Offaly Football Panel

[Bogman]

Fair Cop

I'd like a 10 please Sir.

Yes - Colm Quinn would be my choice at 10. As you say that's a 4 man midfield with Mac helping out also.

John Reynolds would be pushing hard for a place there also and Nigel Grennan would be worth a look.

We have real depth in the forwards. There are lots of young lads coming through as well - Thomas Coughlan, Greg Quinn, Ken Casey, Ross Brady, Trevor Phelan, Rory O'Connor.[/b]

[Lone Shark]

Don't know if I'd necessarily say we have depth. We have a lot of players who might be good enough, and only really Niall and Neville that we know are. I'd include Quinn in that if he gets fit enough for next year, but I'll believe that when I see it.

[the Untouchable]

I don't think Offaly have depth in any area....our full back line is make shift at best, we've tried out about 10 lads at center back, still haven't found one who can replace finbar, midfield can't compete with the big teams so question marks has to hang over them & none of our 6 forwards look like they are comfortable to play in their position!!!

Now I'll admit to not being at a huge amount of Championship games this year but for the 10 or so matches I was at I found it hard to pick out the county players from the ordinary club players....& this was not because the club players were excelling themselves!!!

Probably the best player I saw all year was Alan McNamee because he won alot of ball & covered a huge amount of ground & pretty much looked a class above the rest this year!!!

I think with the current panel of players we have we are still lacking a few big strong footballers, too many of the lads there are good footballers but they aren't able for the physical football that is now part & parcel of senior county football!!!

Of course with players like John Kenny, James Grennan, Ger Rafferty and Mark Daly unlikely to feature for Offaly this coming year....we could be seriously stuck trying to replace them!!!

[redser]

Offaly Panel 2006

1. Kelly
2. Slattery
3. Daly
4. S Casey
5. Mooney
6. Brady
7. Barry Malone (if fit)
8. McNamee
9. Grennan
10. N Coughlan
11. Reynolds
12. McManus
13. Kelleghan
14. Mooney
15. Mcnamee

Subs: Meehan, Deehan, Hurst, Rory Guinan, C Quinn, N Grennan, Keane, T Fitzpatrick, Heffernan, Sullivan, J Coughlan, Hoey, M Gorman.

[black and red exile]

Would i be in the minority of one who believes that Colin McNamara should be our first choice keeper, the handful of times he has played he has never let us down and was definetly unfairly treated last year when Padraig kelly took his place in Omagh. I know his kick out is not his biggest strenght but apart from a clanger he made against Rhode in this year's championship [ which could happen to anyone] he has always been comfortable under the dropping ball as well as been an excellent shot stopper. I know kelly is also a good shot stopper but your heart would be in your mouth every time he wanders outside the square and a few notable goals have been conceded due to his rush of blood to the head over the years that has lost us big games, so surely its time to give the Edenderry net minder a fair crack of the whip.

[Barracuda]

Would i be in the minority of one who believes that Colin McNamara should be our first choice keeper

,

Yes !

I know his kick out is not his biggest strenght

Correct once more, its leaves it too hard on the full backline if they have to defend their own kick out.

[True Red]

Colin McNamara has just become a father recently and will not be rejoining the Offaly Panel for the 2006 season.

Barracuda is very harsh on his kickout.Wonder would he do any better?

[Bogman]

I like Colin McNamara as a shot-stopper but IMO the prototype modern Gaelic Football Goalkeeper is a big man with good distribution like Stephen Cluxton or the Tyrone & Kerry goalkeepers so I'd like to see the likes of David Lowry or Eoin Brennan from Tullamore get a chance as cover for the incumbent.

[Lone Shark]

Colin McNamara has just become a father recently and will not be rejoining the Offaly Panel for the 2006 season.

Barracuda is very harsh on his kickout.Wonder would he do any better?

Understandable act from Colin- I don't think there can be any more depressing slot on the panel than sub goalie - less likely to feature than any other player.

As for the second comment, I'd go easy on the boy Barra - as far as I'm aware none of the posters here have won all stars, and I only know of one that has actually played senior intercounty so we're all either moderate/poor/non footballers. But by that logic none of us could ever comment on any current footballers ability. As long as it's kept to footballing comments only and it's not HoganStand-esque childish overstatement then it's hardly unreasonable.

