Offaly Senior Hurlers 2024

[Doon Exile]

Families are really treated very poorly here regarding tickets. Cusack/Davin or nowhere and they try to fob off the worst tickets to them.

Why not let off all tickets together and first come first serve. A good few families have told me they weren’t going because of the sh1te tickets on offer.

[pjay]

A small amount of seats in the middle of cusack and Hogan stands available now.

[JohnnyBoy24]

It's nearly 7 weeks since the sides met in Maryborough.
It's all well to say that Offaly were cruising and were the better team for the first 50 minutes, but Offaly lost control of the game too for the last 20 minutes and were overrun around the middle in the closing stages.

That win will have helped get the O'Moore men up and running. Their subs gave them a boost, especially Picky and Willie Dunphy having an impact.
Offaly didn't get the same effect from the bench in the second half, mainly because of the early enforced substitutions of Cahill and Ravenhill.
Offaly's response to the loss has been near flawless though. There have been no wobbles since to sap confidence.

What effect will the U20 win have? A slight one perhaps. The Offaly crowd will arrive in bigger numbers than normal and a bit of swagger about them.
The Offaly U20s also gave them a trimming too - game over after about 8 minutes.
The very act of Offaly capturing the All Ireland is a reminder that Offaly have a higher ceiling as a hurling county.

Will any of this matter on Saturday? Small things can help. I think Offaly should win, but I wouldn't put the house on it. Games turn on moments and incidents. No more than last year, a red card and a penalty flipped the advantage to Carlow.

This group have been building nicely under the radar for the last couple of years, without much adulation.
Getting back to MacCarthy would be a significant milestone. Not enough for Jason Sampson to grab the mic and roar that "we're no longer the whipping boys of Leinster", but it would be progress all the same.

One step forward every time. I'm really looking forward to it!

The opening round game hinged on a couple of key moments.

The injuries to Ravenhill and Cahill resulted in our bench having a minimal impact coming down the strait.

We missed a couple of goal chances in the second half to possibly kill off the game, with one such chance ending up in the Offaly net which sparked the Laois revival.

In the lead up to the U20 final the players spoke about their unfinished business with Nowlan Park. After last years final I’m sure our seniors have some unfinished business of their own.

I’d like to think that confidence within the group would be sky high, especially coming off the back of last weekend. I think psychologically this could give us that extra little percent needed.

I feel there’s a big performance in Offaly. There’s a drive and impetus to get ourselves back to hurlings top table. The experience of last years final and the confidence of the U20 victory could be the tonic.

If we play to our potential and we’re smart with our team selection, then I feel we have what it takes to get back to the promised land and sold out games in the Leinster Championship next season.

Yeah I think if we play for the full 70 minutes we will win by a score or two, that's not discounting laois who have plenty of experience at the higher level in recent years so are a dangerous opponent. My only fear is the goals we have conceded this year, seemed to be moments of lack of concentration that has caused a lot of them so hopefully everyone is on song Saturday which I'm sure they will be for an all Ireland final as opposed to a round robin game in trim for example.

See a bit of talk across the border about the "finishers" they have, while there's merit in that to be fair , we have equally if not better lads to come off the bench in the last 20 also.

[G91]

It could go anyway but I think offaly has Been developing continuously through christy ring and the leagues where laois have come down from leinster and stayed in joe mcdonagh not exactly a marker

In all honesty offaly have plenty of options laois have 3 possible 4 and they will all start, where if oisin ,jack S ,adam S ,jack clancy could all be subs

I don't think Adam screeny will start he will have an important part if offaly are winning ball and causing some concerns for laois the last thing they need is him and oisin kelly coming on

Dan Bourke was relatively quiet in round one

[Faithfully]

Screeney and Shirley both start, along with King and Bourke

[Glendassaun]

Arguably the strongest possible team we could start.

Very mean looking Offaly defence, coupled with a deadly inside forward line which will hopefully make use of the wide open spaces of Croke Park.

Really looking forward to seeing the young lads get their first taste of Croke Park. Hopefully they light it up!

[faithfulfanatic]

I think the 2 major decisions were Shirley or Sam Bourke and Adam Screeney or Ross Ravenhill.

I think Shirley has that extra bit of cuteness over Bourke and is a small bit quicker which probably swayed the decision.

I was surprised to see Ross start versus Kerry and he hurled well.
Starting Screeney instead allows you to push Eimhin Kelly back out to his most natural position of midfield.

Don’t take it for granted that the named positions will last.
One of our biggest strengths is adaptability around the middle third.
David King can play wing back or midfield.
Jason Sampson can play anywhere on the half back line or midfield.
Eimhin Kelly can play anywhere from midfield up.
Killian Sampson can play wing back, wing forward or even pop up in corner forward.
Brian Duignan can alternate between 11 and 14 with Mitchell.
Not only can the players play these positions, but they have all done so throughout the league and championship.
Eoghan Cahill has been kept on the wing mostly since his return from injury. I’d imagine this is to play to his strength of accurate shooting, where he may lack that killer step of pace.

Cathal King has been immense in the corner and I’d keep him there where possible.
Although, I’d imagine either/both himself and Ben may be tasked with man marking jobs with instructions to pass the man on to Jason once he passes a certain distance from goal.

