Terrace for Saturday evening vs. Wexford

[Bord na Mona man]

The siege of Wexford will be Saturday evening. A couple of hundred brave Offalians will venture into the den to see our gladiators fend off wild Wexford animals for 70 minutes. On a warm Saturday evening, the locals will be out in force, so we'll need to be in full voice to give our own lads a bit of encouragement.

I suggest the best terrace to be on is the one of the bottom of the picture below. Its the left terrace as you look from the covered stand. If someone could give me the name of it?

Maybe I'm unlucky, but I found Wexford Park and the locals to be hostile on my previous visit. Back in 2004 we were down there when Mattie Forde beat Offaly.

Hopefully we can silence them this time around.

[Georgio1]

Headin to the stand myself BordnaMona man, so we'll hold off the natives for as long as we can! May the force be with you!
Surely more than a couple of hundred will be headin down? If we dont bring at least a 1000, then surely we have no interest as a county.
How many of you guys are heading down to the game?

[Bord na Mona man]

The Stand? Make sure to bring the cooler to chill your white wine, as the forecast is for a warm evening!

I'd say we had less than 100 in Limerick last year and maybe a couple of hundred more in Thurles vs Waterford.
Wexford Park on a Saturday evening is a bit of a trek, so I'd say there'll be very few from Offaly there.

If Wexford get the run on us, I'd say the crowd will really get behind them. I can well imagine their players fist pumping to the gallery and getting them going.
We'll need to be ready for them!

[This Year's Model]

That would be the Clonard End.

Should be a great occasion. I heard that Wexford CB are expecting 20,000. If that happens it'll be the first time it's near full in the 10 years since it was redeveloped. Can't see it myself, although Wexford Hurling fans are traditionally the most blindly optimistic in the country, despite all the damning evidence before them ....

Surely even Offaly fans - not the best travellers - will make an exception for this trip, with all it has going for it: great opportunity for a first championship win over Wexford in, what, nearly 10 years(?), sunny bank holiday weekend in the sunny south-east.

Anyway, enjoy it, and shur we might see yis back in Tullamore for the replay

[Bord na Mona man]

Clonard End, Thanks for that.
Just can't see many travelling.
If the game was played in Tullamore, there would still be more Wexford fans than Offaly at it.
Its a far cry from the late 90s when Croke Park would be heaving. I remember in 1999 there were 52,000 there when Offaly played Wexford and Kilkenny played Laois.

No matter how weakened Wexford are, they are always a really sticky team and have a great knack of grinding out results. Against Dublin last year, there was never any stage in the game where I felt Dublin were going to win it despite having a good lead over Wexford. Were Offaly to win, it would be hard earned.

[kinnittyman]

Its the uncovered stand for me anyways. Can never judge a match properly from the terrace.

[Offalys Future]

it wouldnt surprise me to see a crowd like that. And if Wexford start well it will
be a serious test.

Pity the county board and clubs couldnt come together and organise buses and supporters.
The die-hards will be there all the same. The stand for me.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Given the crowd density on the uncovered stand, it appears to me that the 'near' end as we approach the ground will be the terrace at the botton of the picture. Given that the photo was taken in October we can take it that it was taken in mid-afternoon. By evening the sun will be behind the near terrace, which is to the west of the ground. An east-west pitch, with a low hanging sun to torment goalkeepers.

Weather forecast is for a south-east breeze, that is, blowing into that near goal on the photo. That breeze might well have died down by 8pm. Also, it won't be as warm there as it wil be in the midlands, expected to be in the mid-teens (16-17).

[Plain of the Herbs]

Now I've go that radio ad in my head, the one where the wan asks "Remember the Celtic tiger, those were the days" and the cat lets out a mournful Miaow.

Its a far cry from the late 90s when Croke Park would be heaving. I remember in 1999 there were 52,000 there when Offaly played Wexford and Kilkenny played Laois.

[BUFFALO]

Given the crowd density on the uncovered stand, it appears to me that the 'near' end as we approach the ground will be the terrace at the botton of the picture. Given that the photo was taken in October we can take it that it was taken in mid-afternoon. By evening the sun will be behind the near terrace, which is to the west of the ground. An east-west pitch, with a low hanging sun to torment goalkeepers.

Weather forecast is for a south-east breeze, that is, blowing into that near goal on the photo. That breeze might well have died down by 8pm. Also, it won't be as warm there as it wil be in the midlands, expected to be in the mid-teens (16-17).

Jaysus,that's as an insightful analysis of the expected conditions as you're likely to get.
Kudos for the effort.

As for the topic at hand,I'll be in the uncovered stand.
Not sure if there'll be anywhere suitable enough to unfurl the flag,but it's making the journey in any case.
With regard to the level of support,I imagine that due to the game being an away one which begins at 7 bells that many fans will be turned off,with twice as many not showing because its being broadcast live on the box.
Even though numbers may dwindle,I'm absolutely certain that the intensity of support will not diminish.
It has been mentioned that hostility may arise in Wexford park tomorrow evening...I hope that it does,as that is a sure fire way of rallying the spirits and increasing the level of passion and emotions.
Allez Les!

[Treasurer]

Really looking forward to this! C'mon Offaly!!!!

[Bord na Mona man]

Now I've go that radio ad in my head, the one where the wan asks "Remember the Celtic tiger, those were the days" and the cat lets out a mournful Miaow.

Its a far cry from the late 90s when Croke Park would be heaving. I remember in 1999 there were 52,000 there when Offaly played Wexford and Kilkenny played Laois.

The hurling Cats have been meeowing for 10 years now.
I remember back in '98 when Leix had Kilkenny on the rack and just couldn't finish them off.
The next year there was much hope that the O'Moore men could give them a right rattle again.
They beat Offaly who were All Ireland holders in a challenge just a couple of weeks before, so things were really looking up for Padraig Horan's side.

I was heading to CP in '99 with a friend from Wexford and we were a few minutes late.
As we approached the ground, there were Kilkenny cars still in traffic and were listening to the first few minutes on the wireless with the windows down.
We enquired what the score was, as the game was on about 6 or 7 minutes.
Something along the lines of "3-6 to no score" was the reply
"Get lost and don't be taking the piss" was the retort from the Wexford man, with a few mutterings about pissing on gun powder.

It was only on arriving in and seeing the scoreboard that the extent to which Leix were being whipped.
It was the first time Brian Cody gave us a glimpse of his new world order and hurling was never quite the same after.