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Plain of the Herbs wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 9:58 am U20 and Minor panels have always been 24. Senior panels are 26 for maybe a decade now, having been 30 previously.

Doon Exile wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 6:35 am Very strong looking team. What’s the story with Conor Doyle. Has he been injured?

Panels were 24 last year- not sure when/if they changed from 26

2022 minor panel was also 24.

Just looked at Dublin u20 team sheet. Interesting that they have the 26.....not 24

Best of luck to the lads.. I see we're hot favourites to win this one but surely a big ask to go and beat Dublin in Parnell park. But a Good team with good experience and might just be able to pull it off.

G91 wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 9:48 am Was Connor grennan not rumoured to be on this panel?

That's some team the experience they have and there only under 20

I understand that Conor left the panel of his own accord. Someone closer to the panel might be able to confirm.

8/15 isn't exactly that hot a favourite in a two horse race.

greenairfield wrote: ↑Sat Mar 30, 2024 1:29 pm 8/15 isn't exactly that hot a favourite in a two horse race.

?? We're hot favourites 1/2.. if I'm putting 2 on to win I'm expecting a winner.. I'd be holding onto me 2 euro in this case but hopefully they can get the job done, would be a big win and a big scalp

Super win.. fantastic strides being made in hurling in the county.. great to see

Good to get a win, first match and shocking conditions so wouldn’t read too much into the game. It was touch and go at the end and considering how dominant Offaly were shouldn’t have been in that position. A lot of frees missed and overplayed at times but come later stages of the championship who is going to remember.

Galway next Saturday, love watching this minor and u20 team the last 2 years, always great fight and determination with a good game of hurling too.

Away with family so didn’t get to this one. Great to get the win. Winning is a good habit. Galway next Saturday will be tough.

Few costly mistakes , missed chances, shouldn't have been as close but these things happen and they will learn from that,

Maybe better get a game like that where there's lots of learnings than running out comfortable winners at this early stage.

Hurled very well considering the conditions great to get the win

Love these lads. Dublin are always a tricky opponent underage and our lads got there in the end. Was hurling myself today while this match was on. Conditions were horrendous where I was and didn't make for pretty hurling.....not that I'm able to play that style anyway.

But great to get up and running with a win against a tricky outfit. By reports here, lots of good hurling....but some stuff to work on aswell to make the most of it. A good outcome I think.

#estofidelis

Firstly any synopsis of the game has to take into account the woeful conditions this game was played in. There was water lying on the stand side sideline and conditions deteriorated as the game progressed due to intermittent heavy showers. It was a testament to all players that we got such an enjoyable encounter.

Offaly were clearly the better team and if this game was played in the middle of Summer I would predict a 6 to 8 point victory. However Dublin's pace and physicality bothered us at times particularly down the spine of our defence. We also really struggled under our own puckout in the 2nd half and the absence of Dan Ravenhill here who went off injured was keenly felt. Our refusal to go short on our own puck out may have been prudent with today's conditions but deeper into the championship we will need a Plan B.

Our players showed huge tenacity all through and won an abundance of turnover ball, many times off Dublin backs who were undoubtedly over playing it. Dan Bourke had a tremendous game scoring 0-05 (I think), I would be very concerned by our management's inability to formulate a plan for the Dublin number 9 in the second half when he was placed as the spare defender deep in his own half. His ability to start attacks and excellent distribution and striking was one of the main reasons Dublin got back into the game. Also our refusal to use our bench on an energy sapping pitch is troublesome.

Having said all that this was a great result for Offaly. A really tough game and to come out with a win ahead of a huge challenge next Saturday is fantastic.

Finally on "ScreeneyWatch", Adam had 5 glorious positive contriubutions. 2 fantastic catches from excellent crossfield passes led to 2 goal scoring opportunities one of which he converted. We then had 2 mesmeric on the hurl controls under the stand in the 2nd half one of which led to a pointed free. And finally a beautiful little popped handpass to set up the winner. I'm sure he will work on his freetaking ahead of next Saturday.

Well done lads today. Keep it going.

Good win despite the atrocious conditions.

Concerning how they were able to run down the middle of us quite a lot but the game will bring the team on.

Only an observation, but for puckouts our entire full back line were very bunched together, granted it was not a day for short puckouts but it meant that the Dublin could drop further out with the full forward covering all three.

Hopefully ravenhills injury isn't too serious, he would be a massive loss for Galway game which will be a big step up in standard on today.

I was impressed with bourke, Cathal king and Colin Spain. Bourke and King have certainly benefitted from the exposure to senior hurling.

Would love to see more out of Rigney, I think he has heaps of talent, plenty of speed and has the size too. Really need him getting involved more the next day.

Any day you beat the Dubs in Parnell park is a good day. A nice Offaly crowd in attendance and hopefully we can see more next week

Offaly should have been comfortably home and dry there, but Dublin gave them plenty to think about in the last 20 minutes. Agree that the conditions and the pitch were very awful, which suited Dublin more and helped keep them in the game.

Offaly's hurling was ahead of Dublin's but they brought a lot of tough play and intensity to proceedings.
This game will bring Offaly on though. Dublin are a more Munster-esque type of opponent that we need to learn to deal with.

Dublin's early game plan was very poor. It was full on 'Jennet Express' head down charging and handpassing, with no attempt to open the play up.
Inevitably someone made a handling error to give Offaly the turnover. Later, when Dublin had nothing to lose they started to release the ball earlier into their forwards and this gave the Offaly backs more problems.

With Screeney being double marked, he had to head towards the sideline to show for the ball. When he did get it, it was in unlikely places for scores. Though, this opened it up for Dan Bourke who had a great game by drifting into scoring positions.

At 16 - 8 the game was nearly dead and the first Dublin goal was self inflicted. But Offaly were tested and eventually had to get the late winner when it looked like Dublin had all the momentum.

Last year's events in Thurles have been remembered and discussed. In the second half, Dublin won a free and started the shithousery towards Screeney, jostles, frontal chest barges - his Offaly team mates were in double quick to sort it out.
The net result was the Dublin free being turned into a throw-in, but Offaly also didn't take a backward step when the cheap shots were being dished out.

Dan Ravenhill is some unit of a chap.

The pitch at Parnell park was a disgrace yesterday.
Referee was poor we have the skill but physically we were poor .
The defence in the second half was like the red sea I hopefully they might have learnt something before Galway but they are a different kettle of fish.