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Tmacmahon wrote: ↑Sat Jan 31, 2026 7:42 am Bracknah look set to stay with the same management team, and that’s no bad thing. They’re a seasoned, mature group at this stage and very settled. With very few county players, they play a huge amount of football together, which really shows during the league campaign. The chemistry they build gives them an edge over teams whose players are often pulled in different directions, and they’re always competitive and extremely hard to beat. Over the past few years they’ve run Shamrocks and Edenderry to a few pts. They’re not far away from a big win. Given the depth of their panel, there will be good days and bad days, but one thing is guaranteed: Bracknah will always be competitive. Lke I said i believe Their manager is staying on, and the players are very happy with him, which is another big positive.
Clonbologue, on the other hand, still have no word on their manager. Based on last year and the perception around the club, they may find it difficult to attract someone, but that perception doesn’t tell the full story. They have the best footballer in the county in Keith O’Neill, along with Jack Mcevoy who was having his best year for Offaly ,Add to that a strong group of very talented young footballers coming through, and they are far more appealing than many people realise. They come from a true footballing heartland where the game is lived and breathed. For the right person, this would be a very good year to get involved and it will be interesting to see who they manage to bring in.
Durrow will likely go down a different route. They’ll be looking for someone who is prepared to dance to the tune of Ballinamere hurling club and effectively operate in step with them. It will be a somewhat hand-picked appointment, not in a negative sense , but in recognition that Ballinameres priority is winning the senior hurling championship. The window to win that championship is really small and in truth the distraction of football is something that they know hinders them when trying to reach the Holy Grail, Durrow will want a manager who is willing to play ball and align with that objective, there will be no fractions this year as the new Durrow chairman has been involved with Ballinamere hurling teams in the past and I do think its great by both clubs to work together and stop the nonsense of playing one against the other. The problem is anything other than getting out of the weak group will be deemed not good enough so its a double edged sword.
Looking at the management teams already appointed, Clara will be a very hard nut to crack. They’re coming in with real momentum after winning Senior B and have an outstanding manager in John Rose. Once Clara get up and running, they’re always extremely difficult to beat, so it will be fascinating to see how they fare this year.
Ballycommon have brought in Shane Kelly, Mark Sheerin is with him they have plenty of experience at senior level and knows what it takes to win, having lifted senior football championships as a player himself. This is a group that looks ready to take the next step. They’re similar to Bracknagh in many ways, but probably further down the road in terms of development ,they are very, very close to a breakthrough. With excellent players and strong structures in place, Ballycommon will be targeting a strong 2026.
Rhode could well be dark horses for the championship, taht sound ridiculous considering they are such a successful club and always in with a shout. With nobody currently involved with Offaly, Pascal should be able to get a real tune out of them. It’s one of Offaly’s great footballing areas, and they’ll throw absolutely everything in 2026. There’s a lot going on for them, and Pascal and his management team should be able to unlock that potential.
Shamrocks, now under Nigel Dunne, will also be interesting to watch. He appears to have an excellent football brain and a charisma. They have a really strong team, and Nigel has effectively been the leader within the club for a long time. You’d expect him to make them competitive even in that group. Tough group with the top 4 in with them.
Edenderry have arguably gone all-in by appointing what many would call a dream management team. Just about everyone in Edenderry who has been involved in successful teams over the years is now part of the senior setup. That alone tells you they’re throwing everything at it. From speaking to people in Edenderry, their focus is crystal clear: wiping out the disappointment of last year’s capitulation as quickly as possible. They do tend to carry the weight of expectation they create themselves, but they have a strong playing group and an impressive management team now in place in Peter Brady who when we talk about aura and charisma is top of the pops, an icon of edenderry and Offaly, Greg Farrelley, Adrian Farrell, Colm Cummins, Michael Bryan and Ciarán Breen. That’s a decent ticket.
As for Ferbane, I genuinely think they can win the championship. Georgie Digan could be the missing piece not necessarily better or worse than Raff, but perhaps the right fit at the right time. He is experienced even though he is young, has worked with clubs in roscommon and obviously recently sallins who won and intermediate in kildare and then added the Leinster before falling agonisingly close against an Gaelteacht , he was over the offaly minors and this was always seen as his job at some stage. The time is now and the excitement is palpable,. Colin kenny and paddy moore with him and players coming back , Joe Maher, Ronan Maguire and potentially Leon Fox, Ferbane might finally make it fourth time lucky.
And then there’s Tullamore. Everyone else is playing catchup to them. With Rochford ( what a luxury for them to have as he has done it at the highest level)Mcconway, Lonergan, Niall Smith and the rest, they boast a top-class management team, a top-class playing group. The 2026 championship is shaping up to be a fascinating one.

DurrowBoy17 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 12, 2026 3:45 pm Durrow have moved on from Cake.

