Leinster Senior Hurling Offaly V Galway

[corner back]

I'll be there. I fear a hiding for Offaly. Kk will beat Dubs by less than Galway will beat Offaly. Hopefully I'm wrong.

[Offaly2010]

Like Georgio1 and corner back,I will be there cheering on the lads!
Come on Offaly!

[Offaly2010]

Galway Team Named Tonight
Date : 17/06/2010
Galway will announce their team tonight, Thursday, after training in Pearse Stadium. Andy Smith is ruled out through suspension, while both Aidan Harte and Damien Hayes should be fit for selection. Offaly manager Joe Dooley will delay naming his team until Saturday as he awaits fitness updates on up to three players for Sunday’s Leinster Hurling semi-final with Galway.

(Taken from Galway GAA site)

[Bord na Mona man]

I'll be there, though I'll be missing most of the Kilkenny-Dublin match.

Since '97 the only championship hurling games I've missed were a couple of qualifiers in 2005.

Since '99 the only football championship match I missed was the 2008 massacre against Down - when the hurling vs. Waterford was on at the same time.

My league attendance record would be a lot more patchy.

Unfortunately, I'll be missing the football qualifier against Clare though.
I'll be stuck at a wedding instead. One of the hazards of getting older I suppose.

[rocket57]

I will be their also hoping lets hope the make a game of it

[Kevin]

Will be there.

[bracknaghboy]

I'm heading up. Interested in seeing how Kilkenny are shaping up also. Going to these games I normally am able to convince myself we have a chance but this time I can't get the Antrim result and the Limerick league game out of my mind. Potential whalloping on the cards here. At best the lads might hold them to 5 or 6 points but I think a win is simply out of the question. O to be proved wrong................

[Southend]

Southend, you made a statement concerning the English Rugby team which beggars belief, I would suggest you go back to study your history books you idiot.

your the idiot!!! this is what i was referring to!!

A match between Ireland and England on 24 February 2007 was politically symbolic because of the events of Bloody Sunday in 1920.

And During the Irish War of Independence on November 21, 1920 Croke Park was the scene of a massacre by the Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC). The Police, supported by the British Auxiliary Division entered the ground, shooting indiscriminately into the crowd killing or fatally wounding 12 during a Dublin-Tipperary gaelic football match.

I was not talking about the rugby team shooting the place up you muppet!!

[Offaly2010]

McIntyre has "soft spot" for Offaly

17 June 2010


Galway manager John McIntyre admits it will be a strange experience facing his former Offaly charges on Sunday.

The Lorrha native had two spells in charge of the Faithful County, but insists there will be no room for sentiment when Galway go in search of a historic Leinster hurling final place at Croke Park this weekend.

"Business is business and all I'm interested in is in Galway, doing themselves justice," he said.

"I have a soft spot for Offaly. They are very proud stickmen, they are a proud hurling county and if our attitude is not right then we will be punished."

McIntyre's opposite number Joe Dooley admits his side will be up against it on Sunday, despite their impressive championship record against the Tribesmen.

"Many of the Offaly team have never played in Croke Park at any level, which is a huge difference from where we used to be. It was a second home for us for many years, but times have changed and now we have to try and change that back again," he said.

"In terms of where we've both come from, it's easy to see why Galway are such hot favourites. We're facing a massive challenge but we'll go into it in a positive frame of mind."

[ballinamereman1]

il be there with my offaly jersey and the bottle of suncream..!!

[lovelyhurling]

I had to emigrate for work so wont be there. Ill be anxiously awaiting phone calls throughout 70!!

[Bord na Mona man]

il be there with my offaly jersey and the bottle of suncream..!!

Suncream?
I tried it one. Gave me an awful hangover!

[Bord na Mona man]

Has anyone any thoughts on how Offaly could win this one?

If it is a normal structured game, then Galway should run out winners by a few points.
Offaly's only hope is to inject the element of chaos to proceedings. Hope to turn the game into a bit of a lottery.

Looking back at how the Dublin league game was won and the Tipperary game was nearly won, it was the mostly down to Offaly managing to put the opposition full back into turmoil for a few minutes and plunder goals. We need to try and create a hole between the Galway full back line and the goal and try and get Shane Dooley or Joe Bergin armed with the ball and through on goal.

