U21 Championship

[Lean Times]

This championship has been very drawn out in comparison to the hurling equivalent and how it has been run in previous years. I think it is clear to say that the losers back door system was a waste of time this year unfortunately. St. Broughans and K/K both give walkovers in it and also St. Colms gave a walkover in the first round. Unfortunate situation.

On last weekends games, I can only comment on the Vincents and Na Fianna game. Vincents won on a scoreline of 2.16 to 0.8. Started off a very even affair and I felt Na Fianna had more than a good chance but Vincents slowly got on top. Short of Noel Andrew Graham who is in Boston, this Vincents team has a very balanced team yet with no superstars like St. Michaels. I feel they will give a good account of themselves in the semi-final against whoever they draw. Declan Kelly, who is also over St. Brigids this year, is putting effort in this year in comparison to previous set ups, which is good to see.

[Sharp Eye]

Offaly County Board think a lot more of their County Under 21 Football Team than their County Under 21 Hurling Team. The Under 21 Hurling & Under 21 Football Championships were instantly postponed to allow our Under 21 Football Management prepare their team properly for the Leinster Under 21 Football Championship. The County Board recently arranged an Under 21 Football club-championship fixture which involved players from Birr & St Rynaghs who are currently members of the Offaly Under 21 Hurling Panel. Our Under 21 Hurling management should have been given the same support which the Under 21 Football management received from the County Board. Some people are still wondering why an experimental Kilkenny hurling team trounced us in Clara last Sunday!!!!!!!

[feardubh]

I attended the tullamore v St Micahels game last night, and as a Tullamore supporter I was heading with hope rather than expectation. however in what transpired to be a very entertaining game Tullamore whom are a very very young team put up a fine display after a very slow start. In the first half they trailed 5 points to 1 and managed to start playing and lead 6 to 5 at half time. In the second half the game was nip and tuck and at the risk of being accused of being accused of being sour i beleive Anton Sullivan used all his cuteness to win a penalty by falling and the referee john oreilly who was guilty of giving tullamore some soft frees also, fell for it hook line and sinker. Tullamore lost by a single point in what was a massive effort by all concerned. Tullamore as i said before had a very young team and appeared to have their homework done on st michaels and played a very tactical game in which declan hogan and mick brasil were excellent. some of the young lads really played well one of which, a lad called ken hogan was very impressive at marking young mcpadden for rhode. Tullamores management of Niall Stack and Gary Heffernan appeared very animated throughout and looked very upset at the end of the game. Fair play to st michaels for winning on the day but as a tullamore man i left very proud and optimistic about the future of the clubs football prospects and that can only be a healthy thing for offaly football. I hope that tullamores senior management take note of the tactics used last night by tullamore and also keep the young lads and their management involved.
The only negative for me for tullamore was their lack of strength on the bench where tom fleming brian hogan paddy farrelly and steven keogh all were missing i didnt hear why this was the case.

Come on the blues......

[summerindublin]

U/21 Semi Finals
St Michaels 2-18 St Vincents 0-05
Wheery 0-14 St. Manchan's Gaels 1-10

so a Rhode v Ferbane final

[townman]

under 21 final ST.Michaels 5-18 Wheery 0-8

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Whats the story here?
I know Rhode have a strong team helped by some very good Croghan players, but what happened Ferbane?
Ferbane have a number of very talented players and Rhode will have the majority of that team again next year. Was there an element of inevitability in Ferbane's minds. It is a worry for some of the new brigade coming through in Ferbane that the fact they wil have to drag the club up from the bottom at Senior level by themselves.
Fair play to Rhode though, and the team that is smiling in the background after this championship must be Tullamore, who gave Rhode a right good battle and have some very good players coming of age.

[summerindublin]

Well done to Rhode, was in for the second half, Rhode led 3-09 to 0-06 at half time, very impressive display from the Rhode lads all over the pitch.

[Lone Shark]

That was just outstanding from St Michaels. Of course our lads will be disappointed and several of them didn't play to their usual standard, but sometimes you just have to take your hat off and acknowledge an excellent performance and that's exactly what this was. There were no weak links in that team and every player worked like a dog to get into the right place at the right time and to support their team-mate. Wheery didn't seem to have the same understanding at all and the one or two players that were a bit out of their depth were really exploited.

Wheery needed to have a good day and hope that St Michaels had a bad one to have a chance - instead it worked out completely the opposite.


I'm not sure I follow the logic that Tullamore would be smiling in the background. Yes they'd be entitled to be proud of their efforts against St Michaels, but I'd say it's a feeling of having missed out on a great chance to win a county title more than anything.

[livegaaresults]

Just a note on the St Michaels team that won last night, Spoke to Anton sul today and asked him what they won since this team started training together in 2001.

2001 - Won U10 Community games All Ireland
2002 - Won U11 Cumann na Mbunscol
2003 - Won U12 County final
2004 - Won U13 Cumann na Mbunscol
2005 - Won U14 County final
2005 - Won Offaly Feile
2007 - Won U16 Championship
2009 - Won Minor Championship
2009 - Won Dunboyne Minor tournament (beating county minor champions from Meath, Down, Armagh, Leitrim & Dublin)
2012 - Won Under 21 Championship

I was lucky enough to be involved with them at under 16 & Minor, Great bunch of lads. Well done & hard luck Wheery

Only one team in Ireland have ever beaten them in a final. Anyone care to have a guess who it was?

[Certainly Gerry]

Only one team in Ireland have ever beaten them in a final. Anyone care to have a guess who it was?

Tullamore beat them in the U-16 League final in 2007.

[livegaaresults]

Tullamore beat them in the U-16 League final in 2007.

Well this is awkward, Completely forgot about that game Gerry.