Offaly Senior Football 2026

[Wingbackassassin]

On todays game, it looked bad. Very bad in fact given Westmeath appeared to have lot of youth in their team. It was as poor as I have seen in long time too but some context is needed too. It is O'Byrne Cup and we were down a lot of bodies.

Depth is certainly one thing we dont have when without so many through injury. There were likely a few playing Sigerson too that were left out for different reasons. I would be concerned about injury list and it looks to be extending by the week. I just wonder what we are doing to avoid all these overuse injuries. We just cannot afford them and lets be honest, overuse injuries are preventable. Looks like we possibly picked up couple more today in Ed Cullen and possibly one or two more, I dont know and hope the subs were not made due to injuries.

What is wrong with Shane O Toole, Geordi O Meara, Chris McKeown, O Donoghue, Oisin Keenan Martin or Gallagher Tynan and Finneran from Ballinagar? Are they injured or on panel? Take it Bill Carroll is not considered an option. With our depth pool cut massively with injuries, now we see the impact of not having likes of Ru Mac, Cian Farrell, Anton, Kellaghan and even Panda in there, all of whom I believe still have something to offer over and above others. Don't want to open up old wounds but the fact was clearly shown today that we cannot afford not to have our best 30 players available to us if aiming to compete in Div 2. Are the Shamrocks lads O'Rourke or Bates still U20 or are they involved? Where are the guys who were on this development squad over last 2 years?

Donoghue, OKM, Tynan, Finneran not on panel as far as I know for various reasons. Bill Carroll not on it either despite being arguably top 3 best players in the county.
Don't know much about O'Rourke but he got cleaned out by everyone he marked at county under 20 last year so can't see what he'd add to the senior county panel.
Dara Bates only played 10 mins in last years senior club championship so obviously isn't on county panel. Hes still u20.
Cathal Donoghue is the most obvious omission. He was man of the match in an u20 all ireland final, game which featured Ben O'Carroll and Daire Cregg, two of arguably the best forwards in the country at the moment and yet Donoghue no longer on Offaly panel at all.

[Behindthegoal]

Some outrageous shouts here.. Bill Carroll top 3 players in Offaly? O’Carroll and Cregg best in country? Can I have what you are smoking please

[Lone Shark]

I mean, there are plenty of Offaly players you could argue were given a raw deal or else left out for personality reasons, but Cathal Donoghue is not one of them - it's a long time since 2021 now and he's had lots of time in the Offaly panel, he didn't make an impression with UG in the Sigerson in his last few years there, and he's not pulling up any trees for Oughterard now either. It's a pity, but that decision to leave him out is not a controversial call in the slightest.

[Snotser123]

Bill Carroll top 3 players invite county come off the cross will ya lord jaysus ...

[Wingbackassassin]

Some outrageous shouts here.. Bill Carroll top 3 players in Offaly? O’Carroll and Cregg best in country? Can I have what you are smoking please

Ben O'Carroll is 100% one of the best forwards in the country. Has just led St Brigids to all ireland club final. Daire Cregg not far behind.
Bill Carroll at club level is streets ahead of everyone including when he's playing against other county players.

[Wingbackassassin]

I mean, there are plenty of Offaly players you could argue were given a raw deal or else left out for personality reasons, but Cathal Donoghue is not one of them - it's a long time since 2021 now and he's had lots of time in the Offaly panel, he didn't make an impression with UG in the Sigerson in his last few years there, and he's not pulling up any trees for Oughterard now either. It's a pity, but that decision to leave him out is not a controversial call in the slightest.

I believe he left of his own accord. As many players have come to the same conclusion- theres no point training every night of the week for eight months for limited game time.
He won the sigerson and started in 2022. He was also good in the league games he played under Maughan. Recall him playing midfield against Cork in OCP in that one point loss in the league. Looked at home at that level.
What I'm saying is that it's terrible mismanagement of a player of such talent to not even be on the county panel. They should have thrown him in the starting team at every opprtunity to get him up to speed. They did that with Jack Bryant who was not playing well for first 2 years of being on the senior panel.

[DurrowBoy17]

Some outrageous shouts here.. Bill Carroll top 3 players in Offaly? O’Carroll and Cregg best in country? Can I have what you are smoking please

Ben O'Carroll is 100% one of the best forwards in the country. Has just led St Brigids to all ireland club final. Daire Cregg not far behind.
Bill Carroll at club level is streets ahead of everyone including when he's playing against other county players.

You obviously don't watch a whole pile of Football.

Ben O'Carroll is a good forward, but by no means led St.Brigids to an All Ireland. He was taken off the last day because he was going so poorly and hasn't even been St. Brigids best player let alone the country. Conor Hand, Bobby Nugent etc. have all been better.

As for Cathal O'Donoghue. Like Kevin said, has been given numerous opportunities and not at that level. He was Man of the match in an u20 level, but 1.) That is u20. Completely differnet to senior. 2.) Anyone can have their day. We all know someone that was probably unreal in one game or an other and wasn't in many others.


I agree Bill Carroll should be in with Offaly. Not top 3 in Offaly, but I'd say definitely would be in the best 15 atm. But he won't go in. Doesn't like Kelly at all and vice versa. That row has gone on since back when Kelly was Cappincur manager.
So not an option.

[Wingbackassassin]

Some outrageous shouts here.. Bill Carroll top 3 players in Offaly? O’Carroll and Cregg best in country? Can I have what you are smoking please

Ben O'Carroll is 100% one of the best forwards in the country. Has just led St Brigids to all ireland club final. Daire Cregg not far behind.
Bill Carroll at club level is streets ahead of everyone including when he's playing against other county players.

You obviously don't watch a whole pile of Football.

