Offaly Senior Football Team - Championship 2023

[TerraceTalk]

No word yet.

[private joker]

Declan kelly will be the next senior football manager.

[Anonymous1]

"The Management Committee of Offaly GAA is pleased to recommend Declan Kelly as manager of the Offaly Senior Football team."

https://twitter.com/Offaly_GAA/status/1 ... 64192?s=20

[aigne]

Best of luck to new management. Hopefully this thing that has been going since 2001 of giving up most years after Leinster Championship can be addressed. I never understood going through the hardship of all the winter training and then check out in the summer before games finished.

[jimbob17]

No surprise there. Kellys appointment was inevitable. Selectors seem to be well experienced at club level. Just little surprised that neither selector has any experience at inter county senior level. It's a very big job and let's hope that we get the bounce everybody is hoping for. Best wishes to Declan, management team and players.

[Superhans75]

A new broom as the saying goes .
Hope springs eternal but a lot of work to do .
Division 3 promotion is possible but squad needs to stay together ..

[Bord na Mona man]

The appointment makes sense. Declan won't need to spend the same time learning the scene the way an outside manager would. This helps in the compressed county season calendar.
On top of that, there are several players out there who can potentially return to the panel, and Kelly will also have a good read on who should be brought back on priority.

Offaly are a potential Div 2 team with a bit more panel strength and wise heads on the sideline. On the flip side, it wouldn't take much going wrong to have us Div 4 bound either. However, I am quietly confident that progress will be made in 2024 and beyond.

[Doon Exile]

The appointment makes sense. Declan won't need to spend the same time learning the scene the way an outside manager would. This helps in the compressed county season calendar.
On top of that, there are several players out there who can potentially return to the panel, and Kelly will also have a good read on who should be brought back on priority.

Offaly are a potential Div 2 team with a bit more panel strength and wise heads on the sideline. On the flip side, it wouldn't take much going wrong to have us Div 4 bound either. However, I am quietly confident that progress will be made in 2024 and beyond.

What players could we get back (genuine question btw).

[Anonymous1]

The appointment makes sense. Declan won't need to spend the same time learning the scene the way an outside manager would. This helps in the compressed county season calendar.
On top of that, there are several players out there who can potentially return to the panel, and Kelly will also have a good read on who should be brought back on priority.

Offaly are a potential Div 2 team with a bit more panel strength and wise heads on the sideline. On the flip side, it wouldn't take much going wrong to have us Div 4 bound either. However, I am quietly confident that progress will be made in 2024 and beyond.

What players could we get back (genuine question btw).

Jordan Hayes, Eoin Carroll, Carl Stewart, Eoin Rigney, James Lalor, Colm Doyle and Michael Brazil to name a few plus some of Declan's U20s such as John Furlong, Cathal Donoghue, Keith O'Neill, Cathal Flynn and Oisin Keenan-Martin.

I could also name a dozen others who could, should or would have been on the team in the past but haven't for whatever reason and would relish a fresh opportunity.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

The best of luck to Declan and the management team. It was always his job to take at this time and it is a big undertaking for him as he has a busy job also and has a young enough family. He has worked hard to get to this point with enormous level of success through ST Vins 3 in a row under 21's, CAppincur, Croghan, St Lomans and St Vins underage and thedevelopment squads
As a supporter I wish him and the team well for the coming year, and there is no doubt that whilst this appointment and its success is crucial for them, it is equally important that the players who are considered are in there for the right reasons and are going to give it a right lash.

August and not a ball to be kicked in anger till February, but there will be much to be done in between. So fair dues to him and to the county board in getting this sorted out, I believe same minor mgt remains and any word on the u20 mgt?

[Bord na Mona man]

The appointment makes sense. Declan won't need to spend the same time learning the scene the way an outside manager would. This helps in the compressed county season calendar.
On top of that, there are several players out there who can potentially return to the panel, and Kelly will also have a good read on who should be brought back on priority.

Offaly are a potential Div 2 team with a bit more panel strength and wise heads on the sideline. On the flip side, it wouldn't take much going wrong to have us Div 4 bound either. However, I am quietly confident that progress will be made in 2024 and beyond.

What players could we get back (genuine question btw).

Jordan Hayes, Eoin Carroll, Carl Stewart, Eoin Rigney, James Lalor, Colm Doyle and Michael Brazil to name a few plus some of Declan's U20s such as John Furlong, Cathal Donoghue, Keith O'Neill, Cathal Flynn and Oisin Keenan-Martin.

I could also name a dozen others who could, should or would have been on the team in the past but haven't for whatever reason and would relish a fresh opportunity.

Yep, with injuries, work, and a lot of post Covid travel we have a lot of players who have not been available recently. Offaly were a kick of a ball away from getting into a Leinster final and the All Ireland series this year. Getting some of those players back would definitely strengthen the squad.

[jimbob17]

The best of luck to Declan and the management team. It was always his job to take at this time and it is a big undertaking for him as he has a busy job also and has a young enough family. He has worked hard to get to this point with enormous level of success through ST Vins 3 in a row under 21's, CAppincur, Croghan, St Lomans and St Vins underage and thedevelopment squads
As a supporter I wish him and the team well for the coming year, and there is no doubt that whilst this appointment and its success is crucial for them, it is equally important that the players who are considered are in there for the right reasons and are going to give it a right lash.

August and not a ball to be kicked in anger till February, but there will be much to be done in between. So fair dues to him and to the county board in getting this sorted out, I believe same minor mgt remains and any word on the u20 mgt?

Would imagine status quo will also remain for u20 also given 2023 was their first year in it. Disappointing year in 23 but injuries should be factored in to be fair with injuries to Egan, Furlong O'Neill and Dempsey - and lost out only narrowly in terms of qualification from group. Lots of lads who played this year are eligible again next year as far as I know.

[Superhans75]

Not exactly jumping up and down over Kelly's appointments but that's what the county board have decided so be it .
Going to be alot of expectations on him from the start
Also it will show which players will play for him or others who heads have got a little bigger lol
We could get promoted ( definitely slightly easier than this year only) but relegation could only be a mistake
Away .
I think it's windier outside today than its was in Belfast back in January ( league weather) lol
Enjoy the rain

[jimbob17]

The main challenge for new management will be tempering the expectation around abilities of his u20 players. He may not realise it just yet, and prob few of the u20 players themselves realise it just yet but most likely that only a few of that u20 team will be good enough to make the step up to senior. Keeping the right senior players in mid - late twenties will be key while bedding in the best of the younger players.

Co U20 and co senior level are incomparable in terms of levels from many different aspects, but particularly S&C / fitness, but also tactically in that there are so many different puzzles that will be thrown at you by different teams.

We should be aiming to be getting out of Div 3 but we might not be all that far off relegation either as it's fairly competitive in Div 3.

[Superhans75]

Hopefully Jimbob we will get 4 home games ( mind you we were better away this season !
Reliststically the league is more important than the championship as that comes with an inevitable hammering.
It will be 3 years down the line when the U20 team players hit there zenith ..
But will need some 28/30 old players to balance the team.
That is going to be an issue as players are retiring earlier due to work , relationships having a social life etc .
Could be a rocky 2024 ?