My thoughts are done with the greatest respect Greenairfield. Some of my comments might seem a little harsh, but really they're a back handed complement to what Birr contribute to Offaly and I guess I'm just trying to outline that I think the birr club are key to success of Offaly hurling. When Birr are going well, Offaly are going well. You made a defence against my comments which I'll try and take individually.
greenairfield wrote:Wing back you and some other guys here pick and choose what you want to hear from the Birr supporters on this site.
I would be a huge advocate of bringing hurling back to Birr but that is only one factor in this whole mess that Offaly find themselves in.
I do read all comments here and try to take them on their merits of where the poster is coming from, but also how they fit within the grand scheme of things and for the good of Offaly hurling. I think all readers here understand that you are particularly passionate about intercounty hurling matches and the club hurling final being brought back to SBP. However you say that this is only 1 factor, however I think that the majority of comments you post either relate directly or indirectly to this factor, with very little on the other factors you refer to. I know you talk about the county board and Tommy Byrne stepping down also, but all I seem to interpret/sense from these comments is that they are against games going to SBP, so therefore they have to go. I know that's not what you posted directly.....but that's my underlying feeling I guess from your comments. I'm sorry if that's not true.
greenairfield wrote:You speak of only producing one hurler since the Verney, Cleary era..well that's not true really when you look at it.
Barry Harding would be good enough to be on Offaly senior team the last 8 years throw in Cleary also neither of them asked in some years, then we were represented by murphy and Nolan over the last couple of years.
Your point makes no sense as we have produced them and they really gave as much to the county scene as much as the lads who were on the panel for years.
Firstly on this one, the effort they gave to the county was never in dispute here. That was never questioned by my comment.
Fair enough, I had considered mentioning Harding. I had also considered Watkins and Murphy, but they have a handful of appearances between the trio and it diluted my point. So I said I'd exclude them. My point wasn't weather you (as a birr member) think they are good enough like you say, it's about making the step up regardless of what anyone thinks and making a debut and holding a regular position/squad place on the county team for a season or two at least. I think Paul Cleary made his debut in 2005 against Kilkenny, Ryan and Verney I think were probably 2006 I'd say. That's 13/14 years ago now for those, but considering in that time the above trio(Harding, Watkins and Murphy)as well as Nolan and now Cahill are the only new faces to represent Offaly from St Brendans, it just seems like a poor return considering the population/numbers, resources and history of St Brendans in comparison to the much smaller clubs.
My point is about new faces who have come in and made an impact(played regularly). And I take your point on Harding I suppose, but other than that, there is only Nolan and Cahill in my opinion who have made the breakthrough in that 13/14 year period. Its hard to argue that its been anything other than very few. So I think my point still stands true.
greenairfield wrote:There is a small core group of players who hurled for Offaly in recent years Sean Ryan been one of them.
Throw in Dooley,Bergin,Camon and King all other players have played for a couple of years took a year out etc etc.
So you could easily say the same to K/K Rynaghs or any of the other top teams what have they given to the county???you only see what you want to see.
I agree that the same rhetoric should apply to KK and Rynaghs as they (although not as big as Birr) do have much larger populations to pull from compared to many of the rural clubs around them. However both KK and Rynaghs both have a reasonable amount of outfield players on the current Senior and/or U20 team. It was only an observation that there is currently no outfield player from the Birr club on either the latest Offaly Senior or U20 team. So really my observation still holds true.
What I'm getting at is that without a reasonable Birr contingent Offaly are struggling. A strong Birr team equalled strong Offaly in the past and I'm just trying to link the two again. Many in Offaly probably took for granted how much Birr contributed to the success in the 90's.
greenairfield wrote:Birr have fallen in recent times but there is no doubt over the next five years there will be a huge change of personal around the Birr senior team full of youth.
Underage results are improving and maybe a few county titles are on the way.
It's good to see that work is being done and that underage is improving for the Birr club. Maybe this will bare fruit not just for Birr, but for Offaly hopefully also.
greenairfield wrote:Cliodagh Gaels and Ballinamere still have done nothing at club level only improved a small bit your point is ridiclious.
If you read my comment again, you'll see that I didn't mention anything about how Ballinamere or Clodiagh Gaels have done at club level. I was simply making an observation that it's great to see these areas contributing so well to the current squads. Something that wasn't always there in the past. So I'm not sure how that point is ridiculous.
Overall though, I don't post very often and keep my views to myself usually. I like your passion even if I don't always agree with some of your points. It's clear to me that on top of hurling development in all areas of the county and putting proper structures in place, and despite me being from a rival club, if the faithful supporters are to go on a pilgrimage to Jones's Road in the future and rekindle some of the dreams of old, Offaly needs a well oiled Birr. Simple as that.
#Esto Fidelis
'Babs keating 'resigned' as coach because of illness and fatigue. The players were sick and tired of him'