Offaly Senior Hurlers 2025

[faithfulfanatic]

Between now and 2030 Offaly will win the All Ireland Hurling Championship.

Only once???

[private joker]

Between now and 2030 Offaly will win the All Ireland Hurling Championship.

Is that a serious statement or just having the craic?

[Glendassaun]

There are moments in every teams journey that are looked upon in hindsight as turning points, and that win for Offaly last night could well prove to be one such turning point. For what is a very young side to travel to Croke Park and beat a seasoned Dublin team who have competed in Leinster Finals and Liam McCarthy hurling for innumerable seasons.

To show the character we did coming down the stretch, getting our noses in front, to how we responded to what looked like a sucker punch goal, and to go on and win it at the death is VERY pleasing. We have undoubtedly made progress this league, and with two games left we've put ourselves in a commanding position to gain promotion to 1A.

Given our success in Leinster at minor and U20 level, we have developed a pool of highly skilled, highly motivated young hurlers who have no fear. The confidence they carry, combined with some of the more experienced heads, who themselves are still developing and entering their prime, puts us in a great position going forward.

People talk about whether or not we can manage to bring through the core of the U20 side, well last night 10 players who won the Leinster U20 in 2023 saw game time, and we know that we're missing a couple of other U20's who are nursing injuries at the moment, with a further 4 U20's not seeing time yesterday, meaning, we're effectively bringing through a whole team.

Our progress to senior level could be compared to that of the Wexford U21's who won 3 Leinster titles at that grade, eventually winning a Leinster Senior championship and reaching an AI Semi Final, where they should have beaten Tipp. But, crucially, our crop have won an All Ireland, and very often its that winning mentality that allows teams to get over the line.

In summary, we have a golden generation of talent emerging onto the scene in Offaly. That core mixed with a healthy sprinkling of players between the ages of 23-27, combined with a couple of highly talented 16-18 year olds, will provide the platform for Offaly to compete and I believe win at senior level within the coming years.

How soon will that be the case? If asked at the start of the year, you'd have said 2030. More recently, on closer, our progress is still ahead of schedule, and as such, would a Leinster Final in 2026 surprise me? Probably not. Our aim remains the same. Get promotion to 1A, retain Leinster status this season, and have a crack at retaining our U20 titles.

Anything else would have us in dreamland.

[G91]

A fantastic win …..but it’s a win leave it at that for now

when we last beat the croke park Dublin started a weakened team ,

We did play fantastic that night Oisin’s was on fire as well as his 2 other club mates Damien Egan’s and Colin who scored a almighty long range from play

It was easy to get carried away but that time we had nothing but a senior team not many options from the bench nothing coming trough either


Compared to now seasoned/ish senior players youth coming through adds more value to the win


Kiely is an excellent player but really need’s anger management in the jie mcdonagh last year I thought he’s was the MOM lads find it easy to forget when there’s someone else’s playing his position

To come back and kinda admit you were wrong is a big statement every time he puts on the jersey he will leave everything on the pitch sometimes a little too early

March on game by game give Westmeath a beating they won’t forget hopefully. I won’t forget when they beat us in the Joe mcdonagh in mullingar before we got relegated , supporters weren’t gracious in winning

[private joker]

Think this is a real statement win. Progress has been on a steady up ward curve. Mgt really have to take credit along side the players. Makes for a very interesting championship as there will be real bite when the two teams meet again. Not sure if promotion is a poison chalice or not. The difference in speed of hurling is frightening between the two divisions.

[biffinbanner]

you couldnt beat westmeath half enough. remember the sunday evenings(mostly very slowly) in the 80s and 90s coming home from dublin specially if offaly were beaten. they were not averse to putting wexford or kilkenny flags out...

[Plain of the Herbs]

Offaly have now beaten Dublin five times in four years: 2022 Minor, 2023 U20, 2024 U20 (group), 2024 U20 (final) and 2025 NHL.

