Offaly Senior Footballers 2025

[ryot]

Delighted with that result. While promotion was the objective adding silverware is class.
Kildare had big men who won some high ball over our much smaller lads but by God when it came down to earth Offaly lads showed bravery, speed and brilliant football skills..
I had Cormac down for MOTM but have no problem with Keith who was also brilliant,,
Hope they enjoy a day's celebrations and are ready for the Championship.
I might even rub it in to a few lads here in Kildare !!!!!

[G91]

Played great football showed what the whole point behind the rules was

If the new rules didn’t happen Kildare would pass the ball back and forth across the back line
And the big teams who think they have a Devine right to be at the top are the ones complaining about the rule changes

It was said in the hurling thread these teams don’t want any of the so called weaker counties having chance of beating them they especially only what to see Offaly at an arms length

That’s how those teams use to win get a 2 score lead and just slow down the ball and tag on a point or 2


That was a team effort today something I’ve not seen in a Offaly team in god knows when kicked some fantastic scores ,battled very hard to win the ball back , kept Kildare at bay for 2 pointers and paddy d with a top class save


Delighted for Declan Kelly got a lot of stick last year we all know mickey Harte is a genius

Not getting carried away but a great day and deserved the win.

[Bord na Mona man]

Delighted!
A possible downside of a D3 final was that a loss would then take the shine off the victory in Tullamore two weeks ago. We went doubles or quits today and still came out on top.

Maybe Offaly could have won by more. The Kildare goal had an element of good fortune to it, just when Offaly had taken command. And later, Offaly built up a 6 point lead but missed two great goal chances in the process.
Kildare could equally claim that Dunican's one-on-one save cost them the match too.

It got a little uncomfortable in the end. But crucially, Kildare didn't have strong 2-point shooters.

Mickey Harte has had a big influence. When he arrived, I had hopes, but also doubts about how it would work out.
And it can't go unacknowledged that Offaly have won Division 3 playing the brand of fast-attacking football that was the hallmark of Declan Kelly's U20 team in 2021.

[Cheddar]

Wow what can I say. Comhghairdeas.

Sitting here watching the Sunday Game and just beaming with pride.

I support Offaly in all codes, I support Shane Lowry in every golf tournament. United in the soccer, Ireland and all Irish teams in the rugby. I’ve suffered in all codes. Offaly for me means everything and nothing surpasses it. We’ve seen amazing All Ireland wins in hurling and football underage in recent years and it’s been incredible, but all we ever want from these good underage teams is success at senior.

For many people it’s only Division 3, but I’m only in my twenties. All I’ve ever seen before is a D4 in 2015 and now D3 today. Silverware is everything. Offaly Senior Football is my team. The team that means the most to me.

My father was at 82. He vaguely remembers the All Ireland’s in the 70s. He knows success. I was only a toddler when we won Leinster in 97. Success for me was getting to the Leinster Final in 2006.

To win two weeks ago was phenomenal, but to follow up with beating them again, and to win silverware is special. Particularly as I can literally kick a ball over the border into Kildare.

I’ve more to say on the game itself but for now it’s just a toast to the Faithful. It ain’t easy being a die hard Offaly Football Fan but the lows of London are worth it on days like today.

Up the fucking Faithful

[kingscounty]

Super win and absolutely delighted for the management and team. We were written off at the start of the league and told we would be doing well to stay in division 3.
We were completely written off and insulted today with us priced at 7/2 to beat a team which we totally dominated only two weeks ago. I got the feeling still watching the Sunday Game that it was Kildare that lost the game rather than Offaly going out and winning the game with the panel highlighting Kildares Bolton as the main talking point on the game.
We have a badly needed break and please god we can give Meath/ Carlow a good rattle in a few weeks

[Superhans75]

After a great day yesterday I think there is one thing non football we should talk about.
I brought some cousins to the game from the States and they couldn't believe how dirty,
Crumbling basically decaying in the area's around croke park . have become.
It looks bad on the national stadium and to be honest I agreed with them
What do others think.?

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Brilliant display yesterday and a superb league campaign.
I have no problem admitting that I was wrong in relation to our chances at the start of the league. But thankfully no one pays much heed to what I have to say.

A couple of things though that I would like to point out, and this is in the interests of balance and assessing how we go forward.
1. Despite suffering injuries to key players during the league, we have been relatively lucky as we have maintained our core fairly intact.
2. The run of games has worked out great with momentum building into the Kildare game and getting teams at the right time.
3. Linked with 1. We have a number of completely untested subs on the bench and it was a concern over the last 2 games against Kildare (particularly yesterday) how late it was when we turned to the bench.

However, the above said, when you include David Dempsey, Ruairi, and Cillian Bourke , along with Dalton, (and Tierney and Higgins who have nailed down starting berths from the earlier first 2 rounds, we are in a good enough position.

