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I read with surprise and excitement that dublin played a challange match last saturday and included none other than Eric Miller at full forward, where he scored 3 points and laid on countless others. It looks as if the dubs might be looking for their own 'Kieran Donaghy' type player. Word is that Galway have two lads from Connaught rugby squad in trianing as well for a similar role...Down now have established midfielders which allows big Dan Gordan to revert to the edge of the square....Have Offaly such a player?? perhaps ur man from Killeigh of Geashill, Peter Bracken could be persuaded to give up that oval ball and give it a lash at full forward....Maybe we'll persist however with pumping high ball into Tommo or John Reynolds (quality forwards) but we need size...Any Comments?

Time to bring James Grennan in for this role - if it doesn't work out on the scoresheet at least he can break up a few lads

I'm inclined towards the view that there is a lot of "faddishness" about this. A big full forward is fine up to a point, but you have to remember that it also ensures that there will never be space in the full forward line because if your corner forward gets out to an early ball, he'll always have that big lump, and more importantly a full back, in between him and the goal. If Offaly had such a player this year then goals like Deehan's against Kildare and Niall's against Wexford would not have happened. This is one reason why Alan Mulhall at full forward never worked out, he ended up just clogging up matters.

I'm not dismissing it, but I think it's just because Donaghy is both a fine footballer and freakishly huge that this works. You have to remember that putting James Grennan on the edge of the square is a tactic Offaly tried a few times and it never resulted in anything (not even lads being broken up!!). Likewise the very same Miller was employed by Ballyboden to do this in his championship match against Crokes, he got a couple of great chances and made nothing of them, and that match would have been a much higher standard than two experimental county sides meeting in Louth in December.

Or we could just bring this guy home - http://www.nba.com/playerfile/pat_burke/bio.html. I believe he has Tullamore parents.

Have offaly a kieran donaghy ?

I just checked the county births and deaths register and Offaly does not in fact have a Kieran Donaghy.

There are two Pat Donaghys and a Seamus Donaghy if that's any help.

Mighty Pair O' Hands wrote:

Have offaly a kieran donaghy ?

I just checked the county births and deaths register and Offaly does not in fact have a Kieran Donaghy.

There are two Pat Donaghys and a Seamus Donaghy if that's any help.

Nice one!
If we had a bean pole in the county who could kick ball to the required standard, I'd say we'd need him more at midfield.

I suppose we did put Jimmy at the edge of the square sometimes, but Offaly were often already a beaten team in the games we did it. So maybe we never got to unlock any potential he may have had.
It's always hard to change tactics towards the end of the match also.
Players are usually performing on instinct by then and have long since forgotten management orders...or maybe that was just me.

As LS says, it's probably a fad. Full backs had gotten used to dealing with small forwards and it was a shock to be dealing with the likes of Donaghy. Counties are now crying out for full backs like Conor Evans to counteract the big full forward!

We have to remember here that the "big full forward" tactic is totally dependent on the quality of ball going in. It easy to say "lorry it up to the edge of the square there" but any self respecting inter county full back will be prepared for this and will most likely try and break it away from his man.

The reason Kerry were successful with Donaghy was that not every ball going in was a long one and even when they did pump it in high it was usually angled favourably for the big man.

lets focus on being able to get quality ball up to our quality forwards that we already are lucky enough to have than to be looking for a lanky messiah. If we were looking for a bean pole maybe put him in the backs to mess up the game plan of all these counties trying to follow the kerry mould. Donaghy would not have had half the year he had if most of the lads on him were tall enough to mark him proper.

Lone Shark wrote:I'm inclined towards the view that there is a lot of "faddishness" about this. A big full forward is fine up to a point, but you have to remember that it also ensures that there will never be space in the full forward line because if your corner forward gets out to an early ball, he'll always have that big lump, and more importantly a full back, in between him and the goal. If Offaly had such a player this year then goals like Deehan's against Kildare and Niall's against Wexford would not have happened. This is one reason why Alan Mulhall at full forward never worked out, he ended up just clogging up matters.

I'm not dismissing it, but I think it's just because Donaghy is both a fine footballer and freakishly huge that this works. You have to remember that putting James Grennan on the edge of the square is a tactic Offaly tried a few times and it never resulted in anything (not even lads being broken up!!). Likewise the very same Miller was employed by Ballyboden to do this in his championship match against Crokes, he got a couple of great chances and made nothing of them, and that match would have been a much higher standard than two experimental county sides meeting in Louth in December.

Or we could just bring this guy home - http://www.nba.com/playerfile/pat_burke/bio.html. I believe he has Tullamore parents.

Good point LS( makes a change-ah only messing) If im not mistaken we were at our most successful this year with deehan and niall inside on their own. Look what happened when James Coughlan was added to the mix in Portlaoise. If deehan can start to win 50/50 ball like Niall can then we should leave our 2 man full forward line alone. Only problem we have now is to find a replacement for Colm Quinn to deliver quality ball, find a midfield alternative to Ciaran McManus so he can revert to centre forward, vary our kick outs, and find a naturally left footed free taker and we're sorted!!!

If im not mistaken john o neil from gracefeild is a natural left footer and
fairly consistant with frees think he might be in states now though. far more talented footballer than alot of them on that panel

Any word on when John O'Neill is coming back or is he coming back?

Heard a rumour he was back. Not sure if it is just for the christmas or if its long term.

Daryl Dwyer from Shamrocks is your man...

Lads that was a year ago and hasnt work this year.
Donaghy hasnt played well as full backs now know how to play against him.
He will spend most of time away from the square.

My own opinion is Offaly need good quality footballers that can take a score off either foot.

The only way Offaly will ever win if they create their own style and not try and copy others.

Offalys Future wrote:Lads that was a year ago and hasnt work this year.
Donaghy hasnt played well as full backs now know how to play against him.
He will spend most of time away from the square.

My own opinion is Offaly need good quality footballers that can take a score off either foot.

The only way Offaly will ever win if they create their own style and not try and copy others.

While I think there is a certain gimmick element to the Donaghy thing and he is slightly over rated. It is still effective on balance, and it may take another while for his influence to be fully counteracted.

The All-Ireland last sunday really shows how Donaghy can be so effective, especially when playing off Cooper. The two of them work so well together and theres not many teams in the country that have two players in the full forward line, so different in stature and technique, that gel together so easily.