On refection which game/defeat) was the real beginning of the end of the golden era of Offaly hurling from 1980s to 2000

[Fairplayalways]

the 1998 Leinster Final loss to Kilkenny would be mine, while Offaly bounced back and beat them in the All Ireland, that game Offaly got pulled apart - after the Babs Keating comments we got a bounce and a bit of form and were got over Clare and Kilkenny, but that game just for me was the beginning of the end of that era...

[Offaly Hero]

There are two right answers here.

The proper answer is the all-Ireland final loss to Kilkenny in 2000. Because it was the all-Ireland final and we haven’t been remotely competitive since. What I’d do to get to an All-Ireland now.

The ‘I feel it in my bones answer’ is the all-Ireland semi final loss to a young cork team in 1999. A brilliant game that we just ran out of legs in. I remember leaving Croke park that day just knowing it was all over.

[frankthetank]

2005 Leinster Semi Final vs Kilkenny.

Kilkenny 6-28 Offaly 0-15. A 31 point defeat live on national TV. After being so close to picking up a Leinster Championship the year before.

The day the music died.

[oneshot]

There are two right answers here.

The proper answer is the all-Ireland final loss to Kilkenny in 2000. Because it was the all-Ireland final and we haven’t been remotely competitive since. What I’d do to get to an All-Ireland now.

The ‘I feel it in my bones answer’ is the all-Ireland semi final loss to a young cork team in 1999. A brilliant game that we just ran out of legs in. I remember leaving Croke park that day just knowing it was all over.

we bet that cork team in 2000 only for dickie murphy we would have beaten them in 99 as well. for me was i can't remember was early 2000s we played meath in navan in a qualifier and johnny dooley came on and on one leg the other was bandage up and got us over the line that was the day that was the end of a eara that day for me.

[SearingDrive]

The 1996 Leinster Final loss to Wexford was my choice. Offaly lost to Clare the previous year. There was an All Ireland final win in 1998, followed by the defeat by Kilkenny in the 2000 Final. Offaly never reached the same levels again.

[biffinbanner]

when carey raced through and got that goal early on in the 2000 final was when it ended for me. and looking down at cody spitting into his hands and rubbing them like a lion sensing an injured deer., when carey scored a goal for kilkenny it was worth 2 goals to them mentally. that was it. i got a small bit of the false hope again in 2004 when fitzhenry beat us on his own with some unreal saves. 2005 quenched all hope. sadly its hard see offaly gaa people hear the roar of a full house in croker again. unless its a concert. and i hope im proved wrong.

[ah lethimoutwithit]

Jaysus , a lovely topic at a time when its backs to the wall for the hurlers and footballers!!

[Bord na Mona man]

I don't see a particular defeat that started any decline.
People will remember matches that were lagging indicators - the decline was already in the pipeline, the match confirmed it.

There were some leading indicators too - the canary in the coalmine moments. For me it was the 1995 Leinster minor hurling final. Offaly, routed by a Kilkenny team that were subsequently routed by Cork. Confirmation that Offaly's replacement chain was well off the levels of the previous decade.

The 1995 senior All Ireland final had its own significance for the direction of hurling. On ability Offaly should have won pulling up, but now teams were overturning their hurling ability deficits with power and fitness.

Wexford 1996 confirmed this for slow learners. A county that Offaly had always shooed away before this, powered to a win, while Offaly flagged badly in the closing stages.
Johnny Dooley's last gasp winner against Wexford in 1998 gave that Offaly generation an Indian summer - the three 98-00 campaigns flowed from that goal.
Without that goal, the team would have broken up early having come up short against Klare and then Wexford 3 years in a row.

[SearingDrive]

I don't see a particular defeat that started any decline.
People will remember matches that were lagging indicators - the decline was already in the pipeline, the match confirmed it.

There were some leading indicators too - the canary in the coalmine moments. For me it was the 1995 Leinster minor hurling final. Offaly, routed by a Kilkenny team that were subsequently routed by Cork. Confirmation that Offaly's replacement chain was well off the levels of the previous decade.

The 1995 senior All Ireland final had its own significance for the direction of hurling. On ability Offaly should have won pulling up, but now teams were overturning their hurling ability deficits with power and fitness.

Wexford 1996 confirmed this for slow learners. A county that Offaly had always shooed away before this, powered to a win, while Offaly flagged badly in the closing stages.
Johnny Dooley's last gasp winner against Wexford in 1998 gave that Offaly generation an Indian summer - the three 98-00 campaigns flowed from that goal.
Without that goal, the team would have broken up early having come up short against Klare and then Wexford 3 years in a row.

Offaly teams even at their peak, had much the same 15 players line out in every game. The lack of depth in a panel from a small county would have an effect, compared to counties with greater playing resources.
There are a lot of valid reasons posted re the decline in Offaly hurling.
Will we ever reach those heights again?

[biffinbanner]

maybe. the 77/78/79 under 21 teams were the start of,and the seeds of something. but hurling countys are so organised now its hard to see it being repeated. but we live in hope. the 95 leinster final was probably the best ever offaly hurling performance. it was unreal. memorys.

[G91]

Bit of kick in the face to Offaly gaa to start deciding what was there faith as if we are now gone

For the size of the county and split trying to compete at both codes it's never as simple as we aren't up to it

I don't believe there was a date wn turn the game changed players retired time moved on that's what the downturn was

There was no specific time that caused anything, scraped by cork in 2000 with an aging team , that kk team probably could have been taken that day but what Brian cody went on to do you can't complain

04 was a disaster we got the luck of the draw but where Fitz has a good game , Mullins was brutal and Offalys back line was very poor I could be wrong but that's my memory of that terrible day

Many a bad day many a good day move on

[first_touch]

Hopefully at some time in the near future there will be a thread entitled "Which game/victory was the real beginning of the second golden age of Offaly hurling"!

[Superhans75]

Simple 95 all Ireland the one we should have won simple
We failed to build after the rest is history.

[Fairplayalways]

Hopefully at some time in the near future there will be a thread entitled "Which game/victory was the real beginning of the second golden age of Offaly hurling"!

its only a discussion, all about former teams and era's..its hardly going to be read post by post by current players like..no problem "celebrating" hall of fames etc...we must be nearly spun out now on that ticket..you don't have to contribute like, its a fair enough like..

[Fairplayalways]

Jaysus , a lovely topic at a time when its backs to the wall for the hurlers and footballers!!

its a fair topic about former teams and Era etc..as I said elsewhere this hall of fame thing now we must be near end of former greats to induct..if topic not liked, fair enough, scroll on...its not going to define our future like..no different or worse than some questioning how this or that player is making county panels let alone starting 15...thats ok is it even though its current and players are younger...just a general obs..not saying you personally have knocked current players, however some have which isnt on in my book,..no different or worse than some questioning how this or that player is making county panels let alone starting 15...thats ok is it even though its current and players are younger...just a general obs..not saying you personally have knocked current players, however some have which isnt on in my book,..