Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
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Lone Shark
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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by Lone Shark »

Absolutely zero chance of Leinster changing their fixture, it's for Offaly to decide if they want to put back the SHC "B" final a week. Right now I'd consider it unlikely that they'd do that for any club - and are they more or less likely than that to do it for Tullamore in particular? That's another question entirely.




On to the main matter of today's game, and I'm wary of drawing too many conclusions out of one game, but at face value, there was a real sense of "end of the line" about that Rhode performance today. They went down fighting, as you'd expect, and it was notable that nearly all my post match interviews with Tullamore referred to Rhode and the respect they have for them, and how the championship meant more because they had to beat Rhode to win it. A sort of, "to be the champ, you have to beat the champ" kind of vibe. Ferbane people would have felt the same two years ago.

But if we're to be real about the game, Tullamore controlled it, they had far more energy, collective strength, and no obvious weak spots. On another day they'd take a lot more of those chances, and they'd have been out of sight. I've no idea what that penalty was for at the end either.

Then there's this. Tullamore brought Ciarán Burns off the bench and he really added something, and we all know Shane Dooley is a threat, even if he didn't get the chance to make a scoring impact. In contrast, Rhode brought on three subs and none of them really impacted the game, while several more starters were off the pace completely. In some cases, that's because you suspect they don't have the depth that Tullamore (or Ferbane or Edenderry) and they've only gotten away with that because their best players are so, so good.

Which is fine, until the time comes to replace those players. Rúairí McNamee was excellent today, and Anton was very good as well, and they've plenty more years left. Dylan Kavanagh has developed into a very good footballer and there's more in Aaron Kelleghan than he showed over the last two games as well. Add back in Eoghan Rigney, who was probably Offaly's best footballer this year, and they'll have as much elite talent as anyone.

But the older McNamee brothers, the Darbys, Pauric Sullivan - there's just no evading Father Time, and even if they carry on, they not going to be able to make the same impact that we're used to seeing from them. And when you're carrying one or two lads that aren't quite at the level you need, then the other side of the coin is that the first five names on the team sheet have to be even more dominant in order to take up the slack. And while Rhode have consistently had four or five Offaly senior starters (injury permitting) in their senior panel for as long as I can remember, it's not immediately apparent that they will have into the future. Rigney, yes. Anton and Rúairí, more than likely. Niall Darby, possibly - but after that, you're struggling.

In contrast, on that Tullamore team you're going to have Hogan, Moloney and probably Michael Brazil all day. Aaron Leavy and Diarmuid Egan could be in the mix, while with Cormac Egan and John Furlong, it's just a matter of time, injury permitting. Harry Plunkett, Ciarán Egan and a few others aren't out of the reckoning either, depending on how they go from here. The Town's track record of defending the senior championship is dreadful (16 failed attempts since the 1925 champions retained in 1926) but there is a strong sense that this group has a real sense of purpose and focus.

There'll always be football in Rhode, and they will come again with another group. It's what they do. They're not an extreme case like Walsh Island, who won six-in-a-row, including two Leinsters, and haven't been seen in a county final since. But if the next year or two doesn't go well, we might be looking at a long fallow spell.


A question for another day however. For now, well done Tullamore, and good luck to them next week.
Kevin Egan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

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Bord na Mona man
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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by Bord na Mona man »

There's always a greater sense of an era ending when a long established team gets the run-around from an emerging, young and energetic team.
That said, Rhode have enough quality to ensure they won't be far off getting to county finals and semis in the coming years, but somewhere they're going to have to find fresh talent.

On Tullamore not sustaining success, thinking back to 2007 and 2013 when they won county titles, there was a feeling that they needed to enjoy their success, because Rhode would be back the next year to prove a point.

This time there is a clearer path for them to sustain it. History may be against them, they've never won a game in the Leinster either, but maybe they will keep their focus and create a golden age.

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by llkj »

Well done to Tullamore. Definitely deserved their win.

I realise that Tullamore have won the last 2 under 20s, but I still don't see any team dominating in the same way Rhode have over the last few years. Would it shock anyone over the next 5 years if we had at least 3 different winners of the Dowling Cup sharing the cup? Anything outside of 5 years into the future is too far to make any 'educated' prediction.

