2015 Walsh cup

[Killeighman]

What would your starting Championship team be because i dont see it being much different from what lined out last sunday?

[sam88885a]

sharp eye
i dont see many options for full back centre back or centre forward on the current panel .
unless we get those 3 positions correct we havent a chance of beating laois or anyone else in the league .

b whelahan is almost 15 months building a team yet every time offaly take to the field the look more unsettled .

sharp eye im sorry but i can only see things getting worse .

we need workrate intensity and passion in that offaly team like that kk showed against shellmailers and ballyhale .

sadly there is no evidence that many of that current panel have any of those qualities .
in the heat of battle there are very few of that current panel that have scrapped it out for either club or county .
i dont think u can train those qualities into a guy .
offaly hurlers die very easily these days

[allstar2010]

I think there has been an over reaction to Offaly's poor performance last Sunday. It is January and Brian Whelehan is being correct in giving panel members a game. In the 2nd half last Sunday there were 4 players from Seir Kieran players on the pitch. It was clear that none of these players were up to the standard of Senior Inter County Hurling. January is the month to find this out and not June. I hope that Brian Whelehan will continue to give all players in the panel games so that by the end of March he will know his best team. The year will be a success if we beat Laois in the League and win 2 games in the championship. If we achieve those victories a Walsh Cup game in January will be long forgotten.

This is his second year in charge and he doesn't have clue of his strongest 15. He doesn't seem to have any plan or structure to develop this team. His interviews are woeful, seen him being interviewed before KK's Leinster final and it was terrible. Negative attitude more or less saying kk didn't have a hope against Kilkenny opposition. If that's what he's like during interviews how is he going to instill confidence in the players in the dressing room. Would the likes of Rory Hanniffy, Kevin Brady, Ger Healion, Conor Mahon, James Rigney, Del Morkan, Damien Kilmartin, Ciaran Slevin and others have decided not to waste their time with the county if he was still there. It's tragic to see such a legend of a player being left in a job he's not fit for by an incompetent county board that have no interest in changing the fortunes of our hurlers.

I for one have lost all interest in going to matches anymore, if they current team played in my back garden I'd pull over the curtains. The match on valentines night under lights in o'moore park is going to be this teams All-Ireland, win and we should avoid relegation, lose and we're in trouble. On current form you'd have to imagine the latter is unfortunately going to be the most likely outcome!

[townman]

I think there has been an over reaction to Offaly's poor performance last Sunday. It is January and Brian Whelehan is being correct in giving panel members a game. In the 2nd half last Sunday there were 4 players from Seir Kieran players on the pitch. It was clear that none of these players were up to the standard of Senior Inter County Hurling. January is the month to find this out and not June. I hope that Brian Whelehan will continue to give all players in the panel games so that by the end of March he will know his best team. The year will be a success if we beat Laois in the League and win 2 games in the championship. If we achieve those victories a Walsh Cup game in January will be long forgotten.

This is his second year in charge and he doesn't have clue of his strongest 15. He doesn't seem to have any plan or structure to develop this team. His interviews are woeful, seen him being interviewed before KK's Leinster final and it was terrible. Negative attitude more or less saying kk didn't have a hope against Kilkenny opposition. If that's what he's like during interviews how is he going to instill confidence in the players in the dressing room. Would the likes of Rory Hanniffy, Kevin Brady, Ger Healion, Conor Mahon, James Rigney, Del Morkan, Damien Kilmartin, Ciaran Slevin and others have decided not to waste their time with the county if he was still there. It's tragic to see such a legend of a player being left in a job he's not fit for by an incompetent county board that have no interest in changing the fortunes of our hurlers.

