ball could cause some harm.
Not sure where Moloney should play, didnt stand out too much last week. I expected Chilly Donnelly to get more game time and maybe push Darby further up the field, but he hasn't had much of a look in.
But on the plus side, as long as your learning from it , stumbling over the line is a good thing and the players themselves will know that they got out of jail on Sunday and we have given Kildare decent games over the last few years. We may still come up a bit short, but we need to go for it and try to unsettle them as there is savage pressure on them to win. The Kerryman will be under serious pressure if they don't.

Good luck to players and management, your committment to the cause is much appreciated!

[Bord na Mona man]

These sides met in November and while Offaly stayed competitive throughout but a win seemed only a possibility at best.

November is a long time ago though. When you think that Cavan beat Donegal to win Ulster but wouldn't get within 10 points of them now. Tipperary might be Munster champions but Kerry will likely beat them by double digits.

This will be a faster game on a dry pitch. Heat may be a factor so maybe no harm that Offaly have had two warm weather tests to prepare.
Offaly will need to have learned from Gareth McKinless running amok from half back for Derry because Kevin Flynn will break forward and do damage from wing back if there is space open.

Kildare's attacking play also has a physical dimension as they like carrying the ball into contact, breaking tackles and teeing up someone for a shot. A lot could depend on whether their shots are hitting the mark as they rely a lot on midfielders and half forwards to contribute to the scoring.

[Buttons]

Best of luck today, I really think we have a great chance. If we get off to a good start and convert the goal chances it’s the scalp that could change everything for this team. Onwards and upwards.

Go on Offaly.

[frankthetank]

Best wishes to all involved today!!

[mynamesjeff]

If we do better and bring an improvement on kickouts than previously, then we should be well in it.

Hon Offaly!

[bracknaghboy]

I think Offaly need to bring something different to the table today.
Taking on Kildare punch for punch will result in a 6 or 7 point defeat.
There needs to be some sort of plan that results in Offaly dictating terms for at least a certain portion of the game.
Something different from the kickouts maybe?
Niall Mc and Moloney on the edge of the square and ball in quick? I don't know, but what has been produced so far this year simply won't be enough today.

The biggest thing that needs fixing is how teams are walking through the backs even though 13 or 14 lads are back behind the ball. It's one thing getting back into your own 65 but it's what to do then thats the important bit.
It's not impossible by any stretch but it's a massive ask today.
I'm hopeful but thats about it I'm afraid.

[Kevin]

Good luck to Offaly today.

Come on boys, you can do it!!!

[SearingDrive]

Offaly lose.

[kingscounty]

A game that could have been won if we had a few more scoring forwards. We had loads of possession but crucially didn’t get enough scores! Anton guilty of hitting a number of shots short and made a very poor strike when through on goal in the first half, but in fairness to him he did get on a lot of ball.

The 4 games in a row caught up with us today at times as kildare seemed that bit fresher.

Well done to the lads for a great year, promotion achieved, and a championship win. Big year next year as we move up a division.

[Bord na Mona man]

It could have been better in that Offaly had a lot of chances in the first half to push into a lead. Unfortunately there isn't enough of a spread of scorers in the team right now. We don't have notable score getters on the half forward line or further out.

It could have been worse when Kildare appeared on the verge of stretching away with 15 mins left, until their indiscipline eventually caught them out and they lost 2 men.

This game gave a flavour of the higher standard of football that Offaly must build up towards. There is a sense of progress but bigger tests await.

[mynamesjeff]

Hard luck to the lads today. Definitely a year that we could’ve done with the backdoor.

[BiffoInThurso]

Same old failings.

-No kickout strategy. Landing ball aimlessly in top of kevin feely who is arguably the best fielder of a ball in the country was madness. We don’t have big men, and we either need to draft some in or else find another way of securing primary possession.

-Cunningham isn’t paying his way in this team and should be left to ride the pine for a while. Theres clearly a talented player there as we know but for me he’s only shown it in fits and starts. He’s been played in the front 3 sectors of the field, so we are running out of places to try and accommodate him.

-Not sure why Eoin Carroll wasn’t started, he’s our most consistent player.

-Eoin Rigney was a huge loss. Been our standout performer this year.

-Colm Doyle is a super player but needs to get his head up when he gets inside the opponents 21.

-We don’t have anyone to kick scores outside of panda, niall mac and cian farrell. Hopefully an o byrne cup next year gives a few lads a chance to put their hands up in low stake competitive games.

-cian farrell, figurehead of our attack. Any success offaly have going forward will be built off his back.

Overall a positive year, though in the cold light of day we were well beaten by the two teams who are clearly not of division 3 standard. At least the lads know whats coming for them down the road and they can start preparing for this step up in next years league. Imperative we build on this positive momentum.

[Tmacmahon]

2021 is a good year, we are up to division 2 and won a championship game in leinster.
in the context of the last decade this is good.
yes we were lucky division 3 was split and we had to play two promoted teams from div 4 and a depleted tipp team, but we capitalised on the opportunity, do i think we would have got promoted in an 8 team division, NO. It doesn't matter we are up.
beating louth offered us a chance to show real improvement and take on kildare, ultimately we can dress it up how we like but there was no improvement in terms of taking the next step.
I think john will stay for year 4 and i think niall mcnamee will stay on as well.
Thanks to players and management for their efforts this year.

[summerindublin]

Unfortunately Offaly leart nothing from the previous games, kick outs were a shambles again, Rigney was a hugh loss, I would say that we might have won if he had not got injured, forward line in general was poor, wrong options taken and finally ref was poor for Offaly