I am delighted for Declan Kelly as he suffered a lot last year and there is a loyalty to a group of players who helped him deliver an All Ireland. He has been rewarded by some of them who are absolute class players and have complimented some older players whom he would have managed at some point. As a relatively young manager and the most successful in the county coming through I am delighted that the decision to bring in Mickey Harte has benefitted both him and Offaly football. The area of supporting and nurturing managerial talent in Offaly is something that needs to be progressed.
There are clearly some on the panel who most likely will be replaced next year and that is life. So right now, there must be a group of players in the county that are chomping at the bit to put their case forward again for consideration.

Just to say that yesterdays performance overall was one of the best that I have seen in the past 20 years. The committment and skillset and general composure was a joy to watch. I must have been watching a different program to whoever commented, but Offaly got serious credit for the skill, pace and decision making. Young Bolton was recognised for a superb display and why not? Look, Kildare has serious numbers , a recent conveyor belt of talent and the GAA is crying out in Leinster for contenders to the Dublin dominance. Kildare looks like they are a bit away from that. Westmeath will really fancy their chances of beating them.

But for now, yesterday was a great day. We have much to look forward to with the game against Meath. regardless of what happens, players will be hopping off the ground to train on the fast ground over the next few weeks. Getting the feet back to earth will be important but fair play and well done.

[Anonymous1]

Yesterday was one of those rare special day’s out.

A final in Croke Park with the sun shining and beating one of your local rivals.

Having not beaten Kildare in 19 years - we’ve now beat them twice in two weeks. A bit like London busses.

I could be wrong on this but I think that’s our first senior football win in HQ since beating Longford in the 2015 Division 4 final.

And, we became one of the few counties to have completed the set of winning Divsion 1, 2, 3 and 4 titles.

Cormac Egan was my man of the match. I thought he was immense in the second half when we looked to be flagging a bit. The amount of ball he carried was incredible not to mention kicking 1-1 down the stretch. There aren’t many players in the country who have an engine like him, so much so that Kildare were forced into a first half sub to try cut him off.

Jack Bryant had the best game he’s ever had in an Offaly senior shirt. He faded in the second half but his 1-3 tour-de-force in the first half made up for it in spades. That goal will live long in the memory. Hopefully he kicks on from here because we all know he has the talent.

Keith O’Neill is your typical corner forward. Quiet for large parts of the game but when he gets an opportunity in front of the posts - he takes it. His outside of the boot score was a thing of beauty.

Cathal Flynn is the quarterback of this team. He dictates every transition from defense to attack and similar to Cormac Egan - seems to have an unlimited engine. His burst of pace, shimmies and fakes to beat his man are a joy to watch. Also, with 2-3 minutes left when Kildare were refusing to push up, he made sure to hold on to the ball and run down the clock. A key sign of maturity for a young player.

Hyland and Tierney worked their socks off all game and while Hyland mightn’t have gotten the scores in this game, he’s one of the main reasons we were even in this final. Tierney’s 2 point shot was a beauty.

I thought we struggled at midfield all day, particularly from kickouts and breaks. The two lads never stopped working though and both got important scores.

Higgins might be our best fielder of a ball. I wonder if a switch to midfield is on the cards?

Defensively we were rock solid all day - we were happy to let Kildare have to ball outside the 2-point arc as it was clear they had no 2-point shooters. I can’t recall us giving up any goal chances.

Their goal came virtue of a mistake reminiscent of one we conceded against Meath in the 2019 championship but Paddy made it up for and then some with an unbelievable one on one save later in the game.

I was surprised that we left it until the 68th minute to bring in Ruairi and Leavy but who are we to second guess Mickey Harte?

The new rules suit the U20’s from 2021 down to the ground and one suspects that the longer the year goes on and the more the ground firms up, the better this team will get. Horses for courses.

On a wider point, I think Michael Duignan deserves a lot of credit for the way things are going. There seems to be massive momentum behind Offaly in both codes at the moment amid a sense that neither side is all that far away from competing at the top.

The wheels could’ve fallen off the footballers entirely if some of the U20’s decided to pack it in after last year’s debacle but they’ve stuck with it and it’s days like yesterday that make it all worth it. All those days slogging away in the winter are forgotten when you win silverware.

RTÉ predicted Offaly would get relegated and Pat Spillane said Mickey Harte should’ve retired. Humble and pie come to mind.

Lastly, it’s a bit of a farce that we won’t be in the Sam Maguire. Purely on the grounds of geography. It would’ve been special to get a Kerry or a Mayo in O’Connor Park for a championship game but all we can do now is give the Tailteann cup a good rattle and ensure we’re in Sam in 2026.

I hope we’re written off again because by the sounds of O’Neill’s post game interview - the lads relish being underdogs. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Esto fidelis. Uíbh Fhailí abú.

[oneshot]

brilliant win what's more done it with style and pure skill and football. was listening to Kerry's James O'Donoghue pod cast and he couldn't say enough about offaly and the skill and footwork of offalys forward line and how there football ability was way better than a bigger kildare side. delighted for Declan Kelly as he had to take a listen to alot of shite about him over the last year and a half.

