Daithi knows how to solve Offaly Hurling woes.

[bracknaghboy]

Offaly must switch back to Birr or risk ruin -- Regan

Offaly hurling will be shooting itself in the foot if the county continue to play their home matches in Tullamore, former midfield stalwart Daithi Regan has insisted.
Ahead of the crunch relegation Allianz Division 1 match against Wexford in O'Connor Park, Regan has called on the county board to restore Birr as the home fortress of Faithful hurling.
Admittedly Birr has been out of action for the last few seasons, and even for the earlier league games, the ground was still closed due to work on the terracing and on the pitch -- which is now completed.
But Regan fears that Tullamore will remain the permanent venue for Offaly's home games for financial reasons, and that will be to the detriment of the county team.
Regan, a former Birr player, says his view is shared by the management and players.
"As far as I am aware, the Offaly management even made a request in writing to the Offaly County Board for the matches to return to Birr," said Regan. "The players also want Birr as their home ground.
"Birr is the natural home for Offaly hurling and the county team has always had a better record there. Other counties did not like coming to Birr to play Offaly -- they don't have the same fear of going to Tullamore."
Regan is adamant that supporters from the south of the county, where hurling is strongest, are reluctant to travel to Tullamore for games.
"Obviously, a lot of money has been put into Tullamore and the board feel they have to honour that with all the major games," he said. "But is it doing the hurling teams any good? Absolutely not.
"It's like the Galway footballers not playing in Tuam or the hurlers not playing in Athenry. The natural hinterland for hurling in Offaly is around Birr. People are disgusted that the games have been moved to Tullamore.
"Birr has been ready for the last few weeks. The surface is perfect, it is a tight compact ground that can accommodate 5,000 or 6,000 people and to maximise home support and atmosphere for Offaly's benefit, we have to play our games there."
Sunday's match between the bottom two is arguably the most important game of the entire Division 1 campaign, given what is probably at stake for the losers.
"It will be an unmitigated disaster for either team if they go down to Division 2 again," said Regan, a selector during John McIntyre's last stint as manager from 2005 to '07.
Offaly and Wexford met in the Division 2 final two years ago, when the Faithful County prevailed, and they managed to preserve their Division 1 status last year quite comfortably thanks to wins over Dublin and Limerick.
But injuries have cost them this season and their top-flight status is in jeopardy after a series of disappointing performances.
"The team has a lot of injuries and it is very difficult to replace the players who are missing," said Regan. "But this is a critical game for both teams. You are not going anywhere competing in Division 2.
"I can't see a sequence of realistic events where the team that loses this fixture can stay up. You can't stress the importance of it."
Wexford picked up after their opening-round collapse to Galway with more solid performances against Waterford and Kilkenny, but their last outing against a depleted Dublin team will have shaken their confidence.
Manager Colm Bonnar has consistently railed against a system that doesn't incorporate all the traditional hurling counties in the same division.
Regan says the league was always troublesome for Offaly because of the dearth of numbers they had.
"The only year we won it (1991) was the only year that the team didn't make it to a Leinster final and that was no co-incidence," he said.
"We played our strongest teams for most of the league games and paid the price in the championship."

http://www.independent.ie/sport/hurling ... 90556.html

What do the lads from hurling areas make of this? The 2 home games this year have been hammerings by Galway and Dublin. I can't see how if these games were played in Birr, Banagher or Bracknagh would have altered the outcomes.

Is there a situation where people from the south don't travel to Tullamore for the games? See people think back to Birr being a fortress and having large crowds at league games. There is some truth to the fact that teams did not like coming to Birr but that was because we were arguably the best team in the country for periods of the 90's. Also the crowds were big because the team was winning All-Irelands.
I was in Birr a few weeks back and passed by the pitch and it looks well, nice new terrace up as well. Might bringing games back there pick things up a bit? Might be worth playing a couple of home games there next year and see how she goes.