Rhode will continue to be in the mix - especially when they have their couple of injured players back. They can still win 1 or 2 in the next 5 years
Tullamore will grow in confidence and can definitely win 1 or 2 more in the next 5 years too. Will depend on how they manage their younger players and if 2 of their forwards become marquee players. Hard to dominate without this.
Ferbane - still lots of talent and depth in the Ferbane club. When they won a couple of years ago, it seemed like they would be the one to push on and take over the mantle from Rhode. If they can get their best players on the pitch, they will definitely be in contention. Having already won one with this group, winning another is well within their grasp.
Edenderry - minor winners in 2021, Juniors got to county final, Seniors drew with eventual county champions. They absolutely could kick on and win a county championship in the next 5 years.
Clara / Durrow / Shamrocks -I'd put these clubs in the 'possible' category to win one championship between them in the next 5 years. A year to regroup will have done Clara no harm. their immediate aim is to establish themselves at Senior and make knockout stages. Durrow have made semi final this year, they definitely could grow into a consistent challenger (but like Ferbane /Belmont hurling will impact how they progress in football too). Shamrocks have 3 under 20 All Ireland winners in their group. that in itself is the basis for a decent outside bet.

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by SearingDrive »

llkj wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 3:58 pm Well done to Tullamore. Definitely deserved their win.

I realise that Tullamore have won the last 2 under 20s, but I still don't see any team dominating in the same way Rhode have over the last few years. Would it shock anyone over the next 5 years if we had at least 3 different winners of the Dowling Cup sharing the cup? Anything outside of 5 years into the future is too far to make any 'educated' prediction.

Rhode will continue to be in the mix - especially when they have their couple of injured players back. They can still win 1 or 2 in the next 5 years
Tullamore will grow in confidence and can definitely win 1 or 2 more in the next 5 years too. Will depend on how they manage their younger players and if 2 of their forwards become marquee players. Hard to dominate without this.
Ferbane - still lots of talent and depth in the Ferbane club. When they won a couple of years ago, it seemed like they would be the one to push on and take over the mantle from Rhode. If they can get their best players on the pitch, they will definitely be in contention. Having already won one with this group, winning another is well within their grasp.
Edenderry - minor winners in 2021, Juniors got to county final, Seniors drew with eventual county champions. They absolutely could kick on and win a county championship in the next 5 years.
Clara / Durrow / Shamrocks -I'd put these clubs in the 'possible' category to win one championship between them in the next 5 years. A year to regroup will have done Clara no harm. their immediate aim is to establish themselves at Senior and make knockout stages. Durrow have made semi final this year, they definitely could grow into a consistent challenger (but like Ferbane /Belmont hurling will impact how they progress in football too). Shamrocks have 3 under 20 All Ireland winners in their group. that in itself is the basis for a decent outside bet.
Tullamore, Ferbane, and Edenderry can hope to win county titles in the next few years, if they get their best teams together. Tullamore haven’t retained titles down recent years. I don’t think they will beat Naas next Sunday, winning Offaly will do for now, plus they are in the B hurling on Saturday. Hard to do everything.
The Durrow/Shamrocks/Clara could join the list, with maybe Durrow the most likely.
Rhode will contend as always, but will not dominate. Maybe they will struggle to find younger players to fill the shoes of the McNamees/ Darbys/ Sullivan’s, in coming years.

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bracknaghboy
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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by bracknaghboy »

Well done Tullamore.
So over the 120 odd minutes played to decide a winner it was 1-17 to 2-12. In reality there about 7 or 8 point difference would have been a more accurate reflection across the 2 days. Tullamore nearly fell into the same trap as 2 weeks but just about pushed on a bit more. If you completely shut out Niall Mc like that the odds are stacked in your favour. Declan Hogan is a freak and will be a well deserved player of the year 2021.

Now looking at the bigger picture.
The 2 finals were poor showings, yes we were all enthralled by them but what would a totally neutral observer make of it. A penny for Tomas O'Se's thoughts right now. Yes there a few showing potential for the future but I wouldn't like to be navigating Offaly through division 2 next year.
There are the following problems:

- Eoin Carroll is taking a year out.
- Peter Cunningham will be out of the country for the full league.
- Cian Farrell's cruciate is done and he's out for the league.
- Eoin Rigney's cruciate is done and presumably a goner for the league as well.
- Shane Horan has jacked it in and is finished with Offaly now.
- Cian Johnson is 2 years out struggling with injury.
- Will Niall Darby call it a day? He's 33/34.
- Will Niall McNamnee play? I think everything possible needs to be done to get him to stay. Right now he may not feel like it after yesterday.


