NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

A forum to air your views on Offaly GAA matters and beyond.
Anonymous1
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by Anonymous1 »

jimbob17 wrote: Tue Feb 07, 2023 7:00 pm If it wasn't the type of game it was in first half, would it have been different for Maher and Dunne to be fair? I think so. If Dunne was there for last 20 mins when ball was coming into forwards, then he probably gets a few scores. Is he lacking mobility? Probably, if playing as a withdrawn corner forward. But as an inside forward, and scorer, Dunne, Bernard Allen and Farrell are the best we have . Maybe not room for all 3 in the one team but I wouldnt write off Dunne. Best inside forward in county championship over last few years. Agree that is lower level, but he still offers more than Jack Bryant has shown. No doubt Bryant has skills but the physicality isnt there just yet and that takes time, especially if you are small and slight naturally. He needs to stay with it though as he is still very young for senior at only 21. In 3 years time he will still be a young player at 24. Perspective needed with these young lads. Cant be expecting too much too soon.

Re Maher, id probably prefer to see him in more central role at either 11, 14 or a withdrawn corner forward role. Not sure running up and down wing supporting wing backs as a wing forward gets best use of his ability. It is horses for courses, and you cant just throw in the best 6 forwards to forward division. You have to get balance between work ethic, scoring ability etc right. Have we got that right now? Probably not but solid defensive displays (mainly) have seen us not concede a whole lot which saw us scrape the two wins.

We need to be mindful that we still have a lot to do, and it may be the case that we only get one more win in the competition - and we will need to get to 6 pts to guarantee safety.
If it was just a one off then you might have a point but there’s been 4 games this year and they’ve shown very little in any. Anton, Ruairi and Hyland have been doing all of the scoring so far but we can’t keep relying on those 3.

On what evidence are you basing your claim that Dunne has been one of our best 3 inside forwards in recent years? He hasn’t been on the Offaly panel in 4 years. To say he’s been the best inside forward in the county championship in the last few years is also way off. I’d take Niall Mac and the two Cian’s any day of the week. I agree he’s shown more than Jack Bryant but there’s 10 years in the age difference and one can only improve with time whereas the other is on the decline.

As I said in a previous post saying you’d prefer to see Joe at 11 is pointless because Ruairi is nailed on there. He’s never played in the full forward line for Ferbane so why would he be playing there for Offaly?

I think we would have the balance right at the minute with our 6 best forwards. Bill Carroll, Ruairi Mac, Anton, Panda, Farrell, Hyland. I’d be quite disappointed if that isn’t the starting 6 against Westmeath, as you’ve said our defensive unit has been winning us games so far and not our forwards, that can’t and won’t last much longer.

I think we’ll win atleast two more games away at Tipperary and away at Longford with three games close to 50-50s away to Westmeath and home to Cavan and Down. Promotion is within reach and it may well come down to the final week in OCP against Down to decide our fate.

Doon Exile
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by Doon Exile »

Jayus is it not a bit early to be talking about promotion after only 2 games. I’m all for being positive but a bit of ‘hauld yer horses steady on’ needs to apply at times too.

Let’s see how we do on Sunday week at least.
Doon exile....

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bracknaghboy
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by bracknaghboy »

Nigel Dunne was outstanding in this years club championship and is fully deserving of a spot on the county panel.
Remember he isn't playing in near the goal with Offaly and is clearly doing a different role than he would with Shamrocks. I'd have no doubts about his ability as the league progresses he'll get sharper. He ran himself into the ground Sunday. Offaly are 4 wins from 4 games this year.

The first half Sunday was diabolical. No effort from either team to try and attack and in the end all we got was a few woeful efforts that went 10 yards wide in cases. Panda Allen knew how to find the space when the game opened up and you can put the house on the left boot (and right as well). It was exactly 13 years to the day on Sunday that Panda made his debut in the league against Cavan in 2011, top man!

Westmeath are going to present a major problem Sunday week. Last year in the Billy Joe semi final they were physically way more imposing than the Offaly boys and with 3 of the biggest in Moloney, Hayes and Nialler unavailable it does little to level that up.
Offaly need to engineer an old school shoot out and get Anton, Farrell and Hyland to cut loose running at them. This ultra negative stuff that Kearns deployed for the first 45 minutes on Sunday won't work against Westmeath you need to go toe to toe with them and see what happens.

As others have mentioned more wins are there for taking.....Longford shot their load in the O'Byrne Cup and Tipperary are a mess.
But for now it's Westmeath that worry me.

P.S. When is Nialler back training? Next week is it?