[townman]

well as a Birrman i would want to see the games back in Birr not that it would suite me now as i live in kilkenny now this 16 year's
but i think you can't beat birr for the hurling the crowd are near to the action it was always the Home of hurling in every sense.

tullamore is a find pitch and stand but would people from rhode,Gracefield,Walsh island,Bracknaghboy,Edenderry, come to matches
if the football was switch to Birr think not, now don't get me wrong there are plenty of people from them clubs have came to Birr for
years to watch the hurling but they like the hurling.

what i am saying theres people from Coolderry, shinrone, that just follow the old hurling and they were brought up watching it in Birr
and don't watch football, and its the same in the football side over in Gracefield,Rhode Walsh island, there people there that just love and watch
the football so don't think they be happy going to Birr every sunday to watch they were brought up watching it in Tullamore.

i agree with Daithi Regan Birr was always worth a few points start for offaly when teams came their, the last big wins there were again tipp,waterford,
cork, haven't beatin them since we left ST.Brendans park and another thing well just my opinion the county finals are not the same anymore the crack
and the big day are gone out of it maybe its because Birr haven't there the last two year's anyway love to see the hurling returning to ST.Brendans park Birr...

[Over The Black Spot]

Daithí can be one for spouting on a bit at times but he’s absolutely spot on here. Offaly have always been a better team in Birr than anywhere else and why should our hurlers be giving away that advantage to fund O’Connor Park. Some will say it shouldn’t matter and that the team should be hiding behind the comfort blanket of Birr but why do Dublin love to get teams to Parnell Park, why do Waterford bring teams down to Fraher Field? It’s because it suits them best and we should be doing the same. Birr is and has always been the spiritual home of Offaly hurling and I for one get a tingle even driving by it still.

There was nothing better than parking the car in the County Arms or up by Whelehans house behind the pitch or by the old cinema and going into a County Final with the throngs from every club there for the big day aswell as hundred upon hundreds from North Tipp and East Galway. After the match, there was always mighty craic to be had in the County, Nolans, Molloys, Whelehans or wherever one could manage to squeeze in. Offaly as a force in the league and, most notably, County Final day have both been diminished immeasurably, but hopefully not irreparably, and it’s about time the County Board made the decision that’s right for Offaly hurling as a whole and brought it back to Birr.

Believe it or not, just having league games back in Birr would benefit the club scene no end. I’m actually going to ring Pat Teehan later on and see what’s going on…. I’ll report back.

[Plain of the Herbs]

I enjoy listening to Regan’s insights on National hurling matters on Newstalk. He’s interesting, well informed and is well-spoken on the radio. That just applies to National issues though – I’ve yet to hear him offer an original insight on Offaly hurling.

My own opinion is that there are several holes in Regan’s piece. The big one is that the full team was picked while Offaly were on the road to winning the League in 1991. Tat isn’t the case, and a glance at lineouts from that campaign reveals that quite a number of players were involved then. Fellas like Mick Hogan (Birr), Brian & Colm Gath, John Troy (KIlcormac), Seamus Morkan & Timmy Dooley all played at least twice yet weren't involved by the knockout stages, while Hubert Rigney, Brian Hennessy & Shane McGuckin all made League debuts during the campaign.

As for the Birr thing. Birr became something of a fortress during the 70s and visiting teams found it very intimidating. That was before the green netted wire was erected around the pitch perimeter around 1979 or 1980. Prior to that, spectators paid to get in at the gate (obviously) then could buy a ‘sideline ticket’ at the booth which entitled then to sit on the concrete seats. With no wire it meant one could be first on the scene to help out if an on-pitch row erupted. Being on the hill, one risked tearing the arse out of his britches to assist in the row. People stopped using the seats after that because you couldn’t see anything through the green wire.

On to the 80s, Offaly’s good league record continued, particularly in the series of matches before Christmas. The reason for this is that Offaly hurled into July every year in the 1980s and often into August and September. With the county championship still ongoing, Offaly had an edge on sharpness over, say, Clare, Waterford, limerick & Tipperary who were often eliminated from the championship before the end of May, and with knockout county championships had their touch well blunted by October.

