Offaly Senior Inter County Hurling 2012

[townman]

good to see Ollie Baker giving lads a run halfback line looks strong Verney in midfield Joe Dooley try him there to a few seasons ago didn't go well
Sean Coughlan came on last sunday good to see him get a crack at it also Mark Morkam who scored last sunday start's.

i'd like to see Sean Ryan get a run at midfield we were beaten hands down last sunday there and i think Ryan would be better in midfield where he has space
and room i think he can be bottle up alot when he is in the corner or if the right ball doesn't come in to him he goes missing from games like last sunday
and in games with Birr over the last few years he needs to be in the thick of things to see the best of him.

Brian Mulrooney and Dermot Mooney also come into the side as well as Connor Mahon who's presence and power were missed around midfield last sunday
also i see Brian Watkins on the bench for sunday which i hope he gets a run as i think he can offer something to this offaly team.

i seen Dylan Hayden last sunday he was not togged out is he hurt also any word on Paul Cleary,David Frank's,and James Rigney seen any action
a win next sunday can be got as wexford like offaly are giving alot of players a run to. a win and he will have a 3rd game which would be no harm
before the league starts and it gives Ollie a chance to see more new players.

[townman]

Offaly 2-18 Wexford 1-15

great win today and a much better display than last sunday, we were up for it today with two changes from the side that was picked
Chris McDonald and Brian Watkins coming in for Hanniffy and Stephen Wynne who later came in, but McDonald and Watkins had great games
along with Barry Harding hurl well.

Bergin was on fire today along with Derek Molloy who was pissed about been take off last week gave his answer today, Dermot Mooney also hurl alot
of ball today, James Rigney also was back today and fitted straight in when he came on.

Tommy Carroll also got his first run today and scorer a nice point all in all a good display and something to take heart from with the new comers hurling well
Horan i thought was very good again today.

it was a cold wet day in wexford so when Laois ran onto the field as offaly were leaving i made my way to the warm car and head for home
as we drove on myself and a friend who came to the game with me a kilkennyman may i add, was just thinking that offaly have one of the best squads
they had for years, we counted about 15 hurlers with the Coolderry lads out that were missing today.

so its great to get the win in wexford park what has been a graveyard for offaly down the years i think i would have to go back to the early 2000's
the last time i saw offaly beat wexford there in a league game with Johnny Dooley cliping over a few late scores to win it that day.

so its a shield final again DIT who beat Carlow i wonder will we have a home game for that or are we away again good to have another game before the league
starts i see where our neighbours Leix got a good win over Dublin today so the can't be taking lightly in tullamore in the league.

[kingscounty]

good to get the win, what sort of team had wexford out ? id say they are building a young team with the new manager in place

[durra1]

Looks Like Diarmuid Horan is still bringing the fiber glass wand out to battle True Red ...

[Lone Shark]

I won't lie, I'm intrigued by yesterday's result. Either it suggests that our lads upped their game immeasurably from the first round of this competition in Kinnegad, or else Wexford have a lot of problems of their own. While the Munster sides, particularly Clare and Limerick, will have a lot of players engaged with their colleges, Wexford are not unlike ourselves in that they don't have that many of their frontline hurlers playing with college teams. Now I know we were at half strength in the sense that I'd estimate about 5/6 of that Offaly side would start in championship whereas 2/3 would be more likely for Wexford, but even so with home advantage they'll be disappointed to lose like that.

The other way to interpret this is that Westmeath are maybe better than we gave them credit for.

All of this is of course subject to the caveat that this is January hurling, which is hardly the best way to judge lads. The Fitz starts this week, that'll be much more interesting entirely.

[Bord na Mona man]

I'm sure the championship opener against Wexford in Tullamore was in the back of the players' minds.
It might be January and the teams might be experimental, but any chance to lay down a marker should be taken.

Bear in mind that Wexford have beaten us in the last 4 championship meetings (2003, 2004, 2006, 2009). And worse still, they've beaten us without ever needing to be better than us. Each of those defeats could be a sorrowful mystery in the rosary.