[REDBIFFO1972]

As Burns alluded too, it being the third time since he took up his post that he has found himself having the privilege to say he is handing over a piece of silverware to the captain of an Offaly team. I was a very proud Offalian listening to him yesterday. Lee, as always, a credit.
I admit I too got the MH coming in wrong. I was one who supported Kelly and felt he was harshly treated at times last year. He deserves great credit. MH, you'd think yesterday he was down here since 2005.
One player I would like to highlight is Ruairi Egan. Didn't get much of a look in last year. However, not a word out of him. Head down & worked hard. Yeah others will get the limelight but its young players like him that kids can look up to and learn from. Always gives 100% in whatever position he plays.
After coming out of O'Moore Park, me nephew on about promotion and I telling him to shut up. Lets get another two points so as we can stay up. We got the rub of the green as DK & MH said yesterday but fk it. We had three home games & four away, we deserved promotion and after yesterday, the one handed cup.
Hopefully the first Divisio2 game in OCP will be better attended than the league opener a few weeks back.

[Anonymous1]

As Burns alluded too, it being the third time since he took up his post that he has found himself having the privilege to say he is handing over a piece of silverware to the captain of an Offaly team. I was a very proud Offalian listening to him yesterday. Lee, as always, a credit.
I admit I too got the MH coming in wrong. I was one who supported Kelly and felt he was harshly treated at times last year. He deserves great credit. MH, you'd think yesterday he was down here since 2005.
One player I would like to highlight is Ruairi Egan. Didn't get much of a look in last year. However, not a word out of him. Head down & worked hard. Yeah others will get the limelight but its young players like him that kids can look up to and learn from. Always gives 100% in whatever position he plays.
After coming out of O'Moore Park, me nephew on about promotion and I telling him to shut up. Lets get another two points so as we can stay up. We got the rub of the green as DK & MH said yesterday but fk it. We had three home games & four away, we deserved promotion and after yesterday, the one handed cup.
Hopefully the first Divisio2 game in OCP will be better attended than the league opener a few weeks back.

In fairness you couldn’t have blamed people for wanting to wait and see how things developed with the team before going to games after some of last year’s results.

[SearingDrive]

brilliant win what's more done it with style and pure skill and football. was listening to Kerry's James O'Donoghue pod cast and he couldn't say enough about offaly and the skill and footwork of offalys forward line and how there football ability was way better than a bigger kildare side. delighted for Declan Kelly as he had to take a listen to alot of shite about him over the last year and a half.

All very true. Declan Kelly did endure a lot of criticism in 2024, but he was vindicated yesterday. A great day for Offaly, we were underdogs, but upset the form book.
Today’s Irish Independent Sport’s Section was full of praise for Offaly. Frank Roche rated the Div. 3 Final a much better game than the Kerry v Mayo game.

[SearingDrive]

After a great day yesterday I think there is one thing non football we should talk about.
I brought some cousins to the game from the States and they couldn't believe how dirty,
Crumbling basically decaying in the area's around croke park . have become.
It looks bad on the national stadium and to be honest I agreed with them
What do others think.?

I have not visited Dublin since 2019 so I am not able to comment on your point, but Croke Park is near. some deprived areas of the city. That might explain your visitor’s observations.

[Anonymous1]

After a great day yesterday I think there is one thing non football we should talk about.
I brought some cousins to the game from the States and they couldn't believe how dirty,
Crumbling basically decaying in the area's around croke park . have become.
It looks bad on the national stadium and to be honest I agreed with them
What do others think.?

I have not visited Dublin since 2019 so I am not able to comment on your point, but Croke Park is near. some deprived areas of the city. That might explain your visitor’s observations.

It’s funny.

I actually have the opposite view.

I see and hear a lot of talk about Dublin being a crime infested dump but any time I’m up there I’ve never encountered any anti-social behaviour.

In fact yesterday I spotted more Gardaí on the beat than I ever have in my life.

Yes, the area surrounding Croke Park is the most deprived part of the country and some of the streets are unkempt but I’d wager it was much much worse 30 or 40 years ago.

In short - rumours of Dublin’s demise have been greatly exaggerated.

[Bord na Mona man]

I'm not sure what areas Superhans is referring too, but the most notorious around CP is Summerhill on the Cusack side.
It was much worse a couple of decades back when it was dominated by dilapidated flats. The depravation was on full display - burnt out or boarded up flats, rubbish and prams abandoned on the street. On the walk to Croke Park, it was common to encounter some local characters, either worse for the wear or looking for money.

A lot has been invested in the area since then. It's certainly not Beverly Hills, but an improvement. Some of the grotty old Georgian townhouses have been nicely restored. The new social housing is far less Soviet Union-like.
The social problems don't go away overnight, as the issues are generational. There are still drug problems and high unemployment, or more accurately, people who are unemployable.