Offaly v Limerick SH Challenge

[Kevin]

Just wondering if this challenge went forward last night.

If so, does anyone know how it went?

Thx!

[Offaly2010]

I wasn't at it but I heard Limerick won 1-24 - 0-16.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Offaly were sluggish. We don’t know but they may have had a hard week training last week (or Saturday). Notable absentees were Bergin, Franks (club-tied?), Molloy and Rigney (who, in today’s daily Cork tells of his arm being broken again). Newcomers to the panel are Mark Morkan, Chris McDonald, Conor Gath and Éanna Murphy.

The starting team was:- Dempsey; Verney, Kenny, Egan; Hanniffy, Murphy, D Morkan; Wynne and Mahon; Carroll, Hayden, Egan; Parlon, G Healion, Dooley.

Almost all the subs were used during the second half and the team that finished was something like:- Kelly; Verney, P Healion, McDonald; M Morkan, Murphy, D Morkan; Mahon, Hayden;(6 forwards in no particular order were: Gath, J Mulrooney, Kelly, T Carroll, Dooley and one other).

[wazzaman]

I was at the game, and I can tell you i was sorry i bordered my arse.
In My honest opinion we were a shambles last night and i for one will not go, 2 Croke Park to watch Dublin batter us by 12-15 points ..

Offaly Hurling is now gone back years trust me!! we are gonna be left in Div 2 next year, and don't be surprised if Laois beat us next year, and it kills me 2 say this.

Also ''Voices'' from the ''Camp'' say that training is poor.. running up hills etc and players saying Joe Dooley is not up to it.. is it only people within the county that know this? ...What talent is coming true?.. What is Offaly's style of hurling under Dooley as manager? Whats are game plan?

The only conclusion i can come too is.. New Management, freshen things up and get some pride back into Offaly hurling and that might-en even be anofe here's hoping..

Also the county board as a lot to answer for, the hole setup is a balls at the moment every time i go too watch Offaly at any level lately Im walking home a loser..
Hopefully the footballers do us some justice this summer and win a couple of championship games

[SearingDrive]

I'm glad Dublin game is on the box, after that report on the SH challenge. I do't fancy heading for Croker and see the Dubs hammer us. Wexford host Antrim the same day, why not a double header?. Last year Offaly played Antrim in Parnell Park, and in 2009 Galway played the Cats in Tullamore.
Why have Antrim to travel all the ay to Wexford Park?

[joe bloggs]

New policy from Leinster Council to play games home/away as attendances at neutral venues were brutal last year.

[backofthenet]

Was at this game aswell...and I have to agree shambles is not the word. The Club match between Coolderry and St Finbars that was on as a opener was of much higher quality and intensity. I was close enough to hear both managers and I have to say the difference was massive.. Offaly side all you could hear was bewildered "what was he doing there" "WILL YE BEAT IT IN" frequently being yelled followed by "Will ye get up with yer men" as our typicaly stupid tactics of trying to split 5 forwards across 6 backs got punished time and time again. On the Limerick side was a totally different matter. There was a clear game plan from the word go, you heard very little if any berating from them, you would often hear donal o grady shout instructions asking niall moran to go from one side or the other, telling the players if they had time, to run with it etc, it was all encouragement.

From playing point of view the strategy from offaly appeared to be hit it as far and as hard as you possibly can, even though our full forward line was probably the weakest line on the team. Fitness again played a big part with some Limerick players having 5 minutes to themselves a number of times in the second half to pick off scores. From a logistics point of view this game was over about ten minutes after half time, Limerick started to empty their bench and for some reason offaly decided that two weeks before championship and 9 points down was as good a time as any to try out players that have been tried and failed before....would it not have been better to keep the team together and at least try to get it respectable to get some confidence going in the team.

I would have been one of the ones advocating giving Joe Dooley time, but having seen him up close and personal last night i have zero confidence in the man, as good a hurler as he was he doesnt have the tactical awareness needed at this level, at least not at the moment and intercounty hurling isnt somewhere you should learn it.

[durra1]

These are very disturbing reports.

There seems to be no tactic beyond 'Drive it'.

The likes of Francis Forde should be given a 3 year contract and the right to pick his own selectors.

Its not always the fault of the management but the dressingroom is clearly lost.

For me the problem lies at the overall plunge of standards in the club game.

Shame for the lads to be putting so much time into training and things coming apart at the seams on the eve of the championship.

You pray for a kick but what can be expected with this kind of prep?

[old yellar]

Davy Fitz got 4 years out of Lit with the one tactic/phrase of "give it to Joe"!!

[Long John]

Newcomers to the panel are Mark Morkan, Chris McDonald, Conor Gath and Éanna Murphy.

Almost all the subs were used during the second half and the team that finished was something like:- Kelly; Verney, P Healion, McDonald; M Morkan, Murphy, D Morkan; Mahon, Hayden;(6 forwards in no particular order were: Gath, J Mulrooney, Kelly, T Carroll, Dooley and one other).

Are these new comers to do with injuries or what is going on. Morkan isnt too bad, he probably is worth a call up. The other 3 are no where near the standard. Murphy actually got a roasting against Rynaghs, Gath got destroyed by Neville Coughlan before moving to centre forward and scoring couple of points and did nothing against Birr. I think Joe definately doesnt look at the form book anyway. I really dont think the man has a clue and his selectors are just as bad.

[Bazil Brush]

To be fair to Conor Gath theres lots of good forwards never got motoring against Birr and ud have to look at the lads he has around him. Hes very much carrying the can on his own and has been for a long time now. Eanna Murphys a very good hurler ok against Banagher Flannery took him for a few scores but the next round against KK he bounced back and had a powerful game from centre back. Hes still only 20 and anybody can have an off day let it be club or county. James Dempsey had a bad day at the office by his standards it doesnt mean hes all of a sudden a poor player.Im just using James as an example. I think hes a top keeper. You cant judge a player off one below par performance.

[allstar2010]

Lads, its going to be embarrassing up in Croke Park against the Dubs in two weeks. We have a joke of a manager, that has brought nothing to the the table in his 4seasons in charge. We have gone backwards big time while other sides have kicked on. They players dont even want him there.... ah shur as long as he picks up his massive expenses he'll be happy. joke.

[Heshs Umpire]

Offaly Hurling is now gone back years trust me!! we are gonna be left in Div 2 next year, and don't be surprised if Laois beat us next year, and it kills me 2 say this.

You needn't worry about that anyway. We wouldn't bate eggs at the moment.

[WHOKICKEDTHAT]

We are at a real crossroads at the moment. I think we have a decent enough panel of players who have spent the last 3 years under a poor management team.
Look lets face it, we attracted managers in the past who were not known as intercounty managers, but they werr young enthusiastic guys who had done very well in the club scene and were anxious to prove themselves. We ended up in hurling with a manager who was ran out of his first club. IJoe, great hurler, but I am raging that he awas appointed as manager, and also the vast expenses that are being "incurred" by this managment team.

We need a chairman with vision and purpose to come in and lets start going about our business in the right way. Clubs are not innocent in this either, not enough pressure is being applied over the results of the last few years, and we have all elected committee members that were not right for the club but because they were willing to take on the job.

Joe DOoley should not have been reappointed this year, and another thing is look at the horror story of the last few years at u21 and this years appointment? Outrageous! DAmage limitation when it should not need to be the case in 2 week! I feel sorry for the players who deserve better too.

[townman]

we will beat the Dubs bye 2 points trust me