Of course the Leagues are played entirely during the Springtime now, and all teams are on an even keel in this regard.

As for Bracknaghboy’s query about the South Offaly people not wanting to travel to Tullamore for a hurling match. That is the case, but I think that’s just an excuse – they’re not going to travel to Birr either. I wouldn’t have been keen on playing the matches in Tullamore but over time I’ve come to accept it. Management keep telling us about this skilful team who like the good ground. They’ve an opportunity to hurl on a better ground on a bigger playing pitch, yet they seem to prefer hurling on a cramped cabbage patch. Yea, right.

As for the County finals – in OCP everyone has an option of sitting, or being sheltered from the rain if they want to. You need to be in early to grab a seat in Birr. And there’s always the possibility Kilcormac and Tullamore will reach the Final again, and there’ll be a bumper attendance. And if the Finals are there, then the semi-finals should be there to give teams a ‘feel’ of the place in advance of the Final day.

I’ve said before, the Birr pitch can’t take the rain, and at the Camogie match against Wexford there were patches where the dropping ball just stopped dead. You can’t interfere with nature and no matter how many times the pitch is relaid it will still be wet ground. If you’re going to a match in Tullamore you will plan the day in advance – if the match is fixed for Birr but moved to Tullamore after heavy overnight rain you just won’t bother travelling.

My preference is for Tullamore anyways.

What do the lads from hurling areas make of this? The 2 home games this year have been hammerings by Galway and Dublin. I can't see how if these games were played in Birr, Banagher or Bracknagh would have altered the outcomes.

Is there a situation where people from the south don't travel to Tullamore for the games? See people think back to Birr being a fortress and having large crowds at league games. There is some truth to the fact that teams did not like coming to Birr but that was because we were arguably the best team in the country for periods of the 90's. Also the crowds were big because the team was winning All-Irelands.
I was in Birr a few weeks back and passed by the pitch and it looks well, nice new terrace up as well. Might bringing games back there pick things up a bit? Might be worth playing a couple of home games there next year and see how she goes.

[townman]

I enjoy listening to Regan’s insights on National hurling matters on Newstalk. He’s interesting, well informed and is well-spoken on the radio. That just applies to National issues though – I’ve yet to hear him offer an original insight on Offaly hurling.

My own opinion is that there are several holes in Regan’s piece. The big one is that the full team was picked while Offaly were on the road to winning the League in 1991. Tat isn’t the case, and a glance at lineouts from that campaign reveals that quite a number of players were involved then. Fellas like Mick Hogan (Birr), Brian & Colm Gath, John Troy (KIlcormac), Seamus Morkan & Timmy Dooley all played at least twice yet weren't involved by the knockout stages, while Hubert Rigney, Brian Hennessy & Shane McGuckin all made League debuts during the campaign.

As for the Birr thing. Birr became something of a fortress during the 70s and visiting teams found it very intimidating. That was before the green netted wire was erected around the pitch perimeter around 1979 or 1980. Prior to that, spectators paid to get in at the gate (obviously) then could buy a ‘sideline ticket’ at the booth which entitled then to sit on the concrete seats. With no wire it meant one could be first on the scene to help out if an on-pitch row erupted. Being on the hill, one risked tearing the arse out of his britches to assist in the row. People stopped using the seats after that because you couldn’t see anything through the green wire.

On to the 80s, Offaly’s good league record continued, particularly in the series of matches before Christmas. The reason for this is that Offaly hurled into July every year in the 1980s and often into August and September. With the county championship still ongoing, Offaly had an edge on sharpness over, say, Clare, Waterford, limerick & Tipperary who were often eliminated from the championship before the end of May, and with knockout county championships had their touch well blunted by October.

Of course the Leagues are played entirely during the Springtime now, and all teams are on an even keel in this regard.

As for Bracknaghboy’s query about the South Offaly people not wanting to travel to Tullamore for a hurling match. That is the case, but I think that’s just an excuse – they’re not going to travel to Birr either. I wouldn’t have been keen on playing the matches in Tullamore but over time I’ve come to accept it. Management keep telling us about this skilful team who like the good ground. They’ve an opportunity to hurl on a better ground on a bigger playing pitch, yet they seem to prefer hurling on a cramped cabbage patch. Yea, right.

