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Leaving off your allegiance hats etc. for a minute, I'm wondering who do you think would be the best winner of the SFC from the point of view of benefitting Offaly football?

With a lot of young players in their ranks, a club like Tullamore having a run in Leinster could be very beneficial to players like McConway, Buckley, Keane, Hoey, Dooley etc., and they'd be my choice. You'd give them a good chance of acquitting themselves well and getting a few games too.

For my money it's anyone but Rhode - I have visions of next January rolling round and Niall still waiting on his groin operation with only four weeks to go till the league starts.

shamrocks i think. if a club like that goes too long without winning anything people will start to look for it to be split up again and thats no good for anyone.

Personally and we all have our views on this, but been from a small club myself, who are now playing senior hurling and who have in the past played senior football, before amanglation, i would truly love to see Ballycumber or Shamrocks winning the senior football. Having said that they heart says either of the above but the head still sways with Rhode. By the way and for the record id prefer to see Rhode win it that Tullamore, i am from the country after all.

The answer has to be shamrocks! The Leinster express reckon that Thomas Coghlan is the best thing since sliced bread and they are never wrong..........
A bit unfair of them to put so much pressure on a young player.

I'd like to see Shamrocks win it.If only it would keep Ronan Mooney in the county and maybe he would stick around long enough so that the county selectors could have a look at him.

Also i'd like to see my new Avatar in operation

Mighty Pair O' Hands wrote:The answer has to be shamrocks! The Leinster express reckon that Thomas Coghlan is the best thing since sliced bread and they are never wrong..........
A bit unfair of them to put so much pressure on a young player.

I'd say that most people took it with the same pinch of salt that the readers of this board did.

Anyway I can't imagine he'll feel too much pressure on the bench next year - that's not meant to sound harsh or derogatory, but just that he has a good bit to go yet before he hits that level.


Good work with the Avatar. I never knew where you were from until now.

Ballycumber. "I would love it, love it if we win" as one guru once said. If only for the party in Ballyc afterwards. How can one small village support 5 pubs? If Gavins is the best after game pub imagine what it would be like after a county win. The only detrimental thing would be Offaly's representative in the Leinster club championship. You couldn't get the lads off the sauce for long enough to line out.

Shamrocks or Ballycumber for me!! Whichever of them gets to the final has my best wishes.

It would be great for either club to win a title. Each club has fine young prospects and it would give those young lads confidence also.

Tullamore have a great young squad and they'll be around for a good few years. Rhode are missing Barry & Roy Malone and Paschal Kelleghan for the semi-final but they'll be favourites next year even if they don't win it this year - I'd prefer that Rhode don't come out of Offaly and that Niall McNamee gets a groin operation or much-needed rest.

So I'll be hoping for a win from Shamrocks or Ballycumber.

BALLYCUMBER all the way - I am having dreams about it already - it would just be unbelievable for the village - I am trying to be realistic and not get too carried away but with a bit of luck you would never know - it's just 2 more games - if we get over shamrocks I am booking the week after the final off work - I have warned the boss - I work in dublin and they cannot understand why I would use up the last of my holidays to go to a match - but then they have never been to Gavins, or Flynns for that matter

gaahead wrote:I work in dublin and they cannot understand why I would use up the last of my holidays to go to a match - but then they have never been to Gavins, or Flynns for that matter

Bring them down - it's an experience they'll never forget!

I'll never forget Doon Massive bringing down a scatter of Dubs into Martin's, followed by a trip into Silvers to hear Bog the Donkey do their thing. Legendary. This kind of evangelism is what we need.

Its still talked about to this day......

Remember 1968, when Ballycumber won the county title, Longford won the Leinster football title and Manchester United won the European Cup?
No, neither do I.

Ballycumber is a savage spot at any time. A 24 hour party village.
Imagine what it would be like after a county title?

Jaysus there'd be a right beer festival in the vilage if Ballycumber won it out....better than the May fair ! I'd say there'll be a nice bit of banter in Gavins in the lead up to the semi-final. Am I right in saying that Shamrocks catchment area takes in as far as Brackens scrap yard in Ballycumber ? Bragging rights will be important here......
Would like to see the winners of this one win it out. Shamrocks will be favourites and could really put it up to the winners of Rhode/Tullamore if they get there. Twould be nice to see BallyC do it but I just can't see it happening.
Rhode's form has been no where near as good as last year, but I still think they'll get by Tullamore.

there or there abouts, somewhere up that road!

I'd love to see ballyc win.

Well I think without a doubt Ballycumber would be a very attractive/popular winner of the dowling cup this year.. not just cos its not Rhode or tullamore etc...
But because they're a young side, with some talented footballers at their disposal, they play good attractive fast flowing football!
Also Shamrocks would be a popular winner of the dowling cup, but not as much as the 'cumber... it would be more of a pity choice because of the fact that they didnt win it in the last few years when they most definitely should have done!!!

I sincerely think/hope that its a Ballycmber-Tullamore county final, and i think there'd be feck all in it if it happened.
Aaaaaaaahhhhhh Hoooowwwwwwwh!