Under 21's challenge match vs Galway

[Lone Shark]

Played in Killimor on Wed Night, were losing 3-8 to 0-13 when Padraig Horan lost the head after the ref didn't give frees for a few wojious challenges and brought the team off the field with 15 minutes left in the game.

I wasn't in attendance so this is all second hand, but it appears to have been reasonably encouraging. Points to note....

(1) Alan Egan played so is obviously available. Still a bit on the quiet side, not firing on all cylinders, but fit anyway.

(2) Cathal Parlon didn't - he'll be out for the Leinster final

(3) Paul Cleary was missing, and I was told who played full back but for the life of me can't remember - not someone who'll be starting anyway. I think this line struggled a bit, in that Colm Coughlan was a little bit off against a bigger opponent, though Hernon was supposed to have been okay, if a little relaxed.

(4) Micheal Verney played, lined out in midfield to get some running into him. Did okay, still finding his way a bit - will probably come on a lot in the next week or so.

(5) Thank the Lord, Joe Bergin got into the game and got a few scores. Hopefully he's turned the corner on his recent slump and will be back to himself again.

(6) Diarmuid Horan took the frees the whole way through - seems to have been right on song in general and is playing very well.


All in all a good workout, and bearing in mind Dublin played more or less the same Galway team on Sunday and lost 2-22 to 0-6, signs seem positive. Sorry I can't give more detail, but like I said I wasn't there - maybe someone else on this board was?

[Offalys Future]

how that doesnt surprise me with Padraig Horan.

I was talking to a panel member yesterday he never mentioned that happening,
that was hardly Dublins full team that played on Sunday, all the senior contingent missing i would think?

[Plain of the Herbs]

Fergus Shortt perchance??

(3) Paul Cleary was missing, and I was told who played full back but for the life of me can't remember - not someone who'll be starting anyway.

[Lone Shark]

Fergus Shortt perchance??

(3) Paul Cleary was missing, and I was told who played full back but for the life of me can't remember - not someone who'll be starting anyway.

Yup - that's it.


As regards the Sunday game, I've no doubt Dublin were missing a good few of the seniors, however the guy I heard about that result from was appalled by their general standard - he reckoned that the lads that played were way off the pace and that unless they had five or six Henry Shefflins to come back in, he couldn't see them troubling Offaly at all.

I stress that I'm just the messenger here - this was a Galway guy who was asking me about the odds for the Leinster final and wanted to pile into Offaly. However it is very secondhand info and as such comes with a real health warning.

[Offalys Future]

Fergus Shortt St.Ryanaghs.

It really is hard to know to be honest, Parnell Park in front of a massive home support wont be easy easy.
We will then see what progress has been made this year.

Just in regards to the panel member i was talking to, he was talking about an All-Ireland final appearance because the winner plays Antrim. I dont know if this is the message coming from the setup but it would concern me.

Offaly have to realise that we are underdogs going into this game and duly so.
Also that Antrim wont be too bad with over ten senior panellists too.

Time will tell i guess.

[Lone Shark]

Fergus Shortt St.Ryanaghs.

It really is hard to know to be honest, Parnell Park in front of a massive home support wont be easy easy.
We will then see what progress has been made this year.

Just in regards to the panel member i was talking to, he was talking about an All-Ireland final appearance because the winner plays Antrim. I dont know if this is the message coming from the setup but it would concern me.

Offaly have to realise that we are underdogs going into this game and duly so.
Also that Antrim wont be too bad with over ten senior panellists too.

Time will tell i guess.

If that was the attitude in the week of the run up to an Antrim game, then yes, I'd agree with you. If on the other hand the management are using the "great opportunity to get to an All Ireland final" line in order to concentrate the minds for the Leinster final, then I'd have no great problem with that. There is plenty of time after the Leinster final to re-focus, and hopefully the lads will be doing just that rather than thinking of what might have been.

[Offalys Future]

Ya i agree, i just think that to beat Dublin would be a great achievement and i just hope that players management etc realise that.
Some times its hard for people to get away from the ah Dublin, Laois, Antrim sher there no could anyway.
I'm not saying the management are maybe it was just this panel member.

Even though it makes sense i cant see the GAA changing the date can you?
Why didnt Offaly look for this change right after the Kilkenny game?

[Lone Shark]

Ya i agree, i just think that to beat Dublin would be a great achievement and i just hope that players management etc realise that.
Some times its hard for people to get away from the ah Dublin, Laois, Antrim sher there no could anyway.
I'm not saying the management are maybe it was just this panel member.

Even though it makes sense i cant see the GAA changing the date can you?
Why didnt Offaly look for this change right after the Kilkenny game?

To be fair TG4 have paid for the rights to the under 21 championship, and that's why midweek was always going to be the case. If you go into the weekend they already have a ladies game on, and they'd be competing with football qualifiers and hurling quarter finals live on RTE. I'd imagine that a very good reason would have been needed to change the time, and Offaly weren't able to provide it.

Also, the time to look for a change was when the fixture list was being drawn up, and we were once again getting r***d with a cucumber wrapped in sandpaper as the Dublin county board fought their corner and everyone else went along with this "the world needs Dublin to win a hurling All Ireland" agenda. Needless to say we obviously sent the same delegate to that meeting as was at the meeting where the NHL relegation structure was being laid out.

[TheManFromFerbane]

Needless to say we obviously sent the same delegate to that meeting as was at the meeting where the NHL relegation structure was being laid out.

Who is this person does anyone know?

[Lone Shark]

Needless to say we obviously sent the same delegate to that meeting as was at the meeting where the NHL relegation structure was being laid out.

Who is this person does anyone know?

Sorry, that was a slightly tongue in cheek remark from me. It could be the same person, I'm merely guessing though, based on the similar success rate in both cases.