As for the County finals – in OCP everyone has an option of sitting, or being sheltered from the rain if they want to. You need to be in early to grab a seat in Birr. And there’s always the possibility Kilcormac and Tullamore will reach the Final again, and there’ll be a bumper attendance. And if the Finals are there, then the semi-finals should be there to give teams a ‘feel’ of the place in advance of the Final day.

I’ve said before, the Birr pitch can’t take the rain, and at the Camogie match against Wexford there were patches where the dropping ball just stopped dead. You can’t interfere with nature and no matter how many times the pitch is relaid it will still be wet ground. If you’re going to a match in Tullamore you will plan the day in advance – if the match is fixed for Birr but moved to Tullamore after heavy overnight rain you just won’t bother travelling.

My preference is for Tullamore anyways.

What do the lads from hurling areas make of this? The 2 home games this year have been hammerings by Galway and Dublin. I can't see how if these games were played in Birr, Banagher or Bracknagh would have altered the outcomes.

Is there a situation where people from the south don't travel to Tullamore for the games? See people think back to Birr being a fortress and having large crowds at league games. There is some truth to the fact that teams did not like coming to Birr but that was because we were arguably the best team in the country for periods of the 90's. Also the crowds were big because the team was winning All-Irelands.
I was in Birr a few weeks back and passed by the pitch and it looks well, nice new terrace up as well. Might bringing games back there pick things up a bit? Might be worth playing a couple of home games there next year and see how she goes.

i think what Daithi was talking about was they played a strong enough side from the last league game to the quarter - final with waterford that went to Extra-Time.
the semil-final again tipp and the final again Wexford and as he says they were caught with their pants Down again the Dubs in the semil in croker the same
Dublin team were unlucky to lose the leinster final after.

as for Regan giving his insight on offaly hurling well if he was to tell the truth he wouldn't be well liked for it and people would be saying the cheek of him
running down so and so you know what i mean you can never give out about your own

[DAF]

So what does Daithi think now.

Good result today and the team won because they played well they would have won if they played like that in Birr or any other ground in Offaly they would have won , just like they would have lost their previous matches if the performed like they did against Galway and Dublin if those matches were played in Birr.Tullamore at the end of the day is the county town and is more accessible for the entire county North,South East andWest than Birr is.No point spending a rake of money on O'Connor Park and not using it.

[Bord na Mona man]

If home championship games are being played in Tullamore, then most home league games should be played there. Otherwise come championship time, a home game for Offaly in Tullamore makes it a less familiar ground.

Playing one league game a year in Birr would be fine.

[backofthenet]

I think there would be a big increase in attendance if Offaly switched the games back to Birr, without a doubt Birr and its hinterlands are the breeding ground of Offaly hurling, You have Coolderry, Clareen, Shinrone, Kinnitty, Drumcullen, Birr, Kilcormac, Banagher, Lusmagh all within what 10 - 15 minutes drive from the grounds, In Tullamore, the game is probably closer for Brosna Gaels, Tullamore & Belmont. So it is pretty obvious that if it were held in birr there would be a far bigger turnout, and this would also encourage the team, bring in more revenue for the county board and more youngsters would see their county team play. There are young girls and boys in the breeding ground who see offaly once a year, when I was growing up I would see Offaly playing at least 4 - 5 times a year mainly in Birr in league, or in croke park for championship. The reality is that with the team underperforming and the recession people are not willing to shell out to see Offaly play Antrim in Parnell Park for example, It is simply too expensive, the best and least costly way for them to see their county is by hosting league games where the heartland is...and that is and always will be in birr

[townman]

