Leinster MFC - Offaly v Wicklow

[True Red]

Any word on this batch of young lads?Team news?
I'd imagine they face a tough trip to Aughrim tomorrow.

[Lone Shark]

Offaly Team to Play Wicklow


Shane Nally (Ferbane/Belmont); Adrian Murphy (Gracefield), John Moloney (Tullamore – Captain), Derek Kelly (Edenderry); Andrew Cushin (Clara), Brian Geraghty (Ballinamere/Durrow), Paddy Rigney (Na Fianna); Mark Young (Edenderry), Ruairí Allen (Gracefield); Keith Lawlor (Ballycumber/Tubber), Brian Connor (St. Broughan’s), Noel Andrew Graham (St. Vincent’s); Bernard Allen (Ballycumber/Tubber), Anton Sullivan (Ród Óg), Adrian Kelly (St. Broughan’s)


I'm wary of posting anything remotely optimistic about any team these days, but on the face of it this team should be reasonable and logic would dictate that reasonable would be enough to edge out Wicklow. I think the breaking down of the bus didn't help last year's team and it threw preparations off a wee bit so that result was a bit of an anomaly - generally Wicklow minor teams aren't hectic and this team doesn't have any results in schools or anything to suggest they'd be any different. If this team is remotely well prepared, the good results of Marys and Coláiste Íosagáin would suggest that the football is in them to do well.

The forwards might lack a bit of punch, but I like the spine of the team so hopefully when Mark Mangan comes back in we'll have a more balanced and dangerous outfit.

[DD]

Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.. our minor hurlers last week now the footballers.
Wicklow 3-11 Offaly 1-7, 10 pts between the teams at half-time.. anyone unfortunate enough to have been at it?

[Bord na Mona man]

The news gets worse by the week.
Are Wicklow that good, or was it just a poor Offaly side?
Wicklow have been putting more investment and effort into underage recently, with some occasional good results coming out of it.

[Loughers]

Is there a back door in this?

[the bare biffo]

I hope not.

[True Red]

Just to confirm....there is a back door in this.
Offaly now play the losers of Carlow/Westmeath.

[Lone Shark]

I never thought I'd see the day when an Offaly team played Wicklow and Wicklow were the ones showing all the footballing intelligence and know how. Otherthan their full forward Paul Cunningham who I had heard was their man man, I wouldn't say there was an inordinate talent gap between the two teams. Even so Wicklow tackled and supported with both discipline and intensity, they used early ball very well and they created good simple scoring opportunities. We ran up blind alleys, hit high ball into small men, kicked frees straight to the marker of the kicker and generally looked very clueless. The half back line was horrendously weak and even though he didn't score much, Wicklow's number twelve broke the line and created a lot of overlaps.

Of the team that played I would say that Shane Nally did well, Derek Kelly was on top of his man and even did okay on Cunningham when he was moved across, Rory Allen tried all day but ran into trouble, Brian Connor fielded a few good balls and didn't get the help he should have from the ref a few times and Anton Sullivan always looked sharp and alert on the ball, but other than that there was very little to be cheerful about.

Mark Mangan if he's back will help, as would Adrian Murphy if available but other than that it was a horror show and one would assume we are on our way out in the backdoor match.

Serious questions have to be asked of Coiste na nÓg at this rate.

[Bord na Mona man]

Quick question.
This is the 3rd year in a row that Offaly have played Wicklow minors in Wicklow.
What is the deal here?
- Do Wicklow get special status and if so, should they keep getting it, given that this is twice in a row they have beaten Offaly?
- Is it the randomness of the draw?
- Is the wool being pulled over Offaly's eyes yet again when it comes to fixtures?

[Hyper]

And young Cunningham could nearly be an Offaly man!

[Bord na Mona man]

And young Cunningham could nearly be an Offaly man!

He could transfer yet!!!

[Lone Shark]

Quick question.
This is the 3rd year in a row that Offaly have played Wicklow minors in Wicklow.
What is the deal here?
- Do Wicklow get special status and if so, should they keep getting it, given that this is twice in a row they have beaten Offaly?
- Is it the randomness of the draw?
- Is the wool being pulled over Offaly's eyes yet again when it comes to fixtures?

The horse has bolted and we're closing the door now. Apparently year one was special status, two and three were drawn. There is now an arrangement that the next game will be in Offaly. Why that wasn't in place last year God only knows - once again our delegates have to answer some questions.

[Bord na Mona man]

Quick question.
This is the 3rd year in a row that Offaly have played Wicklow minors in Wicklow.
What is the deal here?
- Do Wicklow get special status and if so, should they keep getting it, given that this is twice in a row they have beaten Offaly?
- Is it the randomness of the draw?
- Is the wool being pulled over Offaly's eyes yet again when it comes to fixtures?

The horse has bolted and we're closing the door now. Apparently year one was special status, two and three was a draw. There is now an arrangement that the next game will be in Offaly. Why that wasn't in place last year God only knows - once again our delegates have to answer some questions.

Well at least it'll be a 50/50 split from now on.
I'd say there are a couple more loopholes to be closed to stop the flow of away ties.

[Bord na Mona man]

Sure no wonder we keep getting away draws.
These are dices (die?) that the fixture committee use.
Anything > 3 means Offaly away!

[johntherobber]

may as well forget about the footballers,there poor 2 average 2 say the least and 2 much made about them!!