offaly footballers of the year???

[TRUEGAEL]

does anyone know when the nominations are out.my picks are SENIOR only one choice niall mcnamee..INTERMIADTE jer rafferty solid all year...JUNIOR A jimmy foy scored 1.6 in the county final.U21???????????????.MINOR paul mcpadden class act well what you think lads

[The Magpie]

Hard to argue with any of those selections. Definitely the most influential footballers in their respective grades this year.

[Lone Shark]

I would say that the senior is the most ridiculously easy choice ever, while Junior will probably go to Jimmy Foy as well, but I wouldn't rule out that either Niall Wynne or James Rafferty might come into contention at intermediate (James Raff would be my choice) while at minor, it would be Cian Donoghue all day for me.

[bracknaghboy]

Shane Dooley was the outstanding Offaly footballer of the year in my opinion.

[Lone Shark]

Shane Dooley was the outstanding Offaly footballer of the year in my opinion.

Other than the game against Clara, he wasn't outstanding in any game. He was good, unquestionably, but it's ridiculous to assert that he played better football than Niall Mac, and that's even if we pretend that there was no county football whatsoever.

[1964]

niall mcnamee was defo footballer of the year . shane dooley carried the tullamore forward line for most of the games he was outstanding vs brigids kicked some savage scores was also outstanding against walsh island. how many of the tullamore football games were you at lone shark to pass a comment that he was outstanding in only in one game.

[Lone Shark]

niall mcnamee was defo footballer of the year . shane dooley carried the tullamore forward line for most of the games he was outstanding vs brigids kicked some savage scores was also outstanding against walsh island. how many of the tullamore football games were you at lone shark to pass a comment that he was outstanding in only in one game.

I think I'll just have to stop making any reference to Tullamore ever.

I was at the Brigids game and he was decent, but no more. He took some fine scores but also got beaten to a lot of ball. Against Ferbane he was downright poor. I wasn't at the group game against Clara so I can't comment on how he did there. Against Shamrocks he, like everyone else on that Tullamore team that day, wilted in the second half. He was definitely good - but I would argue still not at Niall Mac or even Tommo's level - against WI and and Clara. The reason I say that is that he tended to be playing man on man in plenty of space - a luxury neither of the other two lads enjoyed all year.

I'm not arguing that he didn't carry the Tullamore forward line to a certain extent, nor am I arguing that he wouldn't be one of the best five or six forwards in the county - he clearly is. I just wouldn't fire out terms like outstanding unless it was something genuinely worthy of note. Also, let's not forget that in 2010 championship Tullamore averaged roughly 0-11 per game, with only two goals all year. If you genuinely feel that Shane was outstanding, then you must think the other forwards are utterly useless altogether.

[Long John]

Id agree with Lone shark totally. Shane is an alright footballer, not brilliant but not poor. He was good against Brigids but Brigids were brutal bad, as were Walsh Island. He was useless against Ferbane, and against Shamrocks Michael Stanbrook got the better of him and won most 50/50 and even 60/40 battles with him. If anything I think Ronan Monaghan has more potential than Dooley.

Lets get real here, McNamee is head and shoulders above Dooley and every other forward in the county for that matter. The next best scoring forwards are Deehan, but his attitude is far too self absorbed to be a worthwhile county player and Ward who has super ability but commitment wise wouldnt be the best either.
Willie Mulhall was excellent against Tullamore but can blow cold too often. I would rate these 3 above Shane Dooley.

A man that could offer a huge amount to Offaly as a forward, possibly a very useful centre forward would be Aidan Keenaghan if he got himself free of injuries. He had a spell as a half back for county but I saw him produce very good performances against Tullamore and Rhode in the past.

[bracknaghboy]

Shane Dooley was the outstanding Offaly footballer of the year in my opinion.

Other than the game against Clara, he wasn't outstanding in any game. He was good, unquestionably, but it's ridiculous to assert that he played better football than Niall Mac, and that's even if we pretend that there was no county football whatsoever.

I just wanted to see how that would float!!! Of course Niall Mac was well and beyond the player of the year in 2010....even a madman like me wouldn't question that. I genuinely thought Dooley had a great year....theres massive footballing potential there but alas the hurling will take priority and I'd respect that. Stephan Weir of Durrow had a good year in intermediate.

[Long John]

Yes Bracknaghboy I can see what your saying, Dooley isnt a bad player by any means but I dont think he'd make an outstanding county player. He would be a decent panelist maybe. Id rank him behind Niall, Ward, Deehan, Ken Casey, William Mulhall who would be better options for the full forward line. And he wouldnt have the workrate to make it on half forward line.

As regards Weir, he certainly was one of Durrows better players. Hes too much of a header though and doesnt always help his own cause. He has not had a great record when in with county teams.

Have rynaghs produced anything decent outside the Raffertys and Paudie?

[bazza]

Lads I take serious issue with people rating Willie Mulhall above Shane Dooley as a footballer. Whatever about McNamee or Deehan but Mulhall? That's a joke. What has he ever done? He cant even make the DCU team.

[bracknaghboy]

See the thing with Dooley is he's an excellent taker of a score.....give him the ball even 40 yards out and he'll have a shot (usually not too far off the mark with it either). He's full of confidence. Not every forward has that....plenty of current county players are shy in front of goal. Remember Niall Mac gets a lot of ball, some of which he cannot get a score himself from and someone like Dooley would feed very well of him in my opinion.

Long John, tell us some of these Stephan Weir stories!! I didn't know he was a header? I do know he's a very good footballer.

[Long John]

Mulhall as I stated earlier blows cold far too often. He was excellent against Tullamore this year but his consistency wouldnt be the best. He is a better footballer than Dooley though. Thats not to say he's brilliant. Neither of them are.

Actually what has happened to James Coughlan. I would rate him higher than the two named above. He always picked off a few scores when I saw him play for the county in the past, he was quiet impressive but has seemed to vanish off the radar.

So in terms of players competing for the full forward line id say it would have to be between:

Niall Mac, Ward, Deehan, Ken Casey, James Coughlan, Willie Mulhall, Reynolds, Dooley.

Of course Anton Sullivan aswell but unlike the names listed above he can perform as a half forward and is probably needed there. I would prefer to see him inside though.

[townman]

well i seen it all now willie mulhall and ken casey are great footballer's and better than Dooley who doesn't play intercounty
football from the bit of football i seen Shane Dooley play with tullamore senior and junior the last few years he is way better
than mulhall and casey, people seem to forget them two intercounty players have been took off the last two years again meath 2010
kildare 09 in portlaoise they never got a kick of it and lads are saying they are good players i think ye should stay off the old weed lads.

[townman]

See the thing with Dooley is he's an excellent taker of a score.....give him the ball even 40 yards out and he'll have a shot (usually not too far off the mark with it either). He's full of confidence. Not every forward has that....plenty of current county players are shy in front of goal. Remember Niall Mac gets a lot of ball, some of which he cannot get a score himself from and someone like Dooley would feed very well of him in my opinion.

Long John, tell us some of these Stephan Weir stories!! I didn't know he was a header? I do know he's a very good footballer.

i think a few ex intercounty hurlers could fill you in with a few stories about stephen weir in his spell with the county hurlers