I believe an ex-Westmeath player is in for the running of it now

Tmacmahon wrote: ↑Sat Jan 31, 2026 7:42 am Bracknah look set to stay with the same management team, and that’s no bad thing. They’re a seasoned, mature group at this stage and very settled. With very few county players, they play a huge amount of football together, which really shows during the league campaign. The chemistry they build gives them an edge over teams whose players are often pulled in different directions, and they’re always competitive and extremely hard to beat. Over the past few years they’ve run Shamrocks and Edenderry to a few pts. They’re not far away from a big win. Given the depth of their panel, there will be good days and bad days, but one thing is guaranteed: Bracknah will always be competitive. Lke I said i believe Their manager is staying on, and the players are very happy with him, which is another big positive.
Clonbologue, on the other hand, still have no word on their manager. Based on last year and the perception around the club, they may find it difficult to attract someone, but that perception doesn’t tell the full story. They have the best footballer in the county in Keith O’Neill, along with Jack Mcevoy who was having his best year for Offaly ,Add to that a strong group of very talented young footballers coming through, and they are far more appealing than many people realise. They come from a true footballing heartland where the game is lived and breathed. For the right person, this would be a very good year to get involved and it will be interesting to see who they manage to bring in.
Durrow will likely go down a different route. They’ll be looking for someone who is prepared to dance to the tune of Ballinamere hurling club and effectively operate in step with them. It will be a somewhat hand-picked appointment, not in a negative sense , but in recognition that Ballinameres priority is winning the senior hurling championship. The window to win that championship is really small and in truth the distraction of football is something that they know hinders them when trying to reach the Holy Grail, Durrow will want a manager who is willing to play ball and align with that objective, there will be no fractions this year as the new Durrow chairman has been involved with Ballinamere hurling teams in the past and I do think its great by both clubs to work together and stop the nonsense of playing one against the other. The problem is anything other than getting out of the weak group will be deemed not good enough so its a double edged sword.
Looking at the management teams already appointed, Clara will be a very hard nut to crack. They’re coming in with real momentum after winning Senior B and have an outstanding manager in John Rose. Once Clara get up and running, they’re always extremely difficult to beat, so it will be fascinating to see how they fare this year.
Ballycommon have brought in Shane Kelly, Mark Sheerin is with him they have plenty of experience at senior level and knows what it takes to win, having lifted senior football championships as a player himself. This is a group that looks ready to take the next step. They’re similar to Bracknagh in many ways, but probably further down the road in terms of development ,they are very, very close to a breakthrough. With excellent players and strong structures in place, Ballycommon will be targeting a strong 2026.
Rhode could well be dark horses for the championship, taht sound ridiculous considering they are such a successful club and always in with a shout. With nobody currently involved with Offaly, Pascal should be able to get a real tune out of them. It’s one of Offaly’s great footballing areas, and they’ll throw absolutely everything in 2026. There’s a lot going on for them, and Pascal and his management team should be able to unlock that potential.
Shamrocks, now under Nigel Dunne, will also be interesting to watch. He appears to have an excellent football brain and a charisma. They have a really strong team, and Nigel has effectively been the leader within the club for a long time. You’d expect him to make them competitive even in that group. Tough group with the top 4 in with them.
Edenderry have arguably gone all-in by appointing what many would call a dream management team. Just about everyone in Edenderry who has been involved in successful teams over the years is now part of the senior setup. That alone tells you they’re throwing everything at it. From speaking to people in Edenderry, their focus is crystal clear: wiping out the disappointment of last year’s capitulation as quickly as possible. They do tend to carry the weight of expectation they create themselves, but they have a strong playing group and an impressive management team now in place in Peter Brady who when we talk about aura and charisma is top of the pops, an icon of edenderry and Offaly, Greg Farrelley, Adrian Farrell, Colm Cummins, Michael Bryan and Ciarán Breen. That’s a decent ticket.
As for Ferbane, I genuinely think they can win the championship. Georgie Digan could be the missing piece not necessarily better or worse than Raff, but perhaps the right fit at the right time. He is experienced even though he is young, has worked with clubs in roscommon and obviously recently sallins who won and intermediate in kildare and then added the Leinster before falling agonisingly close against an Gaelteacht , he was over the offaly minors and this was always seen as his job at some stage. The time is now and the excitement is palpable,. Colin kenny and paddy moore with him and players coming back , Joe Maher, Ronan Maguire and potentially Leon Fox, Ferbane might finally make it fourth time lucky.
And then there’s Tullamore. Everyone else is playing catchup to them. With Rochford ( what a luxury for them to have as he has done it at the highest level)Mcconway, Lonergan, Niall Smith and the rest, they boast a top-class management team, a top-class playing group. The 2026 championship is shaping up to be a fascinating one.

