Offaly v Kilkenny

[Plain of the Herbs]

I’ve tried to avoid reading the mangled garbage but sometimes I happen upon it by accident. Thing is, once you’ve read one piece of negative mangled garbage, you’ve read all of them. Because not many around here are going to win prizes for imagination or wit or wisdom. I’m all for freedom of speech and that, but we need to take a look at ourselves here. This site had acquired a bad name this year (after almost a decade on the web) and I am bothered that more than one player now has expressed dissatisfaction with the site in recent times. Keyboard warriors I the label, and that’s fair enough.

So, the claim is that a particular forward doesn’t dominate every match for 70 minutes. So what? Show me one that has. And given that the ball travels faster than said hurler, dominating a whole match would be an impossibility. Leave that to Harry Potter on his broomstick on the quidditch arena.

As for the board officers, as Bracknaghboy noted last night, there is an election process at the end of each year. I, like Bracknaghboy, expect the silence to be deafening in the lead-up. They do it voluntarily without drawing expenses for their travelling etc. Board officers do a difficult job, balancing scarce resources and trying to balance the needs of county teams and clubs. The money get spent during the year, yet the income doesn't get collected until after the money is spent (the single biggest fundraisers being the County finals in October). Everybody can’t be pleased at the same time.

Of course there are issues with underage coaching, player welfare and the like. And perhaps the area that needs to be looked at is that of additional Income streams, change of sponsor, additional sponsors and the like. I recently obtained Laois GAA’s accounts and I will run a comparison between they and Offaly. But that’s for another day; this is championship week.

Be negative, by all means. Many of the regular posters haven’t contributed here for a while, and while different poster will have varying reasons for their absence, the negative atmosphere here is possibly a factor in some cases. Some of ye would drive a born optimist to tears. And this county till has a lot going for it.

Feckitt I can’t wait for Saturday. It’s championship week – there’s only one of them a year, and it’s not all about the result.

[Killeighman]

So getting back to the point of this topic does anyone know of any news coming from the Offaly camp in relation to injuries or the like? I just want to see the strongest possible 15 line out and compete like dogs for everything. Would love to see Quirke start at No 15 but i think i saw on here that he was injured. Im not too sure what the story is with injuries so if anyone knows anything please enlighten me?

[kingscounty]

Listening to radio 1 Kilkenny reporting a few injury worries , I hope they train tonight and take out a few more before Saturday . I'm looking forward to Saturday I have friends and family living in Kilkenny and have always found the cats supporters to be welcoming and fair. If we can summon the heart and commitment of our club teams over the past few years and if the supporters stay faithful till the end that's all we can ask . I would love to see the supporters travel in large numbers , the team have a big task ahead the least we could is don the green , white and gold and do our bit for the cause . Negatives thoughts on here should be banned in the week leading up to games . Do your bit and get to the game .

[Bord na Mona man]

as much looking forward to this as a trip to the Denist

Well don't bother so, if you think it's that bad.
I can't wait for Saturday night. There's nowhere I'd rather be, than down in Kilkenny to see Offaly.
We've waited months for this one and no matter what the backdrp is, Offaly hitting the championship field is something special.

We all know what the best and worst scenarios are, but I'm confident the players will give it their all.

[babsandbond]

As i said before we got a bit misguided the team will more than lightly be
J.dempsey
Wynne hannify rigney
Harding morkan parlon
Ryan and 1 of 3 gardner p gerathy slevin
Mahon currams bergin
Carroll dooley connolly

Not a bad team on paper...if quirke is fit which i dont think he is hel probably take dooleys place..best of luck to the team hopefully they can put in a performance

[KillougheyGoBragh]

BNM wrote: -

Well don't bother so, if you think it's that bad.
I can't wait for Saturday night. There's nowhere I'd rather be, than down in Kilkenny to see Offaly.
We've waited months for this one and no matter what the backdrp is, Offaly hitting the championship field is something special.

We all know what the best and worst scenarios are, but I'm confident the players will give it their all

Well said BNM, only wish I could be there, instead it will have to be Sky in a foreign field.

[allstar2010]

joe bergin hurls a club match against drumcullen and socres 3-10 oh yes hes great...but the reality is he hasnt hurled a good 70 mins for offaly since the limerick game 4 or 5 years ago...we have to open our eyes...shane dooley is overweight and would not be starting only quirke is injured...

Every hurling county in Ireland would be glad to have Berlin and Dooley in their ranks. Get over it!
These days every hurling topic here is getting ruined by a small group of posters putting up mindless, stream of consciousness drivel. dis lad shit. dat lad crap. county board bad.

Who's Berlin?? Please check your spelling before posting.

[Killeighman]

From what i hear 14 of the 15 are picked but there is a question over one player which is more than likely an injury concern.

