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when are the footballers out in the O Byrne cup and where is it on. would like to get a glimpse of some of these new players being called in. great to hear that their is a big clear out. There was a lot of dead wood going no place knocking around that squad for the last few years. hopefully there will be a little bit of impetus now with fellas chomping at the bit to get going. wouldnt be expecting too much in the championship due to a major dearh of experience but if we can get a bit of momentum and some good league performances in a competitive div 3 and maybe a little run in the qualifiers with the 21 s getting a run, its as much as we can hope for really. Happy new year to one and all...

jimbob17 wrote:when are the footballers out in the O Byrne cup and where is it on. would like to get a glimpse of some of these new players being called in. great to hear that their is a big clear out. There was a lot of dead wood going no place knocking around that squad for the last few years. hopefully there will be a little bit of impetus now with fellas chomping at the bit to get going. wouldnt be expecting too much in the championship due to a major dearh of experience but if we can get a bit of momentum and some good league performances in a competitive div 3 and maybe a little run in the qualifiers with the 21 s getting a run, its as much as we can hope for really. Happy new year to one and all...

They're out on Sunday week the 8th, home to Westmeath in Tullamore.

Noticed in the Tribune the current panel and the guys who are no longer part of the squad. Some interesting additions.Good to see Paul Mc Conway,Aidan Keenaghan and Kevin Lynam back.Anyone know anything about this Hanamy chap from Kilmacud? Also good to see young guys like Mick Brazil,John Maloney,David Hanlon and Lorcan Hiney getting a chance.Any views?

Mick Brazil, Lorcan Hiney etc is Offaly going in the right direction. Time to lose the deadwood. Aidan Keenaghan a big boost.

Mick Brazil, Lorcan Hiney etc is Offaly going in the right direction. Time to lose the deadwood. Aidan Keenaghan a big boost.

i see Dan Curram's is on the panel would that mean he has packed his lot in with the footballer's for 2012 or is he doing both codes in 2012
would love to see Sean Ryan going back to the hurlers for 2012 i think his best bet is with the hurlers as he is with the footballers the last
6 years and still not sure of a game with the footballers don't see his name on the squad for the O'Bryne cup maybe he will be back for the NFL.

currams would be a good addittion to the squad and sean ryan would only be a panelist but i like the pace he can inject when introduced.
westmeath next sunday is it? what kind of line up will we have for that condiering college committments and players yet to return???//

Midland Tribune stated that Sean Ryan is concentrating on hurling this year, which is good news for hurlers. He was a little unlucky with footballers over last few years!

Sean Ryan might be able to do a job for the hurlers. Back in 2007 he went straight into the senior team mid-championship. I remember particular against Tipperary in Thurles he put in a very noteworthy performance at midfield - scoring 1-2 from play but bringing a different dimension to the to a team that was short of confidence and inspiration.
He added a running and ball carrying element that Offaly badly lacked and several times ran at the Tipp defence causing them big problems.

If he were to get a chance at midfield, it would be a good test to see if Ollie Baker can impart any of his own expertise on the position. Unfortunately Ryan won't have spent much time polishing his game in recent times, which tempers the odds.

If you take Michael Fennelly as the template for a midfielder, it is a end-to-end high work rate position, rather than one where a fella hovers around the middle waiting for scraps.

http://www.midlandtribune.ie/articles/s ... or-offaly/

Kilmacud Crokes Man Declares For Offaly

Thursday, 29 December 2011

A NEW look and very experimental Offaly senior football squad will compete in the O'Byrne Cup - Offaly are at home to Westmeath on January 8 in the first round.
The 24 man squad was released last week by manager, Gerry Cooney and selectors, Tony Kenny (Edenderry) and James Stewart and features several new faces while a number of established regulars are not part of the set up at the moment.

A surprise newcomer on the panel is Brian Hanamy, a senior footballer with Kilmacud Crokes in Dublin who has declared for Offaly under the parentage rule - His father Ken is a native of Ferbane and he is related to legendary Offaly hurler, Martin Hanamy.
A towering 6 feet five, Hanamy is the second Dublin man to declare for Offaly under the parentage rule - St Slvester's John Coughlan played for Offaly last year, though he is not part of the squad for the O'Byrne Cup.

Brian Hanamy was U-21 this year and his inclusion was a big talking point when the panel was announced just prior to Christmas.
Team management have certainly bitten the bullet with a number of high profile exclusions from the panel - Ciaran McManus and Karol Slattery retired a few weeks ago while Scott Brady has been left off.

Star forward Niall McNamee is not part of the panel for the O'Byrne Cup but manager, Gerry Cooney told the Tribune that he has been in regular contact with the Rhode man and he is hopeful that he will be available for the start of the National Football League.

Walsh Island's Brian Connor, Clara's Thomas Deehan and John Reynolds are other notable omissions as management have gone for a big shake up of resources.
Connor's absence will be a big talking point as he has massive ability but he was released by management prior to Christmas because of an issue over commitment and he will be monitored in the coming months.

