Laochra Gael – Na Comhlintí, Déardaoin, 8ín ar TG4

[Plain of the Herbs]

What looks like an interesting new series on TG4. The first in the series will be of interest to Offaly folk.

From TG4.ie- "Sraith Nua: Ciarraí v Uíbh Fhailí: Caitheann an chéad chlár seo súil siar ar an gcoimhlint idir Uíbh Fhailí v Ciarraí i dtús na 80idí. Ré órga do Chiarraí, ach an cúig-as-a-chéile ceilte go drámatúil ag Uíbh Fhailí orthu. Cuirtear Jack O’Shea, Mick O’Dwyer, Páidí Ó Sé, Mikey Sheehy, Eugene McGee, Seamus Darby agus Pat Fitzgerald faoi agallamh."

[Bord na Mona man]

Laochra Gael (15/4/2010)
Programme 1 – Offaly v Kerry 1980-82

The first epic of the new series takes a look back at the classic Kerry v Offaly saga of the early 80’s. A golden era for Kerry, but dramatically denied that historic five-in-a-row by Offaly.

With revealing interviews from Jack O’Shea, Mick O’Dwyer, Páidí Ó Sé, Mikey Sheehy, Eugene McGee, Seamus Darby and Pat Fitzgerald.

[naasmanxrhode]

Its on from 8.00pm to 8.30.

[leinsterman]

Just watching it last night it was great you wouldn't think it was 28 year's ago . i was sitting in the hogan stand that day as a 13
year old boy. i remember when the match was over and a friend that was with my father that day said i hope it doesn't take us
ten years to win another one little did we know its 28 years now.

Their will never be another matt( THE Thrasher ) Connor again in offaly football he was a once off in our life time thank god
i got to see the man play it was a privilege to see him kick football. his up there as one of the best GAA star's that ever came
out of offaly.

[Superted]

The belief Eugene McGee instilled in to them was unreal, even to this day Pat Fitzgerald was gettin emotional talkin about it!!!
Will we ever see the likes again???

[offalyman08]

its unlikely anytime soon, the talent or passion just isnt there. How many of the current team would make that 82 team? Niall McNamee wouldnt even be guaranteed his place and he is by far the best player in Offaly. Brendan Lowry, Matt Connor or Johnny Mooney, Who would you drop?

[leinsterman]

its unlikely anytime soon, the talent or passion just isnt there. How many of the current team would make that 82 team? Niall McNamee wouldnt even be guaranteed his place and he is by far the best player in Offaly. Brendan Lowry, Matt Connor or Johnny Mooney, Who would you drop?

Niall mcNamee is a good footballer but he wouldn't be tough enough to get on the 82 side. i seen Joe Higgins of laois bully him off the ball in portlaoise in 2006
so imagine what the Dublin or kerry backs would have done to him. i was a lot tougher back then you could hit a lad a clip back then. all you have to do was look at the way
sean lowry took sean walsh out of it in 1980. or the box Paudie lynch gave Johnny Mooney in 82 final if you done that today they ban you for 6 month's.

[offalyman08]

i agree, If niall cant make it it doesnt bode well for the rest of the panel. Realistically he is the only player that would be in contention

[Superted]

Its hard to say who we would drop, or who maybe get into the squad, but over the last 10yrs or so prob Claffey or McManus may get in a look in. Dont think we'l even get a day out in croker with the footballers this year

[True Red]

basing it on the last 10 years Cathal Daly would have been on the 1982 team at corney back

[leinsterman]

[quote="True Red"]basing it on the last 10 years Cathal Daly would have been on the 1982 team at corney back[/quote
He wouldn't take Mick Fitzgearld place anyway, as far as i know he is the only man that kept mike sheedy scoreless from play
in an allireland final. he also put manner's on Ciran Duff in the 1983 leinster final .

[Bord na Mona man]

You can't compare eras directly.
Look at the 'great' Dublin-Kerry matches of the 70s. You'll see several players who couldn't solo the ball without kicking it about 8 feet into the air and would manage to successfully direct to simple ball to a colleague about 50% of the time. Especially on the Dublin team. They were ahead of their time with fitness and tactics, but certainly not a collection of great footballers. Yet it is considered the hallmark Dublin teams which all successors in the capital have failed to match.

A better question would be who would have to compare players of a particular era against their contemporaries. The likes of Cathal Daly, Ciaran McManus, Finbar Cullen, Peter Brady, Niall McNamee were at varying stages considered to be up there with the very best in the sport in their positions.
That wouldn't be the case with every single member of the 1982 team. People frequently make the mistake of automatically rating every member of an All Ireland winning team as a being great player.

Take away a couple of exceptional players and the rest look ordinary very quickly. We saw that with Offaly hurlers. At the turn of the last decade, about 5 of the best 6 players retired together. Suddenly the other players who looked the part on successful All Ireland teams, were found to be short of the mark.

[leinsterman]

You can't compare eras directly.
Look at the 'great' Dublin-Kerry matches of the 70s. You'll see several players who couldn't solo the ball without kicking it about 8 feet into the air and would manage to successfully direct to simple ball to a colleague about 50% of the time. Especially on the Dublin team. They were ahead of their time with fitness and tactics, but certainly not a collection of great footballers. Yet it is considered the hallmark Dublin teams which all successors in the capital have failed to match.

A better question would be who would have to compare players of a particular era against their contemporaries. The likes of Cathal Daly, Ciaran McManus, Finbar Cullen, Peter Brady, Niall McNamee were at varying stages considered to be up there with the very best in the sport in their positions.
That wouldn't be the case with every single member of the 1982 team. People frequently make the mistake of automatically rating every member of an All Ireland winning team as a being great player.

Take away a couple of exceptional players and the rest look ordinary very quickly. We saw that with Offaly hurlers. At the turn of the last decade, about 5 of the best 6 players retired together. Suddenly the other players who looked the part on successful All Ireland teams, were found to be short of the mark.

Don't know about that Bord Na Mona man what hurler's that won allirelands in 1994. 1998 and were found short of the mark after.???????

[Bord na Mona man]

Players like Simon Whelahan, Ger Oakley, Gary Hanniffy, Paudie Mulhare, John Ryan etc all slotted fine onto strong Offaly teams. They weren't necessarily players who could keep Offaly as a top 8 hurling county once a few retirements kicked in.

For example, I remember Brian Whelahan saying in 1999 that although he was devastated that Offaly had lost to Cork, he at least knew a strong future for Offaly hurling was assured with this next generation of players that had broken into the team. He had made the common mistake that I have highlighted.

My opinion is that people tend to over simplify what is something very nuanced. People tend not to analyse in any great details the cogs, gears and sum of parts that a great team, or a weak team may comprise of.

Primarily because the winners get to write the history - 'Our 15 greats beat your 15 bottlers and cowards'. No more, no less.

[leinsterman]

You have a point there on some of them player's didn't live up to their teammates before them.
while Simon and Gary Hanniffy were the only ones to start the 1998 final john ryan and paudie went off the scene alright.

The one thing we have to remember is we lost the 2000 hurling final it was the end of one great team in offaly
but it was also the begining of one of the best hurling teams ever kilkenny and Brian Cody.
i think offalys biggest problem was the underage was not looked after and still isn't .