50 years on, how Offaly won the 1971 All-Ireland final

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
Plain of the Herbs
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Re: 50 years on, how Offaly won the 1971 All-Ireland final

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

I’ve been researching club and county archives for a good while now. And the one common trend is that success discriminates in favour of those who are organised, on and off the field.

That Minor football decade, as you say, fed the 71/72 teams, and while I can’t pinpoint exactly the years Fr Gillooly was involved, leadership such as his would have been a large part of that decade long run. You don’t necessarily have to win the All-Ireland, but that organisation gave them three championship matches most years, often playing in Croke Park, something that helped build a spirit and a desire to be involved with Offaly. Compare and contrast: Offaly Minor footballers won just one game from 1949 to 1956.

I know population plays a part but Ofay’s population relative to the rest of Leinster didn’t alter between 1949/56 and 1957/66. And if population was a key factor, Wicklow and Louth would be a lot more successful. But having a tight knot group, well organised group who are well coached is going to trump a badly organised, dispirited outfit even if that opposition has three times the population. And I suppose Edenderry is a good ase in point. And on that note, I'm happy to see Colm Cummins is leading the current programme for development.

Similarly, the 1986 Minor hurlers were sufficiently organised do what they did. Yet, a year before, with a lot of that successful team and with Birr CS having reached a Colleges’ All-Ireland and Banagher VS with an All-Ireland title, they didn’t register against Wexford. Michael Duignan wrote in his book of Pat Joe Whelahan’s influence in bridging the divide between the Banagher and Birr lads between whom the relationship would have been frosty at best. Similarly, most of the Offaly Senior hurlers who beat the All-Ireland champions and reached 1969’s Leinster Final, and reached the NHL semi-final a season later, had been together for much of that decade, yet never prepared as a team and never won a game until Br Denis arrived on the scene in 1965.

It’s all about leadership, having the right figurehead who has the dedication, the knowledge and the personality to lead. For too long now, Offaly has been resistant to change. We’re 21 years into this century now, and too many are stuck in the last one. Sport, like society, is changing, and we’re here like Séamus O’Rourke who wrote in Standing in Gaps “We were always longing for something else, so we kept doing the same. What we wouldn’t do, to go back and give ourselves a good boot up the backside.”
True Red wrote: Tue Apr 27, 2021 10:54 am Brilliant Stats and Facts there POTH.

Its not rocket science and the old Irish saying comes to mind , 'Mol an Óige agus tiocfaidh sí'

The foundations were laid in the 50's and 60's for what happened in the early 70's.

I have to marvel at the fact that people ponder the lack of success at adult level in our county teams in the last 20 years.If you want the answer look no further at the lack of success/competitiveness in our underage teams. No Leinster Minor since 1989 in football and our last Leinster minor in hurling was in 2000 if im not mistaken. Success at these levels (and under 21/20) is crucial to keep lads involved and interested. Winning breeds winners.

I also wonder at the level of spade work that went in around the county in terms of Coaching & Games Administration?

Sometimes if you want the actual honest answer, you have to look in the mirror.

Have we done enough?
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

first_touch
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Re: 50 years on, how Offaly won the 1971 All-Ireland final

Post by first_touch »

50 years ago today. What a day it was.

Fairplayalways
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Re: 50 years on, how Offaly won the 1971 All-Ireland final

Post by Fairplayalways »

this whole 1982 and 1971 and 72 thing is getting a bit stale at this stage..MT again this week and local media, we won an U20 a few weeks ago, lets promote them lads and make sure they stay playing and around...I pick up another paper and 1982 or previous is mentioned...great result, great times, 40 years ago now and 71/2 50 years...mark occsion yes, but not every few months as appears to be case over the last couple of years...we need to focus on here and now that we are making a bit of progress..

shannonbanks14
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Re: 50 years on, how Offaly won the 1971 All-Ireland final

Post by shannonbanks14 »

My god what shite talk, we are blessed to have those legends still alive to celebrate them. They deserve every bit of credit they get, maybe don't pick up another paper.

Plain of the Herbs
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Re: 50 years on, how Offaly won the 1971 All-Ireland final

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Cormac Egan said it was okay to commemorate the past when he gave that interview on television after the U20s beat Dublin earlier this year. That's good enough for me.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

Fairplayalways
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Re: 50 years on, how Offaly won the 1971 All-Ireland final

Post by Fairplayalways »

shannonbanks14 wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 8:50 pm My god what shite talk, we are blessed to have those legends still alive to celebrate them. They deserve every bit of credit they get, maybe don't pick up another paper.
attack is always a bad sign of defence...just my oppinion and others concur/remark how we go on and on about it, thats all..great to remember it for sure, but alot of the youngsters now (Cormac Egan aside, he is an All Ireland winner) look on bemused when when they hear it being discussed...it was a unique achievement for sure...AT THE TIME...we won two minor hurling finals in 87 and 89...were the seeds for 1990s hurling sucess...lets celebrate every win and just celebrate the whole time...then everyone will be happy...

Fairplayalways
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Re: 50 years on, how Offaly won the 1971 All-Ireland final

Post by Fairplayalways »

Plain of the Herbs wrote: Thu Sep 30, 2021 10:21 pm Cormac Egan said it was okay to commemorate the past when he gave that interview on television after the U20s beat Dublin earlier this year. That's good enough for me.
Yeah and fair enough...lucky we won it or what would we do..1985 hurling is as unique if not more unique to me as I was older and fully understood the whole thing of winning it..1982 was brilliant for sure...but every few weeks now photo shoots here and there is a tad over doing it at this stage...just my opinion, nothing wrong with anyone elses either...great stats by the way:)

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