SearingDrive
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by SearingDrive »

bracknaghboy wrote: Wed Feb 08, 2023 12:08 am Nigel Dunne was outstanding in this years club championship and is fully deserving of a spot on the county panel.
Remember he isn't playing in near the goal with Offaly and is clearly doing a different role than he would with Shamrocks. I'd have no doubts about his ability as the league progresses he'll get sharper. He ran himself into the ground Sunday. Offaly are 4 wins from 4 games this year.

The first half Sunday was diabolical. No effort from either team to try and attack and in the end all we got was a few woeful efforts that went 10 yards wide in cases. Panda Allen knew how to find the space when the game opened up and you can put the house on the left boot (and right as well). It was exactly 13 years to the day on Sunday that Panda made his debut in the league against Cavan in 2011, top man!

Westmeath are going to present a major problem Sunday week. Last year in the Billy Joe semi final they were physically way more imposing than the Offaly boys and with 3 of the biggest in Moloney, Hayes and Nialler unavailable it does little to level that up.
Offaly need to engineer an old school shoot out and get Anton, Farrell and Hyland to cut loose running at them. This ultra negative stuff that Kearns deployed for the first 45 minutes on Sunday won't work against Westmeath you need to go toe to toe with them and see what happens.

As others have mentioned more wins are there for taking.....Longford shot their load in the O'Byrne Cup and Tipperary are a mess.
But for now it's Westmeath that worry me.

P.S. When is Nialler back training? Next week is it?

Sunday was a poor display. Westmeath in Mullingar will be a big test for Offaly. A score of 1-9 won’t do. Score difference will decide promotion if teams finish level on points. Both Cavan and Westmeath have boosted their prospects with big wins on Sunday.
Longford always give Offaly problems at home, nothing guaranteed there. I hope we see a more attacking set up v Westmeath.

Fairplayalways
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by Fairplayalways »

Allianz FL Division 3 round 3
Tipperary v Antrim, FBD Semple Stadium, 6pm on Saturday. touugh game to call this, Tipperary will see themselves unluck to lose to Down in Rd 1 but were soundly beaten in rd 2 by Cavan, Antrim ran in a good 2-17 against Down away last day and were impressive against Offaly - Antrimm should prevail here 2-14 Tippeary 1-12

ACTUAL RESULT-1-19 to 0-14 to Antrim win by 8.

Sundays games:
Fermanagh v Down, Ederney, 1pm - BBC iPlayer - Fermanagh will consider themselves unlucky not to at least get a draw last day V Offaly after good opening weekend win. Down scored well last day V Antrim and ide think they will score enough here to win. Down 1-17 Antrim 0-15
ACTUAL RESULT: FERMANAGH 2-14 DOWN 3-10

Cavan v Longford, Kingspan Breffni, 2pm - Longford badly need a win after 2 rounds bit it doesn'took easy here in a local cross province derby, one remembers very close battles back in same division back in the early 80s and ime sure since too. Longford will surely put up a display here but will it be like historically when Cavan always seem to have their measure, I think so.. Cavan 1-16 Longford 0-11

ACTUAL RESULT: CAVAN 1-19 LONGFORD 0-11 - Cavan win 11

Westmeath v Offaly, TEG Cusack Park, 2pm- this is a tough call. Westmeath ran up a good tally last day in 2nd Rd win V Longford, after Cavan brushed them aside 1st day out. Offaly have 2 wins will be happy with those, scoring though is abit of a worry, will we go for games against the perceived stronger teams in this division? last day or took 2 subs to grab hold of the game, be it close, can we get away with that against likes of Westmeath.. I don't know and think not..Ill go for a draw here.. Offaly 1-12 Westmeath 0-15.

ACTUAL RESULT: WESTMEATH 2-12 OFFALY 0-12 Westmeath win by 6.
Last edited by Fairplayalways on Mon Feb 20, 2023 11:52 am, edited 2 times in total.

ah lethimoutwithit
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by ah lethimoutwithit »

Can't see Fermanagh and Down be as high scoring, Fer 0-10, Down 1-12
Westmeath 1-15 , Offaly 0-13 and I hope to God I'm wrong but they were well ahead of us last summer
Tipp 0-13 Antrim 1-14
Cavan 2-14 Longford 0-12

SearingDrive
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by SearingDrive »

ah lethimoutwithit wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 4:49 pm Can't see Fermanagh and Down be as high scoring, Fer 0-10, Down 1-12
Westmeath 1-15 , Offaly 0-13 and I hope to God I'm wrong but they were well ahead of us last summer
Tipp 0-13 Antrim 1-14
Cavan 2-14 Longford 0-12
Westmeath favourites on Sunday I think. Offaly will have to put up a good score on Sunday, and restrict the Westmeath attack from repeating the Longford result. Wonder what will be the starting 15?

