Double header in O'Connor Park this Sunday

[Offaly2010]

Sunday 20th February:

Allianz NHL Division 1:
Offaly vs Galway
1:00 pm.

Allianz NFL Division 3:
Offaly vs Wexford
2:45 pm.

I personally thought it would have been the other way around timewise with the footballers on first and then the hurlers, given the fact that the hurling game is a Division 1 game which immediately means there would be more attention on it, but still hopefully a good crowd turns up in Tullamore on Sunday for 2 games which bring a good chance of getting 2 points for both the hurlers and the footballers.

[Lone Shark]

Generally speaking when it's a hurling/football double header, the hurling will be scheduled first so as to give them the best of the ground - particularly relevant at this time of year.

It's great to see things work out this way though - no rugby on either so there is no excuse for people not going in to O'Connor Park and lend their voices to the cause.

[townblue]

if its priced right the crowd will attend, hope the gaa dont look for 20 to see these games sunday.....

[bracknaghboy]

if its priced right the crowd will attend, hope the gaa dont look for 20 to see these games sunday.....

10 Euro in to see O'Byrne Cup games this year so no doubt they'll be looking for the 20 for 2 National League games if they think they can get it (especially one being a Division 1 match). They'll shoot themselves in the foot if they do as this will put people off. The GAA should be using the current recession as an opportunity to show people that Gaelic games represent good value for money for the family and a decent afternoons entertainment will be on offer.
I'd price it at 10Euro for adults and 5 for OAPs/Students and free for kids and make sure people know it will be priced reasonable.

[wazzaman]

Lads just heard their that the Offaly Gaa are giving home supporters free entrance but their's a catch as usual,
only free if you bring a ladder

[fatlad]

Will the Season ticket for either hurling or football cover admission???????

[the bare biffo]

if its priced right the crowd will attend, hope the gaa dont look for 20 to see these games sunday.....

10 Euro in to see O'Byrne Cup games this year so no doubt they'll be looking for the 20 for 2 National League games if they think they can get it (especially one being a Division 1 match). They'll shoot themselves in the foot if they do as this will put people off. The GAA should be using the current recession as an opportunity to show people that Gaelic games represent good value for money for the family and a decent afternoons entertainment will be on offer.
I'd price it at 10Euro for adults and 5 for OAPs/Students and free for kids and make sure people know it will be priced reasonable.

Jesus, €10 won't buy you 3 pints of stout. If value for money is the issue I think €20 (adult) would be good value for this double header. Kids free passes to national schools and €5 for students and oap's.

[Offaly2010]

Just on the games themselves lads, bad news for Offaly hurlers as James Rigney has been ruled out for at least 8 weeks with a broken hand he sustained against Cork last Sunday which will rule him out for most of the league, if not all.

Also, the Offaly hurling team has been named for Sunday's game with Galway:

1.James Dempsey
2.Stephen Egan
3.Peter Healion
4.Brian Mulrooney
5.Rory Hannify
6.David Kenny
7.Derek Morkan
8.Conor Mahon
9.Dylan Hayden
10.Brian Carroll
11.Joe Bergin
12.Stephen Wynne
13.Cathal Parlon
14.Colin Egan
15.Shane Dooley

[bracknaghboy]

Jesus, €10 won't buy you 3 pints of stout. If value for money is the issue I think €20 (adult) would be good value for this double header. Kids free passes to national schools and €5 for students and oap's.

Dublin footballers and hurlers play Cork and Tipp in Croke Park this weekend and the price for an adult is 13 Euro. So our double header should be no more in Tullamore!

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Given the 'here, there, anywhere' attitude that this management have towards Dylan Hayden, surely it would make sense to give him a few games at full forward. He was in devastating form there for Birr during the group stages last year.

[Plain of the Herbs]

A bit early in the year to be getting excited, but anyways!

Offaly have had six near misses against Galway in recent years. Two in Leinster, two in the League and two more in the Walsh cup. Two draws, four defeats, four points being Galway’s biggest winning margin.

That being the case, one of two things will happen on Sunday – Offaly will break their duck, or Galway will win convincingly.

A relatively good performance in Cork last Sunday offers encouragement – though Offaly being Offaly a crushing defeat last Sunday wouldn’t lessen chances here.

That should encourage a few curious onlookers to O’Connor Park on Sunday. That and the footballers’ win over Cavan a week earlier. And Tullamore is alot nearer East Galway than Salthill is.

I’m surprised the team has been named this early in the week. Colin Egan is an interesting choice though I’d say the lad would better impress further out the field where he could face the goal. Still, he’s one of the few Offaly hurlers to line out in the Fitzgibbon Cup during the week.

Joseph Bergin is Offaly’s best option for the no. 11 jersey. Good in the air, an intelligent distributor, scorching pace. He can send that message with a good performance on Sunday.

And now James Rigney is injured and Offaly are without yet another defender. Rory Hanniffy’s siting in defence is borne out of necessity.

You couldn’t read much into Galway’s demolishing of Wexford last Sunday. Granted Wexford wouldn’t have targeted that match for a win but if they don’t show an improvement against Waterford I think Colm Bonner will be departing the stage.

We’ll see what stage Cork are really at when they face Kilkenny, and by extension it will tell us more about Offaly. Possibly more than the match against Galway will.

At least Michael Haverty won’t be refereeing.

[tipptopper25]

Just asking lads. No sign of Brendan Murphy in the Offaly team. Is he injured/retired/resting??? Useful enough player. Tough game for the faithful. Galway put up a big score against Wexford all be it Wexford were very poor. Think Galway will be in with a good shout for Liam come sept.

[Lone Shark]

Think Galway will be in with a good shout for Liam come sept.

I used to believe this for the last few years, but the ever-sagacious Mr Herbs assured me all last year that while they looked good in the league and after, they were no different to any other Galway team since 1990 - plenty of decent young hurlers, but fundamentally average. Lo and behold, they really struggled to put us away and let a great chance slip away against Tipp.

Individually they are a good hurlers, but there still are a lot of questions to be asked about the ability of this team to deliver in the championship.

Regarding Colin being picked at full forward, if I was looking at that team it would be fairly obvious to me that a switch between him and Joe Bergin will happen at some point. The fact that the Galway lads would know Colin's hurling very well through GMIT players would indicate to me that this won't surprise anyone though.

[the bare biffo]

Jesus, €10 won't buy you 3 pints of stout. If value for money is the issue I think €20 (adult) would be good value for this double header. Kids free passes to national schools and €5 for students and oap's.

Dublin footballers and hurlers play Cork and Tipp in Croke Park this weekend and the price for an adult is 13 Euro. So our double header should be no more in Tullamore!

Yea but they are hoping to sell 40,000 tickets. thats €1.8m of revenue when the stadium would otherwise be lying idle with a lot of fixed costs anyway.
Whats the biggest crowd you would expect in Tullamore even if it was €5 a head.

[brian fantana]

id say it will be 15 euro in to the double header