Offaly Hurling team for championship v Dublin

[Long John]

No Brian Carroll i know he blows hot and cold but i think he is a better forward than Healion,Hayden,Molloy,or Egan on his day
plus he is a better man to get a score plus if Dooley has a off day at frees or is hurt he is the next best at them

Ya, no Brian Carroll. Just don't think he has the required workrate for modern inter-county hurling. He may have more natural ability than probably 4 of those forwards I picked but his body language could really drag a team down. The modern game is all about defending from the front, putting the defender under pressure and not allowing easy clearances. In Joe Bergin and Shane Dooley we already have two guys who don't meet this criteria, I don't think we can afford a third.

In picking Ger Healion I'm just hoping he could do a job at 11, win a bit a ball and have no other intention but to shovel it into the inside line.

As regards the frees I don't think many know it but Derek Molloy is a very good freetaker and an excellent taker of penalties and 21 yard frees. How many of these have we converted in the last few years. A small precentage.

Ah lads come on. Brian Carroll is a definate starter. He's got the most natural hurling ability on the panel. I think he has to be corner forward. Its his best position. Maybe let him roam out the field late in the game. He is the best Offaly attacker to pick off scores from play.

Regarding the penalties, correct, Molloy should be hitting them. He's maybe not always a guaranteed starter but when he is there you have to let him at those penalties and 21 yard frees.

[keenonsport]

A lot of talk on here recently about lads who are not in with the panel and should be given a chance. Having watched some of the games over the past few weeks it got me thinking of all the players not currently on the panel and probably do deserve a chance so I came up with an alternative panel of players.....any opinions-thoughts on some of these players and whether or not they could add something to the panel?

1.Brian Mullins
2.Grogan (Not sure if it's John or Kevin?)
3.Brendan O'Meara
4.Conor Hernon
5.Brian Watkins
6.Daniel Hoctor
7.Barry Harding
8.Diarmuid Horan
9.Mark Morkan
10.Eddie Bevans
11.Gary Hanniffy
12.Damien Murray
13.Ciaran Slevin
14.Sean Ryan
15.Alan Egan

16.Stephen Corcoran 17.Trevor Corcoran 18.Cathal Horan 19.Darren Crean 20. Brian Leonard 21.Adrian Hynes 22.Gary Conneely 23.Trevor Fletcher 24.Barry Teehan

I know some of these lads have been in around the panel but maybe they should be given another chance, particularly Hoctor, Harding, Morkan, Ryan & Egan who all impressed hugely for their clubs in the first two rounds. Can't really do any worse than what's in there at the moment can they?

[townman]

A lot of talk on here recently about lads who are not in with the panel and should be given a chance. Having watched some of the games over the past few weeks it got me thinking of all the players not currently on the panel and probably do deserve a chance so I came up with an alternative panel of players.....any opinions-thoughts on some of these players and whether or not they could add something to the panel?

1.Brian Mullins
2.Grogan (Not sure if it's John or Kevin?)
3.Brendan O'Meara
4.Conor Hernon
5.Brian Watkins
6.Daniel Hoctor
7.Barry Harding
8.Diarmuid Horan
9.Mark Morkan
10.Eddie Bevans
11.Gary Hanniffy
12.Damien Murray
13.Ciaran Slevin
14.Sean Ryan
15.Alan Egan

16.Stephen Corcoran 17.Trevor Corcoran 18.Cathal Horan 19.Darren Crean 20. Brian Leonard 21.Adrian Hynes 22.Gary Conneely 23.Trevor Fletcher 24.Barry Teehaniarmud

I know some of these lads have been in around the panel but maybe they should be given another chance, particularly Hoctor, Harding, Morkan, Ryan & Egan who all impressed hugely for their clubs in the first two rounds. Can't really do any worse than what's in there at the moment can they?

yes some lads on that team that should or would get on the offaly team for the Dublin game, Breder mullins retired as well as Hanniffy, some of the above don't want
to hurl for offaly Diarmud Horan,Sean Ryan (football), the likes of Hernon and Daniel Hoctor, Brian Leonard,Ciaran Selvin have plenty of hurling in them and its a shame
they are not in with the county.

just going on my own club Birr Barry Harding and the watkie have been outstanding in the last two games i think Brian Watkins has the making of a great half back and has
a great eye for the ball. Harding is getting better with age and should be left half back on the Birr team has been mess around the last few years put midfield and forwards.

