Offaly U20 Hurlers 2025

[Glendassaun]

Personally speaking, I don’t see the result on Tuesday as a make or break. If anything it could be to our advantage.

No team wants the majority of their players to go into a semi final cold, having not played for 5/6 weeks. But for whoever tops the group that’s the scenario.

Assuming we can finish second, as we did last year, we could manage our team for a prospective quarter final, prioritising those not involved with the senior set up.

This builds our squad further so we’re better capable of managing any injuries that don’t resolve themselves or that we pick up along the way.

I don’t think we have any fear of Kilkenny, or certainly not of playing in Nowlan Park having beaten a Kieran’s side in Nowland Park previously, and beating Kilkenny last year.

Either which way management will take the positives of whatever scenario emerges following on from what should be a great game vs Galway.

What a way to get the ball rolling if we squared up to Kilkenny in a semi final again, bringing another bumper crowd to Nowlan Park.

Isn’t it great to be looking forward to such games irrespective of the schedule. Let’s savour every minute of this teams journey this year irrespective of the outcome. Let’s see if we can go to the well once more.

[Anonymous1]

Will there be 3k at the match, takes time to build interest etc and it's a group game without any jeopardy. I was in Tullamore last year for the same fixture. What was the attendance that day.?

I would guess it was around 2k but that was also a Saturday.

[Anonymous1]

Looking at the bigger picture a loss vs Galway will mean we will have to beat Kilkenny in Nowlan Park to get to the Leinster Final.

Which would then probably be vs Galway.

Personally I'd like to see Galway and Kilkenny remove on or the other, themselves if it all possible. If we win in Ballinasloe that is the scenario we are looking at. It's suddenly looking like a big game.

It is a big game.

These are the two best teams in Leinster on paper and two of the best 3/4 in the country.

I wonder who’ll be the bookies favourites.

The reigning All Ireland U20 champions with a couple out injured or the 2023 minor champions who hammered Laois last week?

[frankthetank]

Clare won the minor All Ireland in 2023.

[oneshot]

id say he means the leinster minor championship.

[Anonymous1]

Clare won the minor All Ireland in 2023.

Sorry yeah.

Leinster winners but beaten in the final.

[Anonymous1]

I’ve just seen the odds for the Leinster U20;

Kilkenny - 15/8
Offaly - 13/5
Galway - 13/5
Dublin - 6/1
Wexford - 14/1
Laois - 25/1

Wouldn’t have had Kilkenny favourites myself.

[Wingbackassassin]

Who's not available against Galway? Screeney, Ter Guinan, Shane Rigney? Will be significantly weaker without those 3. Who comes in in place? I see Niall Furlong is playing u20 hurling and football and will likely start. Shirley Ravenhill Mahon etc with the seniors also to start? Should go absolutely all out to win this year. This is on paper stronger than the 2023 and 2024 u20 teams which went all the way to the final.

[oneshot]

you can never write off kilkenny but i think offaly and galway would be stronger than kilkenny. this kilkenny side also lost to laois in the minor grade.

[Anonymous1]

Who's not available against Galway? Screeney, Ter Guinan, Shane Rigney? Will be significantly weaker without those 3. Who comes in in place? I see Niall Furlong is playing u20 hurling and football and will likely start. Shirley Ravenhill Mahon etc with the seniors also to start? Should go absolutely all out to win this year. This is on paper stronger than the 2023 and 2024 u20 teams which went all the way to the final.

Diggy Hand out too.

[Doon Exile]

Who's not available against Galway? Screeney, Ter Guinan, Shane Rigney? Will be significantly weaker without those 3. Who comes in in place? I see Niall Furlong is playing u20 hurling and football and will likely start. Shirley Ravenhill Mahon etc with the seniors also to start? Should go absolutely all out to win this year. This is on paper stronger than the 2023 and 2024 u20 teams which went all the way to the final.

Diggy Hand out too.

Caelum Larkin a huge loss too.

[Glendassaun]

Haven’t seen Dublin as of yet, so not too sure what to expect from them, but they’re never short of talent in underage and are likely a threat as well.

Kilkenny were underwhelming in their win against Wexford, but who would ever dare write off a Kilkenny side. They won’t be far off come knockout.

This remains a great test, despite the up to 5 absences from what would ordinarily be our starting 15. But what a chance for us to test the depth of our squad in a championship game.

But again, it’s by no means the end of the world if we were to lose against Galway. Performance is more important than result in this instance, and if we can get close with the players missing what a bonus.

The main thing for us right now is allowing the guys who are injured time to recover from tricky injuries in some instances and if possible aim for their return to coincide with the business end of this championship.

[Drumcullen man]

Ter guinan due to have scan on his hamstring this week. Hopefully good news but from what I hear could be a bad injury. Would be a serious loss

[JimBwobb]

Who's not available against Galway? Screeney, Ter Guinan, Shane Rigney? Will be significantly weaker without those 3. Who comes in in place? I see Niall Furlong is playing u20 hurling and football and will likely start. Shirley Ravenhill Mahon etc with the seniors also to start? Should go absolutely all out to win this year. This is on paper stronger than the 2023 and 2024 u20 teams which went all the way to the final.

Diggy Hand out too.

Caelum Larkin a huge loss too.

What's Caelums Injury? Was phenomenal in the year to the Minor All Ireland Final.

[oneshot]

Ter guinan due to have scan on his hamstring this week. Hopefully good news but from what I hear could be a bad injury. Would be a serious loss

madness starting him in a dead rubber game in walsh park has bitten us in the arse now.