Club football 2025

[jimbob17]

It's a nice idea in theory, but here's where rubber meets road. So let's assume for a second that there's two weeks in between this preliminary quarter-final and an actual quarter-final against a club team, so they've eight sessions prior to the Divisional game and two more after it.

So this team, let's say it's North Offaly for argument's sake, has now met up 10 times and played one match, maybe one other challenge match at best. And they get drawn to play Tullamore or Edenderry, who have met up somewhere around 60 or 70 times, and played up to 20 matches between league, championship and challenges. Either that alone means that the club team wins the game with plenty to spare, or else why does any club bother training at all, if it's makes no difference to how they will perform?

You're not starting with like for like either. Sure, you'll have a couple of club colleagues lining out together for North Offaly, but plenty more won't really know each other. Good footballers they may be, but it's not like Geordi O'Meara and Cian Donohoe ever played on the same team together, so they're coming in cold taking on club sides that have played together all their lives. That is a huge, huge handicap to overcome.

If I'm a bookie, it's not about player ability - the club team is a 10 or 12 point favourite to win that match, and the danger of players opting out late to prioritise their own club is high, so the danger of a margin of 18 or 20 points is high. That Pearses vs West Roscommon game I mentioned above, three players from one club pulled out of playing for West Roscommon on the morning of the game. The trapdoors are everywhere.

So if I'm a player, I'm thinking to myself that the way to catch the eye of Mickey Harte and Declan Kelly is not by running the risk of exposing myself to being tattooed by Tullamore in a game like that, it's by knuckling down, getting to a county final with my club and using that game as my shop window.

In a nutshell, I don't think players will see this as an opportunity nearly as much as they might do on paper.

Fair enough but I am certainly not going to grab any attention playing for Doon or Shannonbridge or kilclonfert in a group game or co semi final at their level. Depends on what way it is framed and what way you look at it. Is it worth a try? Absolutely..... Yea there are trapdoors, but it would afford players opportunities. Lots of West Offaly lads will know each other from school in Ferbane or Banagher for example - as will East Offaly lads from Daingean parish area who will have gone to school in Tullamore or Edenderry and they might only be delighted to team up with some of schoolfriends again from different clubs.....

This would be there to serve the good players in lowest grades who dont get the exposure. How come it works in Kerry divisional teams, in Cork hurling and football as well as some other counties. In theory it works. The practicalities around taking too much from clubs is what would need to be adhered to. Obviously, lots of these players will have played co minor and U20 at this point too so would be all decent players - and be the best among their own clubs. Obviously the lads would be training with their own clubs and some may be with a county senior or U20 team - Dylan Hyland for example..... 10 is not difinitive but just gave as example..... and over course of couple of years, a team could develop. It would give incentive to some lads to stay in shape as you'd know you'd get shot at big senior teams during the year in addition to playing with own club at junior - inter level. Iv'e seen way too many excellent underage county players from lower clubs just rot in junior and inter football and never fulfilled potential because opportunities like these were not provided

Not saying it is a solution but think it's worth considering....

[Lone Shark]

This would be there to serve the good players in lowest grades who dont get the exposure. How come it works in Kerry divisional teams, in Cork hurling and football as well as some other counties. In theory it works. The practicalities around taking too much from clubs is what would need to be adhered to.

Just to be clear, it only works in Cork and Kerry, it has been tried in lots of other counties but it doesn't work.

It works in Cork because that county has over 200 clubs, and they have more than enough Divisions to run off the Divisional section of the championship that bit earlier, because Divisions are made up of 20-25 teams so each club just loses a player or two, and then only one or two Divisions will still be involved by the time the clubs get started.

It works in Kerry because East Kerry (for example) train almost as much as Dr. Crokes or Austin Stacks, they have a proper management set up, they have their own identity, they have all the support in terms of specialist coaches, video analysis, challenge matches etc. that a serious club team would have, and clubs understand that this does impact on them, but it's for the greater good of the county. That all costs big money to run, but the fact that the North Kerry championship (for example) can get crowds of 1,000 or 2,000 at their big games in December takes a huge chunk out of that - and even then, clubs have to come up with a fine lump of change to fund the whole thing as well.

