Offaly Senior Football Team - Championship 2023

[Doon Exile]

Agree it’s a tough draw but it might stand to us and show us where we are in terms of development for this team.

This year has been positive and pride is definitely restored in the jersey. The loss of Liam was immense and I’m sure his name was mentioned at more than one juncture in the lead up to last Sunday.

A good run in the Tailteann cup will bring this team on further.

[Kevin]

It’s a good group (tough perhaps), but we get a home game, then one against the neighbors that both teams will be up for and then Cavan. Being that Cavan is headed where we’d like to go, another tilt at them is a good thing.

[Superhans75]

Tough draw Cavan have better footballers than Louth
Laois is a flip of a coin .
London are poor .
Let's let players enjoy the games hopefully experiment a
Bit we don't have the firepower to win it .
Hope springs eternal

[Alloutbarthegoalie]

Any word on Jordan Hayes rejoining the panel? Is Niall Mc finished?

[Anonymous1]

Any word on Jordan Hayes rejoining the panel? Is Niall Mc finished?

Hayes has returned from his tour of duty and will rejoin the panel, Murphy says he probably won’t play in our first Tailteann game but will be available after that. Also, Rory Egan and Jack Bryant are going travelling in the coming weeks.

Murphy also says he’s open to bringing in other players to the panel which is welcome news as we could really do with added depth on the bench.

As for Niall Mac, he’s never said he’s retired but hasn’t shown any interest in rejoining the panel this year. I guess he could do a Cluxton but it seems unlikely.

[frankthetank]

Tullamore, Portlaoise, Longford?

[Doon Exile]

Tullamore, Portlaoise, Longford?

That would be the logic anyways.

Remembering the last time we played a Cavan team in Longford- wasn’t a bad day out….

[Anonymous1]

Tullamore, Portlaoise, Longford?

Mullingar possibly either?

[Superhans75]

Cavan Offaly
game is earmarked for navan or Drogheda.
I have been told .but knowing the Gaa probably end up
In Newry or fraher fields lol

[Hyper]

Any word on Jordan Hayes rejoining the panel? Is Niall Mc finished?

Hayes has returned from his tour of duty and will rejoin the panel, Murphy says he probably won’t play in our first Tailteann game but will be available after that. Also, Rory Egan and Jack Bryant are going travelling in the coming weeks.

Murphy also says he’s open to bringing in other players to the panel which is welcome news as we could really do with added depth on the bench.

As for Niall Mac, he’s never said he’s retired but hasn’t shown any interest in rejoining the panel this year. I guess he could do a Cluxton but it seems unlikely.

Jordo hasn't returned. I think he's due back in a week or so. will defo be a great addition to the panel

[Fairplayalways]

I agree its a tough draw in ways (Cavan being the hard bit of it - local Derby comes into it with Laois but if we are to have any aspirations we surely have to believe and beat Laois after the season they have had to date) , but we could have had Down and/or Meath in same group..the rest of the draw is nothing new from early to mid 1980s with all the regular early championnship exiters in it, as much as we talk about reforming the structure, the perceived big teams are all more or less involved in the main championship still, unless a minnow wins the tailteann, with mentions of lads travellling and no doubt every county in it has those travelling stories to tell, the tailteann will die off in a few years too possibly, OK, Westmeath won it last year, but they have won a Leinster in recent memory and beat Cavan who also have won silver ware of note in last 30 odd years and more recently...the teams that have won nothing in that time, unless one of them win it over the next couple of years I think the tailteann will fall away, I know we would take it..there will be the odd shock in it, but most are picking a winner already out of 4 teams max...

[Anonymous1]

I agree its a tough draw in ways (Cavan being the hard bit of it - local Derby comes into it with Laois but if we are to have any aspirations we surely have to believe and beat Laois after the season they have had to date) , but we could have had Down and/or Meath in same group..the rest of the draw is nothing new from early to mid 1980s with all the regular early championnship exiters in it, as much as we talk about reforming the structure, the perceived big teams are all more or less involved in the main championship still, unless a minnow wins the tailteann, with mentions of lads travellling and no doubt every county in it has those travelling stories to tell, the tailteann will die off in a few years too possibly, OK, Westmeath won it last year, but they have won a Leinster in recent memory and beat Cavan who also have won silver ware of note in last 30 odd years and more recently...the teams that have won nothing in that time, unless one of them win it over the next couple of years I think the tailteann will fall away, I know we would take it..there will be the odd shock in it, but most are picking a winner already out of 4 teams max...

I actually think the Tailteann cup is a breath of fresh air for the weaker counties. Under the old system, Offaly would’ve been facing into the qualifiers instead and would’ve taken a trimming off the likes of a Mayo or Tyrone and the championship would be over in a matter of weeks.

Instead, we’re getting three games with two that should be very competitive and from there have the chance of playing in Croke Park twice more and securing a place in next year’s All Ireland series if we could win it out.

The scenes of celebration in Westmeath last summer showed it still meant a great deal to them and I’ve do doubt we’d celebrate just as wildly if we win it.

I would argue 5 teams could win it (Cavan,Down,Offaly,Meath and Fermanagh), that’s pretty good for a 17 team competition. None of those teams had any serious hope of winning Sam Maguire so what’s the point of putting them all back into the qualifiers to inevitably lose to the top counties.

Training all winter, playing preseason games and then 7 league games to prepare for the championship just to be dumped out after 2 games is a lot less appetising than getting a crack at your provincial championship and if you’re not good enough, getting atleast 3 more games against teams of the same level. Players go travelling every Summer but this at least gives them some reason for staying and gives supporters a chance to see their counties in competitive games when the weather is fine. I don’t see how the Tailteann Cup can be seen as a bad thing.

[Fairplayalways]

never said or not saying its a bad thing (yet) but unless an Antrim or Wicklow or Waterford etc. win it, and no disrespect to them counties whom I watch out for week in week out, I just think the gloss will go off of it after a few years, I hope ime wrong..time will tell..

[Anonymous1]

never said or not saying its a bad thing (yet) but unless an Antrim or Wicklow or Waterford etc. win it, and no disrespect to them counties whom I watch out for week in week out, I just think the gloss will go off of it after a few years, I hope ime wrong..time will tell..

I thought the implication from saying “it will die off” is that you think it’s a bad thing.

I don’t understand your argument that unless an Antrim, Wicklow or Waterford win it then the gloss will go off it. Has the gloss been taken off the Sam Maguire because Dublin, Kerry, Tyrone etc almost always win it? I don’t think so.

Once the games aren’t badly lopsided, I can’t see the gloss going off the Tailteann especially with a guaranteed All Ireland series place up for grabs. Most teams will have hope of making the latter stages of the competition and it gives division 4 teams exposure to division 3 teams and division 3 teams exposure to some division 2 teams which one hopes will help some of the weaker teams improve.

[Superhans75]

I understand the pros and cons of the competition
But I think a league cup formula like in soccer years ago
Would make more sense .
A home and away fixture against each other.
Someone always slipped through but this setup is no good for fans and especially the lowest ranked teams ..
Hopefully the Gaa will have the sense to keep the ticket
Price low or do a 3 match deal..
Remember the post COVID feel good is gone