I think every line on the field needs to sit 5-10 metres further back than normal, to both crowd Galway's attack and also try and create open space in the Galway half where clearances could be sent and not be as easily caught by a Galway hand.

The likes of Carroll, Dooley, Kealey, Currams etc are not going to win anything over shoulder height once an opposition defender has time to position himself under the high ball. However if balls were delivered into open grass in the Galway half requiring a back vs. forward footrace to collect it, then Offaly forwards would have a fighting chance at least.

Another thing I'd love to see is a massive effort made in not giving away frees. A free conceded inside the '65 is as good as a point these days. Yet you'd still be amazed at how recklessly and needlessly teams concede them.

Galway shot 17 wides against Wexford and scored 10 points from frees. Had Wexford committed only half the amount of fouls, how many of those interrupted attacks would have ended up with a Galway scores?

How many Galway players require deliberate fouling outside the 20 metre line or the D? Yet Offaly will most likely give away a handful of scores for needless offences committed against some of Galway's water carrying forwards.

Fingers crossed anyway!

[Plain of the Herbs]

Offaly need to rediscover the spirit, and the method, that led to the win over Limerick in 2008. Back then, Joe Brady broke the ball under the puckout for Hanniffy, Murphy & Carroll to run onto. Shane Dooley has improved since then, although Daniel Currams has stagnated. Man for man, the Offaly forwards are much superior to Wexford’s.

Hard to know if Offaly will get the goals they need. The full back line is Galway’s best line on the field. The ball can’t drop short for Ollie Canning to collect and carefully place a clearance.

Galway have their own difficulties under the dropping ball, with the definite exception of David Collins. No point pucking it out down his wing, even in the name of varying the puckout. Regan will stand up and pull, there should be a few hurls broken between him and Brady! Derek Molloy’s availability would be a big help. Barry is inclined to foul if beaten for possession.

Collins and Farragher, both lining out on the left flank, are Joe Canning’s main supply line hitting the ball diagonally into the space vacated by the roaming Aidan Harte. Harte will likely be out injured – he will be replaced by a runner. Suspended, Andrew Smith is a big loss. He hurls as a third midfielder and will likely be replaced by another industrious hurler.

Time enough for Offaly to release the team shortly before the start. John McIntyre knows Offaly inside out, largely due to his time managing Offaly, but also due to his family connections on the Offaly team & sideline. McIntyre is a meticulous planner, whatever else, and should be hit with a surprise or two around 4pm on Sunday. Anyway, the players will have a fair idea of the planned lineout as they have seen how they are lined up training.

Interesting point by BnMM on fouling. If the hunger is there (and it should) Offaly may well get to the ball first, in which case the frees will accrue to Offaly for mistimed tackles. Referees favour the team in possession. Remember Offaly won a decent number of frees during the first half of the meltdown match versus Kilkenny in 2005. Why? Because they got on the ball, took the chops on the wrists and put the ball down for the free.

The lowest attendance at a Croke Park double header semi-final was 12,465 in 1982 (Kilkenny v Westmeath & Offaly v Laois). That figure could be beaten on Sunday. Remember only 7k went to see Offaly v Kilkenny in Portlaoise 2 years ago. Neither county will bring any more than that (in fact they could bring somewhat less). Galway only travel for All-Ireland semi-finals while the Dublin hurlers have yet to capture the imagination of the Dublin GAA at large. €30 is a bit saucy too.

Both Offaly v Galway matches this year took the same trend - Galway taking an early lead with Offaly getting back to within a score and running out of time. Law of averages says it will take a different trend this time. Offaly will be competitive, no doubt. No need to elaborate on the elephant in the room – second half fadeouts. Chances are that’s what will do for Offaly’s hopes despite a fire-and-brimstone first half performance.

[Offaly2010]

A second half fadeout would be my biggest worry! I can see Offaly doing very well in the first half,maybe going in at the break just a point or two down or maybe even a point or two up if all goes to plan, and end up being beaten by 7-10 points! I just hope I'm wrong!
Remember back in 2007 against KK in Portlaoise,double header with Offaly and Carlow footballers?
Offaly were trailing the cats by just a point at half time after a late penalty and ended up losing by 14 points!