The June 2nd clash is an absolute must win for Offaly.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

I won't lie, I'm intrigued by yesterday's result. Either it suggests that our lads upped their game immeasurably from the first round of this competition in Kinnegad, or else Wexford have a lot of problems of their own. While the Munster sides, particularly Clare and Limerick, will have a lot of players engaged with their colleges, Wexford are not unlike ourselves in that they don't have that many of their frontline hurlers playing with college teams. Now I know we were at half strength in the sense that I'd estimate about 5/6 of that Offaly side would start in championship whereas 2/3 would be more likely for Wexford, but even so with home advantage they'll be disappointed to lose like that.

The other way to interpret this is that Westmeath are maybe better than we gave them credit for.

All of this is of course subject to the caveat that this is January hurling, which is hardly the best way to judge lads. The Fitz starts this week, that'll be much more interesting entirely.

In fairness LS, it means damn all. Better than losing but beyond that it has as much relevance to the summer as Laois beating Dublin yesterday.

I'm sure the championship opener against Wexford in Tullamore was in the back of the players' minds.
It might be January and the teams might be experimental, but any chance to lay down a marker should be taken.

Bear in mind that Wexford have beaten us in the last 4 championship meetings (2003, 2004, 2006, 2009). And worse still, they've beaten us without ever needing to be better than us. Each of those defeats could be a sorrowful mystery in the rosary.

The June 2nd clash is an absolute must win for Offaly.

Well put. I'll never forget the sick feeling walking out of Nowlan Park in 2003, the second half collapse after playing fantasy hurling for the first 35. Damien Fitzhenry beat us in 2004 while in 2006 another last minute give away point sunk us. 2009 though, and being comprehensively beaten by an injury ravaged Wexford 15 short 5/6 starters, brought new levels of despair. This, don't forget, after us beating them in the Division Two League Final but a few weeks previously. What did we miss that night, 2 or 3 penalties? We haven't scored one since - a problem that has to be addressed by the current management. It was a long, quiet journey home from Wexford Park. Chastening stuff.
All the ifs, buts and maybes from those games - if any of those had fallen our way it could have made all the difference. Wexford, with the same resources, got much more out of the last decade - numerous semi and quarter final appearances. It makes those defeats all the more galling.

No matter the form, injury situation or anything else - I won't be confident that Wexford are beaten until Offaly take the field in the Leinster semi-final.

[townman]

hurling D.I.T next sunday in tullamore at 2 bells

[Johnno81]

Have just heard that we are playing Galway in a challenge match in Ballinamere this evening at 7pm.

[Johnno81]

Have just heard that we are playing Galway in a challenge match in Ballinamere this evening at 7pm.

Sorry, have now heard its at 7.30!!!

[kingscounty]

anyone at the game? pity i didnt know earlier i would have went

[Johnno81]

Finished 3.16 to 2.19. Wasnt there but heard David Kenny, James Rigney and Rory Hanniffy were our best players.

[ballinamereman1]

Offaly lined out as follows,
James dempsey, sean coughlan, david kenny, stephen egan, james rigney, rory hanniffy, chris mcdonald, micheal verney, conor mahon, brendan murphy, derek molloy, shane dooley, james mulrooney, joe bergin, dermot mooney.
shane dooley was very poor from placed balls lat night and also from opening play. conor mahon hurled well in midfield.
bergin had little impact on the game.
i must also add this was galways third team aswell and was dissapointing offaly couldnt beat them.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

David Kenny named as Senior Hurling Captain for 2012.

Great choice. A truly brilliant hurler who's shown tremendous dedication to his county over the last number of years. Between finding the strength to play against Waterford in 2008 to commuting back from England for a stage last year - this is an honour thoroughly deserved.
Congratulations David.



P.S: I'm sure the answer to this is a 'Yes'; but is David the first Belmont man to captain Offaly?

[Plain of the Herbs]

Probably.

In recent years Belmont have had Alan, Mark & Colin Egan hurl Senior for Offaly, as well as David Kenny, obviously. Before that there was Kevin Flynn and Seán Grennan. I doubt anyone else from Belmont got a run prior to Grennan and Flynn, much less captain the side. in any event the county champions would have had the captain prior to the 1980s.

P.S: I'm sure the answer to this is a 'Yes'; but is David the first Belmont man to captain Offaly?