Offaly Senior Footballers 2025

[One Time]

Ah come off it, we went the route of clearing house and playing the youth last year and we put in the worst performance of an Offaly Senior football team in the history of the county.

The definition of insanity…

Leave aside the tailteann cup and we were competitive in every game of the league and should have won more of them and the teams in division 3 some went on to have good championships, we easily disposed of Laois in championship who weren't beaten much in the TC final, forget about the Tailteann cup from offaly perspective, no one bothered..a bit of luck and our league campaign would have been very different after bedding in a few new players who will have hugely benefitted from that, more of the same this year and we'll get promoted.. antons game is based on pace and taking on his man, not something that's easy do as you hit 33.. can I name 12 better forwards? That's missing the point, we need players to play the game management want to play, players that will improve individually and improve the team and build for the future. I still say last year with a bit of luck would have been very different

Ive never heard so much rot said One Time. It really sounds like you have a major agenda and that you want to totally ignore a hammering at home to London and ignore TC 2024 results. I just wonder why you want DK treated different to any other manager over last 20 years. Last year was simply horrific and if anyone else got those results, they would have been removed. Full Stop! They did only very OK in league but there was too much negativity and stories emanating from squad. I was at the Westmeath game last year in Rnd 1. It was embarassing we were so far off them. That squad nearly got promoted in 23 under Kearns. Panda was central to that and he was left out despite being one of our best forwards. Anton was central to that, as was Cunningham. They also had the U20s coming through in 2024 - most of them 22-23 and with 2 years senior experience behind them from 22 and 23 - and you are still only 'bedding them in'!

The major elephant in the room was that there was way too much friction and negativity in and around the squad last year. It isnt a secret that a good few players fell out with DK and a few left the squad through the year and a very senior player left early in the year calling it a toxic environment. That is not good and says a lot and that showed in the Tailteann Cup results. Now if the Tailteann Cup didnt involve the most embarassing result in the last 50 years or more - a 14 pt championship defeat to London at home, then I'd say something but thats what we are talking about here. You cant just say that the TC shouldnt be counted to suit your agenda. That matters a LOT! That is what they were training for all year - the one championship we had a chance in and our main competition to train for. You are the one missing the point!!! Even players and management said as much in the week leading into the London game in local media!

If anyone else got them results and there was that level of negativity within a camp, then they'd be removed. Ignoring that and talking about bedding in players is totally missing the point. DK had the U20s from 2018 - 2022 approx. He knew what was there. Senior is not a development team for bedding in. We are building every year since about 2007 from what I can see. That is just a bulshit excuse to try explain away below par performances. Senior is about getting your absolute best team on the pitch and staying competitive in that given year and all the signs last year showed our curve going majorly in the wrong direction. You cant just ignore the facts.

I'd only love if it all went to plan and it was a rosy in the garden but it wasn't. DK did a lot at under 20 level but did he lose the dressing room this year? Anton is definitely in the top 8 forwards in the county, no doubt about it. He'd be on my best team most days irrespective of age and id be fairly sure that he'd be among the top 10 athletes in the squad so age is not an issue and should not be an excuse. Maybe there is a personality clash and that appears to be the case - fairly sure there was an issue between them last year and maybe Kelly feels threatened by anyone who may have a bit of knowledge or more inter county senior experience than he does within the camp who is not afraid to express their thoughts. That said, it is within managements rights to select THEIR panel and if that is the way it falls, then so be it, but i'd sense it is a poor call by management and a mistake. But lets wait and see. February isnt too far away.

With the 3x3 rule in, it couldve really suited Sullivan and I think if DK was more clever, he'd have found a way, irrespective of any personality clash that may or may not have arisen. We dont have the talent to just ignore a lad with Antons ability and fitness. You wouldnt meet a more dedicated lad in fairness to him and I think we will definitely see him in a county jersey again if he wants to keep in shape for a year or so. That said, not sure it is helpful for Anton to air dirty linen in public and even if it is Verney going to him as appears to be the case, then I think it doesnt reflect so well.

I wouldnt be fully sure how long this new set-up will last and if I was a betting man, id imagine either Harte or Kelly will move on after a year or so after more mediocre results and or a better offer elsewhere for Harte, with the managers job then becoming vacant. If that were to happen, I couldnt see DK going back in on his own or be given that opportunity and it'd probably take a brand new management team then to take over - and Anton, could very easily find himself back in the frame if that were to materialise.

