Offaly Senior Football 2026

[Cheddar]

With the 2025 thread now starting to chat about the upcoming year, and new panel, challenge matches etc., probably time to begin afresh.

Biggest thing this year will be survival at D2, and the most interesting thing in the off season has to be what kind of panel we have come Louth in January.

From last year, Ru Mac and Nigel Retired.
Cian Farrell isn’t involved for 2026.
Bourke is off to Oz.
Dylan Hyland, Tierney, Furlong, Dunican and Flynn injured, possibly more.

We’ve seen a good few new faces in the recent challenge match with Mayo. Johnson, Harry Plunkett, Conor Dunican, Darragh Flynn, Harry Goulding and Kaelum Bryan from Edenderry. Eoin Dunne, Ciaran Murphy from Dublin. Nathan Poland has been brought back, as has Dan Molloy. A few more for sure.

A rough guess of the Louth team is;

1. Chip O’Toole
2. Lee Pearson
3. David Dempsey
4. Daire McDaid
5. Shane O’Toole Green
6. Marcas Dalton
7. Cormac Egan
8. Jack McEvoy
9. Jordan Hayes
10. Ciarán Murphy
11. Diarmuid Egan
12. Keith O’Neill
13. Jack Bryant
14. Cian Johnson
15. Harry Plunkett

Definitely will need our injured players to return. The last time out in D2, a win versus Down and a draw vs Meath saw us fall just short of survival.

The last few years, even 2-3 wins have seen teams relegated so we really need to set our sights on Louth, Kildare, Cavan, Cork, and Meath. I see Tyrone being All Ireland contenders let alone winning D2, and I can’t see Derry being anyway as bad as the last 2 years.

4 home games, and the games you’d expect to lose (Derry and Tyrone) are away so I wouldn’t even expect anything there. We’ve been well matched with Kildare and were a few meters away from a 3rd win from 3 last year. We should’ve beaten Meath. I don’t see a lot in Cork or Cavan. Louth are good but we have them at a nice time and it’s new management so I wouldn’t write us off. A messy enough Offaly team brought them to extra time only 2 years ago.

Glass half full as always.

Up the Faithful.

[Doon Exile]

What’s Ciaran Murphy like? Hadn’t heard of him until yesterday??

[Snotser123]

Was d Egan injured yesterday or just not available to play ?

[Snotser123]

Also is Kieran Dolan involved this year ?

[DurrowBoy17]

With the 2025 thread now starting to chat about the upcoming year, and new panel, challenge matches etc., probably time to begin afresh.

Biggest thing this year will be survival at D2, and the most interesting thing in the off season has to be what kind of panel we have come Louth in January.

From last year, Ru Mac and Nigel Retired.
Cian Farrell isn’t involved for 2026.
Bourke is off to Oz.
Dylan Hyland, Tierney, Furlong, Dunican and Flynn injured, possibly more.

We’ve seen a good few new faces in the recent challenge match with Mayo. Johnson, Harry Plunkett, Conor Dunican, Darragh Flynn, Harry Goulding and Kaelum Bryan from Edenderry. Eoin Dunne, Ciaran Murphy from Dublin. Nathan Poland has been brought back, as has Dan Molloy. A few more for sure.

A rough guess of the Louth team is;

1. Chip O’Toole
2. Lee Pearson
3. David Dempsey
4. Daire McDaid
5. Shane O’Toole Green
6. Marcas Dalton
7. Cormac Egan
8. Jack McEvoy
9. Jordan Hayes
10. Ciarán Murphy
11. Diarmuid Egan
12. Keith O’Neill
13. Jack Bryant
14. Cian Johnson
15. Harry Plunkett

Definitely will need our injured players to return. The last time out in D2, a win versus Down and a draw vs Meath saw us fall just short of survival.

The last few years, even 2-3 wins have seen teams relegated so we really need to set our sights on Louth, Kildare, Cavan, Cork, and Meath. I see Tyrone being All Ireland contenders let alone winning D2, and I can’t see Derry being anyway as bad as the last 2 years.

4 home games, and the games you’d expect to lose (Derry and Tyrone) are away so I wouldn’t even expect anything there. We’ve been well matched with Kildare and were a few meters away from a 3rd win from 3 last year. We should’ve beaten Meath. I don’t see a lot in Cork or Cavan. Louth are good but we have them at a nice time and it’s new management so I wouldn’t write us off. A messy enough Offaly team brought them to extra time only 2 years ago.

Glass half full as always.

Up the Faithful.

I believe Cian Johnson has a broken finger and will be out for 6 weeks.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Also is Kieran Dolan involved this year ?

Not as far as I know, and would be surprised if he is

[Cheddar]

Team for Carlow

[SearingDrive]

Team for Carlow

Experimental team, giving players a chance in the OBC. What other teams are in our group?

[Faithful Future]

A win is a win, that being said results don't matter this time of year.

Hard to read anything into it - it's fair to say the heavy ground doesn't suit this team at all.

Was disappointed with O'Toole in goals, kickouts werent great and didn't really bother to get down to stop any of the goals - seemed more interested to take out the man.

We will be eaten alive in division 2 if we don't have some sort of kickout strategy.

Cormac Egan and Aaron Leavy showed well when introduced.

Great to have the season back

[Superhans75]

We played well
Defence wise question?
But the ridiculous case of jersey clashing in. The low sun was a bit of a joke
Onwards and upwards
Come on Offaly
Thanks for eire Og hosting the game well
Also the bar was great

[biffinbanner]

good win again tonight against meath. moving well with purpose.

[del]

Played some good stuff in the first half. Jordan Hayes in particular was outstanding but don’t read too much into the result there was maybe 3/4 first teamers from the Meath squad playing tonight they were very poor and I doubt we will see many from that Meath team playing against Offaly in the league but look Offaly get another match before the league in a couple of weeks.

[Superhans75]

Westmeath venue on Saturday
Good run out hopefully get one over our pesky neighbours..

[Cheddar]

Solid performance. Yes Meath were missing a good few, but so are we with 3/4 starters missing. Hyland, Furlong, Tierney, Flynn, Johnson and Higgins injured.

Also a few playing Sigerson like Harry Plunkett, Darragh Flynn, Cathal Ryan.

I said it last year but Jordan Hayes is becoming a serious leader in the team. Can play him anywhere and he’ll do a job.

Cormac Egan also showing incredible maturity and ability. Rolls Royce of a footballer and is living up to his U20 hype.

Westmeath next. Hopefully in Cusack Park and not a 3G pitch in Loman’s.

Result isn’t the main thing but ticking over nicely and no new injuries we hope.

[oneshot]

Ciaran Murphy stood out again good addition kicked a nice few points tonight. Keith o.Neill played well also