I for one have lost all interest in going to matches anymore, if they current team played in my back garden I'd pull over the curtains. The match on valentines night under lights in o'moore park is going to be this teams All-Ireland, win and we should avoid relegation, lose and we're in trouble. On current form you'd have to imagine the latter is unfortunately going to be the most likely outcome!

the players you mention there Hanniffy has retired along with Brady Ger Healion is 32 yes he is the best fullback in the county but you would have to wonder why he wasn't there years ago fullforward again laois in 08 in the championship. James Rigney has also retired but has been there for years to and had as many poor days as good in the championship. Conor Mahon i belive is leaving the country could be wrong but is picked most days, Del well we know what went on last year and i belive is also leaving theses shore's . Ciaran Slevin is only about the 9th or 10th best foward in offaly and how he played the two games under Baker in the championship that year was a mystery, Kilmartin good club hurl has yet to prove himself at intercounty level, yes they are as good as whats there i agree with you, but they wouldn't make us any better than we are now, god help us when Dooley, Brian Carroll, Bergin, go

[sam88885a]

townman
what is so bloddy annoying about offaly over the last few years is guys like d kilmartain g healion c slevin are deemed to be good club hurlers who have not proved themselves at county level yet guys like c parlon ans s ryan seen to have proven themselves at county level despite been very average club hurlers and poor county hurlers .
how could g mann s kinsella be ahead of any of kk forwards , surely j gorman is more proven than either never mind slevin or the geraghtys
g healion is 32 u say he is the best club full back in offaly and i agree yet it would be foolish to try him at full back during the league when the going is heavy and while d shortt e murphy p camon e nolan etc gain experence .
b carroll is 32 also is he finished too? he has more pace than healion but healion is twice the leader .
surely we need both these guys more this year than ever before with such a limited, inexperence, light weight squad.

[Chris]

How anyone can say that Sean Ryan or Stephen Wynne are as good a hurler as Damian Kilmartin Iis beyond me.....he has been tge outstanding midfielder in Offaly for the last 3/4 years....he got limited opportunity last year......the manager saidhe was ggoingto hhave a look at the Offaly Senior Hurling Championship after the defeat to Tipp last year and then come up with a panel for thus year based on the performances therein. He obviously did not see too much Offaly Championship hurling last year. The problem with theLeague this year Iis that if is effectively Offaly's championship....as Iif they don't make any progress tthey coukd be playing in the round robin series next year and the Christy Ring the year after

[Toxicity234]

He obviously did not see too much Offaly Championship hurling last year.

Whelehan went to matches last year.

He went to the Birr Vs Rynagh. that why there 5 or 6 from Rynagh's on the panel they great they beat Birr.
He went to the Birr Vs Clareen. That why there 5 or 6 for Clareen's on the panel they great they beat Birr.
He missed the Birr Vs Shirone game. Bad news for half of the Shirone. otherwise they be 5 or 6 on the Panel.
He went to the Birr vs Tullamore Game. That why there 4 or 5 for tullamore on the panel. they great they beat Birr.

Sure Kilcormac Killoughey are useless they didn't beat Birr last year.

Sure Birr Colm Mulronney is a better forward than Ciaren Slevin. So what Slevin is a hard working team player. While no has ever seen Mulronney play well for club. He wear a Birr jersey he a better hurler.

Just Like last year when Brian Walkins was the best centre back in the county. Sure Joe Brady, Peter Healion, Brian Coughlan, Dermot Shortt and Dan Kelliher etc wouldn't keep it puck out to Walkins at centre back. He was the outstanding Half back in Offaly for the last 4 year and was overlook by them bad managers from Clare and Clareen.

Let us not forget the Barry Harding. Started championship games ahead of Morkan, Rigney, Mc Donald, Camon, Garidner. Doughan. etc. Harding faster than the wind while Kelleher is too slow for inter county hurling. Kelleher was too overweight for inter county hurling while Harding the prefect weight for inter county hurling.

Sure don't mind them lads that trained all winter, Emmett Nolan come in and your'll get a game head of everyone else that been training all winter, played Walsh cup game and league . Sure your from Birr man. you didn't need to do the training sure your for Birr. WHAT Morkan Miss a training session FUCKING SHIRONE FECK. OFF THE TEAM. Off the panel. Apologize to your team mate(including Nolan Who hasn't training all winter).

