Offaly Senior Football 2026

[Snotser123]

Paul rouse is a disgrace for saying that as it's literally not true ....

[Thomas mc]

Paul rouse is a disgrace for saying that as it's literally not true ....

You're gonna get accused now of being me or that Joey lad i love that the management are overtraining the players causing injuries.. i know several lads with injuries, few clubs have a good few lads, similar injuries and i can tell you it certainly wasnt from over training

[Thomas mc]

Poor attendence is due to glory hunting offaly "supporters" who have unrealistic expectstions from a county 24th on population list and split in 2 with hurling and football.. which all stems from us winning a few all irelands in the 70s 80s and 90s when players prepared for games by drinking pints and smoking. The scenes from the u20 hurling are beyond embarrassing, 15k glory hunters showed up to watch and no sign of any of them at the dublin match last weekend, the highest level any offaly hurling team can play at. A level most of the u20 panel will never be good enough to play at.. the footballers were supported last year with a full squad and when winning but abandoned this year with so many injuries.. i despise mickey harte and dont know declan kelly but lads blaming them for injuries are idiots.. then we have lads telling us that the best players arent on the panel, who are these players that are so magic? No one can name them? I dont recall anyone lighting up the championship last year in what was one of the weakest championships in years.. and sweet jesus dont start raving about anton and nigel and other lads in their late 30s or lads who have never really bothered.. id expect players wont bother with the tailteann cup and will just be anxious to get back to their clubs now. Supporters view the tailteann cup as below us when the reality is its our championship and the primary focus from the start of the year should be preparing for it.. first round games in leinster should be preparation for it giving that we have no realistic chance of winning leinster and we havent had for 20 years plus.. lads seem to forget we went years without even winning a game in leinster and none of that is down to management or players, its simply a lack of numbers, and lads will say thats lacking ambition, well take a look at our record in leinster last 20 years or so.. Itll be interesting to see if the management stay on next year, people forget the basis of last years success was built in 2024 by kelly when he got rid of the deadwood who wanted to control the lot and bed in the younger players who wanted to play for offaly.. small counties win nothing of note with the exception of roscommon or monaghan who compete but stil dont win anything and before anyone jumps in, louth is not a small county!!

[Anon444]

I wouldn’t bother with the whole management debate at this stage, just reassess it at the end of the county season. Old arguments going around in circles, if you looked through this forum you would see an argument breaks out, 3 weeks later then it’s repeated.

On the attendance issue. I try go to both our senior teams games as much as I can. The basic requirement for any true supporter is to show a certain degree of fight and effort. I’ve been to a lot of the games this year where I have questioned that a lot. I understand that we have injuries and that our subs bench (who a few are being asked to play to replace the usual starters) isn’t as skillful as other teams’ pick. But if you’re telling me that we gave absolutely everything to that Laois game and it was just they had the better players, I would strongly disagree. How many times were lads walking back instead of sprinting, how many times did Laois cut through with barely a finger laid on them? It’s very hard to expect supporters to pay to watch that. I’ll go to the TC games, but if the effort isn’t there I don’t expect a big crowd.

I don’t know about any of the other issues which have been put up here that seemingly are down to the management. I know I disliked hearing this constant talk of injuries and basically writing off the league. Fair enough, it might have been valid points, but what you’re really saying to the lads who are playing instead of the usuals is that you’re not good enough. I think Harte was worse in this regard than Kelly. Harte seemed to make a point after every game of saying that we are down too many, that how can we expect to compete, etc. Can you imagine being one of the lads in to replace any of those injured and how you’d feel hearing this? Now we face into a Tailteann campaign where we haven’t won a game, it’s very hard to pick up an already down mood in the camp.

[Snotser123]

Ya it's horrible to hear but it's the facts ...just like with the hurlers if you take away the freakishly talented group we are a Joe mcdonagh county who bobs up and down for the next 15 years....same with the football we had a really fit fast moving 15 last year who even still had clear weaknesses like midfield etc and size but that was literally it ...the quality isn't there in the county .....look at the tullamore team that walks to the county title every year they can't even offer a proper proper forward to the county team...and haven't done since Phil reilly used to play 25 odd years ago .....the players aren't there outside of that tight 15 we had last year...hence why it wasn't being negative just being honest to say yes once the injuries hit we were down sh$t creek without a paddle

[oneshot]

phil o'reilly a propper forward of 25 years ago heard it all now.

[Snotser123]

Was he not the last player to play for the Offaly senior mens team from tullamore in the forwards on a consistent basis ? Excuse my phrasing proper forward ....which is crazy when u think of the grip tullamore have on Offaly football the last few years

[biffinbanner]

id beg to differ about tullamore"walking" to a county final every year? 3 years ago they won a penalty shoot out in the semi? 2 years ago it needed a hometown ref giving a disgraceful display to get them over the line?? and 2025 they were 4 down going into injury time? get your facts right.

[Snotser123]

Certainly not here to defend them , just can't deny they have been dominate force in Offaly football and still can't provide a forward on any decent level for our county team that's all

[jimbob17]

Harry Plunkett was available the last couple of years but was left out mostly. Of the few times when he was played this year, he was often our top scorer. John Kenny played a couple of years in forwards since Phil Reilly I think.

[Bord na Mona man]

Was he not the last player to play for the Offaly senior mens team from tullamore in the forwards on a consistent basis ?

No.

[Bord na Mona man]

Ya it's horrible to hear but it's the facts ...just like with the hurlers if you take away the freakishly talented group we are a Joe mcdonagh county who bobs up and down for the next 15 years....

Daft argument. Take out the 'freakishly talented' minor team of 1989 and Offaly would have won no All Irelands since 1985.

Let's see what other Joe McDonagh county produces a 'freakishly talented' group like them so...

[Bord na Mona man]

which all stems from us winning a few all irelands in the 70s 80s and 90s when players prepared for games by drinking pints and smoking.

More rubbish.
Only a flash in the pan...lasting 40 years, when Offaly were contesting All Irelands.
Whatever preparation Offaly were doing, it was clearly better than their peers in those decades.

[biffinbanner]

draw for talitean monday

[Thomas mc]

which all stems from us winning a few all irelands in the 70s 80s and 90s when players prepared for games by drinking pints and smoking.

More rubbish.
Only a flash in the pan...lasting 40 years, when Offaly were contesting All Irelands.
Whatever preparation Offaly were doing, it was clearly better than their peers in those decades.

Smoking drinking covering 5k on the pitch and playing a game that is unrecognisable today.. pick any player off the field as he was in he 80s and he'd struggle in a club junior b game now.. fact!! Same with soccer.. seen a stat players in the 80s covered 4k a game compared to 11k now.. they wouldnt get near the ball.. matt connor as he was in 1980s would not get a possesion of the ball in a junior championship match today!!! All teams now maiximise every resourse so the ones with the most win the most