Underage Offaly College Players

[The Dash]

Seeing as the offaly u21 management has yet to be finalised and probably will not hold open trials for this, i was just inquiring about our players who are hurling in colleges at present to see what the shake up would be.
Obviously our current senior panellists who are eligable for the grade are certain to be there.
In limerick John Cashin seems to be making a favourable impression with there intermediate hurlers, he was a panelist last year also i think.
In UL Ger Scales, a 2nd year attends there, and after a long injury, does anybody know what standar he is currently at?
James Dempsey is their fresher goalkeeper and a fine shot stopper. Odhran Keely who had a fairly productive year on the wing with kinnity failed to make that team, but surely merits a call!
Lusmaghs Paul Bermingham is a useful hurler who was excellent against Rynaghs in their game this year although I am not sure of his age?
Paddy Ryan from Birr also attends UL as a frist year but was unable to hurl fresher as he played with Tralee last year, a fine corner back who is very tight and would be on most senior club teams, but would find it hard to dislodge either Verney or O'Meara for obvious reasons, but a fine physical hurler all the same.
In Galway, GMIT have Rynaghs Ciaran Flannery, a good hurler who lacks fitness at times but can work on that aspect,
across to their counterparts NUIG formerly UCG who have revelled in the fresher leauge to quarter final stage with the scoring power of Drumcullens Joe Troy and James Gorman.
Troy's free taking is top class and would probably be first choice free taker anywhere but for the excellence of Conor Gath at his club, i seen him in a minor final against rynaghs and thought he had a good game. Gorman is also a senior panellist at present and is hurling extremely well at present.
Clareens darragh coughlan attends Waterford IT and is a determined hurler who dosen't like his slight stature affect his tigerish demeanor. A possibilty as a wing back?
These are all based on what I have heard from various reliable hurling sources who know the scene well, any comments are welcome or if I have excluded anyone?
Hoping to build on last year and go one or to better!

[Lone Shark]

Welcome aboard Dash - good to have you with us!

I've always been a huge believer in college hurling and football as the best formline you can get coming into championship. Fitzgibbon and Sigerson cup is the closest thing to championship out there, and recently Offaly's lack of presence at this level has been very worrying.

This has the makings of a good list - excellent first post. I don't have much to add to it, except that Colin Egan of Belmont started in GMIT this year as well, Lumagh's Eoin Kelly and Mark Mulrooney are part of the Limerick IT setup as well, though intercounty senior players struggle to get on that team (incidentally I saw a match report of their league semi against UCC, and a C Hannon from Offaly was supposedly playing corner back - is that Conor Hernon, but spelt wrong, or is there a C Hannon out there I don't know of who is showing good promise? )

[Biffo Army]

As far as I know Paul Birmingham is under 21 next year, Paul Quirke of Rynaghs is in NUIG playing freshers, as is Timmy Gilmore! Mark Egan has been playing with Carlow IT! Pretty sure that was Conor Hernon playing for LIT in that league fixture!! Any word on who is taking over the Under 21's??

[The Dash]

Yes Colin Egan is in GMIT, a 2nd year, physically strong and good in the air, probably has a first preference for football, yes it would have been Conor Hernon, the only reason i omitted Mark Mulrooney was because he is currently with the senior set-up as soon as birr finished and eoin kelly was on a trial last year. Tim Gilmore is corner back on that team at present and Quirke and Brian Lonergan from Birr are also on the panel. No word on management as yet, none appear to be putting their names out there, possibly pauric Horan again?
I just feel it's imperative that anyone who is eigable to hurl for their county and has the interest and right attitude should be thouroughly looked at, any player whos currently slogging in the inclement weather for a college team obviously has aspirations and the interest, it's no good come summer picking lad's on their previous year/years form when they could have easily slacked off, take colleges as an example to see how in form the players are, as a pre-season, its not too far until february and march rolls around.....

[The Dash]

Yes Colin Egan is in GMIT, a 2nd year, physically strong and good in the air, probably has a first preference for football, yes it would have been Conor Hernon, the only reason i omitted Mark Mulrooney was because he is currently with the senior set-up as soon as birr finished and eoin kelly was on a trial last year. Tim Gilmore is corner back on that team at present and Quirke and Brian Lonergan from Birr are also on the panel. No word on management as yet, none appear to be putting their names out there, possibly pauric Horan again?
I just feel it's imperative that anyone who is eigable to hurl for their county and has the interest and right attitude should be thouroughly looked at, any player whos currently slogging in the inclement weather for a college team obviously has aspirations and the interest, it's no good come summer picking lad's on their previous year/years form when they could have easily slacked off, take colleges as an example to see how in form the players are, as a pre-season, its not too far until february and march rolls around.....

[Over The Black Spot]

Yes Colin Egan is in GMIT, a 2nd year, physically strong and good in the air, probably has a first preference for football, yes it would have been Conor Hernon, the only reason i omitted Mark Mulrooney was because he is currently with the senior set-up as soon as birr finished and eoin kelly was on a trial last year. Tim Gilmore is corner back on that team at present and Quirke and Brian Lonergan from Birr are also on the panel. No word on management as yet, none appear to be putting their names out there, possibly pauric Horan again?
I just feel it's imperative that anyone who is eigable to hurl for their county and has the interest and right attitude should be thouroughly looked at, any player whos currently slogging in the inclement weather for a college team obviously has aspirations and the interest, it's no good come summer picking lad's on their previous year/years form when they could have easily slacked off, take colleges as an example to see how in form the players are, as a pre-season, its not too far until february and march rolls around.....

I see in todays Tribune that Horan has been returned along with Danny Owens with Mick Cleere of Kinnitty to join them to replace Pat McLoughney as a selector.

Couple of quick queries for you Dash.
** Would Gilmore not have done all his hurling as a forward? I would always have considered Quirke & Lonergan to be better hurlers than him, find it strange that he'd be on the team ahead of them.
** What panel was Eoin Kelly on trial with last year? I was under the impression that Kelly was second goalie on last years LIT Fitzgibbon squad with Mulrooney third choice judging by their squad numbers on the final programme. I know that order was reversed on the U-21 panel.

Taking up your point though, it's very important that the U-21 team shows at least the same standard this year & gives something to keep building on.

[The Dash]

Yes Gilmore always played with Rynaghs as a forward but as there was a fairly top class forward line in the college as they have some galway and clare minors along with tipp lad he decided to try out as a corner back for them and is plying his trade there at present and hurling well, quirke and lonergan would be more naturally talented but would find it hard to break into that forward line at present as they were carrying injuries, read in paper lonergan missed a good few club finals, lonergan is a fine athletic player and once fit again would be an asset to many teams.

Eoin Kelly was seemingly at offaly senior trails at the weekend as was kk's Damien Kilmartin bu that was possibly owing to the unavailabilty of birr's contingent

[Line ball]

Scales hurled a few fitzgibbon games in his fresher year with U.l as did flannery in gmit. Both are great hurlers when (big when) fit. Bermingham is under age this year he hurled with lit intermediates last year but is ineligible to do college hurling this year. As far i know colin egan is on the gmit fitzgibbon panel this year. Anyone have more insights?

[beirut]

Is the Dash actually Joe Troy?

[rocket57]

Does anyone know how many players from the senior panel at the moment are under 21
I dont know but would like to see what they would be like as a team for the comming year

[The Dash]

Flannery iss hurling on the GMIT fitzgibbon team at present at corner back I think, so he must not be doing too bad, scales is a fine hurler out after a long injury, be good to see him back in action this year, is bermingham currently with the offaly seniors?