Hypocrite

[sam88885a]

my problem is how b whelahan mismanagment of the team has been excussed by former players and my the local media.
.only last week k corrigan said in the tribune that there was no need to panic after the galway game its only janurary .

NOW is the time to panic not when thing get even worse .

there is a view within offaly that we have no talent currently and that preformance at club level is irrevelent .

talking to a wexford man yesterday and things are looking very positive down there
.they have 3 panels training and only played fring players in the walsh cup this year .
the real intresting thing he told me is that former players ,96 team, had to be told to say notting about the current players underage and senior unless it was positive because what was happening former players were putting down young lads to feed there own ego and affecting their development .

he suggested that the offaly team of the 90s seem to be doing the same and as a result creating an enviroment for failure.
kilkenny will always talk about the high standard of there club hurling he said but offaly clubs have always preformed to a high standard yet he has never heard an offaly manager reallly praise offaly club hurling in recent times .

he said offaly have good hurlers but is club rivalry destroying the county teams chances ,.
if a guy is not up to it at club level he wont be up to it at county level no matter if he trains 24/7.

[sam88885a]

looking to the laois game what would be the strongest team sid could field against laois from the current panel.
this is a really important game one we cannot aford to lose.
b carroll is also unavable that night i think the team should be something like this .
j demsey
n wynne
d shortt
s egan
e nolan
e murphy
d king
c kiely
p camon
j bergin
c egan
c parlon
s dooley
d currams
s quirke
what do ye think ???
can anyone pick a stronger team?

[townman]

He obviously did not see too much Offaly Championship hurling last year.

Whelehan went to matches last year.

He went to the Birr Vs Rynagh. that why there 5 or 6 from Rynagh's on the panel they great they beat Birr.
He went to the Birr Vs Clareen. That why there 5 or 6 for Clareen's on the panel they great they beat Birr.
He missed the Birr Vs Shirone game. Bad news for half of the Shirone. otherwise they be 5 or 6 on the Panel.
He went to the Birr vs Tullamore Game. That why there 4 or 5 for tullamore on the panel. they great they beat Birr.

Sure Kilcormac Killoughey are useless they didn't beat Birr last year.

Sure Birr Colm Mulronney is a better forward than Ciaren Slevin. So what Slevin is a hard working team player. While no has ever seen Mulronney play well for club. He wear a Birr jersey he a better hurler.

Just Like last year when Brian Walkins was the best centre back in the county. Sure Joe Brady, Peter Healion, Brian Coughlan, Dermot Shortt and Dan Kelliher etc wouldn't keep it puck out to Walkins at centre back. He was the outstanding Half back in Offaly for the last 4 year and was overlook by them bad managers from Clare and Clareen.

Let us not forget the Barry Harding. Started championship games ahead of Morkan, Rigney, Mc Donald, Camon, Garidner. Doughan. etc. Harding faster than the wind while Kelleher is too slow for inter county hurling. Kelleher was too overweight for inter county hurling while Harding the prefect weight for inter county hurling.

Sure don't mind them lads that trained all winter, Emmett Nolan come in and your'll get a game head of everyone else that been training all winter, played Walsh cup game and league . Sure your from Birr man. you didn't need to do the training sure your for Birr. WHAT Morkan Miss a training session FUCKING SHIRONE FECK. OFF THE TEAM. Off the panel. Apologize to your team mate(including Nolan Who hasn't training all winter).