Thomas mc wrote: ↑Mon Feb 16, 2026 1:23 am

Tmacmahon wrote: ↑Sat Jan 31, 2026 7:42 am Bracknah look set to stay with the same management team, and that’s no bad thing. They’re a seasoned, mature group at this stage and very settled. With very few county players, they play a huge amount of football together, which really shows during the league campaign. The chemistry they build gives them an edge over teams whose players are often pulled in different directions, and they’re always competitive and extremely hard to beat. Over the past few years they’ve run Shamrocks and Edenderry to a few pts. They’re not far away from a big win. Given the depth of their panel, there will be good days and bad days, but one thing is guaranteed: Bracknah will always be competitive. Lke I said i believe Their manager is staying on, and the players are very happy with him, which is another big positive.
Clonbologue, on the other hand, still have no word on their manager. Based on last year and the perception around the club, they may find it difficult to attract someone, but that perception doesn’t tell the full story. They have the best footballer in the county in Keith O’Neill, along with Jack Mcevoy who was having his best year for Offaly ,Add to that a strong group of very talented young footballers coming through, and they are far more appealing than many people realise. They come from a true footballing heartland where the game is lived and breathed. For the right person, this would be a very good year to get involved and it will be interesting to see who they manage to bring in.
Durrow will likely go down a different route. They’ll be looking for someone who is prepared to dance to the tune of Ballinamere hurling club and effectively operate in step with them. It will be a somewhat hand-picked appointment, not in a negative sense , but in recognition that Ballinameres priority is winning the senior hurling championship. The window to win that championship is really small and in truth the distraction of football is something that they know hinders them when trying to reach the Holy Grail, Durrow will want a manager who is willing to play ball and align with that objective, there will be no fractions this year as the new Durrow chairman has been involved with Ballinamere hurling teams in the past and I do think its great by both clubs to work together and stop the nonsense of playing one against the other. The problem is anything other than getting out of the weak group will be deemed not good enough so its a double edged sword.
Looking at the management teams already appointed, Clara will be a very hard nut to crack. They’re coming in with real momentum after winning Senior B and have an outstanding manager in John Rose. Once Clara get up and running, they’re always extremely difficult to beat, so it will be fascinating to see how they fare this year.
Ballycommon have brought in Shane Kelly, Mark Sheerin is with him they have plenty of experience at senior level and knows what it takes to win, having lifted senior football championships as a player himself. This is a group that looks ready to take the next step. They’re similar to Bracknagh in many ways, but probably further down the road in terms of development ,they are very, very close to a breakthrough. With excellent players and strong structures in place, Ballycommon will be targeting a strong 2026.
Rhode could well be dark horses for the championship, taht sound ridiculous considering they are such a successful club and always in with a shout. With nobody currently involved with Offaly, Pascal should be able to get a real tune out of them. It’s one of Offaly’s great footballing areas, and they’ll throw absolutely everything in 2026. There’s a lot going on for them, and Pascal and his management team should be able to unlock that potential.
Shamrocks, now under Nigel Dunne, will also be interesting to watch. He appears to have an excellent football brain and a charisma. They have a really strong team, and Nigel has effectively been the leader within the club for a long time. You’d expect him to make them competitive even in that group. Tough group with the top 4 in with them.
Edenderry have arguably gone all-in by appointing what many would call a dream management team. Just about everyone in Edenderry who has been involved in successful teams over the years is now part of the senior setup. That alone tells you they’re throwing everything at it. From speaking to people in Edenderry, their focus is crystal clear: wiping out the disappointment of last year’s capitulation as quickly as possible. They do tend to carry the weight of expectation they create themselves, but they have a strong playing group and an impressive management team now in place in Peter Brady who when we talk about aura and charisma is top of the pops, an icon of edenderry and Offaly, Greg Farrelley, Adrian Farrell, Colm Cummins, Michael Bryan and Ciarán Breen. That’s a decent ticket.
As for Ferbane, I genuinely think they can win the championship. Georgie Digan could be the missing piece not necessarily better or worse than Raff, but perhaps the right fit at the right time. He is experienced even though he is young, has worked with clubs in roscommon and obviously recently sallins who won and intermediate in kildare and then added the Leinster before falling agonisingly close against an Gaelteacht , he was over the offaly minors and this was always seen as his job at some stage. The time is now and the excitement is palpable,. Colin kenny and paddy moore with him and players coming back , Joe Maher, Ronan Maguire and potentially Leon Fox, Ferbane might finally make it fourth time lucky.
And then there’s Tullamore. Everyone else is playing catchup to them. With Rochford ( what a luxury for them to have as he has done it at the highest level)Mcconway, Lonergan, Niall Smith and the rest, they boast a top-class management team, a top-class playing group. The 2026 championship is shaping up to be a fascinating one.

Interesting take on a lot of things here.. Tullamore will be hard beat and id expect they will be better this year, they were not as good lasr year as they have been and hence ferbane gettin close.. i dont see ferbane improving under Digan, hes been around but as a stand alone manager he's relatively inexperienced and returning players dont always have the desired affect, couple of players who chose to play 2 grades down with their second team. Agree on Rhode i think they will be very close, after a lean patch they have improved at underage again and won junior a and u20 last year.. I dont see clonbullogue, bracknagh ballycommon, Durrow competing and i think clara will jump back up to 5th.. shamrocks are very hard to predict and dunican out for a while. But i think itll be pretty much the same old story with maybe clara reestablishing themselves.

Thomas mc wrote: ↑Mon Feb 16, 2026 1:26 am And whats going on in Durrow and what happened last year is a disgrace.. county board need to step in and stop situations like that happening.. sanctions against ballinamere/Durrow would be a good start. A points deduction for ballinamere would put a stop to it.