And regarding Bogman's comment, I'd still prefer to pick a goalie on keeping out goals first and football second. That's not meant as a criticism of either Lowry or Brennan, just I wouldn't go picking either of them over an established keeper unless the prove equally capable of keeping green flags unwaved.

[Barracuda]

Barracuda is very harsh on his kickout.Wonder would he do any better?

No probably not.
But then there would never be another quote on this website if we all have to be qualified fully on a topic we speak on,- by being fully experienced in that situation.
Dont shoot the messenger cause you dont like what he tells you.

As for the second comment, I'd go easy on the boy Barra - as far as I'm aware none of the posters here have won all stars, and I only know of one that has actually played senior intercounty so we're all either moderate/poor/non footballers. But by that logic none of us could ever comment on any current footballers ability. As long as it's kept to footballing comments only and it's not HoganStand-esque childish overstatement then it's hardly unreasonable.

Accept your point of view fully , however (there's always an however) Lets stick with FACTS then shall we.
Colin's kick out is very poor- FACT.
I was not the first to say it- i mearly confimed the FACT.

Offaly V Kerry last year (Sat game under the lights on the Telly!)......... the kick outs were rarely making it to the half backline and the full backline were under severe pressure.

Yes there was some sarcasm in the statement and i apologise for milking the FACT that Colin's kickouts are poor, but they are.
May Culpa ( Irish not a strong subject either)

By the way LS -

and I only know of one that has actually played senior intercounty so we're all either moderate/poor/non footballers. But by that logic none of us could ever comment on any current footballers ability

Unless I'm terribly mistaken you do this most days.

[gaahead]

only someone who watched the match on the telly would make such a remark - in all my years of attending matches I have never been out on an evening as windy or wet - it was unbelievably bad - to judge kickouts on a night like that is madness.

[True Red]

Well said GAAhead.If Barracuda is judging the man's kickout on that night below in Kerry well then he is a very poor judge.

As gaahead confirmed,Padraig Kelly with a rocket launcher wouldnt have got a size 5 O'Neills out over his own half-back line that night.

McNamara's kickout in the Westmeath game in Tullamore the week before was fine.

As long as it's kept to footballing comments only and it's not HoganStand-esque childish overstatement then it's hardly unreasonable.

I find that his comment regarding the man's kickout in the first place was unreasonable and was based on irrational analysis.

[Barracuda]

only someone who watched the match on the telly would make such a remark - in all my years of attending matches I have never been out on an evening as windy or wet - it was unbelievably bad - to judge kickouts on a night like that is madness.

I was actually at the game too and it was windy- but it was the same wind for the Kerry goalkeeper and he did not have as much trouble with it.

As gaahead confirmed,Padraig Kelly with a rocket launcher wouldnt have got a size 5 O'Neills out over his own half-back line that night.

A tad hard on Padraig that

McNamara's kickout in the Westmeath game in Tullamore the week before was fine.

I was at that one too, it was okay only.

I find that his comment regarding the man's kickout in the first place was unreasonable and was based on irrational analysis.

Wow -what a bad memory you got there, it was YOU who first commented on his poor kickouts- what analysis prompted you to say that ? read back up the thread.
What are they now okay again because i cracked a oneliner ?

Like I said - sorry for the oneliner, but not for the basis of the comment, surely seeing as you stated it first you must agree with that !?

[True Red]

Wow -what a bad memory you got there, it was YOU who first commented on his poor kickouts- what analysis prompted you to say that ? read back up the thread.

I am struggling to find the spot on this thread where i criticised the man's kickout?
Maybe you could enlighten me?

[Lone Shark]

For the record, I didn't mean to imply that criticism of his kick out was unreasonable, or that the comment was. Much like the US intervening internationally to "help", I appear to have upset both sides. Remind me to run for election in 2007.


For the record I think Colin's kickout is moderate at best - not as bad as Meehan's, but poor enough to be a mark against him. However I do have trouble with a goalkeeper's kickout being rated so important. You'd have to be getting a lot of kickouts very far to make up for the three points a preventable goal can cost the team - and we certainly know all about preventable goals against us.

I personally would have had McNamara before Kelly pre-surgery - now I'd probably give the nod to Podge. Since the selectors are probably of similar mind, electing to skip 9 months of training and spend it with a new born family member is probably a very reasonable decision.