Offaly's League fixtures 2006.

[Bord na Mona man]

Well lads what do ye think of Offaly's league fixtures?
In football we have 2 Saturday night floodlit games.
Another weekend in Tralee should be good craic.
This year, a couple of the Rhode lads from this board brought their ladies on a romantic Valentine's weekend to Kerry. And just coincidentally Offaly happened to be playing in the locality
We had a great travelling support this year, so hopefully we'll have more of the same this time.
It'll be good for a long Paddy's weekend.

Our two most winnable games (Monaghan and Fermanagh) are at the very end. This might not be helpful. We really need to have 3 or more points on the board by then. Twice in recent years we have been relegated with 5 points. We might just catch those teams when they are fighting for their lives not to be relegated.

In hurling it's great to be playing against team of a high standard. That's the main thing to prevent a repeat of the Kilkenny massacre.
I think Offaly should go all out to qualify for the knockouts.
The league is far more competitve now then 10 years ago when it had no relevence to championship.
You have to take on the big teams when they're putting in the effort. That's when you learn.

Yet again we have to play the savages in Ennis!
We never seem to get to play them in Birr these days.


February 5th Round 1
Offaly v Cork

February 12th Round 2
Mayo v Offaly

March 4th Round 3
Dublin v Offaly

March 12th Round 4
Offaly v Tyrone

March 18th Round 5
Kerry v Offaly

March 26th Round 6
Offaly v Monaghan

April 9th Round 7
Fermanagh v Offaly


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HURLING:

February 19th Round 1
Offaly v Cork

February 26th Round 2
Down v Offaly

March 11th Round 3
Offaly v Wexford

March 26th Round 4
Clare v Offaly

April 2nd Round 5
Offaly v Waterford

[azoffaly]

A Paddy's day weekend in the Kingdom. How bad

[Lone Shark]

Not sure if I'll be on these shores at all next year, what with employment for those in the gambling industry thin on the ground around the midlands, but even so there's a lot to like about the schedule, in particualr for the hurlers - three home games and an away match to Down is exactly what you'd hope for, and with it going straight into quarter finals this year instead of a second group, you'd have to give us a great chance of advancing.

The footballers will have it tough, but I've always thought you're better get the Munster teams earlier - they tend to be more behind in their prep in February than most. The away game in Dublin will be huge - outside of the Cork match, that looks to me like the most likely source of points. I'd say five points would certainly be the target though, I can't see anyone being relegated with that this year. Should beat Monaghan at home all right, but the trip to Brewster Park looks very tricky too - I wouldn't like to be going there needing points.

I see what you mean about playing Ennis away all the time - though it seems to be the same with Cork at home - if I'm not mistaken this will make it four games in a row at home to Cork over both codes.

[Barracuda]

LS- open your own shop !!- ill back you (no pun intended!)

[Barracuda]

My predictions:

February 5th Round 1
Offaly v Cork
Win

February 12th Round 2
Mayo v Offaly
Draw

March 4th Round 3
Dublin v Offaly
Loss

March 12th Round 4
Offaly v Tyrone
Loss
March 18th Round 5
Kerry v Offaly
Loss
March 26th Round 6
Offaly v Monaghan
Draw
April 9th Round 7
Fermanagh v Offal
Loss

[black and red exile]

Some cracking games in both codes to look forward to, especially for the hurlers. I was at every Div 2 game this year and by jaysus was it a painful couple of months, which in my opinion resulted in the main reason why we got slaughtered on June 12 last. John McIntyre will be thrilled with the games his team face in Div 1 and will no doubt relish the challenge ahead especially in preparation for the championship.
I would slightly disagree with LS in that I think the footballers will neeed 6 points to survive. It will probably be a dogfight with ourselves, Monaghan and Fermanagh to decide which two goes down. A win against the rebels on Feb 4 would give us a nice cushion facing the four whoppers afterwards, and we would more than likely have to finish up with two wins against the two weaker Northern counties to stay up, although I have a feeling we could very well get something at Parnell park.
Fingers crossed for an exciting year for players and supporters alike.

