Offaly u-21 hurling team

[johntherobber]

only into april and already minor hurlers dont look like there goin 2 win anything,minor footballer hommered by wicklow at the weekend,u-21 footballers threw away a leinster championship(i believe) afew weeks ago and senior footballers after struggling to win afew matches in div 4 does it look like offaly u-21 hurlers are only chance of a leinster title this year??any idea if there any good this year??any1 out there have any suggestions for team??

[the weasel]

1. Damien Kilmartin (kilcormac)
2. Conor Hernan (St. Rynaghs)
3. Ciaran Flannery (St.Rynaghs)
4. Colm Coughlan (Kinnity)
5. Diarmud Horan (St. Rynaghs)
6. Brian Leonard (Kilcormac)
7. Brian Watkins (Birr)
8. Conor Mahon (Kilcormac)
9. Colin Egan (Belmont)
10. James Gorman (Kilcormac)
11. Derek Molloy (Shamrocks)
12. Daniel Currams (Kilcormac)
13. Francis Kerrigan (Tullamore)
14. Joe Bergin (Clareen)
15. Ger Scales (St. Rynaghs)

Subs: Eoin Kelly, Paul Bermingham (Lusmagh), Ger Scales, Jason Whelahan, Gary Kelly, Stephen Wynne, James Corrigan (all St. Rynaghs), Del Morkam, Mark Bevans, O'Meara (all Shinrone), Stephen Egan ( Tullamore), Mark Egan (Belmont), Odhran Keeley (Kinnity),
John Cashen (Drumcullen), Morgan Lawlor (Ballyskenach), Aaron Whelahan, Brian Nolan (Birr)

Dont think that would be to far off the team anyway, ive probably forgotten a few good players for the panel.

What do ye think? Theres 8 on this starting team from last years team.

[the weak group]

that seems a reasonable team but just a few points, maybe im wrong but i'll put it out there,
is kerrigan not overage, and with exeption of molloy is there nobody from north offaly worthy of a place on panel. st malachy's gave great account of themselves in the championship, would they have nobody. and would seir keiran not be entitled to more on panel concidering the beating they gave rynagh's. also you wouldn't happen to know how many are represented on senior panel.

[Over The Black Spot]

1. Damien Kilmartin (kilcormac)
2. Conor Hernan (St. Rynaghs)
3. Ciaran Flannery (St.Rynaghs)
4. Colm Coughlan (Kinnity)
5. Diarmud Horan (St. Rynaghs)
6. Brian Leonard (Kilcormac)
7. Brian Watkins (Birr)
8. Conor Mahon (Kilcormac)
9. Colin Egan (Belmont)
10. James Gorman (Kilcormac)
11. Derek Molloy (Shamrocks)
12. Daniel Currams (Kilcormac)
13. Francis Kerrigan (Tullamore)
14. Joe Bergin (Clareen)
15. Ger Scales (St. Rynaghs)

Subs: Eoin Kelly, Paul Bermingham (Lusmagh), Ger Scales, Jason Whelahan, Gary Kelly, Stephen Wynne, James Corrigan (all St. Rynaghs), Del Morkam, Mark Bevans, O'Meara (all Shinrone), Stephen Egan ( Tullamore), Mark Egan (Belmont), Odhran Keeley (Kinnity),
John Cashen (Drumcullen), Morgan Lawlor (Ballyskenach), Aaron Whelahan, Brian Nolan (Birr)

Dont think that would be to far off the team anyway, ive probably forgotten a few good players for the panel.

What do ye think? Theres 8 on this starting team from last years team.

I'd say you're pretty close with that team weasel. Personally, I'd make a couple of changes. I would include Del Morkam on the backline in place of Flannery. Not sure what way the back-line would line up but would run with that 6. Would have Flannery in contention for place on forward line but he doesn't have the pace to be an inter-county back imo.

I would also include Kealey at 15 & maybe Bermingham at 13. Think Kealey's a better hurler than Scales plus Scales is going away for the Summer afaik. Don't really think Kerrigan is up to it either & would see Bermingham as most likely alternative.

I would also think that John Cashen will be strongly in contention based on performances in the U-21 club championship so far. James Dempsey has also been called onto the senior panel so would have to be in contention.

All in all, it looks like a decent team and Offaly should really be able to win an U-21 Leinster at least this year. Good times ahead me thinks!!!!

[Lone Shark]

Definitely I'd have a few more Clareen lads around the panel if not the team - Darragh Coughlan, James Mulrooney and Chris Connors would all be in there somewhere if I was picking anyway. I'd also agree with Over the Black Spot on Kealey and Bermingham - I'd be a big fan of both of those two lads, certainly to the exclusion of Scales on that list.

I really haven't seen enough of Kerrigan hurling at his own level to be able to dismiss him. I didn't see Tullamore at all last year while a lot of good players looked very poor in that Offaly senior team due to an overall lack of form. I'd love to know how he got on against Clareen in the U21 quarter, as that would be a very good indication of current form.

I'm looking through the Malachys team here and I'm struggling to pick out any. Their main hurlers seem to be all the minor lads, Gerry Spollen, Tom Spain and Chris McDonald, while footballers fill a lot of the key positions - Alec Mooney @ 3, Dean Bracken @ 6 and Ross Brady @ 14. They'll contribute heavily in years to come but maybe not this year.

Interesting to hear Of Dempsye being called up to the senior squad - any other changes you know of there? (Says he, rooting for info!! )

[beirut]

Jasus I'm a barrel of information today. John Cashin also got a call up to the Senior Squad, just them 2. That's all fokes!!

[Lone Shark]

Cheers for that. Much appreciated..... (I must remember to scour for stuff like this before deadline anymore!!!)

[the weasel]

Im not 100% sure but i heard Colin Egan got a call up also, probably because of his Fitzgibbon performances. Its hard to say someone will be playing because of their form at the moment because first u-21 championship match isnt til around 3 months time i think. Looks like a good panel with a good shot at at least a leinster but how many times have we said this in the past and ended up disapointed.

[green&white]

Dempsey, Egan, and Cashin all got a call up! But whether its a full call up or an extended trial (which K Flannery was on)i dont know! Just in relation to Kealey, he was asked into a trial game before the Limerick game in the league and by all accounts was out of his depth..Good hurler imho, but maybe senior is a little too much for him yet. As was expressed before by others, some of our lighter hurlers need time to progress at u-21 level, unlike the norm in Offaly, instead of rudhing them intot he seniors! So it'll be intersting to see what happens at u-21 this year.. Is P Horan manager again? If so I'd expect Diarmuid to be in the forwards, as can be seein by the Rynaghs management, he's needed there more than the backs!

[Plain of the Herbs]

Westmeath play Carlow in Mullingar this Saturday in the 'special' final with the winners to play Offaly at the end of the month.

I suppose Carlow should beat Westmeath on the basis of their recent underage prowess?

[manfromdelmonte]

westmeath will take carlow

and probably offaly as well

[green&white]

What a glorious post manfromdelmonte.. If ya have nothin better to say then dont bother!

[manfromdelmonte]

just being honest

saw them in action v Kildare. westmeath have an excellent U21 team.

[kinnittyman]

Not a hope Offaly will lose to Westmeath or Carlow in this grade. And from what i saw last weekend Odhran Kealey has to be corner forward.

[Loughers]

Carlow beat Westmeath 0-16 to 0-11.