offaly 1-10 galway 1-24 NHL 20/02/2011

[townblue]

offaly vs galway
o connor pk some crap from us today we are well off it dublin will wipe us in champs on this form

[kingscounty]

as i said a month ago dublin will blow us away in parnell park in the championship.i know the galway game today was only the league but galway were missing about 12 regulars.i listened to the game on galway bay fm and at one stage the commentator said helion wouldnt look out of place on operation transformation.divison 2 is are level we dont deserve to be in divison 1 when the attitude is "ah sure wait till we get dublin in tullamore and we will pick points up there".a joke, are they doing any training at all .the blame may rest at the door of the manager plain and simple,its time he took responsibility and stopped this mockery.these guys are senior club players ,their not doing the job for offaly its time to ruffle it up,what harm would it be to try a few intermedates or even junior players they couldnt do any worse than whats playing now.theres no competition for places,half of them know their on the team anyway just because their there the last 3 or 4 years.

[JimBwobb]

Absolutely Brutal, Paul Bermingham was a disgrace now in fairness...Joe Bergin Tried His Best,Missing Key Players,,rory hannify gone for about 3 months...Jimmy Rigney injured,Cleary,Currams, and a few more..need brendan murphy back,,hope peter healion wont b started come championship or we will get destroyed...Dooley Wasnt Near Average today either...

[kinnittyman]

Today was one of the worst performances from an Offaly team in the last 11 years and that in itself is saying something. The Galway players were street ahead in absolutlet every facet of play. Gaining possession, striking, movement, the whole nine yards. And our management has serious questions to answer.

Firstly why did we start with a midfield of Cathal Parlon and Kevin Brady? Obvious to everyone except our manager and selectors that this midfield pairing would be hugely out of their depth. Parlon's sending off just about summed up his entire contribution to the Offaly senior hurling panel over the last few years. And Brady was replaced before half time.

Why was Stephen Wynne started corner forward? Has he ever played there for St Rynaghs?

Why when Diggy Cordial was introduced was he placed corner forward and not midfield which is the only place he could possibly have an influential effect on an Offaly team?

Why was Paul Bermingham started? Did he play championship for Lusmagh in 2010?

Why is David Kenny not being allowed to hurl centre back?

Why was Shane Dooley not replaced earlier?

What I'd like to know is does this team have a game plan, tactical set up, puck out strategy? What I saw today was shambloic and like a team who just met for the first time before the throw in. What's going on in training? The first touch today of some of our hurlers was diabolical even taking the conditions into account.
The last four years have been a disaster and last year's Galway performances were done in spite of and not because of our management team. It's actually disgraceful what is going on with our senior hurlers and the money being pumped into the running of the team. Joe and the boys, do the honourable thing and go now before the damage becomes irrepairable i.e. Div 2 hurling in Spring 2012.

P.S Players to emerge with credit today are James Dempsey, Del Morkam, Conor Egan, Joe Bergin and to a lesser extent Brian Mulrooney and Stephen Egan.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Today was one of the worst performances from an Offaly team in the last 11 years and that in itself is saying something. The Galway players were street ahead in absolutlet every facet of play. Gaining possession, striking, movement, the whole nine yards. And our management has serious questions to answer.

Firstly why did we start with a midfield of Cathal Parlon and Kevin Brady? Obvious to everyone except our manager and selectors that this midfield pairing would be hugely out of their depth. Parlon's sending off just about summed up his entire contribution to the Offaly senior hurling panel over the last few years. And Brady was replaced before half time.

Why was Stephen Wynne started corner forward? Has he ever played there for St Rynaghs?

Why when Diggy Cordial was introduced was he placed corner forward and not midfield which is the only place he could possibly have an influential effect on an Offaly team?

Why was Paul Bermingham started? Did he play championship for Lusmagh in 2010?

Why is David Kenny not being allowed to hurl centre back?

Why was Shane Dooley not replaced earlier?

What I'd like to know is does this team have a game plan, tactical set up, puck out strategy? What I saw today was shambloic and like a team who just met for the first time before the throw in. What's going on in training? The first touch today of some of our hurlers was diabolical even taking the conditions into account.
The last four years have been a disaster and last year's Galway performances were done in spite of and not because of our management team. It's actually disgraceful what is going on with our senior hurlers and the money being pumped into the running of the team. Joe and the boys, do the honourable thing and go now before the damage becomes irrepairable i.e. Div 2 hurling in Spring 2012.

P.S Players to emerge with credit today are James Dempsey, Del Morkam, Conor Egan, Joe Bergin and to a lesser extent Brian Mulrooney and Stephen Egan.

