private joker wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2025 7:53 pm
Player welfare will be the biggest concern for this group. They have more hurling done in one year than most would have done in 5. Been played when obviously hurt, ravenhill been the prime example when brought on in the u20 final when clearly not able to play.
The lads that are starting senior should be kept with senior or play u20 instead if they choose to and not play both, its not feasible, but senior team has to be prioritised. It will give us a chance to develop other lads at u20 level in their absence. That's the goal of underage to develop lads for the senior team, job done when it comes to senior starters and they got a nice little bonus winning an all ireland along the way. I agree being harsh on the minors, we don't need to be winning leinsters and all irelands every year to feed the senior team.
I would like to see a few more lads get game time in the last two league games, whether that be off the bench or in starting roles.
Namely Ter Guinan, Ben Miller, Brecon Kavanagh, Luke Watkins, DJ McLoughlin and Ruairi Kelly.
With five games over a 6/7 week period, we are really going to need 24-26 players up to speed. Our depth is really going to be challenged by the time Davys Antrim roll into town on 25th May.
I think johnny will look affer them hes not there to burn them out.
Couple points on minor teams where are not great and I would agree to a point especially this year more so we seem to be very weak but if we can get one or two players every year it's a win for us.
private joker wrote: ↑Wed Feb 26, 2025 7:53 pm
Player welfare will be the biggest concern for this group. They have more hurling done in one year than most would have done in 5. Been played when obviously hurt, ravenhill been the prime example when brought on in the u20 final when clearly not able to play.
The lads that are starting senior should be kept with senior or play u20 instead if they choose to and not play both, its not feasible, but senior team has to be prioritised. It will give us a chance to develop other lads at u20 level in their absence. That's the goal of underage to develop lads for the senior team, job done when it comes to senior starters and they got a nice little bonus winning an all ireland along the way. I agree being harsh on the minors, we don't need to be winning leinsters and all irelands every year to feed the senior team.
Agree that player welfare is a concern but madness to say lads shouldn’t play both.
U20 management continued to try and organise challenge games using the senior lads on weekends where Offaly are hurling league so Johnny Kelly has put a stop to that and said they will be available after the Waterford game, which is the right thing to do.
Lets just sit back and enjoy it and get out and support them.
No point trying to hype it up here and run it down when they lose a game like against Carlow.
Be interesting how many actually hop into the car across to Mullingar.
Points about the derby are well made, we love beating Westmeath in football and they really love beating us, but to some of th older generation down the South they may not be on the radar. However for our current generation, looking at westmeath performing above us for a number of years must be galling and I for one would love it (to quote Kevin Keegan) if we beat them on Sunday!
By Jayz its a derby for me anyway and the Durrow/Belmont Boys!
ah lethimoutwithit wrote: ↑Thu Feb 27, 2025 10:58 am
Lets just sit back and enjoy it and get out and support them.
No point trying to hype it up here and run it down when they lose a game like against Carlow.
Be interesting how many actually hop into the car across to Mullingar.
Points about the derby are well made, we love beating Westmeath in football and they really love beating us, but to some of th older generation down the South they may not be on the radar. However for our current generation, looking at westmeath performing above us for a number of years must be galling and I for one would love it (to quote Kevin Keegan) if we beat them on Sunday!
By Jayz its a derby for me anyway and the Durrow/Belmont Boys!
I hope too many don't hop into the car across to Mullingar, would be a waste of time!!
ah lethimoutwithit wrote: ↑Thu Feb 27, 2025 10:58 am
Lets just sit back and enjoy it and get out and support them.
No point trying to hype it up here and run it down when they lose a game like against Carlow.
Be interesting how many actually hop into the car across to Mullingar.
Points about the derby are well made, we love beating Westmeath in football and they really love beating us, but to some of th older generation down the South they may not be on the radar. However for our current generation, looking at westmeath performing above us for a number of years must be galling and I for one would love it (to quote Kevin Keegan) if we beat them on Sunday!
By Jayz its a derby for me anyway and the Durrow/Belmont Boys!
I hope too many don't hop into the car across to Mullingar, would be a waste of time!!
In the past, Offaly had a habit of following up an impressive performance with a flat one. I think Offaly have moved on in approach and mindset though.
Castletown-Geoghegan gave Kilcormac-Killoughey plenty of it 2 months ago and nearly held out to win. Clonkill and Raharney have been decent county champions too. Some Westmeath players would have beaten Offaly at underage in the past. They have no residual fear towards anything coming out of Offaly. So Offaly lads announcing that 'we're back' won't have much affect.
