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Well, some are back in training, some are starting, some have management in place, others are looking at "dream team" combinations, some "big" names have turned down jobs, and rumours abound.


So on with the questions?

Can Rhode do it again?

Will Clara step up this year (will Ross Brady get to switch)?

Have Shamrocks finally found their man?

Will there be shocks?

Discuss.......

I heard Ross hadn't transferred to Edenderry in the first place!!!

Word on Ross is that he's transferred - done and dusted.

Can Clara step-up? Yes, but only if they find the form and togetherness that they showed last year. On top of all of that, like any team that wins a championship, they'll need their slice of luck.

As I've already said here, I think Tullamore will be strong contenders. Shamrocks will be somewhere in the shake-up too and I'm stating the obvious in saying that Rhode are the team to beat.

Roll on the first round.

LS, will you post odds when we know more about how the groups shape-up?

Hyper wrote:I heard Ross hadn't transferred to Edenderry in the first place!!!

Ross was 10 and a half when he first played for his "home club" ie CLARA as per rule 33 in Official Rules

Certainly, will be happy to do odds. To paraphrase a standard economic phrase, I've predicted eight out of the last two Clara titles, but once again I definitely think they're in the best position to try and take Rhode out. PJ Ward might be the missing link for Shamrocks, but my gut feeling is that he's just the missing link full stop, and that when push comes to shove he won't deliver. Tullamore still need a forward that you can depend on to score three points on a bad day, and Ballycumber still aren't finding anyone new.

Brigid's and Tubber dark horses if they get a handy draw, but realistically Rhode odds on with only Clara under 7/1, unless an unusual draw comes about.

LS, no mention of Gracefield these days. They have a new manager this year in Jimmy Dunne( well he came in towards the end of last year but missed the disastrous Erin Rovers game). I believe he is well repected in the county and could be the right man for the job.

No, no mention, nor will there be unless they have an awful lot more to bring to the table than a new manager. If you could depend on Fitzpatrick and O'Neill to be there for the full summer, and the team to be harmonious and injury free, they could potentially go as far as the last four, but that's the height of it. Even then am I mistaken in my thinking that they won't have those two lads for large chunks?

One way or another, you would expect relegation this year to be any two from the west Offaly trio of Rynaghs, Rovers and the Bridge, but Gracefield are the kind of club that right now would be a lot more likely to feature in the trapdoor race than to be still involved in the Dowling Cup in September - there's just not nearly enough depth in the club.

Thanks LS, I was hoping I'd get that excellent view from you. Now I can bring this to their dressing room and hope it motivates them like your previous one apparently did to the Moorefield dressing room.

I should set myself up as a paid consultant, there's clearly a market for this kind of thing .....

One way or another, you would expect relegation this year to be any two from the west Offaly trio of Rynaghs, Rovers and the Bridge

I'd go along with you in that these 3 clubs will be the weakest in the championship this year.. Bu you're forgetting only one goes down this year.

I'm pretty sure it's two - when the revamped championship was set up around eighteen months ago I understood that the plan was for two teams to go down in 2006, 07 and 08, thus leaving the senior championship at ten teams - is this not the case?

Ironically the hurling was the one that was left undecided, the championship that needs it twice as much.

The Magpie wrote:Word on Ross is that he's transferred - done and dusted.

Not so sure. I heard Edenderry are really digging their heels in... But word is that Clara are going to argue that he never actually transfered from Clara in the first place.
On the Championship side of things... It is hard to see Rhode being toppled as Offaly Champions, but on a given day, both Shamrocks and Clara have the capabilities to be them. They are favorites, but by no means unbeatable in the county. Maybe (as i've been accused of before)... I'm letting my clara heart rule over my head, i think Clara can beat them this year, but the gameplan has to change, If things aren't going Tommo and Reynolds way, there needs to be a plan B.
PJ Ward could add whats needed for shamrocks to go a step better than the 2 previous years. As it's been noted, i'm not a big fan of his, but he's a player with lots of intercounty experience, and that can surely only be a good thing for Shamrocks. So Rhode will still be favorites, but it'll be interesting to see what happens if/when they face either of the two other main contenders.

Yes, the plan was originally for the senior championship to be reduced to ten teams, but the county board have changed their minds again & this year will see 3 groups of 4 teams giving a new 12 team Senior championship.This will be the format for the forseeable future. Correct me if i'm wrong anybody else but i'm pretty sure this is now the case??

You're right Hocker, only one team in both hurling and football to be relegated.

Hmmm. I hope that particular change came about because of sporting reasons, and not because certain clubs who would have been in danger dug their heels in.

Funnily enough, it's not a pure disaster for the football, though I still think two groups of five would be ideal, but it's a pity they pulled back in the hurling, a couple more relegations there this year and we'd be getting closer to a proper and sustainable senior championship.