I believe James Mahon has played every minute of all five, while Ter Guinan coming on yesterday meant he has played in all five. Dan Bourke, Cathal King and Colin Spain have played in four. And possibly Dan Ravenhill and Dónal Shirley, depending on availability due to injuries.

[oneshot]

Great win roll on westmeath now i never had any fear of Dublin when offaly are hurling well and have a good side. i think we can roll on now and beat westmeath and waterford . on Dublin it must be hard for there hurlers to see empty seats all around before throw in i also couldn't belive the number of dubs coming into the hoganstand just at the end it show's the interest they have in hurling. will bate them in parnell park to .

[SearingDrive]

Great win roll on westmeath now i never had any fear of Dublin when offaly are hurling well and have a good side. i think we can roll on now and beat westmeath and waterford . on Dublin it must be hard for there hurlers to see empty seats all around before throw in i also couldn't belive the number of dubs coming into the hoganstand just at the end it show's the interest they have in hurling. will bate them in parnell park to .

Dubs only interested in football, the hurling followers are a small dedicated group.

[oneshot]

thats what iam saying they put in as much effort and training as the footballer's but little support. i suppose offaly are not much better very few in o'connor park any sunday they are hurling .

[private joker]

One or two people might be getting a little carried away. Offaly will do very well to beat Waterford as they showed today in hammering antrim in Belfast which is a tricky venue. Waterford are getting their squad back now as are wexford who bet clare in clare. Dublin in parnell will show exactly where this team is. Antrim seem to have fallen apart since Davy took over.

[Doon Exile]

One or two people might be getting a little carried away. Offaly will do very well to beat Waterford as they showed today in hammering antrim in Belfast which is a tricky venue. Waterford are getting their squad back now as are wexford who bet clare in clare. Dublin in parnell will show exactly where this team is. Antrim seem to have fallen apart since Davy took over.

100% agree.

[Bord na Mona man]

Yes, let's calm down here. Dublin would be rightfully favourites to beat Offaly in Parnell for lots of reasons.

Like...
- Offaly no longer have an element of surprise. At no point in the build up, or for the first hour of Saturday's match would Dublin have contemplated losing to Offaly.
- Dublin's style of hurling, working the ball through the lines, suits a tight pitch better.
- In contrast, Offaly prefer more space to avoid contact.
- Dublin would have proper home support there.
- Their new manager will have settled in and be more familiar with his squad.

Now is not the time to be signing up to reservoirdubs.com to start taunting the locals over a league game...but unfortunately not everyone got that memo.

[Wing Back]

Yes, let's calm down here. Dublin would be rightfully favourites to beat Offaly in Parnell for lots of reasons.

Like...
- Offaly no longer have an element of surprise. At no point in the build up, or for the first hour of Saturday's match would Dublin have contemplated losing to Offaly.
- Dublin's style of hurling, working the ball through the lines, suits a tight pitch better.
- In contrast, Offaly prefer more space to avoid contact.
- Dublin would have proper home support there.
- Their new manager will have settled in and be more familiar with his squad.

Now is not the time to be signing up to reservoirdubs.com to start taunting the locals over a league game...but unfortunately not everyone got that memo.

Agree with all of this. We should just focus on ourselves, leave other counties to their own devices. Even though we got our noses in front at the death, Dublin held us at bay for large parts of the match, so plenty we can work on.

Just out of curiosity what results are needed now for promotion? If we beat Westmeath and lose to waterford, we need Dublin to beat Carlow. This leaves us and carlow level. With result between waterfotd and Dublin deciding who tops league table. Are we expecting to blitz carlow on the score difference or what? As that is not a given either. Maybe someone can shed some light on it.

I do understand the simple approach is to beat the deise, but that is easier said than done, and carlow have already put them on red alert. So I'm thinking my 1st scenario is more likely at this point.

[private joker]

For how long were Dublin down to 14 men?