Anonymous1
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by Anonymous1 »

SearingDrive wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 5:34 pm
ah lethimoutwithit wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 4:49 pm Can't see Fermanagh and Down be as high scoring, Fer 0-10, Down 1-12
Westmeath 1-15 , Offaly 0-13 and I hope to God I'm wrong but they were well ahead of us last summer
Tipp 0-13 Antrim 1-14
Cavan 2-14 Longford 0-12
Westmeath favourites on Sunday I think. Offaly will have to put up a good score on Sunday, and restrict the Westmeath attack from repeating the Longford result. Wonder what will be the starting 15?
1. Ian Duffy
2. Ciaran Donnelly
3. Declan Hogan
4. David Dempsey
5. Rory Egan
6. Peter Cunningham
7. Lee Pearson
8. Jack Mcevoy
9. Conor Mcnamee
10. Bill Carroll
11. Ruairi Mcnamee
12. Anton Sullivan
13. Bernard Allen
14. Cian Farrell
15. Dylan Hyland

I think 1-9 will remain as it has been so far, no reason to change any of them.

As I’ve outlined before I think Panda and Cian Farrell should be brought in to start this game but Kearns may opt to start one or both of Joe Maher or Nigel Dunne still if Farrell isn’t 100% fit or he feels Panda is a better asset off the bench.

Can’t see anybody outside those 17 starting unless there’s an injury in defence in which case Cian Donohoe would be the next man up.

JimBwobb
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by JimBwobb »

Is Cathal flynn on the panel this year?

Great link up player and has plenty of pace, scored a cracker against westmeath last year in Croker.

Fairplayalways
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by Fairplayalways »

I think Flynn is injured from what I remember..

Anonymous1
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by Anonymous1 »

He’s not injured, just opted out of the panel this year.

He played today for TUS Midlands in the Trench Cup final and was man of the match. Peach of a pass here… https://twitter.com/higheredgaa/status/ ... wqduPPgWDw

Shane O’Toole Greene and Cormac Delaney were also on the TUS team and Jack Mcevoy on the DKIT team. Semi final was played yesterday so Mcevoy would be playing 3 games in a week if he starts Sunday.

JimBwobb
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by JimBwobb »

Pity he didn't commit this year, class act

Anonymous1
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by Anonymous1 »

Agreed but he’s got time on his side, hopefully see him back next year

SearingDrive
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by SearingDrive »

Anonymous1 wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 8:29 pm
SearingDrive wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 5:34 pm
ah lethimoutwithit wrote: Wed Feb 15, 2023 4:49 pm Can't see Fermanagh and Down be as high scoring, Fer 0-10, Down 1-12
Westmeath 1-15 , Offaly 0-13 and I hope to God I'm wrong but they were well ahead of us last summer
Tipp 0-13 Antrim 1-14
Cavan 2-14 Longford 0-12
Westmeath favourites on Sunday I think. Offaly will have to put up a good score on Sunday, and restrict the Westmeath attack from repeating the Longford result. Wonder what will be the starting 15?
1. Ian Duffy
2. Ciaran Donnelly
3. Declan Hogan
4. David Dempsey
5. Rory Egan
6. Peter Cunningham
7. Lee Pearson
8. Jack Mcevoy
9. Conor Mcnamee
10. Bill Carroll
11. Ruairi Mcnamee
12. Anton Sullivan
13. Bernard Allen
14. Cian Farrell
15. Dylan Hyland

I think 1-9 will remain as it has been so far, no reason to change any of them.

As I’ve outlined before I think Panda and Cian Farrell should be brought in to start this game but Kearns may opt to start one or both of Joe Maher or Nigel Dunne still if Farrell isn’t 100% fit or he feels Panda is a better asset off the bench.

Can’t see anybody outside those 17 starting unless there’s an injury in defence in which case Cian Donohoe would be the next man up.
That is a good team on paper. I think Liam Kearns could introduce Panda as an impact sub in the game. A tough game on Sunday, followed by a big game at home to Cavan a week later.

Fairplayalways
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Re: NFL Div 3 predictions 2023

Post by Fairplayalways »

a dilema on whether to start Bernard Allen on Sunday, BUT if he came off the bench and scored 5 points from play, very hard turn around to him and say "your not starting" this game...impact sub yes a good point, but scoring forward as opposed to playmaker possible game changer as a sub, he deserves to start in my oppinion...he deserves his chance...

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