Tipp v Offaly nfl

[InDublin]

Every day I scan the newspapers for news of Offaly football, and hurling, but mainly football, originally being from the north of the county. Like everybody on this site, I am irrevocable engaged. This engagement began, not in 1982, but in 1979, when Offaly played Dublin in a Leinster semi-final in Portlaoise; Tomas Connor midfield, Willie Bryan full-forward, Vinnie Henry breaking a post with a free kick, and every year since then until 1982 during which time I saw every game Offaly played, until the All-Ireland final win. Like a lot of you, I imagine, that's where the love affair began, although if you are of my father's generation, it went back to 1971 and 1972, and back to the early 60s too.

As a result of that upbringing, I can not help but be engaged in Offaly football, what it brings to my life, a sense of being rooted in where I am from, a pride in sharing an upbringing with the men who represent us, who distinctively make us who we are, which is apart from those around us in the midlands, by the landmarks of a boundary or a border and the distinctions of personality too; and from those elsewhere, around the country. We are who we are, which is what? - I don't know, uniquely us; we all know what that is, or we all feel it in our own way, I suppose.

I left Offaly for Dublin in the late 1980s, having plied my trade at junior club football, and occasionally at senior level, but that sense of being a part of Offaly football never left me, and never will. I was at my brother's wedding in London, when the Tommy Lyons' team in the 90s came through to win the Leinster final that Saturday evening, and was in Croke Park for the semi-final against Mayo. That was a moment when something was gained, but also lost - the team did not achieve what it could have.

Anyway, like all of you, we cling to this thing, whatever it is, or it clings to us, something which we hope we earnestly, desperately hope will happen, which will make us feel good about ourselves again, and which we, selfishly, invest in the current crop of players, who try to deliver, decent lads, some with - but most without, I suspect - the baggage I am trying to give expression to here, and which I certainly bring to this; good baggage, at that, great baggage actually.

Without fail, every year, my optimism rises, and without fail every year it is dashed again...last year, against Down, I suspected, or at least hoped, that it was the beginning of something, and then it wasn't. We lost to Tipperary on Sunday, in the league, having again shown something is the games before. From your posts here, lads, I can see you were as disappointed as was I. When it comes down to it, I do not know what my point is, except that I am running out of space here...I just wish things were better with Offaly football. I have wished that for decades (yes, decades) now, and at the moment, in my life, in all of our lives, we not only wish it to be, we need it to be better, desperately so sometimes, I feel, we need it to be better, irrespective of who wears white boots, or who is this, or who did that in the past, or who is committed or who is not. For 10 minutes this year, all I want is a moment when I can say that I am from Offaly and to be proud to say it, preferably in September Anyway, that's that...thanks (I've just had a couple of pints, by the way). Over n out.

[townman]

good story in Dublin, just tell you a quick story i remember sitting beside my father at the all ireland final 1982 when we put a end
to kerrys drive for 5 i was about 12 giving my age away now anyhow after the final whistle went a friend of my father said i hope it doesn't
take another 10 years to win one the famine is over he said little did we know its going on 29 years now since we were in one.

but sure they were brought up on the 60's and 70's and 80's when we were expected to win football irelands we don't now.

[old_faithful]

Every day I scan the newspapers for news of Offaly football, and hurling, but mainly football, originally being from the north of the county. Like everybody on this site, I am irrevocable engaged. This engagement began, not in 1982, but in 1979, when Offaly played Dublin in a Leinster semi-final in Portlaoise; Tomas Connor midfield, Willie Bryan full-forward, Vinnie Henry breaking a post with a free kick, and every year since then until 1982 during which time I saw every game Offaly played, until the All-Ireland final win. Like a lot of you, I imagine, that's where the love affair began, although if you are of my father's generation, it went back to 1971 and 1972, and back to the early 60s too.

As a result of that upbringing, I can not help but be engaged in Offaly football, what it brings to my life, a sense of being rooted in where I am from, a pride in sharing an upbringing with the men who represent us, who distinctively make us who we are, which is apart from those around us in the midlands, by the landmarks of a boundary or a border and the distinctions of personality too; and from those elsewhere, around the country. We are who we are, which is what? - I don't know, uniquely us; we all know what that is, or we all feel it in our own way, I suppose.

I left Offaly for Dublin in the late 1980s, having plied my trade at junior club football, and occasionally at senior level, but that sense of being a part of Offaly football never left me, and never will. I was at my brother's wedding in London, when the Tommy Lyons' team in the 90s came through to win the Leinster final that Saturday evening, and was in Croke Park for the semi-final against Mayo. That was a moment when something was gained, but also lost - the team did not achieve what it could have.

Anyway, like all of you, we cling to this thing, whatever it is, or it clings to us, something which we hope we earnestly, desperately hope will happen, which will make us feel good about ourselves again, and which we, selfishly, invest in the current crop of players, who try to deliver, decent lads, some with - but most without, I suspect - the baggage I am trying to give expression to here, and which I certainly bring to this; good baggage, at that, great baggage actually.

Without fail, every year, my optimism rises, and without fail every year it is dashed again...last year, against Down, I suspected, or at least hoped, that it was the beginning of something, and then it wasn't. We lost to Tipperary on Sunday, in the league, having again shown something is the games before. From your posts here, lads, I can see you were as disappointed as was I. When it comes down to it, I do not know what my point is, except that I am running out of space here...I just wish things were better with Offaly football. I have wished that for decades (yes, decades) now, and at the moment, in my life, in all of our lives, we not only wish it to be, we need it to be better, desperately so sometimes, I feel, we need it to be better, irrespective of who wears white boots, or who is this, or who did that in the past, or who is committed or who is not. For 10 minutes this year, all I want is a moment when I can say that I am from Offaly and to be proud to say it, preferably in September Anyway, that's that...thanks (I've just had a couple of pints, by the way). Over n out.

Fair play to you. You have just expressed (very nicely), my thoughts in a way I never could. Thats exactly how I feel. Im a terribly terribly proud offaly man (though I wouldnt often let on!). One who gets deeply disappointed when we lose to so called weaker counties and I have a longing to see Offaly football return to better times. Sometimes I wonder why I bother supporting the team, but every year I will start again - looking at aertel or rte.ie or hoganstand.com or uibhfhaili.com just to check did the team do well in a challenge game or an o'byrne cup game and wonder if there is a glimmer of hope for the year to come.....

[Fargo Boyle]

Ye all speak about the great heritage we have but in fairness we only won our first Sam in 71 and our first Liam in 81. We were blessed with success in the last number of decades but realistically this might have only been a flash in the pan (ok we were competitive in football in the 60s and had been knocking on the door in hurling for a long time).

If you look at counties with similar demographics and resources the success we enjoyed is phenomenal. Think of Laois, Westmeath, Roscommon, Sligo, Clare etc etc. So lads enjoy the success we had but be cautious to think that they will occur anytime soon.

[kingscounty]

but sure if we are cautious every year we would not bother supporting the lads at all.we can always have hope every year no matter what, plus we have the bonus of playing football and hurling what alot of counties dont have.if we improve every year thats a start,last year hurlers gave us 2 great efforts against galway and the footballers lost to down by just 2 points.it all depends on the day,the team selected,the ref etc.we need to get the crowds back supporting both teams and get behind them , at least when the teams take to the field they know the offaly crowd is there and this might rise the lads a little bit more.