So essentially what you want is to continue to play with the same lads (a lot of who are in their 30s now) that have achieved little or nothing over the last 10 years with offaly and play them till they retire or whatever and don't give new young lads a chance to play and develop into senior players (bearing in mind these are lads that have actually won something)and when the older lads retire we have a new team through with no experience and worse still they get pissed off looking at these older lads dictating the dressing room and winning nothin and keeping them out of the team and we lose them? Is that what you want? I wouldn't have DK or Mickey harte by the way but a lot of new players got a lit of league time and performed probably as well as could have been expected, if you actually analyse the results and how the other teams went in championship after, it certainly gave our league form a boost and again yes I am happy to write off the TC because we simply didn't bother.. you want to analyse TC like it's a reflection of the team and it certainly is not and you know that aswell. I'm gonna find it hard to actually support the team this year because mickey harte is manager and I loathe him with a passion but I believe the new players that I have experience behind them from last year's league campaign that will show through this year, have to move on.. and we have not been building we've had the same shite and same lads ruling the dressing room and dictating and making the dressing room negative, it's time to get rid of all that shite and move on with new players who have already won with and who want to play for the team and management.

[One Time]

Ah come off it, we went the route of clearing house and playing the youth last year and we put in the worst performance of an Offaly Senior football team in the history of the county.

The definition of insanity…

Leave aside the tailteann cup and we were competitive in every game of the league and should have won more of them and the teams in division 3 some went on to have good championships, we easily disposed of Laois in championship who weren't beaten much in the TC final, forget about the Tailteann cup from offaly perspective, no one bothered..a bit of luck and our league campaign would have been very different after bedding in a few new players who will have hugely benefitted from that, more of the same this year and we'll get promoted.. antons game is based on pace and taking on his man, not something that's easy do as you hit 33.. can I name 12 better forwards? That's missing the point, we need players to play the game management want to play, players that will improve individually and improve the team and build for the future. I still say last year with a bit of luck would have been very different

How do you explain Cup defeats to London and Limerick,?, Offaly should have made a serious effort in the TC, if they were committed to improving as a team.
All interest on the 2025 campaign.
Pp

How do explain them? Well you kinda explained them yourself.. we didnt bother and my point is that we didn't bother and those games are not a reflection of the team or where the team is.. we seem to stick on these games as if they reflect where the team is and forget we easily beat laois who were beaten in the TC final, we hammered wicklow who had a good championship, we drew up in sligo who essentially had galway beaten in championship. We had a 9 point lead against a good clare team which we didn't see out but shows how good the team can be.. we did all that we newer players coming in and getting that experience and that will stand to them this year... time will tell I guess!

[ruletheroost]

Appears declan kelly doesn't like anyone challenging him or offering an opinion within the dressing room, anton is a huge loss to that team to not even make the panel crazy stuff. one of the best forwards in the county if not the best, I know he is 33 so what if your good enough your good enough regardless of age.

I don't buy into this building nonsense we seem to be always building. You play your best players available regardless of age

A lot of talk about losing certain stalwarts and experience and yes they've been brilliant servants but what have they really achieved and how will they improve themselves and the team over the next couple of years..?? They won't! too many of the likes of anton and other lads down the years trying to dictate and control dressing rooms.. I hate mickey harte with a passion but time to clear out and play lads who want to play for Offaly and listen to management. At 33 anton offers very little at that level and a phone call from management to confirm that is fine, no need to cry about it. We blooded a lot of players last year and but for a bit of bad luck could have been closer to promotion than relegation.. the TC was a write off, nor worth talking about. We build a new team as we go over the next couple of years and we should get to where we want to go.

Bad luck? Anton scored 5-14 in the league last year. Without him we would have been relegated it’s that simple.

[jimbob17]

Leave aside the tailteann cup and we were competitive in every game of the league and should have won more of them and the teams in division 3 some went on to have good championships, we easily disposed of Laois in championship who weren't beaten much in the TC final, forget about the Tailteann cup from offaly perspective, no one bothered..a bit of luck and our league campaign would have been very different after bedding in a few new players who will have hugely benefitted from that, more of the same this year and we'll get promoted.. antons game is based on pace and taking on his man, not something that's easy do as you hit 33.. can I name 12 better forwards? That's missing the point, we need players to play the game management want to play, players that will improve individually and improve the team and build for the future. I still say last year with a bit of luck would have been very different

Ive never heard so much rot said One Time. It really sounds like you have a major agenda and that you want to totally ignore a hammering at home to London and ignore TC 2024 results. I just wonder why you want DK treated different to any other manager over last 20 years. Last year was simply horrific and if anyone else got those results, they would have been removed. Full Stop! They did only very OK in league but there was too much negativity and stories emanating from squad. I was at the Westmeath game last year in Rnd 1. It was embarassing we were so far off them. That squad nearly got promoted in 23 under Kearns. Panda was central to that and he was left out despite being one of our best forwards. Anton was central to that, as was Cunningham. They also had the U20s coming through in 2024 - most of them 22-23 and with 2 years senior experience behind them from 22 and 23 - and you are still only 'bedding them in'!

