Offaly minor football panel 2025

[Faithful Future]

Hard luck to the lads today.

They can hold their heads up high after a brilliant year. Leinster medals in their pockets already. Big future ahead for the group

[dubbiff]

Best of luck to the lads on Sunday . Seems to be very little promo coming from the county board socials on this compared to previous yrs when the minors and 20s were going well

Clubs quiet also. Heard that Tullamore didn't send a bus to the final

There was a very respectable crowd from OY and they were raucous when needed. Mayo attendance was heavily outnumbered and their scores barely registered a cheer.

[del]

Agreed great crowd from Offaly at the game . Great year for those group of young lads. Let there be no negatives them boys tried there heart out and eventually after 30 mins the match ups were right but unfortunately the damage was done in the first half
Loads of talent there hopefully there is an u 19 squad developed in football like there has been for the last few yrs in hurling to help these young lads

[ah lethimoutwithit]

The lads can hold their heads up alright. This was a good Mayo team and obviously the Mayo mgt had looked closely at Offaly and identified areas within the backline to target. This was as much about using their strengths as any weakness on our part. We responded really well to the early goal and could have scored a couple more ourselves.
Killer was conceding 2-07 without reply in the 20 mins or so before half time. A few tweaks left us a bit more solid and to be fair Mayo only scored 1 pt for 20 mins of second half and we coughed up the 2 ptr and a free to push the gap out to 2.

All tried hard and full credit to them, great crowd there from Offaly. This group have played some serious amount of games and they may not think it now but this will be a serious experience for them, especially playing in front of the big crowds.

Management will also have gained a serious amount from the year.
This age group is seriously competitive when yo look at how tight all the games have been.
For Mayo, hats off to them, they played a good brand of football and had more variety of options. Could carry or go direct. We should have gone direct more often as there was time to get quality ball in one to one and we were a little lateral at times. But great work by all involved and The Hyde was a decent spot for the game.
Keep it going lads with clubs, schools etc and hopefully the rule will be changed soon in relation to these lads being able to play adult with their clubs for U18. Crazy to see lads playing at that standard having to kick their heels with a minor club team next summer, when they should be progressing into adult.

[Thomas mc]

The lads can hold their heads up alright. This was a good Mayo team and obviously the Mayo mgt had looked closely at Offaly and identified areas within the backline to target. This was as much about using their strengths as any weakness on our part. We responded really well to the early goal and could have scored a couple more ourselves.
Killer was conceding 2-07 without reply in the 20 mins or so before half time. A few tweaks left us a bit more solid and to be fair Mayo only scored 1 pt for 20 mins of second half and we coughed up the 2 ptr and a free to push the gap out to 2.

All tried hard and full credit to them, great crowd there from Offaly. This group have played some serious amount of games and they may not think it now but this will be a serious experience for them, especially playing in front of the big crowds.

Management will also have gained a serious amount from the year.
This age group is seriously competitive when yo look at how tight all the games have been.
For Mayo, hats off to them, they played a good brand of football and had more variety of options. Could carry or go direct. We should have gone direct more often as there was time to get quality ball in one to one and we were a little lateral at times. But great work by all involved and The Hyde was a decent spot for the game.
Keep it going lads with clubs, schools etc and hopefully the rule will be changed soon in relation to these lads being able to play adult with their clubs for U18. Crazy to see lads playing at that standard having to kick their heels with a minor club team next summer, when they should be progressing into adult.

You have to be u19 to play adult football? These lads in their last year can't play adult football in 2026?

[Lone Shark]

Later in the week, when I've more time, I'll come back and reflect properly on the year for the minors, and our collective appreciation for the great games they've given us over the year.

Just on the much-spoken topic about decoupling minor and senior, it should be noted that from what I can tell, there is no successful county where both the minor grade is played at U-18, and where players in their last year of minor can also play adult games. In the counties that have tried it, they've all had to revert. It just doesn't work.

The key thing here is that the games programme is for everybody, not just for the elite players. And sure, there's no doubt that there's a scatter of lads in that panel who would be well able to hold their own in adult games in 2026, either in the first teams of smaller clubs or maybe in the second teams of the likes of Tullamore/Edenderry/Ferbane, you have to think of the knock on effects. Look at Eamon Maher and Ruairí Woods, as the obvious example. Setting it up that they would both be playing minor football, minor hurling, adult football and adult hurling in the one year would either see the two lads flogged to bits, or would see the whole schedule have to be adjusted to suit them, to the detriment of every player in Offaly who is just playing for one team.

