Some things never change!

[Lone Shark]

IHC Result: Clara 1-14 Brosna Gaels 1-9, Christy Flanagan with 1-10

I've only ever seen the man in action once and obviously the ship has long sailed by now, but I wonder did he ever get a county call up, and if so how did that go? I've no recollection myself, but he may have been called on a few times years ago and turned it down, or found the step up a bit much. Any ideas?

[athlumneyboy]

Christy Flanagan was always a class hurler it was a pity that he never hurled Senior with Tullamore might have got on the Offaly Senior,

he is like Nicky Horan up here in Meath for Kilmessan you can be assured he will score 10 or 11 pts a game.

[athlumneyboy]

IHC Result: Clara 1-14 Brosna Gaels 1-9, Christy Flanagan with 1-10

I've only ever seen the man in action once and obviously the ship has long sailed by now, but I wonder did he ever get a county call up, and if so how did that go? I've no recollection myself, but he may have been called on a few times years ago and turned it down, or found the step up a bit much. Any ideas?

Lone shark he hurled Junior or Intermediate for Offaly a few years ago also was on the Offaly Minor panel when i was on it back in 92,

Was called in for a few games with the Seniors but the lack of a good club team cost him. He is around 32 or 33 now

[Lone Shark]

Was called in for a few games with the Seniors but the lack of a good club team cost him. He is around 32 or 33 now

Hard to see why that would be an issue. It obviously helps if you're hurling senior championship, but I still wouldn't think of dropping players like Oakley or Murphy because they're hurling intermediate this year. It's just hard to know sometimes if a player is really able to step up or if he's just good at being a one man forward line in a weak club team - Conor Gath being another obvious example of this.

[athlumneyboy]

I would agree Lone Shark but at the time he was called in Offaly has strong compretition for places and i think Clara were only Junior which was a big step up. i think there is some fantastic players playing out there who's clubs are not Senior and aren't getting a chance with the county.

[Lone Shark]

I didn't realise they were junior back then, that is a big jump all right. Still, it's hard to blame a guy for sticking with his own club when as you say a transfer to Tullamore could have opened up a world of opportunity for him.

Round about the same time John Ryan transferred from Belmont to Rynaghs for that reason as well actually I'd say.

[athlumneyboy]

Would have around the time of John Ryan coming to us in Rynaghs, the only reason we got John Ryan was he was from Shannonbridge and they had no hurling club so he was allowed to hurl with the nearest Senior Club ie Rynaghs, if Shannonbridge started up a team next year John would have to hurl with them.

I was only using Tullamore as an example i say no Clara man would transfer to Tullamore.

A lot of work is going in to Clara ,Brosna Gael hurling at the moment which is great Offaly needs everyone, whether North,South,East and West, lads like Sean Og Farrell, Killian Farrell, Kevin Flynn are good examples of this for younger players from these clubs to see that even though they are from Football clubs or football end of the parish they still can make as a good hurler and win All Ireland medals like they 3 above.

[The Magpie]

I've only ever seen the man in action once

Firstly, that's a real shame. And for somebody that's as involved and passionate about Gaelic games in the County, that doesn't make a lot of sense?

Christopher (later to be known as Christie by many, but Fla when he was underage) Flanagan has been Clara's hurling gem for almost 15 years. As an underage hurler, playing mostly B-grade, he was the absolute stand-out hurler of his generation. He represented Offaly at various grades, but never quite felt he was getting the same deal as many of the hurlers from traditional hurling clubs. When he eventually graduated to adult ranks, I think Clara were yoyo-ing between Junior A and Junior B. His finest hour came in 2003 when he captained Clara to the Intermediate hurling championship, affording him the opportunity to represent his own club at Senior grade in Offaly - I don't think there was ever a question of him representing another club.

Although many outside Clara may not be aware, he was also a gifted left-footed footballer, with a side-step dummy that he could sell over and over. He represented Clara (at senior level) a number of times – something tells me he may have made an appearance (as a substitute) in the 1995 County Final? He certainly played against Edenderry in the Championship in that period (95-97).

I suppose the things that went against him were his lack of real pace and perhaps a questionable attitude. Despite this, I still believe if he’d been handled properly, Christopher could’ve been a massive player for the County.

[Lone Shark]

Would have around the time of John Ryan coming to us in Rynaghs, the only reason we got John Ryan was he was from Shannonbridge and they had no hurling club so he was allowed to hurl with the nearest Senior Club ie Rynaghs, if Shannonbridge started up a team next year John would have to hurl with them.

I'll have to pull you up on that one - John Ryan was hurling with Belmont, as Shannonbridge players do, and transferred because he wanted to increase his chances of playing for Offaly. It wasn't a case of having no club.

I've only ever seen the man in action once

Firstly, that's a real shame. And for somebody that's as involved and passionate about Gaelic games in the County, that doesn't make a lot of sense?

I agree - however there are a lot of games out there and as this year is the first year I've lived in Offaly since I was 18, I've missed a lot of games and players that I'd like to have seen. Still, it is a pity.

[athlumneyboy]

Lone Shark you are right to a degree John wanted to increase his chances with Offaly so he had to be seen to be playing Senior Hurling, If Belmont werent relegated around that time John would have never transferred to Rynaghs because he wouldnt have being let.

[Bord na Mona man]

Yep,
Clara were Junior in the early 90s and Flanagan was the probably the biggest reason they eventually got to senior in 2003.
While I don't think hurling Junior would rule you out of playing for Offaly, at the time players from other Junior/Intermediate clubs like Carrig and Riverstown, Ballyskenagh etc seemed to find it easier to get an Offaly call up.
Presumably because their players were in the hurling area, went to the same schools as the county players and coaches and were much more known and noticed.

I would have loved to have seen him get a decent run in an Offaly jersey in his prime. Granted there is a step up to be made. Hurling a specific role in a team, rather than trying to win a game on your own, but I always felt he had the ability to do so.

I often wondered how he would have handled free taking duties on the big stage. Especially when Offaly, post Johnny Dooley didn't have a player who had a strike rate of over 50 or 60% from long range frees or 65s.

[athlumneyboy]

Players like Oakley and Murphy were playing junior with their clubs at an early age but were also playing A level underage Oakley played with Birr so would have being easier spotted unlike Flanagan who played at B level, also playing B level should not rule you out.
When i was involved we never ruled a chap out because he was playing at a lower level but i know i took a lot of abuse in Banagher and Birr when lads who were playing at a lower level were picked which he is wrong.

I reckon Flanagan would have done ok on the frees and in general play he was a skillfull hurler alright and fast enough.

[Treasurer]

Until this year Brendan Murphy would have done all his adult hurling at senior.

[The Magpie]

I often wondered how he would have handled free taking duties on the big stage. Especially when Offaly, post Johnny Dooley didn't have a player who had a strike rate of over 50 or 60% from long range frees or 65s.

Good question. He's very accurate from almost any range. As to whether or not he could've produced that at the highest level - it would've been nice to have that question answered.

LS, not chipping away at ya, but it does amaze me you've only ever seen him once

After all, you cover more ground than most.

We'll have to make Clara more appealing to you on the wet and windy evenings

[athlumneyboy]

Was Murphy on the Skeagh team who won Junior then Intermediate back in the 90's?