jk1022 wrote: ↑Mon Apr 29, 2024 10:28 am
Yesterday was nothing to do with tactics. Dublin are on a different level physique wise. It was like Dublin seniors playing the Dublin minors in a challenge match. I know a lot of the Offaly lads and I know the work they put in at training and even the days they aren't training . I'm not sure how Dublin get in the shape they do but seeing them up close yesterday in relation to our lads was frightening.
There is a culture within dublin clubs of doing s/c work from about 12 years of age onwards. After Dublin win or lose their last game, you can be guaranteed they are in the gym by Wednesday after the match. They are in the gym after a night out, during holidays etc. It's a lifestyle choice to always be in shape. There is no dropping of standards weather they are in in season or not.
Every county is in the gym by Wednesday after a match. I can guarantee the Offaly lads did a recovery session and some light gym work yesterday followed by a gym and pitch session tonight or Wednesday.
This always comes up about gym work. Lads its not to do with gym work. Its to do with height and big men who can move well. Offaly have a good few lads who need no more muscle or else they will be be carrying too much mass for their size.
Offaly are lacking big strong lads around the 6 foot mark or taller and who can move. Bigger counties like Dublin might have better players skillwise in the clubs but they carefully select players that have the size.
We are badly lacking big men around the park. We have some fantastic lovely footballers who would thrive off having some big physical players around them. we just seem to be top heavy on the smaller more tidy players in both codes.
Look back at the size of players on the very successful leinster and national football league winning offaly teams. Naturally big players right around the park.
Hasselhoff wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 1:55 pm
I think our strength and conditioning is way off the top teams.
I sometimes wonder what they are doing actually in the faithful fields.
Do we need a better s and c system?
Fair point Gobbler as opposed to this.
I looked at U20 leinster final last night, and I know I have criticised our U20 management, but look at that and you can see how well both those teams were conditioned and coached to attack as well as defend. The game is moving on at a rapid pace.
Worth viewing if you havn't seen it for the performance of Eamon Armstrong from Meath who was wingback and scored 1-02 , set up a goal and few points, and is only out of minor!
theres really nothing for offaly to be overly concerned about with down
they'll hardly have the appetite for this comp having been stuck in it last year too, if we can focus the minds and get the bodies right theres no reason why we can't win all these games
pigeon house biffo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 3:16 pm
theres really nothing for offaly to be overly concerned about with down
they'll hardly have the appetite for this comp having been stuck in it last year too, if we can focus the minds and get the bodies right theres no reason why we can't win all these games
Couldn’t you apply the exact same logic about being stuck in this competition but for the last two years instead of one to Offaly? Wasn’t it us who had no appetite last year?
We have a new management team, our heads werent in it last year after the bereavement the camp suffered
Down have something we don’t, which is a notion that they should be competing at a higher level than what they are, and that they should be competing in the latter stages of their provincial championship
Maybe we don’t beat them, but our showing this year in the league against them would give confidence. They are a limited enough team, as shown in their games agaisnt westmeath this year
Down are the favourites to win it out.
The prize of winning is a golden ticket to the All Ireland series next year, so of course they will be motivated.
Limerick have gotten a good few lads back in since the league.
A few of these came back just 10 days before the Cork game in the Munster championship, so another month's training will be big for them.
Hasselhoff wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 1:55 pm
I think our strength and conditioning is way off the top teams.
I sometimes wonder what they are doing actually in the faithful fields.
Do we need a better s and c system?
Fair point Gobbler as opposed to this.
I looked at U20 leinster final last night, and I know I have criticised our U20 management, but look at that and you can see how well both those teams were conditioned and coached to attack as well as defend. The game is moving on at a rapid pace.
Worth viewing if you havn't seen it for the performance of Eamon Armstrong from Meath who was wingback and scored 1-02 , set up a goal and few points, and is only out of minor!
If he was in Offaly he wouldn’t be playing as he played soccer all the way up. Played underage for Ireland and with St Pats. Meath don’t turn those lads away. And neither should we.
If he was in Offaly he wouldn’t be playing as he played soccer all the way up. Played underage for Ireland and with St Pats. Meath don’t turn those lads away. And neither should we.
Ah he would of course, sure Jack bryant and Cian McNamee are a couple of examples of lads not overly committed to GAA because of soccer at underage and sloted back in. Cormac Egan dipped in and out a fair bit too
But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story!
If he was in Offaly he wouldn’t be playing as he played soccer all the way up. Played underage for Ireland and with St Pats. Meath don’t turn those lads away. And neither should we.
Ah he would of course, sure Jack bryant and Cian McNamee are a couple of examples of lads not overly committed to GAA because of soccer at underage and sloted back in. Cormac Egan dipped in and out a fair bit too
But hey, don't let the facts get in the way of a good story!
You having a laugh? Cian was dropped off the development squad for playing soccer and was almost dropped this year from the minor panel only the manager was strong enough to say no.
pigeon house biffo wrote: ↑Tue Apr 30, 2024 3:16 pm
they'll hardly have the appetite for this comp having been stuck in it last year too
Just to focus on this, there is zero reason why Offaly shouldn't be all guns blazing for the Tailteann Cup. I struggle to see how they wouldn't have an appetite for it.
We're not stuck in the competition, we are a bonafide Tailteann level team based on the last decade (8 seasons spent in division three, 1 each in two and four). We are kidding ourselves if we think we're too good for it.
This is a great opportunity for the young lads to continue their development even further and possibly get another run out in Croker if we make the semis, and hopefully set us on the road to being a team that can target division 2 and the All Ireland Championship.
I suppose it will Newcastle west for the Limerick game
And Parnall park for the down game double
Header I think .
Let's enjoy these extra games as you know it's a long time from June to the end of January ..
Have a good week
Tricky group, we stumbled over Limerick in the end in Tullamore, and they turned it into a scrap. Getting them away leaves this a lot more difficult as they will be chomping at the bit to have another go at us down there.
London, should be ok.
Nothing to fear from Down? How close were they to Armagh at the weekend? But will a good challenge for us.
If we've progressed, we will come out if this group. We should but will need to be clinical against Limerick, and prepared to keep the heads in a battle. Something we have struggled with in recent years.
ah lethimoutwithit wrote: ↑Wed May 01, 2024 9:49 am
Tricky group, we stumbled over Limerick in the end in Tullamore, and they turned it into a scrap. Getting them away leaves this a lot more difficult as they will be chomping at the bit to have another go at us down there.
London, should be ok.
Nothing to fear from Down? How close were they to Armagh at the weekend? But will a good challenge for us.
If we've progressed, we will come out if this group. We should but will need to be clinical against Limerick, and prepared to keep the heads in a battle. Something we have struggled with in recent years.
Worth noting that 3 teams actually progress from the groups here.