Minor Football 2026

[Offalyblueboy]

All things seem quiet on this front folks and haven’t heard much good or bad. Are we expecting to contend this championship considering the success of 2025 or how are we shaping up ? Championship must be close normally kicks off in April. Best of luck to the team and mgt or does anyone know how many of last years time qualify again ?

[Faithfulfollower1]

Not many from what I can gather. Patrick Duffy and Paddy Burns are the only players to get reasonable game time that are still on it but I stand to be corrected.
The lads have
Dublin (A)
Longford (H)
Westmeath (A)

[jimbob17]

They got a bit of beating few weeks ago v Cork in league but at that stage, i'd assume management are only trying lads out and may not have had all available with schools still going? Haven't heard of any results since but there was 6 or 7 lads from last year's panel who should be still knocking around that would be the main players this year I'd assume. There is a reasonably experienced management team in place with few lads who were with them through the development squads at younger age grades so you'd assume that they have the best of what is available.

Down to play Dublin on 24th March in Parnell Park acc to Google which should be a fairly tough challenge and start for them. They should be aiming to beat Longford after that at home and then take that into what could be a knockout game in the final round robin game v Westmeath to make a q final and go from there.

[Barnes]

Bit of a fight in the camp I believe. I would think it's because alot of under 16 players are there so maybe they don't like that. 7 or 8 I heard, anyone hear how under 16 team are doing without these lads? Results don't look good for our minors at the moment

[private joker]

Whose "they" that don't like that. Don't think that's the reason.

[Barnes]

Whose "they" that don't like that. Don't think that's the reason.

Your probably right, but I did hear there was a. Bit of unrest in the camp. It may not be true at all. Results are worrying at the moment

[private joker]

There's always at least 7-10 players brought up from the age below with 3-4 of them might start. There would probably be even more but a few chose hurling for 2026. I do t think there was a whole pile expected from the year?.

[Plain of the Herbs]

Would you ever go away with your - a drunk in a pub told me so it must be true - arseholery? 7 or 8 U16 players in an Offaly Minor squad would be about par for the course.

And how will the U16s get on without them? The same as they do every year. Other players will get called into the squad givingthem a chance to develop, and the U16 players not making the Minor match day 24 will probably play matches with the U16s.

Minor is a development grade - results aren't everything. And there will likely be a background story - perhaps they didn't have the dual players, or schools had call on them, or the Young Scientists was that particular weekend. It's not the bevall and end all. Players develop at different rates. Eoin Dunne has came off the bench for Offaly Seniors this year, he was an Offaly U20 last year, but to my knowledge he didn't make the 2023 Minor panel. But his development has really kicked off since then.

Bit of a fight in the camp I believe. I would think it's because alot of under 16 players are there so maybe they don't like that. 7 or 8 I heard, anyone hear how under 16 team are doing without these lads? Results don't look good for our minors at the moment

[Barnes]

Would you ever go away with your - a drunk in a pub told me so it must be true - arseholery? 7 or 8 U16 players in an Offaly Minor squad would be about par for the course.

And how will the U16s get on without them? The same as they do every year. Other players will get called into the squad givingthem a chance to develop, and the U16 players not making the Minor match day 24 will probably play matches with the U16s.

Minor is a development grade - results aren't everything. And there will likely be a background story - perhaps they didn't have the dual players, or schools had call on them, or the Young Scientists was that particular weekend. It's not the bevall and end all. Players develop at different rates. Eoin Dunne has came off the bench for Offaly Seniors this year, he was an Offaly U20 last year, but to my knowledge he didn't make the 2023 Minor panel. But his development has really kicked off since then.

Bit of a fight in the camp I believe. I would think it's because alot of under 16 players are there so maybe they don't like that. 7 or 8 I heard, anyone hear how under 16 team are doing without these lads? Results don't look good for our minors at the moment

Apologies and you are 100% right development at different times, I believe alot of work going on in development squads and fair play to all involved. I have an opinion off the cuff and I'm wrong on it.a proud day for any young person to play minor for county I wish them the very best of luck come championship.

[Offalyblueboy]

Unless they have massive change shortly, they will have no blues left he has gotten rid of half of them. But keeping the reds it seem.

[jimbob17]

Minors are playing Dublin next week I believe so will be under pressure for that one. Would've assumed Tullamore would have had strong supply of players for this given they won the U16 fairly easily in 2025. Anyone have any idea of who is still there from last years successful Leinster minor winning squad?