Daniel Hoctor was half back in 2005 and went off the scene Cathal Horan another fine hurler but in Joes first year he played him centre forward in some games which was madness
as he is one of the top centre backs in offaly on his day. Brian Leonard played in the league under joe in his first year and had a great game again Galway in tullamore another one
who is a big lost to offaly as he is big and strong hurler.

Trevor Corcoran was the best fullback in club hurling in offaly last year funny how he didn't get a run in the league, we were missing Kenny and Cleary in some games and had to play
Del Morkan full back again Galway which was madness as well but the question is a lot of them players don't want to hurl with offaly so what can you do.

[keenonsport]

I know there is nothing you can do if lads simply don't want to hurl but the bottom line is we just can't afford to lose players of this calibre. The two Horan's would be a massive addition to the panel and on their day are probably two of the best hurlers on the county. Playing players out of position (C Horan at CF) seems to be a common theme in Joe's reign - Kevin Brady at midfield, Cordial and Wynne in the forwards etc.
I know Gary Hanniffy had retired it's a shame he retired so early as we are really crying out for a centre forward in Offaly but I understand he had work commitments and would have no gripe with him after all the service he has given over the years. Absolutely agree with you about Harding and Watkins but I understand Harding is going to America for the summer anyway and this must also be the reason he is not in with the 21's (he's getting abuse for not going in elsewhere) and yes you're quite right half back is his best position. With Watkins from what I can gather it comes down to commitment and ye are lucky enough to even have him hurling for Birr? Also can't see why Ryan wouldn't give the hurling a go for a year as he doesn't seem to be getting much of a look in with the big-ballers for the last couple of years. His pace and strength would be a big addition.
If you take the best of what's on the panel at the moment and look at the quality of some of these lads who aren't in there actually is the making of a strong team there - maybe the inevitable change in management might entice a few lads back and freshen the whole thing up again!!

[fiesta flyer]

alan egan should be on the county panel as he is player of the championship for belmont so far. he is also a great free taker and would be good back up for dooley.

[townman]

my question is why aren't theses players not in with the county

[kinnittyman]

alan egan should be on the county panel as he is player of the championship for belmont so far. he is also a great free taker and would be good back up for dooley.

Alan Egan is far from a good freetaker. He took the first two against Tullamore last Friday, missed them both and was promptly removed from freetaking duties. Mark Egan then proceeded to score every free he took. Now he's a good freetaker and would be a better option on the county panel than Alan.

[townman]

theres enough free takers on the offaly squad Dooley, Brian Carroll, Joe Bergin,Daniel Currams has took them in matches as well
what we need in offaly are a few forwards that can win high ball from our puckout and turn make space and put it over the bar thats what we need.

[esb_lad]

well lads heres my opinion of what the team should be

dempsey
egan
kenny
franks
verney/rigney
hanniffy
del
mahon
dylan h
colin e
ger h
molloy
brian c
shane
joe

[Kevin]

well lads heres my opinion of what the team should be

dempsey
egan
kenny
franks
verney/rigney
hanniffy
del
mahon
dylan h
colin e
ger h
molloy
brian c
shane
joe

Any truth to this Franks injury business?

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/spo ... 17690.html

[Plain of the Herbs]

Well the Indo didn't fall for the manager's weeping 'n wailing
http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling ... 49947.html

Any truth to this Franks injury business?
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/spo ... 17690.html

[Bord na Mona man]

Which of those injuries are genuine?
Even if the squad had a clean bill of health, they'd still be blowing about a 'long injury list' as usual.
Its like the boy who cried wolf at this stage and less people are buying it.

Can we not just man up and hurl, instead of continually resorting to the stroke pulling schyte?

[joe bloggs]

Its a pity that we have so many injuries as with a full deck to pick from we would be in with a good shout. I know dublin are the form team and justifiably favourites, but with big expetations of them it could put them under pressure.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Well the man in the street knew six months ago that Cleary and Joe Brady wouldn’t be ready in time. Seems the manager discovered this last week!
Rigney’s second arm-break is a tragedy, but even if he were to be available match practice would be an issue.
Anyone else might be okay with a big blue bandage in place.

Which of those injuries are genuine?
Even if the squad had a clean bill of health, they'd still be blowing about a 'long injury list' as usual.
Its like the boy who cried wolf at this stage and less people are buying it.

Can we not just man up and hurl, instead of continually resorting to the stroke pulling schyte?

[townman]

well in all fairness to joe dooley he did say months ago after one of the league games that Paul Cleary and Joe Brady
wouldn't be ready for the Dublin game, rigney is a big blow but sure we have to go with what we got.