I’d expect Dan Bourke will be given licence to roam out around the half forward line picking up ball, leaving space in the two channels.
As he won’t be going too far from goal (65 in), that means the corner back would have to follow him and not sit in front of Screeney. And anyways, you’d have to be happy enough as an Offaly fan if Laois decide to station a man in front of Adam. Have they seen Charlie Mitchell hurl this year?

What sub options do we have?
Sam Bourke, Oisin Kelly and Ross Ravenhill are most likely to see action.
If Shirley, Kelly, David King or either Sampson has to go off, Sam Bourke should come in.
Oisin Kelly should be introduced earlier this Saturday than he was in the game in O’Moore Park and you’d imagine he has the fitness levels built up now. This could be on the half forward line if we are struggling on puckouts or else at 14. When he came on in the earlier game, all of the Laois lads seemed to retreat a few extra yards back, knowing the danger he has long possessed.
Tommy Doyle of Westmeath has gone from 3 to 14 and caused havoc the last few years during games against other counties.
They didn’t dare move him off of Oisin this year.

Ross is also another option around the middle third but hasn’t that much hurling done.

After that, I don’t think Luke Watkins will see action.
I’d expect Jack Clancy’s power running and athleticism may be utilised or else Colin Spain could come in.
Although Laois will have their homework done and will know that Jack Clancy can be let shoot from anywhere outside the 45, rather than fouling.

I think Offaly should win this if they hurl to their full ability.
Keep it tight at the back, and when Adam, Charlie or anyone else finds themselves in open grass, go your best for the goals!

Some interesting things when looking at the team:
1 from Clareen, Rynaghs, Lusmagh, Birr, Carrig, Tubber, Coolderry.
0 starters from Belmont or Ferbane, who would have had some of Oisin, Leon, David Nally, James Nally, Jack Clancy, Paddy Clancy at any stage over the last few years.
Clubs not represented on panel: Tullamore, Kinnitty, Drumcullen, Ballyskenach (ahem), Clara.
6 players from the Ballinamere hurling club on the panel and they are all from the Durrow parish. What are the chances of that?

Senior A players on the panel of 33: 29
Senior B players: 2
Intermediate players: 1
Junior A players: 1


Players over 30: Stephen Corcoran, Leon Fox, David King and Jason Sampson. (I imagine James Nally is around the 30 mark but I can’t find a definitive answer).

Only 9 starters remain the same from last years final.
5 starters from Offaly’s opening Walsh cup game this year versus Laois on the 4th of January.

[G91]

Irs a big statement form jk

Shows what he thinks of these young lads and what they can do giving them a start in croke park first day out

And they deserve it

Cautiously optimistic

It's the strongest team we've had in a long time with the exception of David N dan R Leon F unavailable.

Plenty of strength and skill on the subs

[frankthetank]

It could go anyway but I think offaly has Been developing continuously through christy ring and the leagues where laois have come down from leinster and stayed in joe mcdonagh not exactly a marker

In all honesty offaly have plenty of options laois have 3 possible 4 and they will all start, where if oisin ,jack S ,adam S ,jack clancy could all be subs

I don't think Adam screeny will start he will have an important part if offaly are winning ball and causing some concerns for laois the last thing they need is him and oisin kelly coming on

Dan Bourke was relatively quiet in round one

Sorry I’m not having that. Dan Bourke had an absolutely outstanding 1st half against Laois. Him and Aidan Corby were the two best hurlers on the pitch. Dan then faded a bit after around 55 minutes which wasn’t unexpected given the work he went through in what was his first senior championship start.

[G91]

That's your opinion your entitled to it

[Kevin]

Big task here with Laois on a mission. We can do it. Best of luck to all involved.

COME ON OFFALY!!!!

[Bord na Mona man]

I like the team named.
It's a statement of intent putting on Shirley and Screeney - we're not minding them, or afraid they'll get hurt. We're sending them out to do a job.

[joe bloggs]

It could go anyway but I think offaly has Been developing continuously through christy ring and the leagues where laois have come down from leinster and stayed in joe mcdonagh not exactly a marker

In all honesty offaly have plenty of options laois have 3 possible 4 and they will all start, where if oisin ,jack S ,adam S ,jack clancy could all be subs

I don't think Adam screeny will start he will have an important part if offaly are winning ball and causing some concerns for laois the last thing they need is him and oisin kelly coming on

Dan Bourke was relatively quiet in round one

Sorry I’m not having that. Dan Bourke had an absolutely outstanding 1st half against Laois. Him and Aidan Corby were the two best hurlers on the pitch. Dan then faded a bit after around 55 minutes which wasn’t unexpected given the work he went through in what was his first senior championship start.

Spot on Frank, he was superb that day. He took a few lovely scores, but more importantly was his running. I lost count of the number of times he ran into space which either opened it up for others, or he won the ball himself out in front of his man

[G91]

He got 2 points lads lord above is nobody allowed day anything the slightest negative about under 20 captain

I said "relatively" not he was useless

[faithfulfanatic]

He got 2 points lads lord above is nobody allowed day anything the slightest negative about under 20 captain

I said "relatively" not he was useless

If you’re only looking at scores a player got, then there’s your problem.

He wasn’t relatively poor at all.