Hypocrite

take it easy Danny ? you seem to be blaming the Birr players for this shambles, lets not forget Watkins and Harding were in with Ollie Baker squad to, Colm Mulrooney hasn't hurl for offaly his only in the panel. like myself you don't know what is going on day to day with players or at training. i do agree Sid is over his head here, but we have alot more problems than just Sid been over us. we are going on 6 years nearly down in division 2 and by right should have dropped down to division 2 last year.

did you ever think that some of the players you mention don't want to hurl for their county, lads have been crying out for Kevin Grogan and Brian Leonard to hurl with the county and won't and thats before Whelehan came on board. Damien Kilmartin was their last year and i think they had a fall out, but he is a lost, he has came along way as a few years ago in was k/k's goalkeeper. Barry Harding was in the squad last year but he got as much game time as James Rigney Chris McDonald
and to tell you the truth they were all shit last year, kilkenny and tipp games our defence were cruel, yes Keillgher and Gardinear from lusmagh wouldn't be any worse but wouldn't be any better and thats where our problems lay.

this whats gets under my tits is lads beliving that there's a bucket load of hurlers in offaly that are not in with offaly and if they were we would be kingpins again its rubbish talk. last year Dermott Shortt lads were going mad you for one saying he didn't get a good deal from Sid, he has gave him games this year fair enough walsh cup games and needs a league run, but if Ger Healion does come back Shortt will be gone from fullback as he was poor in the two games i seen the lad hurl this year, the laois match we will see more.

the k/k debate that their aren't enough of them in with offaly there was 8 last year, i don't know the story this year about how many have gone in, young Kiely has done well lets not forget his age, Currams is cruel and he knows himself there is a big differents hurling a club fullback from kinnitty, tullamore, Rynaghs, than Galway Kilkenny, Tipp, the two lads from Birr Emmett Nolan is a fine young hurler and will come good in time, Sean Ryan gives it everything and never shys away from a tackle like some on the squad, yes his not brillant but his as good as whats in offaly.

Ciaran Slevin walked onto the team under Baker and hurl the two games again Kilkenny and waterford and i'd say if you get a tape of the two games he never hit the ball once in the two games, as i said you were on about Colm Mulrooney didn't hurl yet.

so your point in saying Sid only picking Birr players doesn't add up there was as many players from clareen, k/k, Shinrone had 4 in last year players in his squad. Del is a big lost but its a lot more than hurling that has the lad not hurling with the county at the moment.

[townman]

[quote="sam88885a"]looking to the laois game what would be the strongest team sid could field against laois from the current panel.
this is a really important game one we cannot aford to lose.
b carroll is also unavable that night i think the team should be something like this .
j demsey
n wynne
d shortt
s egan
e nolan
e murphy
d king
c kiely
p camon
j bergin
c egan
c parlon
s dooley
d currams
s quirke
what do ye think ???
can anyone pick a stronger team?[/quote

besides Carroll gone i don't think Bergin is 100 per cent yet but thats as good as we have. i can't see both Egan and Parlon in the forwads, they should not be in the halfback line but one of them will be if not 2 wait and see. Niall Wynne as corner back is a No No, i know he was injuried for Rynaghs coming up for the county final but even they didn't put him in the backs the two days he came on. i know we don't have a great lot to pick from but young Kinsella or Paddy Murphy should get a run as Currams could be better coming off the bench as he has so far done nothing as a starter, Sean Ryan is not a midfielder i agree but would still be better than Camon there who is a defender, i'd play Kiely centreback Eanna Murphy fullback as Shortt is not up to it at number 3.

[townman]

my 15 sam88885a

1. James Dempsey
2. Pat Camon
3. Eanna Murphy
4. Stephen Egan
5. Sean Ryan
6. Cillian Kiely
7. Dermot Mooney
8. Emmett Nolan
9. Tommy Carroll
10. Shane Kinellsa
11. Colin Egan
12. Paddy Murphy
13. Shane Dooley
14. Joe Bergin ( if fit)
15. Stephen Quirke

with Carroll gone and Conor Mahon not in the squad thats about it with Currams and maybe Peter Gerathy coming on during the game.