I'm speaking here as a current club secretary in a dual parish - it's carnage. Lads in small, single-code clubs love it, and in Roscommon, it was very hard get past them, but the amount of players that were being pulled from pillar to post and who just got sick of it all so they stopped playing as soon as they went to college was incredibly disheartening.

[classof81]

Someone said the minors used only about 23 players in the whole championship, I'm sure that's not right. I'd imagine figure is much higher, either way there was probably 35 or so training since January or maybe even longer so alot of effort was put n regardless if they got game time or not. So I would agree with not playin senior until 18, after all they could have 15 year playin senior so what's the panic? Yes a few can possibly do it but most couldn't. I don't know why county level wasn't brought to u 18s aswel

[Thomas mc]

Later in the week, when I've more time, I'll come back and reflect properly on the year for the minors, and our collective appreciation for the great games they've given us over the year.

Just on the much-spoken topic about decoupling minor and senior, it should be noted that from what I can tell, there is no successful county where both the minor grade is played at U-18, and where players in their last year of minor can also play adult games. In the counties that have tried it, they've all had to revert. It just doesn't work.

The key thing here is that the games programme is for everybody, not just for the elite players. And sure, there's no doubt that there's a scatter of lads in that panel who would be well able to hold their own in adult games in 2026, either in the first teams of smaller clubs or maybe in the second teams of the likes of Tullamore/Edenderry/Ferbane, you have to think of the knock on effects. Look at Eamon Maher and Ruairí Woods, as the obvious example. Setting it up that they would both be playing minor football, minor hurling, adult football and adult hurling in the one year would either see the two lads flogged to bits, or would see the whole schedule have to be adjusted to suit them, to the detriment of every player in Offaly who is just playing for one team.

I'm speaking here as a current club secretary in a dual parish - it's carnage. Lads in small, single-code clubs love it, and in Roscommon, it was very hard get past them, but the amount of players that were being pulled from pillar to post and who just got sick of it all so they stopped playing as soon as they went to college was incredibly disheartening.

That's up to players and managers and parents to help manage that, whatever way you look at it 17 and 18 year old kids left with no choice is just silly particularly in clubs where they are needed.. if you look at the likes of West Offaly where young lads are joined up to that age and aren't gettin a game with the joined up clubs but might be good enough to play a part with their own club at adult level, it's very unfair and plenty lads in this situation who won't wait til u19 to get a kick of a ball, plenty of those lads lost and will be lost but they get the chance to play with their club where they get game time at a decent level, build a bit of confidence and wanted and part of a team and they stay at it.. plenty lads played senior at 16 and 17 never did them any harm. If you're under 18 next year who do you play football with?

[Payperview1]

Think Cillian Bourke was only u18 last year and even a big club like Tullamore had no problem throwing him into senior football. Turned out to be a great decision as he had a huge influence on the county final last year, and is now playing senior intercounty football as a result this year.
I know he is probably a bit exceptional in how developed physically he is for his age but if the same rules were in place last year he would not have played senior club football.

[Hyper]

If you're u18 next year, you play u18 with your club and afaik u20

[Thomas mc]

If you're u18 next year, you play u18 with your club and afaik u20

Ok very good, would you mind posting offaly u18 championship results or fixtures up here please

[ah lethimoutwithit]

If you're u18 next year, you play u18 with your club and afaik u20

Ok very good, would you mind posting offaly u18 championship results or fixtures up here please

Id say he would mind!! Go to the Offaly GAA page FFS

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Later in the week, when I've more time, I'll come back and reflect properly on the year for the minors, and our collective appreciation for the great games they've given us over the year.

Just on the much-spoken topic about decoupling minor and senior, it should be noted that from what I can tell, there is no successful county where both the minor grade is played at U-18, and where players in their last year of minor can also play adult games. In the counties that have tried it, they've all had to revert. It just doesn't work.

The key thing here is that the games programme is for everybody, not just for the elite players. And sure, there's no doubt that there's a scatter of lads in that panel who would be well able to hold their own in adult games in 2026, either in the first teams of smaller clubs or maybe in the second teams of the likes of Tullamore/Edenderry/Ferbane, you have to think of the knock on effects. Look at Eamon Maher and Ruairí Woods, as the obvious example. Setting it up that they would both be playing minor football, minor hurling, adult football and adult hurling in the one year would either see the two lads flogged to bits, or would see the whole schedule have to be adjusted to suit them, to the detriment of every player in Offaly who is just playing for one team.

I'm speaking here as a current club secretary in a dual parish - it's carnage. Lads in small, single-code clubs love it, and in Roscommon, it was very hard get past them, but the amount of players that were being pulled from pillar to post and who just got sick of it all so they stopped playing as soon as they went to college was incredibly disheartening.