Scoring forwards is going to be an issue. I'd ask Nigel Dunne in and I think Joe Maher needs to be a permanent starter.
Would Mickey B be interested in giving it a year?
This division 2 is going to be a daunting task and it could get ugly with all the above injuries and other issues.

Staying in division 2 with a full squad would be really difficult so you can imagine the battle they'll face now.

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by SearingDrive »

bracknaghboy wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 10:13 pm Well done Tullamore.
So over the 120 odd minutes played to decide a winner it was 1-17 to 2-12. In reality there about 7 or 8 point difference would have been a more accurate reflection across the 2 days. Tullamore nearly fell into the same trap as 2 weeks but just about pushed on a bit more. If you completely shut out Niall Mc like that the odds are stacked in your favour. Declan Hogan is a freak and will be a well deserved player of the year 2021.

Now looking at the bigger picture.
The 2 finals were poor showings, yes we were all enthralled by them but what would a totally neutral observer make of it. A penny for Tomas O'Se's thoughts right now. Yes there a few showing potential for the future but I wouldn't like to be navigating Offaly through division 2 next year.
There are the following problems:

- Eoin Carroll is taking a year out.
- Peter Cunningham will be out of the country for the full league.
- Cian Farrell's cruciate is done and he's out for the league.
- Eoin Rigney's cruciate is done and presumably a goner for the league as well.
- Shane Horan has jacked it in and is finished with Offaly now.
- Cian Johnson is 2 years out struggling with injury.
- Will Niall Darby call it a day? He's 33/34.
- Will Niall McNamnee play? I think everything possible needs to be done to get him to stay. Right now he may not feel like it after yesterday.


Scoring forwards is going to be an issue. I'd ask Nigel Dunne in and I think Joe Maher needs to be a permanent starter.
Would Mickey B be interested in giving it a year?
This division 2 is going to be a daunting task and it could get ugly with all the above injuries and other issues.

Staying in division 2 with a full squad would be really difficult so you can imagine the battle they'll face now.
[/quote
That is a good summary of the big challenge facing Offaly footballers in Division 2 next year.
The U 20 All Ireland champions are the future for Offaly, but it will take a few years.

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by Fairplayalways »

Brancknagh boy fair dues, all excellently put and some excellent questions, lord if we could get all the players you named above on board wouldnt be a a great league to be looking forward to (it is is anyway I know) but we would certainly have a great rattle at pushing Division 2 with all the names above...we will get some possibly..

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by Lone Shark »

Just to pick up on Bracknaghboy's post above, if Niall McNamee is interested in togging out for Offaly in 2022, then absolutely, he should be welcomed to the panel with open arms and he would have a meaningful role to play. He's spent far too long in his career playing Division Three and Division Four football, when he was always a Division One standard player.

However given what's involved in county football these days, I'm not really a fan of twisting anyone's arm to get involved, I don't think that would end well. Playing for Offaly next year will involve a lot more high profile games, but it will also involve taking on much better opposition, and it's a simple statement of fact to say that we're going to start the year as the clear favourites for relegation, probably by a distance when you take into account all the players that are absent. It's likely to be a tough slog, physically and mentally, and feeling like you never really wanted to be there in the first place wouldn't be conducive to having a good season, or adding to the vibe in the dressing room.

For me, when it comes to Niall Mac - or Niall Darby, or any of the lads that are at that stage of their career - it would be a case of pick up the phone and ask if they want to be part of it. If they do, fantastic, and welcome on board. If not, then a heartfelt thank you for the commitment and effort they've given over the years, and onwards to the next option. The lads know what's involved as well as anyone, they don't need a sales pitch.
Kevin Egan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by Fairplayalways »

those players are around long enough to know for sure whats inolved and no amount of sales pitching will get them on board as they know themselves the higher bar they will playing to...its very hard to know...and face into another season of training too...as said they have given great service and if they decide now is the time to bow out and let younger other players get their cut so be it..its very hard to see Niall Mc giving another year I think, I hope I am wrong...God be with the days when Division 2 football was alien to Offaly coming from Division one down to it, it took a fair haul to get back to Division 2 from the other direction...interesting league ahead...

