A little bit of me would have preferred us to win by two points having been behind by four at half time - deep down I know we can cut loose on a poor team when we get a run on them, the game in Carlow proved that. On the other hand I have no idea if this team can dig deep and grind out a tough win. Having said that it was nice to see the lads hit form again after a middling to poor display up in Casement. Niall Smith having a blinder and Niall McNamee hitting form again was particularly welcome.
I hope to God that we use these remaining games well, and spread it around among the panel now. Every game from here on in should see at least five fringe players being given a good run of at least 50 minutes, with ten established players alongside so that we get some feel for how these guys would operate if they had to slot into a likely championship team.
Wicklow game
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Lone Shark
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Re: Wicklow game
Kevin Egan. Signed out of respect for players and all involved with Offaly.
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the bare biffo
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Re: Wicklow game
Ok, the job is not done yet, even though compacency is the toughest opposition left. There has to be a full team on the field against Waterford if promotion can be guaranteed by winning that game.
Once thats done, I think it's another 10 weeks to a showdown with Longford or Westmeath. Then work can be done on preparing for that game, but not before it. Also to suggest changing a winning team by 33% each game might be a bit excessive. Maintaining that winning momentum should be the top priority in preparing for the championship. I would assume any challenge games between league and championship will be against stiffer opposition than has been faced in the league. In reality we could not afford to make wholesale changes and expext to maintain any momentum. I think if Roe can integrate another 3 players along with what he would consider his starting 15 for championship he will have done well.
Success breeds success, but only with good management.
Once thats done, I think it's another 10 weeks to a showdown with Longford or Westmeath. Then work can be done on preparing for that game, but not before it. Also to suggest changing a winning team by 33% each game might be a bit excessive. Maintaining that winning momentum should be the top priority in preparing for the championship. I would assume any challenge games between league and championship will be against stiffer opposition than has been faced in the league. In reality we could not afford to make wholesale changes and expext to maintain any momentum. I think if Roe can integrate another 3 players along with what he would consider his starting 15 for championship he will have done well.
Success breeds success, but only with good management.
"The ball may pass, but the man, never."
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Bord na Mona man
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Re: Wicklow game
Just thought I'd throw up a quick few lines on the Wicklow match.
First off, it was thankfully a much better performance than the Antrim match.
The good points.
- The Niall and Tommo show looks back on the road. Playing the 1-2s with each other, give and go and all the rest. Giving the Wicklow defence an awful hard time of it.
Niall played some beautiful passes, best of the day was a hand pass, over a crowd of defenders into the channel that Nigel Grennan running into and left him straight through on goal to bury it.
- Niall Smith had a stormer at wing forward. Catching kickouts, covering yards, chasing everything. His goal came from exactly that. A move he started on the wing, he followed all the way and was the player to apply the finish. Twice he was a the last man back to intercept passes when Wicklow were looking for goals.
- Padraig Kelly made 4 great blocking saves. He was off his line like a shot to close the angle down. The goal in my view wasn't his fault as some were suggesting. An unmarked man on the edge of the square fisted home a dipping shot before Kelly could even think about coming out for it.
- McManus had a great raging bull display at midfield. Thomas Walsh and a couple of other bean poles weren't given an inch.
- The freetaking. McManus is back taking the long ones after the ban on him doing so was lifted. He stuck over a '45 and a peach from about 35-40 metres into the wind and on the wrong side of the field. Niall McNamee also had a good day from placed balls. Scoring all but one, in tricky conditions.
The negatives
- Offaly persist with over doing the handpasses out of defence. Playing ourselves into trouble too many times, crossing the goals with passes, running out of space until eventually possession got turned over. The fact that Wicklow had several goal chances tells it own story - though they were looking for goals instead of points for the last 20 minutes.
- Full back. Scott Brady started but didn't look very mobile. He had tape on his legs and I wonder has he recovered from the injury he played through for most of the Antrim match. He was replaced after about 25 minutes by Shane Sullivan who did manage to play a bit tighter. Conor Evans was again benched and not given game time.
- Using subs. Evans as mentioned. Saturday was a perfect day to give John O'Hara or James Coughlan a run to get them in the swing of things. It didn't happen. Coughlan is a the kind of player that with a good run of form going into the summer, can get you scores. He could have sharpened his blade against a beaten Wicklow side.
For a man who a few weeks ago scored 3-3 and then 4 points from play when no one else could, the banishing of John O'Hara is strange. If he didn't play well in a couple of challenges, surely he still had done enough to show he has potential and is worth trying?
First off, it was thankfully a much better performance than the Antrim match.
The good points.
- The Niall and Tommo show looks back on the road. Playing the 1-2s with each other, give and go and all the rest. Giving the Wicklow defence an awful hard time of it.
Niall played some beautiful passes, best of the day was a hand pass, over a crowd of defenders into the channel that Nigel Grennan running into and left him straight through on goal to bury it.
- Niall Smith had a stormer at wing forward. Catching kickouts, covering yards, chasing everything. His goal came from exactly that. A move he started on the wing, he followed all the way and was the player to apply the finish. Twice he was a the last man back to intercept passes when Wicklow were looking for goals.
- Padraig Kelly made 4 great blocking saves. He was off his line like a shot to close the angle down. The goal in my view wasn't his fault as some were suggesting. An unmarked man on the edge of the square fisted home a dipping shot before Kelly could even think about coming out for it.
- McManus had a great raging bull display at midfield. Thomas Walsh and a couple of other bean poles weren't given an inch.
- The freetaking. McManus is back taking the long ones after the ban on him doing so was lifted. He stuck over a '45 and a peach from about 35-40 metres into the wind and on the wrong side of the field. Niall McNamee also had a good day from placed balls. Scoring all but one, in tricky conditions.
The negatives
- Offaly persist with over doing the handpasses out of defence. Playing ourselves into trouble too many times, crossing the goals with passes, running out of space until eventually possession got turned over. The fact that Wicklow had several goal chances tells it own story - though they were looking for goals instead of points for the last 20 minutes.
- Full back. Scott Brady started but didn't look very mobile. He had tape on his legs and I wonder has he recovered from the injury he played through for most of the Antrim match. He was replaced after about 25 minutes by Shane Sullivan who did manage to play a bit tighter. Conor Evans was again benched and not given game time.
- Using subs. Evans as mentioned. Saturday was a perfect day to give John O'Hara or James Coughlan a run to get them in the swing of things. It didn't happen. Coughlan is a the kind of player that with a good run of form going into the summer, can get you scores. He could have sharpened his blade against a beaten Wicklow side.
For a man who a few weeks ago scored 3-3 and then 4 points from play when no one else could, the banishing of John O'Hara is strange. If he didn't play well in a couple of challenges, surely he still had done enough to show he has potential and is worth trying?