I think there would be a big increase in attendance if Offaly switched the games back to Birr, without a doubt Birr and its hinterlands are the breeding ground of Offaly hurling, You have Coolderry, Clareen, Shinrone, Kinnitty, Drumcullen, Birr, Kilcormac, Banagher, Lusmagh all within what 10 - 15 minutes drive from the grounds, In Tullamore, the game is probably closer for Brosna Gaels, Tullamore & Belmont. So it is pretty obvious that if it were held in birr there would be a far bigger turnout, and this would also encourage the team, bring in more revenue for the county board and more youngsters would see their county team play. There are young girls and boys in the breeding ground who see offaly once a year, when I was growing up I would see Offaly playing at least 4 - 5 times a year mainly in Birr in league, or in croke park for championship. The reality is that with the team underperforming and the recession people are not willing to shell out to see Offaly play Antrim in Parnell Park for example, It is simply too expensive, the best and least costly way for them to see their county is by hosting league games where the heartland is...and that is and always will be in birr

agree and spot on Birr is the heartland of offaly hurling always was and always will be ...

[Lone Shark]

Okay, well let's see then. How many posters on this board would admit to the fact that they'd go to see Offaly hurl in Birr, but wouldn't go any further? I'll be interested to see how many say yes. And please note, I don't want any "well I'd follow them anywhere, but there's a load of my mates..."

If it isn't worth an extra twenty minutes travelling to go see your team, then you're the kind of casual supporter that will only come along when the team is going well, or there's a solid day's drinking to be done.

No offence meant lads but this watery ould schyte about "heartland" and "tradition" is the kind of nonsense that's killing us. Yesterday our top scorer was from the Tullamore club. Our second top scorer was from Shamrocks. Three starters were from Kilcormac/Killoughey, which is as near to Tullamore as it is to Birr. Add in Stephen Egan, Colin Egan and David Kenny and by now you have half the team that are from clubs as close to Tullamore as Birr, if not closer. Our problem is not that South Offaly is being ignored, it's that we're ignoring the other half of the county. Seán Ryan and Stephen Lonergan are fighting for a place on the starting fifteen for the county footballers, where are their equivalent hurlers?

You talk about how many young people growing up in Birr would have been boosted by the sight of the county team - they don't need them. The kids in Edenderry, Rhode, Gracefield and Daingean do. They need a reason to pick up a hurl. Right now county games are no more than 45 minutes away from anybody, why the rush to put them well over an hour from Edenderry, one of our biggest population bases?

We're going to be playing championship in Tullamore, a ground so good that they're going out of their way to put big championship games there. A ground that every visitor to Tullamore says we should be very proud of - and some of ye want it sitting idle while we fix games for a small ground half an hour down the road where you have to cross your fingers in case it rains every time there's a match there?

[DAF]

Okay, well let's see then. How many posters on this board would admit to the fact that they'd go to see Offaly hurl in Birr, but wouldn't go any further? I'll be interested to see how many say yes. And please note, I don't want any "well I'd follow them anywhere, but there's a load of my mates..."

If it isn't worth an extra twenty minutes travelling to go see your team, then you're the kind of casual supporter that will only come along when the team is going well, or there's a solid day's drinking to be done.

No offence meant lads but this watery ould schyte about "heartland" and "tradition" is the kind of nonsense that's killing us. Yesterday our top scorer was from the Tullamore club. Our second top scorer was from Shamrocks. Three starters were from Kilcormac/Killoughey, which is as near to Tullamore as it is to Birr. Add in Stephen Egan, Colin Egan and David Kenny and by now you have half the team that are from clubs as close to Tullamore as Birr, if not closer. Our problem is not that South Offaly is being ignored, it's that we're ignoring the other half of the county. Seán Ryan and Stephen Lonergan are fighting for a place on the starting fifteen for the county footballers, where are their equivalent hurlers?

You talk about how many young people growing up in Birr would have been boosted by the sight of the county team - they don't need them. The kids in Edenderry, Rhode, Gracefield and Daingean do. They need a reason to pick up a hurl. Right now county games are no more than 45 minutes away from anybody, why the rush to put them well over an hour from Edenderry, one of our biggest population bases?