The major elephant in the room was that there was way too much friction and negativity in and around the squad last year. It isnt a secret that a good few players fell out with DK and a few left the squad through the year and a very senior player left early in the year calling it a toxic environment. That is not good and says a lot and that showed in the Tailteann Cup results. Now if the Tailteann Cup didnt involve the most embarassing result in the last 50 years or more - a 14 pt championship defeat to London at home, then I'd say something but thats what we are talking about here. You cant just say that the TC shouldnt be counted to suit your agenda. That matters a LOT! That is what they were training for all year - the one championship we had a chance in and our main competition to train for. You are the one missing the point!!! Even players and management said as much in the week leading into the London game in local media!

If anyone else got them results and there was that level of negativity within a camp, then they'd be removed. Ignoring that and talking about bedding in players is totally missing the point. DK had the U20s from 2018 - 2022 approx. He knew what was there. Senior is not a development team for bedding in. We are building every year since about 2007 from what I can see. That is just a bulshit excuse to try explain away below par performances. Senior is about getting your absolute best team on the pitch and staying competitive in that given year and all the signs last year showed our curve going majorly in the wrong direction. You cant just ignore the facts.

I'd only love if it all went to plan and it was a rosy in the garden but it wasn't. DK did a lot at under 20 level but did he lose the dressing room this year? Anton is definitely in the top 8 forwards in the county, no doubt about it. He'd be on my best team most days irrespective of age and id be fairly sure that he'd be among the top 10 athletes in the squad so age is not an issue and should not be an excuse. Maybe there is a personality clash and that appears to be the case - fairly sure there was an issue between them last year and maybe Kelly feels threatened by anyone who may have a bit of knowledge or more inter county senior experience than he does within the camp who is not afraid to express their thoughts. That said, it is within managements rights to select THEIR panel and if that is the way it falls, then so be it, but i'd sense it is a poor call by management and a mistake. But lets wait and see. February isnt too far away.

With the 3x3 rule in, it couldve really suited Sullivan and I think if DK was more clever, he'd have found a way, irrespective of any personality clash that may or may not have arisen. We dont have the talent to just ignore a lad with Antons ability and fitness. You wouldnt meet a more dedicated lad in fairness to him and I think we will definitely see him in a county jersey again if he wants to keep in shape for a year or so. That said, not sure it is helpful for Anton to air dirty linen in public and even if it is Verney going to him as appears to be the case, then I think it doesnt reflect so well.

I wouldnt be fully sure how long this new set-up will last and if I was a betting man, id imagine either Harte or Kelly will move on after a year or so after more mediocre results and or a better offer elsewhere for Harte, with the managers job then becoming vacant. If that were to happen, I couldnt see DK going back in on his own or be given that opportunity and it'd probably take a brand new management team then to take over - and Anton, could very easily find himself back in the frame if that were to materialise.

So essentially what you want is to continue to play with the same lads (a lot of who are in their 30s now) that have achieved little or nothing over the last 10 years with offaly and play them till they retire or whatever and don't give new young lads a chance to play and develop into senior players (bearing in mind these are lads that have actually won something)and when the older lads retire we have a new team through with no experience and worse still they get pissed off looking at these older lads dictating the dressing room and winning nothin and keeping them out of the team and we lose them? Is that what you want? I wouldn't have DK or Mickey harte by the way but a lot of new players got a lit of league time and performed probably as well as could have been expected, if you actually analyse the results and how the other teams went in championship after, it certainly gave our league form a boost and again yes I am happy to write off the TC because we simply didn't bother.. you want to analyse TC like it's a reflection of the team and it certainly is not and you know that aswell. I'm gonna find it hard to actually support the team this year because mickey harte is manager and I loathe him with a passion but I believe the new players that I have experience behind them from last year's league campaign that will show through this year, have to move on.. and we have not been building we've had the same shite and same lads ruling the dressing room and dictating and making the dressing room negative, it's time to get rid of all that shite and move on with new players who have already won with and who want to play for the team and management.