[Lone Shark]

Dunno about that - I really can't see all bar one of Offaly, Cork, Fermanagh and Monaghan getting five points or more - particularly when on recent form you'd expect Tyrone and Kerry to drop feck all between them.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Something that hasn't been mentioned in any of the papers is, how many qualify for the knockout stages of the NHL? 6 or 8?
How is relegation decided. Bottom two in each group play off? Or bottom 3?

Draw and fixtures look attractive, even cork looks 'do-able'. We've avoided KK and Tipp, our two bogey teams. We'll be screwed next year 'tho, when those fixtures are reversed.

[Lone Shark]

The top four in each group in the league go into quarter finals, that bit I'm sure of. The relegation I'm less sure of - though I have heard that it's relegation semis and final.

[turk]

we should be aiming to destroy mayo in the football

[naasmanxrhode]

It will be very disappointing if Offaly fail to stay up. Kilmurry should ensure that Offaly get off to the best possible start and beat Cork at home. The home matches which are ok say bar Tyrone and are all winnable.
My predictions are Offaly/Cork = home win,
Mayo/Offaly = probably Mayo, but no great shakes,
Dublin/Offaly = again winnable but probably Dublin,
Offaly/Tyrone = again winnable especially in Tullamore, but probably Tyrone,
Kerry/Offaly = home win,
Offaly/Monaghan = home win and finally
Fermanagh/Offaly = away win as Fermanagh have gone back big time.
This gives a total of at least 6 points so we should stay up

[turk]

remember lads, it's doubly important to finish in the top 3 or 4 as from next year they are (rightly) going back to div 1, 2, 3 & 4.
finish in 6th or 7th and it's division 3 football for the lads

[Plain of the Herbs]

Where did you see that re: next years NFL.
Only don't say Martin Breheny wrote it. He had some dreary article saying a division 1, 2, 3 & 4 was the only logical way forward.

When the fixtures were announced, it was stated that divisions 1 & 2 would not be re-drawn until next year, and would be influenced by counties with floodlights.

As for Breheny, it appears he finds a sole voice (perhaps the Irish officer of the Cavan county board, for example) who has an opinion on something like this, and writes a full page about how this is the way forward. Only recently, he quoted some fella who wanted to return to having league matches before Christmas (who in their right mind?). I'm quite sure Breheny spent years advocating the playing of the league in the one calender year, prior to its introduction.

Seriously, did any of ye see his perview of the Galway county final, where he wrote that inter-county referee, Michael Haverty would be hurling in the forwards for Loughrea. FFS, Haverty is a Killimor club-man.

He seems to delight in running down Offaly hurling of late, too, writing that we're rank outsiders to qualify for the QF's of the AIHC. Now, while Wexford will start favourites in the Leinster semi, rank outsiders is stretching it a bit. of is he trying to ignite a fire within our hurlers?

[Lone Shark]

I've never been a fan of Breheny at the best of times, and certainly wouldn't go out of my way to find his articles, hence my missing of the galway final preview. He's full of opinions regarding the game's administration, and and always seems most interested in the stuff for the casual reader who keeps an eye on his county team but is a soccer/rugby/water polo fan first and foremost. You won't see him chipping in on matters such as the plight of the club player, the state of U-21 championships in most counties, the complete dearth of coverage of handball or anything like that. Instead it's all the glamour stuff - international rules, Croke Park, and county board financial "scandals".

He does occasionally try to cover the games themselves, but as you say it comes across as poorly researched and flippant.

I wouldn't say he has any personal agenda against Offaly, all that said - it's just a reflection on the fact that he probably reads the results and hasn't a clue of the true form of the team or their potential. No surprise there.

[True Red]

Just a point about Breheny.He was a central figure in the Offaly footballer's recent strike and he helped them formulate their "grievance list".