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by The Magpie »

Bord na Mona man wrote: Mon Nov 15, 2021 2:04 pm There's always a greater sense of an era ending when a long established team gets the run-around from an emerging, young and energetic team.
This is a key point. Unless there is a significant change, any flavour of a Rhode team should be top 4 material for some time. And if you’re top 4 material under the current structure - unless you end-up in a “group of death” - you always have a chance of getting to and winning a semi-final. And on a given day in a final, who knows? A bunch of experienced guys who know how to win with a sprinkling of youth and you have a punchers chance. Think about Clara in 2017, when they were hanging-in there in the top 4.

For sure, Rhode’s days of being perennial finalists are coming to a close. But sometimes, the post-match analysis is too trivial.

Rhode were soundly beaten on Sunday, so we have a story about a young team giving the run-around to an old team with no energy left in their legs. Only 2 weeks before, that same ageing team closed out the drawn game looking far stronger, with a man less.

For Rhode to disappear, somebody else has to fill the vacuum. Tullamore may find that re-establishing themselves as the prime force in Offaly is not that easy – it certainly hasn’t been for Ferbane or Edenderry before them for various reasons and both were filled with youthful energy.

Back to Sunday’s game and my overly trivial analysis. Niall McNamee was kept scoreless. If you do that, you have a serious chance of beating Rhode.

My last comment is this. Back in 2011 Clara beat Rhode by 0-11 to 1-4 in a county semi-final. That day they were well beaten and seemed to have no answer in youth to address the slide. In my haste, I privately remarked to Lone Shark at the time that Rhode were in trouble. Since that year, they have qualified for every county final and won 6. By some coincidence, this is the first time since then that they registered such a low score. So, although a couple of retirements may follow, it’s a bit too soon to write the epitaph.

Congratulations Tullamore!
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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by jimbob17 »

Tullamore must be sick after loss to Naas. While the GK made a great save at the end for Tullamore, you'd have expected him to keep out that ricochet off a block for Naas winning goal at the very end. All in all though, great year for Tullamore.
https://www.irishpost.com/sport/watch-l ... ABJtp_5FE0
jimbob

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by Plain of the Herbs »

Note to oul lads who constantly roar "drive it" and "get rid of it", the Tullamore defender attempted both for ye, and that's what happened.
jimbob17 wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 10:12 pm Tullamore must be sick after loss to Naas. While the GK made a great save at the end for Tullamore, you'd have expected him to keep out that ricochet off a block for Naas winning goal at the very end. All in all though, great year for Tullamore.
https://www.irishpost.com/sport/watch-l ... ABJtp_5FE0
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by Bord na Mona man »

jimbob17 wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 10:12 pm Tullamore must be sick after loss to Naas. While the GK made a great save at the end for Tullamore, you'd have expected him to keep out that ricochet off a block for Naas winning goal at the very end. All in all though, great year for Tullamore.
https://www.irishpost.com/sport/watch-l ... ABJtp_5FE0
There's a difference between reading a regular shot off someone's boot as opposed to a ricochet.
With a normal shot, before the ball is even struck a keeper should have some clue about the power and direction of the shot by watching the kicking foot. With a deflection the ball needs to travel a couple of feet away from the impact area before you can judge where it's going and how fast.

Having looked the youtube clip at 0.25 speed there's another thing that's deceptive here.
The ball cannoned off the Naas player and went towards the goal at high speed, as it bounced near the line it slowed down somewhat and kicked upwards due to all the back spin, which gives the impression that it was a more dribbly effort. It might even have turned in direction after the bounce to go inside the post.

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by Hurling2022 »

Did anybody watch or hear anything about the junior/intermediate Leinster matches for Clonbullogue/Clara. Any players play well?

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Re: Offaly Senior Football Championship 2021

Post by bracknaghboy »

Clara made heavy work of it yesterday and need more composure in front of goal, that said they were missing 2 automatic starters in Tomo and Ross Brady.
Clonbullogue continue their destruction of anyone that crosses their path. Another hammering handed out to the Kilkenny champions.
Great to see these club teams representing the county so well and both can win Leinster.
In fact Tullamore may well be kicking themselves as had they held on against Naas a real opening to a final would have presented itself.

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