That's up to players and managers and parents to help manage that, whatever way you look at it 17 and 18 year old kids left with no choice is just silly particularly in clubs where they are needed.. if you look at the likes of West Offaly where young lads are joined up to that age and aren't gettin a game with the joined up clubs but might be good enough to play a part with their own club at adult level, it's very unfair and plenty lads in this situation who won't wait til u19 to get a kick of a ball, plenty of those lads lost and will be lost but they get the chance to play with their club where they get game time at a decent level, build a bit of confidence and wanted and part of a team and they stay at it.. plenty lads played senior at 16 and 17 never did them any harm. If you're under 18 next year who do you play football with?

I think that is my response to LS's fair reply. Look, these lads are well prepared now, but next Spring if they are not in the OY U20 panel, they are confined to training with a few minors in their club, (given they may have county panelists in hurling or football). Clubs need to manage them to maintain their progression, they should be training with their adult team and playing as required to keep them progressing. I think that there will be a lot of regression for lads not brought into the U20s County panel. Especially they should be allowed to play junior and intermediate where they could really make a difference.
Its up to all to manage the load and this is important for all players not just dual clubs.
Anyway it is what it is and time will tell.

Also with the argument they might have 15 years playing adult, I think that is going to become rarer as guys want to travel and the lure to the big cities. Often many players are finished with their clubs by the time they are 24 due to work and travel, so getting as many years out of them is important , particularly the rural clubs.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Later in the week, when I've more time, I'll come back and reflect properly on the year for the minors, and our collective appreciation for the great games they've given us over the year.

Just on the much-spoken topic about decoupling minor and senior, it should be noted that from what I can tell, there is no successful county where both the minor grade is played at U-18, and where players in their last year of minor can also play adult games. In the counties that have tried it, they've all had to revert. It just doesn't work.

The key thing here is that the games programme is for everybody, not just for the elite players. And sure, there's no doubt that there's a scatter of lads in that panel who would be well able to hold their own in adult games in 2026, either in the first teams of smaller clubs or maybe in the second teams of the likes of Tullamore/Edenderry/Ferbane, you have to think of the knock on effects. Look at Eamon Maher and Ruairí Woods, as the obvious example. Setting it up that they would both be playing minor football, minor hurling, adult football and adult hurling in the one year would either see the two lads flogged to bits, or would see the whole schedule have to be adjusted to suit them, to the detriment of every player in Offaly who is just playing for one team.

I'm speaking here as a current club secretary in a dual parish - it's carnage. Lads in small, single-code clubs love it, and in Roscommon, it was very hard get past them, but the amount of players that were being pulled from pillar to post and who just got sick of it all so they stopped playing as soon as they went to college was incredibly disheartening.

That's up to players and managers and parents to help manage that, whatever way you look at it 17 and 18 year old kids left with no choice is just silly particularly in clubs where they are needed.. if you look at the likes of West Offaly where young lads are joined up to that age and aren't gettin a game with the joined up clubs but might be good enough to play a part with their own club at adult level, it's very unfair and plenty lads in this situation who won't wait til u19 to get a kick of a ball, plenty of those lads lost and will be lost but they get the chance to play with their club where they get game time at a decent level, build a bit of confidence and wanted and part of a team and they stay at it.. plenty lads played senior at 16 and 17 never did them any harm. If you're under 18 next year who do you play football with?

18 year olds next year play minor with club.

[jimbob17]

It's a good idea to decouple u18 from adult as it cuts out all the sh*te around fixtures and burnout. People had huge issue with what likes of Cormac Egan and John Furlong had to contend with after winning u20 as u18s and rightly so. That is the alternative and injury and burnout is the result.

These U18s will also have schools football and all will likely play Colleges A grade schools football with either St Mary's Edenderry, Tullamore CBS, Moate CC or Offaly Combined schools team where theyll also represent their schools in B, C or D grade. This will cover across October through to February most likely and if successful, beyond that into March or April. Some will have county minor at U17 level again in 2026 too but we arent really talking about u17s. They will all play club minor and most will play club U20, while very best of them will likely make an Offaly U20 panel or possibly team in 2026.

When you factor in a Leaving Cert for most of them and hurling for the dual lads at similar ages, you'll realise they will have more than enough going on not to be playing adult level in 2026. The net result is you'll have a stronger more able lad coming out of minor who is less likely to have suffered burnout or injury than if they were allowed play adult as some suggest. You'll also have a much better fixtures programme that is uninterrupted so it's a good move that benefits everybody in my opinion.