This is the key problem - experience across the country has proven that you can't do it in a way that is successful, but that also doesn't take much from clubs. It's one or the other.

[jimbob17]

Well we could all throw hat at it and just give up - or maybe try make it work. It doesn't need to be Kerry solution. It can be an Offaly solution to Offaly issue. All you need is a manager and couple of coaches. It wouldn't cost the world and county would benefit. Its very simple. 10 sessions - maybe incl 2-3 challenges. Performance analysis is easily done these days and lots of clubs would already have this in place. It's about being resourceful and giving some of these lads a chance to showcase themselves. I could see very little negatives if managed right. Might not win a championship, but could they win a q final against a Durrow or Shamrocks or Bracknagh for example? Absolutely.

Our county is full of ex county minor talented lads that never reached their potential because they didn't have the platform. Some of the current senior team had far less potential as 18 year olds than some of these players but supported by senior football, have fulfilled their potential while others fell into a well if mediocrity because of bad support structures around their clubs. This is one proposed solution and all its receiving is negative reaction.

If you always do what you always did, you always get what you always got - which has been utter failure in football at senior level and on many levels for last 25 years - save one Leinster senior final in mid 2000s.

The new Co board have changed how things got done and we can already see benefits. There was a time when parish teams could enter a senior championship and Offaly were winning all irelands back then. There can be Offaly solutions to Offaly problems. No disrespect, but what goes on in Kerry or Cork or anywhere else is of little relevance. Culture and tradition has evolved there over many years - in a way very different to Offaly. There have been many players in Kerry thatd have never played for Kerry seniors but for their divisional teams.... The concept had some value and worked in previous times in Offaly through those parish teams. Someone at some point put end to that and now we are where we are. Maybe we could expand an open type of thinking to club structures. If that meant including senior B clubs to this concept, then you're at the Kerry example type of scenario with 10-12 or so clubs providing to a divisional team.

I just think this notion of giving up without any due consideration is both naive and shortsighted. If the FRC took that approach 2 years ago, we'd never have got the new improvements to the game...

[biffinbanner]

ferbane edenderry a draw 13 pts each. ferbane had 9 points got against the breeze after 22 min. for the remaining 41 min they got 4 points a 2 pojnter and 2 singles. its hard to credit the jeckyll and hyde nature of them. and they could still win it if they played like they started for 65 min.

[jimbob17]

Really disappointing effort from Shamrocks after all the hot air talk about them. They looked totally out of their depth and should be better than that with all the county players they have. Today should put an end to all the sh*t talk about them contending to win the Dowling Cup. It wasnt as if they were up against a full strength Tullamore team. From Tullamore, Heffernan, Robilliard Luke Bourke in the backs were all on Intermediate team last year, as was Liam Dillane and at least one of the Fox twins in the forwards. They will be glad to get likes of Declan Hogan and McDaid back on pitch in 2nd half while Nigel Bracken may not be far away either. Thought Dillane and Egan were very good at linking play, particularly in first half, while Leavy and Bourke dominated midfield, and Harry Plunkett made a clear statement to Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte as to why he should be considered for the county senior panel.

Tullamore walked through Shamrocks at times, despite Shamrocks high levels of physicality and the difference should have been a lot more than the 14 points at the end. Despite Tullamore not being at full strength, it was men against boys in a football sense as Tullamore gave Shamrocks a lesson in senior football. From what I could see, the Shamrocks middle third and half forward line in particular was totally devoid of ideas as to how to move the ball forward. There was no purpose to half forward line aside from David O Toole who left the pitch early with injury, and some of them looked like they never played together before. It looked all off the cuff, running up blind alleys with the ball. They were stuck in own half on numerous occasions going sideways and backwards and it often took Dunican, Dunne or Bryant coming out to midfield to get anything going forwards. Generally, their half forward movement was really poor and they rarely posed any threat to opposition, passing the ball sideways and backwards with zero purpose or intent to attack or break a line. They looked like an intermediate team out of ideas, allowing Tullamore to set themselves up defensively.

Tullamore's work-rate was a good bit ahead of Shamrocks too and it resulted in lots of turnovers that turned into scores. Shamrocks have a lot of soul searching to do to be considered contenders to reach a semi final - let alone winning the championship. Hopefully Dunican's injury isn't as serious as it looked and he gets back soon as Shamrocks will need him.