[sam88885a]

townman
ur taking the piss now putting an 18 year in at centre back.
e murphy at full back. did u not see him on g rafferty in the rynagh game last year .
p camon is a good hurler but he is not a corner back.
d shortt deserves a run ahead of s ryan or d mooney .
t carroll hardly deserves to make the clareen team his work rate is so poor .
e nolan could be worth a try in midfield .
d currams is only good enough to make the subs, are ur sure ur not over praising him .

ask any defender in offaly and they all tell that currams is the best forward in the county .he will take u on ever time .
the last day against galway he was treble marked at all times . townman u see what u want to see .
galway clearly saw currams as the danger man and allowed him no space .
s kinsella or p murphy would hardly be ahead of p geraghty .
i really hope the birr man that is in charge does not share you view on team selection or we will be hammered.

[Once off]

[quote][/quote]Del is a big lost but its a lot more than hurling that has the lad not hurling with the county at the moment.

Townsman there has been a couple of your posts where you seem to want to offload about dels personal life . I have never posted on this website or any other website in my life but I feel I have to this one time as del is my son , I can't make out if you have a problem with del or you are trying to defend Brian whelan ( I would like to think it's the latter ) . My sons private life is private and should be left that way , it's easy to be on here writing anonymously , but if you don't want to put your name up you can contact me and we can sit down and you tell me all you seem to know . I see by your posts that you are very knowledgeable about hurling and that's what this website is supposed to be about , I wouldn't have the same knowledge but let me say this , that del has given 7 years of his life to offaly hurling , there were times over the years he didn't have a job but he still turned up for offaly , last year he had a bit of a wobble regarding his discipline dropped to the bench for antrim game , ( fair enough) came on in second half and I think he had a big influence on the win ,but didn't play against tipp as the manager wanted to discipline him but if he shared the discipline evenly there wouldn't have many started against tipp but I'm sure you know that . He has been treated like shit by Brian whelan and the county board and not only is he a loss to offaly and his club but also to me and my wife as it looks like he is going abroad . Townsman I don't know who you are but you should be aware that these players have family that read this website and while they are open to critism about hurling that's where it should stay you should keep in mind the saying " don't judge me till you have walked in my shoes ". Your statement that it's a lot more than hurling that has him not in with the county is interesting I would really like to know what you mean because he has been in there for seven years and hurling well and whatever about his private life he didn't become a bad hurler all of a sudden .

[townman]

i take it you seen the two walsh cup games, sam88885a Tommy Carroll had a good game again westmeath and hurl very well when Dooley was sent off and hit two points, Currams came on and his man beat him everytime the ball came in and it was one on one he was waiting for the handy one, Carroll had a good first half again Galway true he went out of it in the scond half, but so did the rest,

why would i be taking the piss with Cillian Kiely centreback he has hurl there minor for years as well as fullback and midfield, he hurl great in the second half again Galway as he fell back into our halfback line his more a centreback as Colin Egan is, see this is the poistion offaly are in we might have to hurl him there we have no one else. Shane Kineslla and Paddy Murphy are new on the scene Murphy only got the westmeath game, Kinsella done well again Galway yes he is raw scored 2 points won the pen and a few frees, as for Currams double marked i counted about 5 or 6 time David Collins caught ball over his head or took it off him and they were just on each other, Currams has to put up his hand now and then this putting up his hurl with one hand to knock it down to himself won't work at inter county and hasn't for him this 6 years.

yes ask any fullback in offaly and they will say Currams is the best forward thats why we don't have any outstanding defenders in the county anymore, and i don't agree i think Joe Bergin and Brian Carroll are better forwards than Currams at club and county, Currams 1 goal in championship hurling after what this his 8 year with the squad says as much.

as my selection would be us hammer i don't think your team with Niall Wynne and Dermot Shortt in the fullback line alond with David King will hold out much. as for Camon midfield, yet you would have Kiely at 18 in midfield whats the differents, how many times are we going to try Parlon in the half forward line his also there with offaly since 2005, thats why i would give Murphy or Kinsella or one of the Gerathys a run. if Eanna Murphy is not good enough for fullback so he would be good enough for centreback in fairness i don't think your team will win many points this year either.