Thats the sound of a nail being hit firmly on the head, I second all of the above.

About the only good thing that can be said is the form of Joe Bergin at Number 11. He brings infinitely more to the position than the one dimensional Joe Brady. Let him (or perhaps Hanniffy) at it from there for the Championship. The more I look at it the more I feel Hayden should be given a run at full forward. His form there for Birr last year can't be ignored and with Joe Begin at 11, Dooley will need some somebody else to occupy the defenders attentions. That and the fact that the forward line was beyond poor today, change is needed.

[DAF]

Today was one of the worst performances from an Offaly team in the last 11 years and that in itself is saying something. The Galway players were street ahead in absolutlet every facet of play. Gaining possession, striking, movement, the whole nine yards. And our management has serious questions to answer.

Firstly why did we start with a midfield of Cathal Parlon and Kevin Brady? Obvious to everyone except our manager and selectors that this midfield pairing would be hugely out of their depth. Parlon's sending off just about summed up his entire contribution to the Offaly senior hurling panel over the last few years. And Brady was replaced before half time.

Why was Stephen Wynne started corner forward? Has he ever played there for St Rynaghs?

Why when Diggy Cordial was introduced was he placed corner forward and not midfield which is the only place he could possibly have an influential effect on an Offaly team?

Why was Paul Bermingham started? Did he play championship for Lusmagh in 2010?

Why is David Kenny not being allowed to hurl centre back?

Why was Shane Dooley not replaced earlier?

What I'd like to know is does this team have a game plan, tactical set up, puck out strategy? What I saw today was shambloic and like a team who just met for the first time before the throw in. What's going on in training? The first touch today of some of our hurlers was diabolical even taking the conditions into account.
The last four years have been a disaster and last year's Galway performances were done in spite of and not because of our management team. It's actually disgraceful what is going on with our senior hurlers and the money being pumped into the running of the team. Joe and the boys, do the honourable thing and go now before the damage becomes irrepairable i.e. Div 2 hurling in Spring 2012.

P.S Players to emerge with credit today are James Dempsey, Del Morkam, Conor Egan, Joe Bergin and to a lesser extent Brian Mulrooney and Stephen Egan.

Agree with alot of that.Morkan has been terrific for Offaly over the last couple of years and he was excellent again today.Offalys hurling is just not up to standard sadly.We waste possesion too much a drive the ball aimlessly into the forwards too often instead of trying to pick a players out and the sad thing is that there doesnt seem to be a huge amount of fight any more in the team and we accept defeat too readily.

[Sharp Eye]

There is a huge over reaction to todays game. It is obvious that Joe Dooley and his selectors are using the League to give the panel a chance. As can be clearly seen many of todays team will not be in the panel next June. Players like Diarmuid Horan, Cathal Horan, Brendan Murphy and Brendan O'Meara will be hurling for Offaly when it really matters.

[Offaly81]

To-day was without a doubt a disasterous display. After last weeks display in Cork our home advantage accounted for little as we were decimated. Looking back we realise that last week was a false promise. We must realise however that Cork are no longer considered among the elite as Sean Og alluded to recently (even though their game to-day suggested otherwise). Remember, Galway were just edged out in last years championship to Tipp.

However, my reason for posting is separate to the game and it comes about as I used to enjoy the comments posted on this website but in recent months the tone has changed. There seems to be a lot of personal and snide comments made about players, management, etc that don't really contribute anything. Someone mentioned playing intermediates or juniors, come on, be realistic. Not one person has mentioned anything of note about the game to-day....

A more constructive approach would be more welcome. My personal opinion is that the management should have been changed this year. The whole thing needed to be freshened up. The problem is attracting a manager that can take us to another level and this is quite difficult as renumeration alone is no longer a reason that managers choose to manage.

Dublin come championship is a massive challenge. We will need all our players available to get over the line, and meeting them in their home patch with a boisterous support will make it all the harder.

In regards to to-days game, I think there were far to many postional changes made from last week. We have a reccuring problem with second half fade outs that has been there even before Mc Intyre was manager and this has never been addressed. When the pressure comes on, no player steps up to the plate and pushes others on. Its a lack of solidarity. These players could do with a couple of bonding weekends that encourage teamwork because it is non existant at the moment.

[kinnittyman]

To-day was without a doubt a disasterous display. After last weeks display in Cork our home advantage accounted for little as we were decimated. Looking back we realise that last week was a false promise. We must realise however that Cork are no longer considered among the elite as Sean Og alluded to recently (even though their game to-day suggested otherwise). Remember, Galway were just edged out in last years championship to Tipp.

