Offaly Senior Hurlers 2024

[Doon Exile]

Faithfulfanatic,

After that fantastic post I’d love to hear your thoughts on the the Offaly SHC.

Plus 1. Looking forward to the preview already

[Plain of the Herbs]

Well, it’s been quite the few weeks for Offaly hurling. Trophies won, targets achieved, All-Ireland winners (in the case of the U20s), promotion for the Seniors, and more importantly a lot of hurlers developed, benefitting from matches against the top counties.

Several stood up last Saturday, young and older. David King and Jason Sampson did very well and stayed the course. Other end of the spectrum, Cathal King and Dan Bourke were playing their first 70 minutes against serious opposition and again kept going to the end. Killian Sampson, a Fitzgibbon cup winner, looked completely at home. Some really intelligent play, good defending, tackling, turnovers won, won puckouts, took some beautiful scores. You wouldn’t fear for them in Leinster next year.

Hard to know how many more gears Cork had, they probably had a few if the needed them. But they still brought the teamwork, the physical strength and the ability to carve open a defence with a quick reverse pass.

Surviving in Leinster next year will be key. The Antrim game will be a de facto Joe McDonagh final without the trophy, given the prize will be Leinster championship hurling for 2026. That one will be in the final round. Can Offaly be ready for that, probably having shipped 4-24 or the like a few times during the campaign? That’s for another day.

Much is made of the contribution the 2022 Minors will make next year. But the first Offaly underage team to get a significant result was the 2019 U20s who beat Dublin in Parnell Park. Those lads will be 25 – 26 next year and closer to their physical peak. They will form the core of the Senior team over the next three to four years. Ciarán Burke, Dara Maher, Killian Sampson, Ross Ravenhill, Brian Duignan and David Nally were on that team. Éamonn Cleary was in goals. Cathal Kiely scored 0-20 that evening and he surely has something to offer Offaly going forward. We’ll see how the forthcoming county championship goes for him.

Next step for the U20s is to develop in a Fitzgibbon Cup environment, while the lads who just did the Leaving Cert will be experiencing Freshers hurling.

[private joker]

The view from cork was disappointed. They were in 2nd gear for the match. Their mgt very unhappy with the teams approach and performance. They'll up it significantly vs Dublin. 2025 is all about staying up. Will be a very tough assignment to do that. It's been a very good 2024. 2025 will be tough and the u20s will be very much with the seniors more so than this year. Hurling liam mcarthy and staying there will be the priority for offaly going forward.

[pigeon house biffo]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8b9J25i ... Q2cm41bw==

Interesting thoughts from Brian Carroll, hard to say I disagree to be honest.

[offalyman]

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C8b9J25i ... Q2cm41bw==

Interesting thoughts from Brian Carroll, hard to say I disagree to be honest.

Carroll is trying to keep himself in the public eye and on the wireless here, took him till today to mention it. Them 20's lads were knackered after the few weeks they had. I hate this Bull****, Lads looking for a few likes on Instagram + Twitter. Our Goal at the start of the year was to win the Joe Mc and U20 all-Ireland, Mission completed

[pigeon house biffo]

I’m sure he could find less contentious ways of keeping himself relevant rather than sh*tting where he eats.

[private joker]

Carroll is dead right. No one could possibly disagree with what he said. There was a point made in the last few weeks that all leinster counties should be allowed play in the leinster championship. Players going off on holidays while their championship is still alive tells me if the joe mcdonagh was on after they were knocked out of leinster, a load of players would take off to the states etc. Want to be taken seriously? Act like your serious.

[allstar2010]

I thought Brian Carroll had more cop on than that. Very disappointing comments about Screeney.

[Superhans75]

We had good chinwag in the pub last
Night about would the senior team of
2013 ( last competive season) fair against the team of 2024 .
Lots of banter and slagging but I think the team of 2013 would still beat the team of 2024 I know fitness has improved but
Defence wise we have gone into a massive
Decline.
It's hard to judge because the circumstances
Have changed
The evolution of Limerick is a massive
Progression in the game
What do others think?
Have a good weekend

[Bord na Mona man]

I thought Brian Carroll had more cop on than that. Very disappointing comments about Screeney.

If Carroll wants to maintain his credibility as a hurling analyst, then he needs to be willing to speak frankly about Offaly matters, as much as he would other counties. There are a few cute hoor pundits (usually from Kerry) who end up sounding like spin doctors for their native counties.

The Screeney thing will blow over soon enough anyway.

[Hasselhoff]

Who was on the 2013 team

[FaithfulFuture]

That 2013 team would have included Rory Hanniffy, Del Morkan, Brian Carroll, Derek Molloy, Joe Bergin and Dooley coming into his prime.
A fine team who just couldn't get a stroke of luck to make a significant breakthrough.

On a separate note, not a whole lot to fear from either Wexford and Dublin next year in Leinster on today's viewing.
Of course both will be used to playing at a higher standard but with the exception of Chin for Wexford, not too many top class hurlers.

[Hasselhoff]

I think that 2013 team brought Galway to a replay in croke park and ran Galway tight in Portlaoise as well.

Kilkenny were very strong as well at the time.

[The big hill]

The combined 2013 and 2024 team would look like this.
How far would they go?

1. James Dempsey
2. Kevin Brady
3. Ciaran Burke
4. Ben Coneeley
5. Rory Hannify
6. Ger Healion
7. Cillian Kiely
8. Conor Mahon
9. Eimhin Kelly
10. Ciaran Slevin
11. Eoghan Cahill
12. Brian Carroll
13. Shane Dooley
14. Brian Duignan
15. Joe Bergin

Subs
17. Mark Troy
18. Chris McDonald
19. David King
20. Cathal Parlon
21. Jason Sampson
22. Paul Cleary
23. Dan Bourke
24. Charlie Mitchell
25. Oisin Kelly
26. Colin Egan

[G91]

I was only looking back to at that game v galway in portlaoise ref was completely one sided that day Colin egan was sent off for nothing and galway got away with one

As for comparing the 2 teams apples and oranges maybe 2013 were physically bigger joe and shane dooley combined was a dream in the forwards we just came up against some serious teams we had a good few injuries throughout that teams legacy


Cathal Kiely is an exceptional player anyone who follows offaly hurling knows what that guy has to offer he walked away from the pannel for personal reasons as brian duigan said we need everyone available to play

Next year I'm Cautiously optimistic, I think a win v wexford is possible but can't afford to slack of in the last 10 mins hurl well for almost the full 70 and most certainly will give them a run for thier money

We owe antrim one I don't think there as good as they were in years previous getting promoted and just about surviving

Dublin are physically stronger and bigger but there are not a great hurling team also an outside chance of an upset

Galway could be under new management they will see a big revival

Kk won't be beaten in the business end of lienster although a shadow of thier former selves with limerick taking a hold of things still expect them to win lienster without any trouble

All considered a great year plenty to work on there will be plenty looking to put us back a peg or 2

Hopefully a resurgence in support would be nice didn't miss a championship game this year except for Cork and was disappointed with the crowd the kerry game was terrible for a semi final you could call it.