I don’t think the comment are aimed at Brian Carroll. More at the management for wasting one of the best hurler in the County in a position that they completely unsuited to. As for his move to centre forward well…… Rabbit Headlights.Lone Shark wrote: Also, just on that point, I think Brian Carroll is getting an unfair going over in some of the posts above. The modern game asks a lot of a midfielder (at a guess I'd say a midfielder covers at least 50% more ground than any other player on the field) and you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who could put in a hard shift in that role and then go in to mark the Brick. Mahon was doing fine there, or they could have moved Colin across either - or even put Bergin on to him to maybe put Walsh on the back foot a little. Certainly Carroll was the wrong choice and berating him for being unable to cope there is unfair I think.
Lone Shark wrote: Further to the above point, some of the deliveries from midfield and half back were a little brainless. I know we were crowded out in the back line, but all we needed to do was work the ball to half way and shoot for points - we seemed unable to do that, instead looking to bomb it long into packs of players.
This is a very good point, if you think about it we only put one cross field ball into our full forward line in the second half and Currams almost got a goal out of it.
I don’t think hurling is as bad as it looks. The Club are producing some very good Hurlers. But the county underage and senior team are destroying them.Lone Shark wrote: We've a bleak, bleak future ahead of us based on underage results and chances like this will be rare enough. That's why it's such a tragedy that this one was let slip.
Kevin Brady is a lion in an Offaly jersey. but over the last two years I have seen his play full back, corner back, Centre back, wing back, midfield, wing forward, centre forward and full forward. Is it only a matter of time before he goes into goals.
If you look at Eanna Murphy. Two years ago the play in Croke park against Dublin and was outstanding on the day. He was up against Conal Keaney for most of the second half that day and did a great job. He was only 20 at the time. He was injury for the Cork game and I remember leaving Croke Park that day think we had a good centre back in the making. Its two years later and the man has never play another game for Offaly in that position. He left Croker think to himself I can nail down this position but was never given the chance.
From the Back line that ran Dublin Close that day in croke park we have lost 4 of them Stephen Egan, Michael Verney, Eanna Murphy and Dylan Hayden. 4 from 6. Imagine having Egan for Corner Back in Sat evening.
From the Back line that ran Cork to 7 point last year we have lost 3. C Hernon , J Rigney and D Horan Imagine if we could have brought on Rigney or Horan for 15 mins.
Losing that many players for a team over a year is hard to take. But to lose that many players for a back 6 over two games. They must be something very wrong.
But still coming through the ranks at club level. We have, Clancy, Camon, Gardiner, King, The two Gergathy, Gary Connelly, Stephen Quirke. If you drop down to the u21 level we have 3 or 4 coming for Shirone. We still have the like of Eoin Ryan who injury. Sean Coughlan he only 23. Hell we even have U.C.D. young hurler of the year and they is lots of other hurlers in the underage club team that are as good or better than what is name above.
Over the last few years the Offaly lads coming into the Underage panels are going to manger who has a game plans before they even look at the players. They pick players to suit their game plan. It should be look at the players and sorting game plans to get the best out of what we have.
The other big problem with Offaly underage is the discipline. I don’t mean turning up late to training. I mean discipline on the field. Offaly team don’t work as a unit. They back are normal very good. They cover for each other but our midfield and forward are all disjointed and this is one of the biggest problems when players come into the senior panel. Too often at underage level you will find the Offaly full forward look on as a player clears the ball. Or worst still find the forward track his man into a corner and give away a soft free.
The other-side of the discipline problem is the game plan. Often when I watch Offaly underage I watch the manager move players around but still play the same system. The players often get moved into a new position you see them look around to see what the hell they should be doing now. This is bad Discipline for the management team. If they is the possibility that a player could be move into a position he should have an idea for what his responsible are for that position. If this means that you sit the squad in a room for 20 mins each week and you go through that each individual position responsible are. Followed by each unit responsible are and what the team responsible are. You do it. They should be no question or thinking on the field what you responsible are.
A lot of Offaly problem can be sorted with a good management teams at u-16 and minor level.
