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Truly shocking stuff from Offaly today.

No harm we didn’t win it this year. Next year would be very tough. Keep that squad together and add a few fresh faces and go again

Very disappointing performance and result today. Carlow more than deserving winners.

Thanks to all the players, management and backroom staff for all their time and effort this year.

Let’s be honest, we haven’t set the world on fire this year. Didn’t put up the big score vs Meath that all the others could do and we had an extra man for the second half, just about got over Kerry and down and then lose to Antrim and Carlow. We have no right in saying we are ahead of Laois or Westmeath, we need a balanced team first of all.

Hard luck today, do the hard work and get everyone back to give it a good go next year in both league and championship.

It will take a number of years for offaly to get to liam mccarthy standard.

Disappointing but no complaints, Carlow were better. Lots of chopping and changing of team over championship which I thought unusual. Seemed we were unsure about best team.

Carlow won much more breaking and ruck balls today and were more physically dominant, particularly in our forward third. Think we had too many light lads in forwards and lacked ball winners. Can we afford to start Langton Cahill Murphy and Nally all in same forward line. All are good forwards but at their best, they often play off other bigger ball winners. Clancy is one but to be fair to him, he is new to this level. Killin Sampson can win own ball, but you would not classify him as a ball winner. Duignan punched a few holes when he went in. Maybe the balance was wrong in forwards. Carlow certainly bossed them physically and we never really threatened a goal.

All in all, not end of world we lost. We are young and need a bit more physicality to go to next level. We now have at least 18 months to prepare - and with some good young hurlers coming and Oisin Kelly returning, I think we are on right track. Now is not the time for change in management.

And all the talk about what would be best for Offaly, stay where we are or go up or what. Well we weren’t long about being put in our box were we.

The best thing for now is to steady the ship. We are where we are and I don’t think there’s a legitimate case to be made for us to be operating at anything other than our level. I’d expect another turnover of players before next year, as seems to be the way with us now. Aiden treacy another one who’s gone from the panel since the league.

By his own recent admission Fennelly has failed the group. Though with the greatest of respect I don’t think theres any reason to think that whats there is capable of any more than what they are showing. We beat who we were supposed to beat and there were give or take 2 scores between us carlow antrim and kerry which is largely par for the course over the past 10 years.

Unfortunate, but we were cutting it fine against Kerry and Down without ever giving a hint that there was more in reserve.
Carlow are a tough unit and a good test of where Offaly truly stand. Clearly there is still a long way to go

As has been said, we've had a serious turnover in players in recent years so we should always credit those making the sacrifices.

We've a few more steps to be mounted. Last time we were in the Joe McDonagh we dropped out the bottom of it like a dose of salts. So there has been some progress.

Bord na Mona man wrote: ↑Sat May 21, 2022 5:22 pm Unfortunate, but we were cutting it fine against Kerry and Down without ever giving a hint that there was more in reserve.
Carlow are a tough unit and a good test of where Offaly truly stand. Clearly there is still a long way to go

As has been said, we've had a serious turnover in players in recent years so we should always credit those making the sacrifices.

We've a few more steps to be mounted. Last time we were in the Joe McDonagh we dropped out the bottom of it like a dose of salts. So there has been some progress.

Agree with this. Stability, perspective and patience is needed. Hopefully the current management will stay in place and continue their work.

Its a tricky one this is...I think we are at the level we deserve to be at because to think we can compete against westmeath and Laois you are dreaming we are miles off currently.

I know the players we have are trying their heart out but it's really demoralising every week the amount of changes week in week out.

Fennelly has been there a number of years and has being unable to tie down a proper consistent and spine to the team. No establish 3,6, midfield 11 or 14 I think that is the starting point.

New manager needed and need to find more hurlers wherever we get them from they need to be found because what is there doesn't cut the mustard.

Too bad about the result.

Thanks to the team and all for their efforts.