Ah here.... Is this a piss take? You pick the best players now for now and stay competitive and win a few games. That is the remit of a senior manager - nothing else. You can do that and keep an eye in future too by blooding a few and bringing in younger lads to panel and build them to play when they are READY, not rushing them in and throwing out key experience that would be essential in tight games. We dont have depth to do otherwise and if we do, we are headed for Div 4. Is that what you want?

I am all for bringing lads through but only when they are good enough, strong enough, athletic enough etc. Of the U20s there ar at most 6 who will be senior footballers and that is a good return. Pearson, 2 Egans, Furlong Keith O Neill and one or two more are there already. You then add in the best two or three off every U20 cohort from last 13 or 14 years and that becomes your panel from approx 20 - 33 or 34. Anton is older. So is James McCarthy, So is Michael Murphy, so is Ryan McHugh and many others incl Armagh captain Aidan Forker who will be 33 next year. The best teams dont throw out good players because they are older. They move them on if they are no longer contributing, which is most definitely not Anton Sullivan in recent years imo.

The TC is important - the most important competition we are in, our championship and a ticket back into Sam Maguire. The players and management said before it last year in the media that it was what they were planning for all year. Your point re ignoring it doesn't stand up. Should the hurlers not bother in Joe McDonagh if they happen to be there again? The only way to go forward is to blend the young lads in with more experienced lads in my opinion and get close to winning the TC. The young lads won an age grade competition at U20. Put it in perspective! It is a massive step up to senior and many of them have struggled so far. I remember Sullivan being an exceptional talent at that age too. As were many others that are not part of the U20 success. Just going with those u20s and excluding older lads is very short sighted imo and anyone who knows anything about senior football would concur with that.

The same lads ruling dressing room as you suggest nearly got promoted in 2023. They were very competitive under Maughan at that grade (Div 3) followed by Kearns without some key players from time to time and the fall off last year was obvious. Is that the same shite you refer to? Id suggest the shite part is getting hockeyed by London by 14 points and losing to Limerick and a second string Down team. I would suggest that there are a few who would love to play for the team who are good enough but not wanted for some reason. Panda and Sullivan are two of them. I love your belief and optimism in these young lads all being blooded at once but I don't share your view on the older lads being the negative ones at all. I'd suggest they know what is involved and have been around along enough to sniff out bullsh*t. There were young players who left this year also due to the negativity and how they were treated. Is that the fault of the older lads also?

Suffice to say, I think it is interesting that you could loathe a man like Mickey Harte - one of the most successful managers of all time. He brought Louth through huge improvements and just won the NFL with Derry. Surely, unless he has done something to you personally, id find it hard to understand your loathing. Unless you are somehow connected to senior management and have a vested interest? I could only see positives in his involvement (cost aside), and hopefully our young players will learn more from him and his experience and it will serve them well beyond his involvement.

For me it is time we get our best team on the pitch again, be competitive with mid tier teams and stop losing to likes of London by 14 pts in championship. That is a fair wish I'd suggest and a wish of the majority of supporters. Whatever it takes to do that is what I believe we should do.

[Behindthegoal]

1. Corey White 2. Patrick Taffee 3. Conor Mcnamee 4. Chillie Donnelly 5. Kevin Nugent 6. Peter Cunningham 7. Niall Darby 8. Eoin Carroll 9. Bill Carroll 10. Anton Sullivan 11. Joe Maher 12. Marcus Dalton 13. Panda 14. Cian Johnson 15. Harry Plunkett

Lads I genuinely believe if this team got together at the same time as the Offaly seniors and trained for the 2 months they would beat them at the end of January. Every player on that team can play ball on the Offaly team there is a lot of lads getting away with murder skills wise

[greenairfield]

Why isn't plunkett or Dalton in there ?

[Faithfully]

Team that played vs Colaiste Choilm in the charity match today, per Corrigan's report.

https://www.offalyexpress.ie/news/gaa/1 ... ction.html

Paddy Dunican (Shamrocks); Lee Pearson (Edenderry), Aidan Bracken (Ballycommon), Fionn Dempsey (Bracknagh); Shane O'Toole-Greene (Shamrocks), Rory Egan (Edenderry), Jordan Hayes (Edenderry); Jack McEvoy (Clonbullogue), Ed Cullen (Clara); Kyle Higgins (Ferbane), Cathal Flynn (Ferbane), Keith O'Neill (Clonbullogue); Dylan Hyland (Raheen), Nigel Dunne (Shamrocks), Ruari McNamee (Rhode). Subs - Cathal Donoghue (Oughterard), David O'Toole-Greene (Shamrocks), Mikey Cunningham (Bracknagh), Cian Farrell (Edenderry), Eoin Sawyer (Castleknock), Shane Tierney (Daingean), Andrew Delaney (Shamrocks)