Bernard Allen (Tubber), David Egan (St Brigid's), John Maloney (Tullamore), Sean Pender (Edenderry) and Anton Sullivan (Rhode) are on the panel but are unavailable for the O'Byrne Cup because of commitments with college teams in the same competition.

A large number of the squad that played Limerick in the last All-Ireland qualifiers game last year are not back and the following explanations have been provided by Gerry Cooney:
Joe Quinn (Clara) - Quinn is involved with Westmeath senior footballers as a physical trainer under his Clara colleague Pat Flanagan. 'I would have liked to have had him on board but he made a decision to go with Pat Flanagan,' Cooney explained.
Stephen Lonergan (Birr) - The Birr man is working in Cork and management are keeping in contact with him. He could join the panel later.
Karol Slattery (Gracefield)- 'He indicated his day had come. He considered it and I was happy to inclde him but he wanted to end his county career on his own terms,' said Cooney.
Ciaran McManus (Tubber) - Retired, ending a long and very fruitful Offaly career.
Scott Brady (Clara) - 'He was not included. I spoke to all the guys who were on last year's panel and explained the situation to them. Scott is hopeful he will play for Offaly again and he will be monitored,' outlined Cooney.
John Coughlan (St Sylvester's) - Unable to give the commitment and unlikely to feature.
Niall McNamee (Rhode) - Not available for the O'Byrne Cup but in regular contact with management who hope to have him on board for the league.
Declan Murphy (Rhode) - Not on the panel but will be monitored.
Sean Ryan (Birr) - Giving priority to hurling this year. 'I hope to be able to accommodate a couple of dual players if it is manageable,' said Cooney.
Niall Spain (Ballyfore) - Not on the panel but will be monitored.
Padraig Bracken (Raheen) - Not able to give the commitment.
Derek Kelly (Edenderry) - 'He is on the U-21 panel. I am aware of him and he will be monitored,' declared Cooney.
John Reynolds, Thomas Deehan and Brian Connor were gone from the panel by the Limerick game last year and Cooney outlined their situations.
John Reynolds (Clara) - 'He had an injury at the end of the year. I will be in contact with him early in the year and see how he is.'
Thomas Deehan (Clara) - Indicated he is not able to give the commitment.
Brian Connor (Walsh Island) - 'He is a young lad with plenty of ability and is among the guys being monitored.'
On the panel, there is a mixture of familiar faces and new blood. Tullamore's Paul McConway has come back on board after being off the scene for the last couple of years while Edenderry's David Hanlon and Cappincur's Ger Treacy are among the newcomers.
Another significant inclusion is Kilcormac/Killoughey's Daniel Currams who has concentrated on hurling in recent years. Currams was an outstanding underage footballer and encouragingly, is not willing to give football a real go. Ferbane's Aidan Keenaghan is also back after long running problems with injury and hopefully he will stay injury free.

The following is the Offaly Senior Football panel for the forthcoming O'Byrne Cup : Ross Brady (Clara), Michael Brazil (Tullamore), Ken Casey (St Brigid's), Daniel Currams (Kilcormac/Killoughey), Richie Dalton (Edenderry), Fergal Daly (Ballycumber), Brian Darby (Rhode), Niall Darby (Rhode), Nigel Dunne (St Sylvester's), Ian Duffy (Walsh Island), James Gallagher (Walsh Island), Graham Guilfoyle (Clara), Brian Hanamy (Kilmacud Crokes), David Hanlon (Edenderry), Lorcan Hiney (Clara), James Keane (Tullamore), Aidan Keenaghan (Ferbane), Kevin Lynam (Erin Rovers), Kevin Meehan (Clara), Alan Mulhall (Walsh Island), Willie Mulhall (Walsh Island), Paul McConway (Tullamore), Niall Smith (Gracefield) and Ger Treacy (Cappincur).

The following five players are unavailable due to commitments with College teams for the same competition : Bernard Allen (Tubber), David Egan (St Brigid's), John Maloney (Tullamore), Sean Pender (Edenderry) and Anton Sullivan (Rhode).

i thought ruairi allen from gracefield would have deserved a shot with offaly this year, maybe he had a trial i dont know but i thought he played well for gracefield last year, he at least deserves a run in the o byrne cup i would have thought.

Heard Ruari Allen was overseas but not sure if that's true. Certainly on last years form he would be worth his place.

yes i think he is away with the army at the moment has the football to make the team.

Agree, think Allen would be a contender if a round and fit. Any idea on the team for sunday or is it being announced prior to the game, some interesting selections for the squad, relatively young and appear to be rather mobile though they appear to be shy of a few big strong men for me to man the central key positions outside of midfield. will be interesting to see how they perform against a young westies side which i imagine will contain lots of their good u 21 team from last year with only a few experienced seniors minus the Garrycastle lads on display...

Team for Sunday in the paper this morning.Some intertesting selections.Kevin Meehan in goal.Alan Mulhall at full forward? Lorcan Hiney and Paul mc Conway are both useful defenders.Aidan Keenaghan and Nigel Dunne are useful forwards on their day. Looks overall like a young team lacking in a bit of size.As long as they play with determiantion will settle for that.