It will be a grind working our way out of this level. Nothing is a given here. Just have to keep at it.

greenairfield wrote: ↑Sat May 21, 2022 5:57 pm Its a tricky one this is...I think we are at the level we deserve to be at because to think we can compete against westmeath and Laois you are dreaming we are miles off currently.

I know the players we have are trying their heart out but it's really demoralising every week the amount of changes week in week out.

Fennelly has been there a number of years and has being unable to tie down a proper consistent and spine to the team. No establish 3,6, midfield 11 or 14 I think that is the starting point.

New manager needed and need to find more hurlers wherever we get them from they need to be found because what is there doesn't cut the mustard.

Couldn't be more wrong, new mgt would be a real backward step, training is excellent, every thing been done to a very high standard. If the team selection is inconsistent that's because of the players been inconsistent. What are you supposed to do with a guy who blows hot one day and cold the next. You also need to factor in injury to players that can affect selection and the huge turnover in players year on year.

Tough day at the office.
Hard luck to our boys.
Hopefully all stick together and push on next yeat

havent been on here in a while, basically with other stuff and what have ya and to be honest..could not make today unfortunaely but today was a big disapointment, I think that while last week we got a late late late win against Kerry, and Offaly minors winning during the week a tad bit of over confidence creeped into the team and over expectancy creeped into the supporters..the Midland tribune in fairness talked down todays game in that it would be a battle and an no guarantees game..Greeairfield or whatever his name is above does raise some valid points I think, we have no spine of the team as in set in stone, its Conneely full back for a while, centre back then (probably his best position although back there in recent games and while he hurls better than most he was under fair pressure like he was today)
That aside, while we are down Oisin Kelly, who is a fine play maker and was no doubt a huge loss all season, and an even bigger loss Cillian Kiely, whom I see lots on here slate and never liked, individual aside (I dont know the chap at all) but by jaysus he had a drive and go about him that if 9 or 10 of our current starting 15 had half of would make a massive difference to Offaly. He opted out we know, no point talking about him BUT I am just saying he always gave 150% down to the final whistle and could hurl anywhere between half back line and number 15..we havent had any such replacement that I seen anyway..we did score goals in this JMCD but we always got them mainly when we didnt need them as such, the point Ime making is that like today when we needed a goal to shake off Carlow, we couldnt get one, we never even looked like getting one until Shane Dooley hit the side netting at very end..yes we will score points from far out (lots from frees I add) but goals goals goals.we dont get them when we need them in big games. A lot I see have changed view now and say "we are better off doing another year in JMCD"..this was not the case in the league when we were all consoling ourselves saying "the Joe McDonagh is all that matters"..well we found out that Antrim, whom we gave a great game to but lost, were a fair bit ahead of us, look at the subs they made, all scoring forwards, posters assumed Antrim were not playing Neil McManus as a decoy only and would play him, they never even had him in the squad that day and still won..we beat Down and Meath and Kerry, losing to Antrim and Carlow, and while Carlow have been a tough team for us in recent years, out of the teams in our group, Carlow was a game most thougth we were now finally capable of handling, but we found out today that we were not up for that battle. Chris Nolan, scored around 7 points today from play if you dont mind, Offaly even with Kelly back have no forward capable of doing that, yes we have good forwards but, as Greenairfield said abo e we dont seem to know our starting core (Joe Dooley said same on commentary during game) and 5 changes today was alot for a game we needed to win (or at least draw) Make no mistake about it, Offaly needed and wanted to win the Joe McDonagh this year, we didnt even get to the final. Interesting to see if Fennelly stays, I would like to see him stay in ways, but its a long year now without any inter county (and thats what I dont like about all this new system -its almost an inconvenience this intercounty set up in both codes with the way all games are rushed week in week out) All very well saying leave him there and this squad of players, players are putting a massive lot into this and to be honest will privately say "will I give this another year etc?"

Anyway, hard luck on Offaly today, it is disapointing and no other way of dressing it up, I think our standard is well confirmed now for the foreseeable future for anyone that thought otherwise..