Much like last week, I'm trying not to be too negative after what was essentially a challenge match, however it's not like we're dealing with a team of proven winners here - Offaly footballers collectively need to rediscover the lost art of winning matches, and I'm quite disappointed that we didn't make a better fist of getting some positive momentum under our belts with a win here. (With UCD next, a win in this game has probably guaranteed Carlow two more games, while we have to scour for challenge matches)
Seeing as Black and red Exile has hinted at it, i suppose I have to do my player by player bit now ....
Alan Mulhall Was neither good nor bad last week, but this week definitely didn't do him any favours. His drop for the first goal was very poor, while his tackle for the penalty probably should have been a straight red - it was a wild flail that you might see in the WWE. (I'm not saying he meant to do harm, but I've no idea what he thought he was doing.) His kickouts appeared to be thoughtless and all told I'm thinking he won't be ahead of either Meehan or Kelly by the summer.
Conor Evans As with last week, he needs a lot of football to get back up to speed - can stand way off his man, and is still a little prone to fouling - indeed by times he gives the air of a guy who's just waiting for the chance to get a dig in. I still think that he'll be in much better shape by the summer, but his lack of pace is worrying - he may yet be asked to play full back I'd say.
Ciarán Mac I think it's time to end this experiment now. He passed the ball well out of defence, he's still a powerful and fit man, but he's just not a full back. He's not quick enough to mark, he's too easily turned and his instinct is a tackle - which should be a last resort for a full back since most FF's are just itching for a chance to hit the deck. Was delighted for him with the penalty save, but I think we need to get him into the centre back position soon, or possibly even a sweeping seventh defender.
Kevin Lynam To my mind, somebody needs to tell this guy that if he wants to play county football, he has to step up - it's not that he's incapable, but he always strikes me as a guy who would be happy to concede a bucket of scores as long as it wasn't his fault. He's playing like a guy who just wants to look after his own corner and not make any mistakes. The perfect example was towards the end of the first half - Carlow hit a free that dropped short, and Lynam fielded it perfectly well and had an acre of space in front of him. Any guy who wants to tell management that he should have a shirt for the summer would have burst into the gap, drew a man, laid it off and started a move, or generally got an attack going. Once Lynam had the ball in his hands, he just stopped and looked around for McManus to give the handy short ball to. Mac was much more closely marked, but being Mac, he wanted the ball and he wanted to start an attack. But because he was under pressure, he had to hit it long and Carlow ended up winning the ball and popping it back over the bar. If he gets another chance, he really needs to grab it by the scruff of the neck.
Kieran Flannery He's not the most comfortable in possession, but his pace was useful again today. I don't think there's enough football in him so to speak, but he should come on for this experience and with a little bit more strength, could have a real future - just not this year I'd say.
Joe Quinn Funnily enough, I'd actually absolve Quinn of blame for this one. He got a black card for two perfectly fair tackles and thus had to walk on eggshells all day, while he also strikes me as a player who actually uses his brain. I think he'll be a summer starter yet, in any one of a number of positions.
Matt Mitchell Utterly anonymous, but so was his man - so I've no idea why he was taken off. Was neither the problem nor the solution while he was on the field.
Niall Smith Very poor I thought - I really hope that it's just the winter and we're not seeing a degree of sophomore slump from him. He got forward well enough but I was really disappointed with the way that he didn't mark his man (Byrne) on the Carlow kickout. Byrne would stand behind him, drift out towards one side and have the advantage for when Hennessy targetted his kickout, as he did all day. We needed more from him.
Conor Carroll After a mildly promising debut, this was poor - he just wasn't in the game at all. Everything just seemed to pass him by.
Paul McConway I'd love to see him get more of his aggression back and his insistence on kicking with the outside of the boot will probably get frustrating, but I got the feeling that he was actually coming back a little bit closer to form. He's going from being ice cold to being lukewarm, but it's a start. His tracking was suspect though and he hasn't rediscovered that visceral edge. Long way to go, but maybe he might come back into consideration yet.
Rory Guinan I've been agitating for his inclusion for years now and then he goes and does this to me. He was awful altogether - gave the ball away time and again, a series of bad wides and no real attacking contribution. I'd say he'll be off the panel sooner rather than later at this rate.
Jason Kelly Did a few good things and I got the impression he at least wanted to compete, but he needs to get a lot more involved in the game and to work himself into scoring positions. He'll need to do a lot more to get any kind of sustained run in the league.
Ruairí Allen Doffed cap young man. He's lacking strength and isn't lightning quick for his age, but he showed well and took his scores very nicely. I wouldn't have considered him as a likely Under 21 starter before this, but he is now.
Brian Connor Another young lad who came out of this with his reputation enhanced. He never stopped trying to compete, he wanted to show for the ball, he often had to fight with two lads and he gave every ounce of energy he had. His inclusion surprised a lot and may have led to accusations of favouritism, but he proved that (a) he was worth the start, and that (b) he's worth getting another few as well.
Ken Casey I remain to be convinced that he has improved at all in the last few years, but he had a good outing here. After last week when we had three inside forwards who just wanted to run sideways, it was refreshing to see a corner forward itching to get past his man for a change. Sometimes it worked, sometimes it didn't but it contrasted sharply with Deehan when he came on. He's looking like a starter as things stand.
I'm not going to bother with the subs, except to say that Rory Connor had the chance to make a support run and didn't before his stupid yellow card, Ger Rafferty did okay but needed to be minding the house at the back rather than pushing up, while Tommo still goes in strange directions instead of forwawrd.
Long way to go yet basically.
