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It looks like PJ ward isn't goin to get a look in this year. Shaper, if he had the flu on Sunday why would he have been togged out? Definitly something wrong with the management when PJ was one of the first names on the teamsheet last year and has only had one cameo (i think ) appearance this year against Carlow in competitive competition, what's going on there?

Have to say i cant argue with the message from the bare biffo especially when all players who wer available got a run. In reply to DD, casey has left the panel from what i have heard.

DD wrote:

OY13 wrote: We are also after loosing ken casey one of the best prospects in the county because of the way the management treated him against waterford.

Has Casey left the panel?

Someone might enlighten us?

If it's true its not the end of the world for Casey or indeed Offaly. Obviously we want our best thirty players but he is young and this kind of thing could spur him on to become a regular starter.

As it stands we almost have an embarassment of quality corner- forwards;

Niall Mc, Thomas Deehan, James Coughlan and John O' Hara!


If you look at other counties some of their corner forwards are mediocre to say the least...
I'm sure some of the more progressive county managers would only love to pilfer some of our lads



Kildare;
Tadhg Fennin is still getting a run!

Cavan;
Very poor inside men (Seanie Johnston aside)

Limerick;
Their continual stumbling block- Conor Fitzgerald was hardly prolific

Roscommon;
They just do not have a good forward. I know he is now a half-forward but did anyone see Frankie Dolan's free against Westmeath in Kiltoom? Ouch

Donegal;
Devenney is only back and McFadden cries for yesteryear

Fermanagh;
For such a competitive team- nothing of note

Down;
Benny Coulter is a full- forward. After that...

Wicklow;
No firepower= No success Micko

Leitrim;
Maxwell pulls them from the sky and gives it to... Go yourself Declan!

Sligo;
A provincial title A corner forward?

Louth;
Darren Clarke is no fool but further success could have been attained with some proper artillery


Likewise when you take the more successful teams...

Mayo;
Mortimer( Overrated, Over reliant on that left peg, Physically; a victim!)

Cork;
Masters( One- foot, 50-50 balls are a no-no)

Tyrone;
McCullagh is no Canavan- Relative success hinges on Mulligan's return and Harte swallowing pride

Laois;
Michael Tierney( freetaking aside), Parkinson, Donie Brennan

Ken Casey,PJ Ward and Neville Coughlan have all departed the panel of thier own accord, whilst Richie Dalton and Willie Crampton are also gone. I think this leaves a panel of twenty five plus Slatts. I suppose this will reduce the expense bill for travel,boots and gear so the county board will be happy! Though in reality if these guys aren't interested in playing for the county then they would only be a distraction to those who are.

Ouchh! Dont like the sound of this.
Hopefully it will give the rest of the panel a bit of a push on - Dig in and give an extra 10 - 15 % and you never know what will happen come the summer.....while the lads that jumped ship will be at home scratching their heads in wonder.

We're heading for another disaster here. If one, maybe two players pulled out it could be dismissed as nothing of note but 5/6 players (3 of which would be there or therabouts for the starting 15) is an ominous sign.
I've only seen the seniors 3 times this year and they did not impress individually or collectively on either occasion so I cannot understand why we have not experimented more than we have.
People will say that Roe had to focus on getting out of division 4 but if we can't be beating the teams in this division and at the same time using our panel, we're rightly f*cked!
It's an amazingly short sighted outlook and if we have a few injuries between now and the summer we will barely have a team to put out.

Personally i wouldnt be too worried about players dropping themselves. They are doing a lot of hard physical training this year and i think lads are just questioning themselves as to weather they are commited enough to be a county footballer, if lads dont want to commit to offaly football one hundred percent then i think we are better off without them. Talent alone is not good enough the way the game is gone now, its about a certain lifestyle and commitment from what i can see, any thoughts?

OY13 wrote:Personally i wouldnt be too worried about players dropping themselves. They are doing a lot of hard physical training this year and i think lads are just questioning themselves as to weather they are commited enough to be a county footballer, if lads dont want to commit to offaly football one hundred percent then i think we are better off without them. Talent alone is not good enough the way the game is gone now, its about a certain lifestyle and commitment from what i can see, any thoughts?

I'd agree, except that the way you put it that "we are better off without them". This reads as a bit dismissive of the guys involved. I would say fair play to them if they drop out because they choose not to sign up to the "professional" levels of commitment required. That is their decision to make and at I would admire their courage and integrity in walking away from the jersey rather than hang on to it with less than 100% commitment.

I think most of us barstool experts take the commitment involved far too much for granted.

Its about time people started to appreciate the commitment shown by our county footballers and hurlers. We seem quick to slate them for commitment etc. when most of us dont even understand what it takes to wear the jersey. Although not as talented as previous teams i would easily say commitment is as high. As is mentioned in another discussion 2 players failed to show for an 8am start. How do we know they hadnt genuine reasons or they simply slept it out, we're all human.. Id say most of us were probably rolling over and scratching the other one at that time.

"I'd agree, except that the way you put it that "we are better off without them". This reads as a bit dismissive of the guys involved. I would say fair play to them if they drop out because they choose not to sign up to the "professional" levels of commitment required. That is their decision to make and at I would admire their courage and integrity in walking away from the jersey rather than hang on to it with less than 100% commitment.

I think most of us barstool experts take the commitment involved far too much for granted."




I would have to say that i totally agree with your reply, the choice of words may not have been the best on my part. Its good to see however that some people realise that our county teams are training just as hard as other county teams but just do not have the talent at the moment.