[SearingDrive]

Like BNM I will be in Nowlan Park on Saturday night supporting the Faithful County, in what I was told SKY are calling the Connacht Football Championship!!!. God help us with that careless approach, doesn't say much for the rest of the year!.

Offaly will go into the game as complete outsiders, so let's hope for a committed performance over 70 minutes. Despite Kilkenny's reported injuries, they will still expect to win the game, and come out to blitz us in the opening 10 minutes. I hope Offaly don't concede silly frees like last year, and give KIlkenny easy scores. This isn't a great Kilkenny team, injuries and so much mileage over the years is taking it's toll.
John Mullane writing in Monday's Independent, expects KIlkenny to wrap the game up early. Let's hope he has to eat his words.

I agree with BNM on the poor spelling and grammar in some postings, why not check spelling and grammar before posting.

[townman]

i see Where Joe Bergin is also having a cut at Ger Loughlane, theres only one way for offaly to Answer that on the field next saturday evening is the place.

[Kevin]

Wishing the players, management and all others involved the very best on Saturday Evening.

The papers, pundits and most of the general public have this game decided already. Thankfully for us, none of them will be playing on the field where it matters.

I'll leave you with a little perspective from a legend of a different code...

Some guys are admired for coming to play, as the saying goes. I prefer those who come to kill.
Leo Durocher

Sharpen the blades lads. Its time to skin the cats!!!

COME ON OFFALY!!!!!!!!!!

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

I think that POTH and BNM have a point to a degree. But there is an element of snobbery here too at times. Some of the opinions here are fair and valid. Some of them are over the top too. But lets face it, if you are not frustrated with the performances of the Offaly hurlers then you would have to wonder have you any passion for the team at all?
The sense of negativity that is portrayed here, will be brought to life by the lack of support on Saturday night.......personally I am sick to the teeth of the atitude of w...ker supporters who cant be bothered to get out and support the team for the championship, and ram it down your neck (almost...), that you are a fool for spending money on tickets! Last fella that took this tack got a lot of verbals to say the least.

But this week, I will dust meself down, load up the car, hit the road and enjoy a visit to Kilkenny, stroll around the town, sample the build up, and at least feel part of the Championship for one evening anyway.
And I am beavering away at club level trying to improve things for players, and trying to identify where the gaps are with us and the competition. I get criticised for trying to do the right thing, and the one thing you need to remember in the GAA is you wont get any reward, little or no thanks, and constant nit picking. But you get on with it because you believe in yourself. Players will play until they are dropped or decide they have nothing more to offer, and its the same for coaches and administrators.
Martin Breheny made a valid point yesterday re Limerick hurlers who were bleating on about the lack of respect from the media. Our players should not have to read personal attacks on them on a website. But they need to accept also that as an intercounty player your performance is up to scrutiny, and the fall off for example in the Antrim game in Ballycastle, where we led by 8 points during the first half and (with all forwards scoring from play), toa second half where we scored 1 pt from play can only lead to questioning of bottle.
That is the area that is up for scrutiny, no doubt about that.

Best of luck to the lads, I will go along with my son, as I did to Longford. What will that make me? 1 of ,maybe 500 people, who will attend both games? Sad bunch, arent we, (population 60k??)?
Still, pubs will do well, sure, isnt it on Sky!!

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

BY the way, that legend of posters, Offaly's Future....any of ye know him at all?
He disappeared from here also a good while back,

[jimbob17]

Hate to say it folks but ill probably watch it on Sky....and i always go to championship games and few league games every year..... this year i went to the Laoise game and that was it.......It's not really because i couldnt be bothered to travel, maybe more for the novelty factor Sky brings .....plus i dont believe in how things are being done.....Last year the lads went in against KK reasonably confident after winning a few league games and being competitive in the games they lost Dublin -1 and Limerick -3..... This year, heads seem to be on the floor....losses to Laoise, Antrim and hammerings by hurling counties Clare and Waterford have done nothing for morale.....I just hope the lads can pull out a performance.....i just feel this craic of playing a sweeper is inviting KK on and with the shooters they have, we havent a prayer.....Im not one for negativity at all but with what has gone on the last few months its hard to see Offaly being within 12 points of KK.....Here is hoping for respectability.....

[Buck Face]

Alethimoutwithit - Martin Breheny cannot deny that both himself and the media in general were writing off Limerick's chances this season after the departure of Donal O'Grady. He is also around long enough to know that a team will latch onto that negativity and turn it into a positive. It is only natural that they 'bleat' it out after the match on Sunday. He is the one that needs to show a bit of maturity here and not get himself upset.

Best of luck to the lads on Saturday and let's hope they get some reward for their dedication. Joe Bergin and Co deserve many a day more in the Sun (or Sky!) and wouldn't it be mighty if Saturday was one of them.