Offaly Senior Footballers 2025

[Tmacmahon]

What a performance on Sunday

[greenairfield]

Has there been much talk by Harte on what he has seen so far ? Or likewise from players in relation to him.

No doubt DK is learning loads too from Harte and is clearly a top manager too.

Be interesting what both parties have to say on the topic, and why have they improved so quickly.

[Kevin]

Has there been much talk by Harte on what he has seen so far ? Or likewise from players in relation to him.

No doubt DK is learning loads too from Harte and is clearly a top manager too.

Be interesting what both parties have to say on the topic, and why have they improved so quickly.

Agree completely. Would be great to hear something about that. Perhaps we do once we complete to promotion mission

[Cheddar]

The team for Sunday

[faithfulfanatic]

Offaly are big outsiders for this game, around 3/1.
If that is the team that starts, they have a fair chance.
I can’t see Mickey or DK sending them out with any intention other than to win.
And if Clare are forced to go gung ho from the outset, it will open up serious opportunities for Egan, Flynn, et al

[Cheddar]

Offaly are big outsiders for this game, around 3/1.
If that is the team that starts, they have a fair chance.
I can’t see Mickey or DK sending them out with any intention other than to win.
And if Clare are forced to go gung ho from the outset, it will open up serious opportunities for Egan, Flynn, et al

Yeah completely agree on that front. Counter attacking football suits us. I am nervous, as the game means so much and we do have more to lose, but yeah if Clare are really pushing forward, going off our rate of turnovers this year, and our incredible running game, we hopefully can create those opportunities like last week

[first_touch]

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic ... -achiever/

[Cheddar]

For the final time…

The simple permutations for promotion are;

If we win, we are promoted. If we draw, we are promoted.

If Kildare drop points against Antrim, we are promoted.

If we lose by 10 points or less, we are promoted.

Permutations for missing out on promotion;
We lose by 11 or more points. That’s it. That is the only way we remain in D3.

I have Fermanagh still on the graphic as they can get promoted if Kildare/Clare drop points, and the overturn a large points difference, but they won’t affect Offaly in any way and cannot reach our 10 points.

I expect Kildare to recover form and beat an almost relegated Antrim. That will promote them.

Last week, I predicted a scrappy game and a possible 2 point win. It wasn’t scrappy but very smooth. I expected us to recover form after 3 poor games in Fermanagh and Leitrim. I knew we would learn our lessons about a head start.

In regards to lessons, we will have learned our lesson about Clare and overturning large points differences after our 9 point capitulation last year in Tullamore. I trust this team to be prepared for that.

Clare have to attack us, simple. It is their only way of gaining promotion. They will push up and will be eager. I expect that it will have 2 affects that could work in our favour. Firstly, if they push up and make any mistake or lose possession, we have the runners to counter attack and create opportunities for scores. Secondly, with them being so eager to push up, I expect them to break the 3up rule on more than one occasion, allowing a relatively easy scoring opportunity in front of the posts.

Last year we had a 9 point head start at half time and lost. Tomorrow, we start at 0-10 to 0-0. We don’t let that lead slip and we use our vastly improved game management skills.

Offaly to win by 4 points.

[Bord na Mona man]

Offaly just have to play the game like we need to win it. An Offaly win, draw or defeat by a couple of points would be a normal outcome.
If we treat the game like we're leading by 10 points, then it's dangerous. Because psychologically you sit back and give the opposition the initiative. If Clare are allowed gain momentum and start to build a lead, then it's hard to lift the performance levels to recover.

[kingscounty]

Good luck to all involved today,

[Anonymous1]

Good first half. Disappointing second half.

It's hard not to feel like the Offaly players knew in the backs of their minds that they were getting promoted so took the foot off the gas.

More importantly - we're into division two and have another crack at the Lily Whites under the lights in Croker on Saturday for silverware.

A lot done. More to do.

[Superhans75]

Great for the team
First half was pretty really dodgy
If Clare had an eye on goal
We would not be having this conversation
Up. Offaly shame we couldn't keep a goaless game.
Duncan kick superb

[SearingDrive]

Good first half. Disappointing second half.

It's hard not to feel like the Offaly players knew in the backs of their minds that they were getting promoted so took the foot off the gas.

More importantly - we're into division two and have another crack at the Lily Whites under the lights in Croker on Saturday for silverware.

A lot done. More to do.

Offaly have been promoted to Div. 2, which was Team management’s objective.
If you say Offaly players felt promotion was assured, and eased off, that is regrettable. Offaly should be determined to win every game, including today.
If Clare had taken their chances today, it would been a difficult day for Offaly.

The team were playing well, after a dodgy opening 10 minutes, and led at half time, thanks to goals from Jack Bryant, and Cathal Flynn.
Offaly were still level in the closing stages, until 2 Clare goals gave the home side maximum points.. It was a game Offaly should have won. League Final next Saturday evening v Kildare, I expect Kildare to go all out for the win.

[joe123]

Good first half. Disappointing second half.

It's hard not to feel like the Offaly players knew in the backs of their minds that they were getting promoted so took the foot off the gas.

More importantly - we're into division two and have another crack at the Lily Whites under the lights in Croker on Saturday for silverware.

A lot done. More to do.

Offaly have been promoted to Div. 2, which was Team management’s objective.
If you say Offaly players felt promotion was assured, and eased off, that is regrettable. Offaly should be determined to win every game, including today.
If Clare had taken their chances today, it would been a difficult day for Offaly.

The team were playing well, after a dodgy opening 10 minutes, and led at half time, thanks to goals from Jack Bryant, and Cathal Flynn.
Offaly were still level in the closing stages, until 2 Clare goals gave the home side maximum points.. It was a game Offaly should have won. League Final next Saturday evening v Kildare, I expect Kildare to go all out for the win.

Let's hope our "championship" isn't over.. of course promotion was our first priority but we could do with a win next Saturday again or we could end up with 3 defeats in a row unless we can cause an upset against Meath, we caught them on the hop a couple years ago but they seem to be a different team now and we have to go to Navan. We really need to have a go at this tailteann cup, standard will be high and it will be hard to win. I'd worry that if we are beaten in our next 2 games, tools will be downed again this year. Let's hope that's not the case.

[Buttons]

Fantastic to get promotion, that was the objective and division 2 will be a step up but one that we shouldn’t feel out of place in. Are Louth, Meath, Kildare to be feared?

As for the game today it was all about getting a result, nothing else mattered. Clare were always going to throw everything at Offaly and being honest at no point did the 11 point gap ever become a concern.

I have followed Offaly for years now, I look back through reports, videos of the last so many years, on paper they were a strong team but then I think they never won a Leinster game for how many years. They were borderline div 3-4 apart from the one year in 2022 I think, so many years it was last game survival in division 3. A lot of the current squad are all Ireland winners managed by all Ireland managers, both have winning mentalities.

If we can get a few injured lads back for the Meath game it would be great, fully fit squad to choose from would be great. Congrats all and looking forward to next year already. Tyrone and mickey Harte will get much media attention.