Remember that progress is never linear. Let's just say Offaly are eventually going to be competitive against the top teams in Leinster, that doesn't mean there won't be setbacks along the way.
Westmeath have their own worries. There must be a growing fear that Seoirse Bulfin has not hit the ground running. I haven't seen any sign of Killian Doyle playing for them, anyone know if he'll be available soon?
Last year in the McDonagh, Offaly only nudged in front in the later stages. Westmeath have fallen back from 2023 when they beat Wexford, but that doesn't mean they can't pull out a performance. They'll want to reset their season and this weekend is an opportunity for them.
Dan was brought on for the last 3 minute's of last year's all ireland final just that the lad got a run out in the all ireland final the game he shouldn't have played in was the mcdonagh first round match in portlaoise that's where he missed most of the season.
yes and Westmeath will try and piss on our cornflake's come sunday but if Johnny keep's there feet on the ground and they hurl like they did in the second half last saturday Westmeath won't keep it pucked out to them. offaly of old would struggle again westmeath come sunday but there's a buzz back in offaly hurling offaly bye 8.
Bord na Mona man wrote: ↑Thu Feb 27, 2025 4:03 pm
In the past, Offaly had a habit of following up an impressive performance with a flat one. I think Offaly have moved on in approach and mindset though.
Castletown-Geoghegan gave Kilcormac-Killoughey plenty of it 2 months ago and nearly held out to win. Clonkill and Raharney have been decent county champions too. Some Westmeath players would have beaten Offaly at underage in the past. They have no residual fear towards anything coming out of Offaly. So Offaly lads announcing that 'we're back' won't have much affect.
Remember that progress is never linear. Let's just say Offaly are eventually going to be competitive against the top teams in Leinster, that doesn't mean there won't be setbacks along the way.
Westmeath have their own worries. There must be a growing fear that Seoirse Bulfin has not hit the ground running. I haven't seen any sign of Killian Doyle playing for them, anyone know if he'll be available soon?
Last year in the McDonagh, Offaly only nudged in front in the later stages. Westmeath have fallen back from 2023 when they beat Wexford, but that doesn't mean they can't pull out a performance. They'll want to reset their season and this weekend is an opportunity for them.
Doyle named at centre forward. Niall O'Brien also comes back into the team after coming off the bench against Laois last time out. O'Brien can be a bit hit or miss, but Doyle certainly makes them a four or five point better team straight away if he's anywhere remotely close to being fit and ready.
Kevin Egan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.
Davy Glennon starts, David O'Reilly added to the bench so he'll probably feature. Westmeath will be getting back towards full strength.
I don't believe the Offaly players are listening to any yahoos around the county who think this will be a training session.
It needs to be treated with the same approach as a match against Dublin or Waterford.
I’m sure the mathematicians and league table analysts will be out in force in O’Connor Park but let’s all remember that regardless of any set of results from 1B at the weekend Offaly can’t be officially promoted on Sunday.
Offaly win then they have 9 points that’s guaranteed, Dublin beat Waterford the most Waterford can get is 8 points so are eliminated. This just leaves Dublin and Carlow to worry about, as Dublin have beaten waterford they can move to 10 points if they win all their remaining matches, if Carlow lose to Antrim tomorrow the most they can get to if they win all remaining matches is 9 points, however as Dublin have to play Carlow one or both have to drop points so Offaly could be promoted tomorrow.
Anyway great to see Ben back, let’s hope for a good crowd and a good performance from the team.
A win v Westmeath promotes Offaly if Dublin beat Waterford. We would be maximum -3pts and hold head to head over Dublin, with Waterford at -4.
If Waterford beat Dublin, then Dubs are -4 and Carlow results come in to play.
What we don't want after beating WH is Dublin and Waterford to draw and us to lose to Waterford - and us to lose to Waterford - as it'd mean at least 3 teams on -3 where score diff comes into it.
So basically if Dubs or Waterford doesn't finish level, and we beat Westmeath, we are prob heading for promotion with guarantee of at least 2nd.... subject to maintaining higher score diff than Carlow, which we most likely will.
Mad that tomorrow is the first time since 1989 for Offaly to hurl Westmeath in the League AT AN OFFALY VENUE. They've only met three times in the interim, mind, all at Westmeath venues.
Pat Donegan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.
"Offaly's hurling is exact and abrasive: full of assurance on the ball, devoid of fumbling and slicing and sod-busting". Kevin Cashman RIP (September 1994).