[pigeon house biffo]

Anyone in tullamore yesterday able to give an insight on how it went? Looks to be a good few lads back, would have liked for panda to be involved

[jimbob17]

Interesting read. While obviously there are a few not there who may be on panel, you'd sense that the guts of the panel this year was there between the two teams that played. Wasnt there and no idea what it looked like but just a couple of observations. Good to see Kyle Higgins in there - about time. Probably one of the better midfielders in county - though surely Ferbane would have more than two players good enough to make co senior panel after the last few years efforts? Plenty of Shamrocks lads there in the mix in Dunican, the O Toole Greene's, Bryant, Nigel Dunne, Andrew Delaney with David O'Rourke and Chip O Toole for Col Choilm. This really doesnt make sense that they'd have 8 playing while Ferbane had only two?

Hyland looked to be on fire if the report is accurate. 9 from play is some going! David O'Rourke is a fine prospect and will be a co senior in time if he wants it - though he was with Col Choilm. Probably has another year at U20? Think he captained DCU or UCD to win All Ireland Colleges freshers A championship recently.

No Cillian Bourke, Declan Hogan or John Furlong in either team - assume the three will be on the panel for 2025 - unless Bourke goes hurling with the U20s which he could well do?

Note that Robbie Gallagher from Ballinagar played - but the likes of Tynan, Finneran and Strong who were on or around panel last year did not feature. Are they still on panel or are they left. Geordi O Meara should be in there from Ballinagar but may be case only Gallagher was released as would be understandable.

Inside players - as said already, Hyland was on fire and this area is interesting with the 3x3 rule. Good to see Cian Farrell in there. The new rules could really help him be a top player for Offaly. Nigel Dunne still going - again, new rules will suit him and he could offer something in championship. Good to see Tierney in there too - has something to offer. Is Cian Johnson on the panel? If not, he should be..... Is Harry Plunkett on the Offaly panel? Ruairi Mc there too and you could argue Keith O Neill is inside player. No Panda or Anton obviously which is the managements call but I think they'd offer something here. No sign of Nathan Poland either who played championship last year for Offaly.

Other than that, good to see Jordan Hayes playing as a 7. Dont think he is a midfielder but can be very good at 7 or 12. Don't think Rory Egan is a no 6. Needs room and license to travel and can do that from No 5 or maybe midfield. Cormac Egan did well for Offaly at 5 in 2024 but after the club championship, you'd have to say he offers a lot in forwards too and with likes of Egan, Dempsey Furlong among others who can play wing back, Offaly could do with the bit of forward punch that Egan could give in the forwards next year.

Eoin Sawyer? Anyone know anything about him? Castlenock are a serious team in Dublin these days.

[ruletheroost]

Any news on how the challenge game against Down went today?

[pigeon house biffo]

Any news on how the challenge game against Down went today?

Where do you get word of these friendlies? Are they available for the public to watch?

[ruletheroost]

Word gets around clubs. I presume you can watch them.

[brosna]

Just over two weeks to the start of the league and Division 3 looks very even this year. With Harte installed and a good few of the older players retiring I would give us a fantastic chance of promotion this year. The u20 players from 2021 should be taken more responsibility and those lads are proven winners.

[Fear Uibh]

I see Offaly have 14 lads involved in Sigerson cup squads which is a good number of involvement
Daire McDaid -UL (Tullamore)
Rory Egan -NUIG (Edenderry)
Adam Galvin - MTU Cork (Cappincur)
Bryan Cassidy -MTU Kerry (Bracknagh)
Darragh Bryant -MTU Kerry (Shamrocks)
Conor Melia - MTU Kerry (Bracknagh)
Darragh Flynn- TUS Midlands (Ferbane)
David Dempsey -TUS Midlands (Clonbulloge)
Conor Mahon - TUS Midlands (St.Rynaghs)
Harry Plunkett - Maynooth (Tullamore)
Geordi o' Meara - Maynooth (Ballinagar)
Fionn Dempsey - Maynooth (Bracknagh)
Diarmuid Finnegan -TU Dublin (Ballinagar)
Cormac Egan - UCD (Tullamore)

[Lone Shark]

Three lads with Maynooth, three lads in Athlone, a sprinkling around the main universities, all as you'd expect. Then three lads with MTU Kerry. No idea how that happens. That's a hoor of a trek back home!