U21's at the weekend

[Muck Savage]

Haven't heard a pep on this subject. They are due to be out this weekend in Carlow against Carlow. Everything seems to be going well under the radar with the team this year so I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Any idea of what the panel is? It would be great to get another good run like last year and not fall into the trap of not winning at this grade for years after one good run. Does anyone have any update theyu can share?
The whole competition in leinster seems to be wide open, Wicklow knocking out Laois and now facing Wexford in one semi. The other semi is to be made up from the Offaly/Carlow and Dublin/Kildare games. The Dubs seem to be managing to drag out the Kildare game and now seem like they'll have some of the Vincent's players back after the weekend, Kildare are not happy after giving Meath a beating. The Carlow camp have managed to get over their destruction of the hotel in Ennis pretty well and in some ways something like that can pull a team together so they will be hard to beat and at home as well.

[Lone Shark]

I didn't hear anything about Kildare imploding or anything, because on the face of it they seem to be the favourites in Leinster right now based on their big win over Meath and the general good buzz there is in Kildare football right about now. As with all under 21 teams, you can't really tell how good our boys are until they take the field - though all things being equal you would expect them to beat Carlow and then be up against it from there on in.

A lot of talk of Ken Casey getting drafted into the senior team in order to take some of the frees - I'd be very interested to see how he gets on here first.

[Muck Savage]

'twas in the Indo today that the Kildare County board were a bit pissed that the Dubs managed to get it put off due to the sigerson last weekend and now Athy has been rule out for a floodlight game, some safety reason. So it will be pushed out for a week again.
Wicklow could be the dark horses here , gave laois a right hammering at the weekend. This is a laois team that got to the AI last year and had a fair few from last years minor team on board also. Carlow have one game down already against a fancied Longford team if I remember correct. Last year there was a good bit of talk about the U21's but this year it's been very quite, I would have thought the team was as good as last years.

[Lone Shark]

I wouldn't say so - last year's success was largely down to two things - the great performance of the full back line, which you'd expect to be repeated, and the breaking runs from half forward of Sean Ryan and Thomas Coughlan, which we won't have. This bunch of guys have proven their character several times over, eking out wins in close games, but I'd be worried about what will happen when we need 16 points or more to win - I don't know where it would come from.

As long as games are being decided by scores like 1-9 to 0-10, these lads will be right there though.

[Silken Thomas]

Jesus yea Wicklow must be a serious proposition this year!. L.S. Leinster odds please!

Open to correction but...
Wicklow beat Laois 1-11 to 0-3 in Portlaoise! After losing their midfielder after ten minutes or something crazy
The same Laois side who gave Louth a 12 point+ tanking and in posession of such blue chip players as John O' Loughlin, Zach Touhey and Donie Kingston!
And for the trivia fans out there... Sean O'Brien, son of their most famous luminary; Kevin, can only make the substitute bench despite anchoring the forward line for the victorious Baltinglass senior's of '07

Anyway have to agree the lead in is seriously quiet this year...

Really think though we should have enough for Carlow though. Caught a whisper that Luke Dempsey was far from obsessive in his handling of the Longford U-21's this year...

[midfield]

What time is this match on and where ?

[the weasel]

does anyone have an idea what the team might be?

[DD]

does anyone have an idea what the team might be?

B.Quinlan
S.Egan, R.Dalton, S Pender
S.Lonergan, D.Horan, G.Dunne
C.Carroll, C.Mahon
R.Connor, N.Darby, G.Grehan
N.Dunne, R.Brady, K.Casey

Thanks to Offaly Express text service..

[Oceans 15]

Who is C Carroll in Midfield ?

[Lone Shark]

Conor Carroll of Raheen - I haven't seen him play much, so somebody from that part of the world could maybe tell more about him.

It's a slightly unusual team in that a few players are in odd positions - Gerry Grehan as a wing forward, Ross Brady as a full forward and Ger Dunne at wing back spring to mind. I also half expected Niall Darby to be in the backs since he's been a revelation there for GMIT.

Overall it seems a nicely balanced team though. Alan Lynam and Willie Mulhall are the two absentees that surprised me most (there may be reasons though - I don't know) and Colin Egan's time will no doubt come in the future - no hurry on him, particularly as he's likely to be playing U-21 hurling this year anyway. I believe Richie Dalton is playing savage stuff - of all the lads listed there, I think he's the most likely dark horse to play a big senior role this summer yet. A couple of years ago I thought he was a little too ponderous on the ball to make it, but he seems to have come on in leaps and bounds, so fair play to the lad.

[Oceans 15]

Conor Carroll of Raheen - I haven't seen him play much, so somebody from that part of the world could maybe tell more about him.

It's a slightly unusual team in that a few players are in odd positions - Gerry Grehan as a wing forward, Ross Brady as a full forward and Ger Dunne at wing back spring to mind. I also half expected Niall Darby to be in the backs since he's been a revelation there for GMIT.

Overall it seems a nicely balanced team though. Alan Lynam and Willie Mulhall are the two absentees that surprised me most (there may be reasons though - I don't know) and Colin Egan's time will no doubt come in the future - no hurry on him, particularly as he's likely to be playing U-21 hurling this year anyway. I believe Richie Dalton is playing savage stuff - of all the lads listed there, I think he's the most likely dark horse to play a big senior role this summer yet. A couple of years ago I thought he was a little too ponderous on the ball to make it, but he seems to have come on in leaps and bounds, so fair play to the lad.

Would have to agree with you on the above remarks. Played against Richie Dalton about 3 year ago and each time he tried to solo the ball with the head down and lost it every time, but obviously he has come on. Now I know who C Carroll ( didn't think he was U21) is and lets just say he isn't the bravest.

[Silken Thomas]

It's a slightly unusual team in that a few players are in odd positions - Gerry Grehan as a wing forward, Ross Brady as a full forward and Ger Dunne at wing back spring to mind. I also half expected Niall Darby to be in the backs since he's been a revelation there for GMIT...

Overall it seems a nicely balanced team though.

Yea have to agree some unusual but interesting selections here. Gerry Grehan is a really capable footballer but Wing Forward?
For me, playing Niall Darby centre forward is the best of a bad situation...
We do not have a centre forward of real class. However Darby will marry intelligent distribution with plucky endeavour and is beginning to become a leader which this undoubtadly talented bunch still need.
For those in the know.. Was Gerry Treacy close? and surely there is a story to William Mulhall

I would be fiercely disapointed that Colin Egan has not made the team from a County potential perspective.
Call me an optimist but looking down the line I would have seen himself and Niall Spain bringing a competiveness to Offaly's midfield in five years time . Really thought that a starting berth with the U-21's was well within his lengthy range .

[Bord na Mona man]

Any idea why William Mulhall isn't there?
Injured, gone travelling, out of favour?

[crossbar]

lads anyone know what the story is with dean bracken's absence? Has been playing great stuff between the sticks for the 21s since the run the minors had to the all ireland semi three years ago - has he opted out?

[DD]

lads anyone know what the story is with dean bracken's absence? Has been playing great stuff between the sticks for the 21s since the run the minors had to the all ireland semi three years ago - has he opted out?

I don't know Bracken's circumstances but Nobby Quinlan is a top class goalie and IMO better than Bracken.
I'd say he has a great future ahead of him for Offaly but Edenderry have another gem in Colin McCormack who will be this years county minor goalkeeper and ultimately it'll boil down to whoever nails down the Senior spot for Edenderry over the next few years.. but both are great prospects.