However, my reason for posting is separate to the game and it comes about as I used to enjoy the comments posted on this website but in recent months the tone has changed. There seems to be a lot of personal and snide comments made about players, management, etc that don't really contribute anything. Someone mentioned playing intermediates or juniors, come on, be realistic. Not one person has mentioned anything of note about the game to-day....

A more constructive approach would be more welcome. My personal opinion is that the management should have been changed this year. The whole thing needed to be freshened up. The problem is attracting a manager that can take us to another level and this is quite difficult as renumeration alone is no longer a reason that managers choose to manage.

Dublin come championship is a massive challenge. We will need all our players available to get over the line, and meeting them in their home patch with a boisterous support will make it all the harder.

In regards to to-days game, I think there were far to many postional changes made from last week. We have a reccuring problem with second half fade outs that has been there even before Mc Intyre was manager and this has never been addressed. When the pressure comes on, no player steps up to the plate and pushes others on. Its a lack of solidarity.

These players could do with a couple of bonding weekends that encourage teamwork because it is non existant at the moment.

I think work on first touch, sriking, the art of defending, getting to the front is a bit more important than piss up weekends to be quite honest.

[kinnittyman]

There is a huge over reaction to todays game. It is obvious that Joe Dooley and his selectors are using the League to give the panel a chance. As can be clearly seen many of todays team will not be in the panel next June. Players like Diarmuid Horan, Cathal Horan, Brendan Murphy and Brendan O'Meara will be hurling for Offaly when it really matters.

Diarmuid Horan has made himself unavailable, Cathal Horan is probably the same, Brendan Murphy is far from guaranteed to come back and since when has Brendan O Meara nailed down a regular starting spot?

Our back 7 should be Dempsey, Franks, Cleary, Egan, Rigney, Kenny, Morkam. Although they might aswell be hitting it off a wall, it comes back down on top of them that quickly.

[Offaly81]

I was thinking more along the lines of a weekend in the Curragh, crawling through mud, barking orders, stuff like that that may encourage some leadership. A different type of team bonding to yours.

[kinnittyman]

I was thinking more along the lines of a weekend in the Curragh, crawling through mud, barking orders, stuff like that that may encourage some leadership. A different type of team bonding to yours.

Panel went on a team bonding session in Limerick in 2009 and by all accounts the bonding wasn't done in the way you outlined above.

In Damien Tiernan's book chronicling the story of Waterford hurling he says that in 2008 between the semi final and final the Waterford hurlers went on two weekends away doing bonding events such as you've mentioned. And what were Kilkenny doing during this time? They were training in Nowlan Park. Tiernan estimates that the Kilkenny hurlers acutally did 3 times as much ball work in the weeks leading up to the final as Waterford. 3-30 to 1-13 tells it's own tale. Now obviously this isn't the only reason that result came about but it had an effect. Even the Waterford hurlers upon reflection said they should have been training.

I don't think an inter-county hurler should need a bonding weekend to ensure teamwork is fostered. One of the basics of hurling is off-loading the ball to a man in a better position. Also workrate doesn't have to be the sole preserve of the elite hurler. The worst hurler in the world can work hard. And workrate involves covering for a man out of position, double defending a forward, ensuring an opposing defender doesn't get in an easy clearance. These things in my opinion come from work on the training field and not running through mud in the Curragh.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Before ye go blowing up the internet I would ask ye to list the Offaly panellists who are currently on the treatment table. Even Kilkenny couldn't sustain such a casualty list.

'Tis only February 20th. The clocks don't go forward for over a month yet.

Off ye go.

[GreatDayForTheParish]

Our back 7 should be Dempsey, Franks, Cleary, Egan, Rigney, Kenny, Morkam. Although they might aswell be hitting it off a wall, it comes back down on top of them that quickly.

Chalk it down again Kinnityyman! Although to be fair to the management today, the personel on the field were somewhat forced upon the management owing to the large number of injuries. The positions some of them were placed in however were not.


As for team bonding weekends, maybe they have a place, maybe not. Whether this team needs them it or not however is very doubtful, from what I've heard this panel get on quite well with one another. The teamwork they need has to come from the management in the form of tactics, a discernable style of play. As of now, none is apparent.

[Plain of the Herbs]

I can't wait for your inter-county debut. Let me know when you get a call-up. I'd say you wouldn't hurl spuds at dead ducks. Run along now. Muppet.

Absolutely Brutal, Paul Bermingham was a disgrace now in fairness...