Ferbane should have beaten Edenderry and they will be very annoyed they didnt from the position they were in. Couple of big calls from Ref re breaches that impacted result - though they were most likely decisions made by the linesmen in both instances. That said, they could have lost and the Ferbane goalie can be thanked for two brilliant saves at the end. There has been lots of talk about Edenderry too this year as contenders but I am sure they arent as far ahead of Ferbane now as the talk suggested. The Tullamore team they beat in league final was short probably 10 championship starters - so today gives better idea of where they are at. They were poor for long spells of this game but found a way near the end against the breeze when they showed a bit of bottle. That will stand to them. Some of their subs made a difference - Alan Harte in particular I thought and Jordan Hayes was really good throughout.

David Nally needs to be called into county football panel if he is surplus to demands in hurling. He was immense and it is good to see Oisin Kelly back also. The two Cian's at both ends had hard days in those conditions but it'd be great to see them back in a county panel next year. Both teams will be reasonably satisfied with a draw and will likely be through as they are. It was tough conditions for both teams, but both teams will need to tidy up their mistakes if they are to beat Tullamore later in the year.

Ballycommon will need result off Edenderry now which will be hard got, and their win over Durrow will give them sense they are moving in right direction after a tough start. Durrow are into play off now I'd imagine but could very well turn over Clonbullogue, who are likely to be in relegation from other side.

[Offaly Hero]

Ballycommon will need result off Edenderry now which will be hard got, and their win over Durrow will give them sense they are moving in right direction after a tough start. Durrow are into play off now I'd imagine but could very well turn over Clonbullogue, who are likely to be in relegation from other side.

There is no relegation from senior A this year.

[Payperview1]

Ballycommon also out of championship as Edenderry and Ferbane on 5 points, Rhode on 4 points. So even if Durrow, who have nothing to play for, somehow defeat Rhode, Rhode still ahead of Ballycommon on head to head.

[SearingDrive]

Really disappointing effort from Shamrocks after all the hot air talk about them. They looked totally out of their depth and should be better than that with all the county players they have. Today should put an end to all the sh*t talk about them contending to win the Dowling Cup. It wasnt as if they were up against a full strength Tullamore team. From Tullamore, Heffernan, Robilliard Luke Bourke in the backs were all on Intermediate team last year, as was Liam Dillane and at least one of the Fox twins in the forwards. They will be glad to get likes of Declan Hogan and McDaid back on pitch in 2nd half while Nigel Bracken may not be far away either. Thought Dillane and Egan were very good at linking play, particularly in first half, while Leavy and Bourke dominated midfield, and Harry Plunkett made a clear statement to Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte as to why he should be considered for the county senior panel.


Tullamore walked through Shamrocks at times, despite Shamrocks high levels of physicality and the difference should have been a lot more than the 14 points at the end. Despite Tullamore not being at full strength, it was men against boys in a football sense as Tullamore gave Shamrocks a lesson in senior football. From what I could see, the Shamrocks middle third and half forward line in particular was totally devoid of ideas as to how to move the ball forward. There was no purpose to half forward line aside from David O Toole who left the pitch early with injury, and some of them looked like they never played together before. It looked all off the cuff, running up blind alleys with the ball. They were stuck in own half on numerous occasions going sideways and backwards and it often took Dunican, Dunne or Bryant coming out to midfield to get anything going forwards. Generally, their half forward movement was really poor and they rarely posed any threat to opposition, passing the ball sideways and backwards with zero purpose or intent to attack or break a line. They looked like an intermediate team out of ideas, allowing Tullamore to set themselves up defensively.

Tullamore's work-rate was a good bit ahead of Shamrocks too and it resulted in lots of turnovers that turned into scores. Shamrocks have a lot of soul searching to do to be considered contenders to reach a semi final - let alone winning the championship. Hopefully Dunican's injury isn't as serious as it looked and he gets back soon as Shamrocks will need him.