We're going to be playing championship in Tullamore, a ground so good that they're going out of their way to put big championship games there. A ground that every visitor to Tullamore says we should be very proud of - and some of ye want it sitting idle while we fix games for a small ground half an hour down the road where you have to cross your fingers in case it rains every time there's a match there?

100% correct.

[Plain of the Herbs]

And bring the Soccer matches back to Dalymount too . . .

[townman]

And bring the Soccer matches back to Dalymount too . . .

well at leat it won't look like theres no one at them like it looks like now. as for ST.Brendans park i suppose
everyone will have their own opinion on this, i like Birr because i was brought up watching matche's in there since the 70's
and i have great memories and heartbreak from the place.

Tullamore is a fine pitch and stand and yes its the capital town of offaly and as some lads here say its as near all clubs
as for lone sharks point about you lads in Birr not need to see the county team, i am afraid they do since the games have gone
out of Birr plus the county team fall from grace of the 80's,90's the young lads from south offaly have nothing to look up to.

as for ignoring the other half of the county and the point about sean Ryan and Stephen Lonergan been on the senior team football
well Birr are doing good work in the football side as the two lad's have been playing from underage up to senior.

i don't want a football hurling debate about North and south and who's good enough and whos not but club's like Gracefield, Daingean,Rhode,
Gracefield are junior B now theirs no hurling in Daingean,or Rhode anymore not since the 80's with the farrells sean og and killian and finbarr cullen
have played minor with the county, wheres alot of the lads from them clubs are football born and bread.

as for people going to watch offaly in tullamore or Birr i know lads wouldn't go any further from some bar stools to watch the county team lads from
say Birr or Coolderry wouldn't go to tullamore to see them hurl but the same could be said the other if lads from tullamore Geashill, Cloneygowan,
wouldn't go to Birr to watch them play same differ.

you will find the lad's that love their hurling wouldn't have no problem going to Birr to watch hurling and have for year's so the point in this tullamore
is in the centre and easier for people to go and watch is Bulls.it because tullmore is like a graveyard most sundays when offaly are playing.

if the players and trainers want the games to go back to Birr there must be something in it so, of course if you live in tullamore,walsh island,Gracefield,Edenderry
you would want the matches in tullamore its easier to get to or let the wife go shopping and tip up to match.

but my point is i like to see some offaly hurling games back at ST. Brendans park or the county final's....

[backofthenet]

Since when did a population base turn into supporters, players etc????

And its not a case of going as far as birr and no further, its a case of practicalities. Coolderry, Drumcullen, Kinnitty, Birr, Clareen, Shinrone, Banagher, Lusmagh & Kilcormac...all senior clubs are all mainly focused on hurling, some like Coolderry are wholy focused on hurling...so we take the game away from them and put it in Tullamore, where practically all clubs surrounding it are mostly or wholly focussed on football....now as far as Im concerned this is a stupid mistake that could drop offaly off the hurling map.

It is not the players from Edenderry, Daingean etc, It is the young people from any club that needs to have role models, at the moment the youngsters in the hinterland of Tullamore are getting both football and hurling. It is depriving South Offaly of good games, It is putting an additional financial and time burden on anyone wishing to travel to the game, its nearly 1 hours drive each way from my home. So probably about €20 - €25 for petrol each game against about €5 for birr...add to that an additional 1 - 2 hours travelling time and its easy to see why people get turned off.

There is without doubt people who will go to birr and not go to tullamore. Myself for example, We often train on a sunday morning, generally at 11 or 12, so by the time im finished and back at home its too late to start out for a match, You may laugh but there is definately people who would stay away because of mass etc, There was a tradition around birr of going to 12 oclock mass staying for dinner and going to watch the match down the park. Now its turned into a full 5 hour excercise which people dont want for a sunday afternoon.

Plus there is an accusation made by Lone Shark about travelling an extra 20 minutes to see your team. Normally youre a very even person, but Its really about 40 minutes each way. Are you telling me there are not people from Tullamore who wouldnt come to Birr to see a football match...there are hundreds of them and you know. it.