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jimbob17 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 20, 2026 12:10 am

Wingbackassassin wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 9:04 pm

jimbob17 wrote: ↑Thu Feb 19, 2026 8:30 pm Are you seriously suggesting Sawyer, Molloy and Murphy are better inside forwards than Kellaghan? Sawyer was an unused sub for U20s (maybe not even on 26) when Aaron Kellaghan was starting. He was better then. He is still better now. Molloy was never an inside man and still isn't. Murphy is not an inside man, With more running fitness, I do think he could be a panel player at 10 or 12 but he needs a hell of a lot of fitness and mobility work. Only reason he is straight in is all the other options left the panel.

And Ruairi Egan as a 12? Come on. That's just patchwork because you know you have nobody else for forwards. But he is a damn good option at wing or corner back so this is not a design on knocking the chap, just to be clear.

Fully agree re Mike Fox. Plunkett probably not asked in even though he deserves consideration. He has been mainstay starter for Tullamore in forwards for last 2-3 years. They won 3 in a row. They have enough with one of them is likely the opinion and they'll stick to their guns and LP will be sitting in stands watching lesser players play for the county.

Bill Carroll was on Sigerson team of year a few years ago but the current management deem him not worthy of a trial? It is truly bizarre, particularly given the shortness of the squad. In saying that, Mickey Harte wouldn't know who he is.......

The more I think about it, the more laughable it all becomes.

Sawyer is from Dublin and wasn't in the Offaly system whatsoever until his last year under 20 so therefore was a non playing member of that under 20 all ireland panel. Kelleghan was on it but was subbed in every game and also it was a condensed season where a lot of those players haven't gone on to play senior. Also he'd been in the system from minor etc which matters particularly at underage. Ciaran Murphy played on that excellent Dublin 20s team that lost out to galway in all ireland final a year prior. I would argue Kelleghan isn't any better than him or Molloy. Put Molloy in that Rhode team alongside top players he would do damage.
Whatever you think about Sawyer he's managed to get himself more game time than Kelleghan.

You might have a little more info on Sawyer than I but your post is somewhat confusing. You say he wasn't in Offaly system, until last year of U20 in 2021, where he was a non playing member of panel. To me, a non playing member of a panel is a sub, injured or a lad who does not make a 26. If he is on panel, he is eligible to play. Otherwise, he is not on the panel. If he was really good and he was on the panel, why was he not playing in his final U20 year or how good do you need to be to be a non playing member? Or what does a non playing member of a panel do - carry water? Please enlighten me as I am confused. Others, who were ahead of him at 20, but didn't go on to play senior, only asks more questions. It being a condensed season? Not sure what that has to do with anything really, unless he was injured, which I am led to believe, he wasn't. By my recollection, that U20 campaign went from May through to August, which wasn't altogether condensed as you suggest.

Kellaghan had been in system from minor and made that U20 team. Not sure what that means? I'm told on good authority that he was the 4th highest scorer in Offaly senior football championship in 2025, and that none of the top 3 ahead of him started for Offaly seniors this year. The point is that Sawyer seems to be getting a lot more football than his form has suggested, while others have left or are kept outside the loop. To best of my recollection, he was started ahead of Tierney and Nigel Dunne last year for first game in league in Tullamore. And for the record, I'm not suggesting AK should be starting for Offaly, just that he is one of maybe 6 inside forwards not on the panel that offer more on inside line than the 3 that played on inside line the last day.

You say Murphy was a Dublin U20 in All Ireland final in 2020. I have it from a good authority that he was not on that team, and did not play any minutes in the Leinster final, All-Ireland semi final or final. Maybe he was a non playing member of that panel. There is no shame in that by the way. He had a good year for Skerries by all accounts. He might offer something yet and I certainly wouldnt write him off. I hope he comes good for us but I don't think that'll happen as a 13, 14, or 15.

Listen, I am not anti Sawyer or Murphy or anyone. I am sure they are good lads. Are they better than what we have sitting in Edenderry or Tullamore or Rhode for that matter? No is the simple answer. We are struggling at the moment and there are any amount of lads that have had fall outs with management. That is a problem. I'd only love for Sawyer to contribute more, but he isn't. He has probably put on a bit of muscle from last year, but he has another bit to go and doesnt appear to be overly threatening, yet at least, and I hope he does become that by the way.

I saw Murphy earlier in year at WF in O'Byrne Cup. I thought he was a big ball winner who could kick a score but lacked mobility. At least he was played in his position then. He is clearly not an inside man. I think, with work (a year maybe), he might become an option in ideal world - but he has work to do and is not ahead of a few mentioned above in my opinion. That is just being honest. I'd love him to come in and do what Shane Horan did after coming in from Crokes. Let's see how that plays out.

As for Dan Molloy as an inside forward at inter county level. No disrespect to the chap, he is a good trier further out the field so I am not even going there!

faithfulfanatic wrote: ↑Sat Feb 21, 2026 6:46 pm

Anon11 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 20, 2026 11:14 pm Our injury crisis is so bad they have to name injured players to make up the match day 26. Lee Pearson and Sean Conway both injured and named on the 26. There has to be a massive inquiry into why this injury situation has happened.

Lee Pearson starts, well done