Ferbane should have beaten Edenderry and they will be very annoyed they didnt from the position they were in. Couple of big calls from Ref re breaches that impacted result - though they were most likely decisions made by the linesmen in both instances. That said, they could have lost and the Ferbane goalie can be thanked for two brilliant saves at the end. There has been lots of talk about Edenderry too this year as contenders but I am sure they arent as far ahead of Ferbane now as the talk suggested. The Tullamore team they beat in league final was short probably 10 championship starters - so today gives better idea of where they are at. They were poor for long spells of this game but found a way near the end against the breeze when they showed a bit of bottle. That will stand to them. Some of their subs made a difference - Alan Harte in particular I thought and Jordan Hayes was really good throughout.

David Nally needs to be called into county football panel if he is surplus to demands in hurling. He was immense and it is good to see Oisin Kelly back also. The two Cian's at both ends had hard days in those conditions but it'd be great to see them back in a county panel next year. Both teams will be reasonably satisfied with a draw and will likely be through as they are. It was tough conditions for both teams, but both teams will need to tidy up their mistakes if they are to beat Tullamore later in the year.

Ballycommon will need result off Edenderry now which will be hard got, and their win over Durrow will give them sense they are moving in right direction after a tough start. Durrow are into play off now I'd imagine but could very well turn over Clonbullogue, who are likely to be in relegation from other side.

The two first half goals for Tullamore killed off the game as a contest.

[Anonymous1]

Dreadfully poor performances from 3 of the 4 team's today.

Neither Ferbane nor Edenderry could decide which of them deserved to lose more, and as for Shamrocks... the less said the better.

It's almost impossible to imagine any scenario where Tullamore don't win the title this year (and for the foreseeable future)

Ferbane, Edenderry and Rhode will all be hoping to make it to a final and give them a game but I doubt there are too many in any of those clubs holding out hope of the Dowling Cup returning with them.

[G91]

Ferbane did v endenderry the exact same v rhode and the result only for some excellent keeping was almost the same losing by a goal in added on time

Struggled to win a kick out on the second half didn’t quite break with the same hunger as in the first half

Ferbane got 9/10 points if not more without reply

It looked like panic at the edendderry sideline when they made a few subs early first half but credit it worked

Thought Ferbane needed fresh legs In midfield but Oisin was brought into the forwards where he was little impact

Tullamore looked very strong shamrocks were awful looked completely out of ideas when on the ball Cormac Egan is everywhere on the field almost impossible to keep him quite

Eamon o Connor showing why he got so much hate last year , some of the most obvious decisions and he either gives it against the player being fouled or completely ignores it I don’t care it was said already if players are subjective of criticism so does the referee if he genuinely deserves it ,

A standard is a standard and I’m not saying they have to be spot on with every decision but when you give frees to the player committing the foul and one act is a foul on one occasion but not a free the next time it happens and his abysmal performance in last years co final criticism is duly deserved here.

A draw was probably a fair result in the end both teams had big goal chances both stopped very well

[SearingDrive]

Dreadfully poor performances from 3 of the 4 team's today.

Neither Ferbane nor Edenderry could decide which of them deserved to lose more, and as for Shamrocks... the less said the better.

It's almost impossible to imagine any scenario where Tullamore don't win the title this year (and for the foreseeable future)

Ferbane, Edenderry and Rhode will all be hoping to make it to a final and give them a game but I doubt there are too many in any of those clubs holding out hope of the Dowling Cup returning with them.

Tullamore looked the best of the 4 teams today. Edenderry could have a say in the title race.

[Anonymous1]

Agree G91, the Ferbane sideline was definitely found wanting. It was clear a couple of players were having off days and legs had gone yet they waited until the 50th minute to make their first switch. The same indecision has cost this management in the last two county finals.

As for the refereeing, there was total bemusement in the stands at some of the decisions in the last few minutes.

[Payperview1]

Ferbane edenderry game was very poor standard wise for 2 of the so called better teams in the county, but the standard of refereeing was also shocking. Not an easy job but some of the decisions were baffling.
The number of blatant fouls missed and amount of times you didn't know what way he was going to give the free was terrible.
Never a good sign when both teams felt they were hard done by referee.

[private joker]

Depending on the level of ambition , Tullamore could do anywhere between 5-10 in a row. I assume a leinster is what they have their sights on.

[Behindthegoal]

The last theee years they lost a final and won two by 2 and 1 points it’s a bit early for 10 in a row talk