Ben O'Carroll is a good forward, but by no means led St.Brigids to an All Ireland. He was taken off the last day because he was going so poorly and hasn't even been St. Brigids best player let alone the country. Conor Hand, Bobby Nugent etc. have all been better.

As for Cathal O'Donoghue. Like Kevin said, has been given numerous opportunities and not at that level. He was Man of the match in an u20 level, but 1.) That is u20. Completely differnet to senior. 2.) Anyone can have their day. We all know someone that was probably unreal in one game or an other and wasn't in many others.


I agree Bill Carroll should be in with Offaly. Not top 3 in Offaly, but I'd say definitely would be in the best 15 atm. But he won't go in. Doesn't like Kelly at all and vice versa. That row has gone on since back when Kelly was Cappincur manager.
So not an option.

Ben O'Carroll has consistently been Roscommons best player the past few seasons never mind St Brigids but that's beside the topic. Just making a comparison of someone the same age and who was at a similar level ability wise in 2021 who immediately broke through to Roscommon senior team and became an integral player so much so that he has gained national recognition for his ability.
The fact Cathal Donoghue hasn't got up to county standard is a massive failure by the management. He was the best player on that 20s team by some distance, ahead of the likes of Cathal Flynn, Keith O'Neil, Jack Bryant, John Furlong and anyone who's actually been around it and not just watched the championship matches would know that. The ability he showed would make one think it was a foregone conclusion that he would play senior inter county. Club situation and KKs inability to take football seriously at adult level doesn't help.
Also Bill Carroll is clearly among the best players in the county and shows it every game at club level but fair enough if he and the manager don't get along.

[DurrowBoy17]

Nonsense on O'Donoghue. He's probably a grand young man so don't want to bash him. But no comparison to players you've mentioned there.

Did well underage, never looked a senior intercounty player ever.

[Snotser123]

I must have dreamt the game after game I watched bill Carroll play where he was beyond poor so....as for donoghue not every lad who does well at underage makes the grade ask Galway hurling about that...he also has been brought rightly along by current management so they can't take blame for not helping him ...he never made his sigerson team, not once for god sake...Morgan tynan another one who looked like the next Bryan fenton going off of that 20s year but look sometimes lads just don't kick on..it happens in every sport...but id question your ability to read things anyways when your shoving bill Carroll as some sort of paidi Clifford to us ....

[Wingbackassassin]

I must have dreamt the game after game I watched bill Carroll play where he was beyond poor so....as for donoghue not every lad who does well at underage makes the grade ask Galway hurling about that...he also has been brought rightly along by current management so they can't take blame for not helping him ...he never made his sigerson team, not once for god sake...Morgan tynan another one who looked like the next Bryan fenton going off of that 20s year but look sometimes lads just don't kick on..it happens in every sport...but id question your ability to read things anyways when your shoving bill Carroll as some sort of paidi Clifford to us ....

Didn't once make his Sigerson team? Must've been a different Cathal Donoghue that started every game for NUIG including the final that they won in 2022. Anyone that starts on a sigerson winning team is definitely intercounty standard.

[Wingbackassassin]

Nonsense on O'Donoghue. He's probably a grand young man so don't want to bash him. But no comparison to players you've mentioned there.

Did well underage, never looked a senior intercounty player ever.

Point I'm making was that he was better than all of them at underage level. Obviously no comparison at senior.

[Snotser123]

Better than all of them is a dramatic statement ....wasn't Cormac Egan and Bryant and a few more dramatically standing out before the final in the cork and Dublin games

[Snotser123]

On donoghue he was brought into the panel ...lads it's not rockets science if he was good enough he'd be playing ...its not like harte or Kelly aren't trying to do their best for their own egos and pick the best players to win them games....when u look at the 15 stat started most games towards the end of the league last year and in the league final last year no one was disagreeing ....we have such a small pick and losing , Hyland , Tierney , Flynn , higgins, furlong and dunican from starting 15 was always going to be absolutely devastating....its embarrassing to start calling out Kelly and harte now

[Tmacmahon]

While I was initially frustrated by the result in the O’Byrne Cup against Westmeath, it’s important to put that game into perspective. The O’Byrne Cup is, by design, a preparatory competition, a chance for management to experiment with Teams, tactics, and player combinations. It doesn’t define the league campaign. Declan Kelly, now in his third year, and Mickey Hart, in his second, have consistently emphasized that the league is the real focus — an “all in, all out” approach. The league will be difficult, no doubt, but if the team can take points, particularly the need to be securing at least three points from the opening games against Louth and Kildare, it puts us in a difficult position. Loosing dropping both matches would undoubtedly put pressure on the squad and the management, and that reality needs to be acknowledged.
Beyond immediate results, however, a more strategic question looms over Offaly football: succession planning. Declan Kelly and Mickey Hart won’t be managers forever ,potentially not in 2027, and almost certainly not in 2028. That raises crucial questions: who is next in line for the Offaly senior management job? Do we look internally, promoting someone familiar with the squad and club culture, or externally, seeking fresh ideas and a new approach? Are there internal candidates with the necessary experience, vision, and credibility to step up? Probably Not!!!!
The trend in both Offaly senior football and hurling has been to build strong backroom teams — not always necessarily large in numbers ( hurling), but significant in reputation ( football), experience, and influence. Is that the model we intend to continue for football? If so, identifying and the next senior management team, and ensuring continuity while fostering development, becomes essential. Succession planning is not just about picking a name; it’s about creating a structure that maintains standards, enhances coaching, and develops players effectively.
In summary, while it’s easy to react emotionally to a single game, the O’Byrne Cup should be seen as part of the broader strategic picture. Our focus must remain on taking points early in the league, supporting the current management, and simultaneously planning for the future to ensure Offaly football remains competitive and sustainable beyond the current leadership.