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John Ryan's charges are off to a solid start in their first competitive outing this morning in the Leinster League, against Westmeath in O'Connor Park, winning on a score line of 2-9 to 1-3.

Keep it up lads!

Well done lads! Keep it going.

On a seperate note when is the Leinster Colleges final between ST Marys Edenderry and the Dublin school?

Very solid performance from the minors. I won't lie, there were several levels on which I enjoyed this game. Any comfortable win over Westmeath is enjoyable for obvious reasons, but after Tommy Carr's recent performance on Prime Time, when he argued about how tough the manager's job was and how it needed remuneration, it was nice to see him so comfortably outperformed by an Offaly man who does the job for nothing only the service of his county.

In truth however, the men on the line probably had little to do with it. This is a very good Offaly group with perhaps a deeper panel than we've seen for a long time, while Westmeath, with a few exceptions, looked very ordinary. Kildare, Meath and Dublin look like the front runners in this competition this year.

I believe Edenderry are playing Coláiste Eoin at 1pm this Saturday in Páirc Tailteann in Navan. It may yet be a double header with the VS final, depending on how today's semi between Carnew and Castleknock works out. Castleknock win and it's very likely, Carnew and the VEC game is more likely to be moved to Portlaoise or Carlow.

Anyone got a list of the minor panel and their respective clubs??

Edenderry Cormac Hurley, Sean Moriarty, Aaron O'Connell, Peter O'Neill
Ferbane Ciarán Cahill, Joe Maher, Brian Grehan, Eoghan Lowry
Shannonbridge Darragh Corbett
Shamrocks Johnny McEvoy
Rhode Conor McNamee, Ruaidhrí McNamee
Durrow Oisín Cusack
Gracefield Mark Kirwan, Shane Lawless
Na Fianna Richie Reynolds, Luke Dunne, Niall Dempsey, Declan Byrne (Not sure which clubs these lads are)
Tullamore Pauric Brazil, Johnny Kavanagh
Clara Luke Kelly
St Rynaghs Conor Clancy
Kilcormac Killoughey Jordan Quinn
Capincur Eoin Carroll
Bracknagh Peter Cunningham
Erin Rovers Ryan Delaney

Taken from the teamsheet for yesterday.

Far too many West Offaly lads there!

Apologies, meant to post this here instead of another thread

there is a very good minor team there this year, probably one of the best in a long while. they are winning with their schools in Moate, Gallen and Edenderry and this confidence will help if brought to the county team. This group were unplayable at underage development, and while there are still a few fellas out there that should be in the squad and arent (I can think of at least six between Tullamore, Clara and St Vincents without naming names), there is a good side there. Offaly need a good run to dismiss the doom and gloom, and with a back door here now at minor level, we have a good chance of progressing.

Interesting that Westmeath were so easily beaten as they should also be one of the pick of the teams in leinster this year at minor. Tommy Carr took them on very controversially there before christmas making headlines, and things appear to be going down hill for him given this result which eally was a pasting. Heard him on ridiculing the KK footballers at the weekend on the radio. Maybe he should get his own house in order before he starts throwing stones as this loss would go down particularly bad in Westmeath given the talent that they perceive themselves to have at minor this year.....

I dont buy the fact there are a lot or too much from west offaly. the best lads should be on the panel and the fact is that ferbane will be one of the biggest providers given that they are the team to beat at minor this year and have been over the past few years at 16 level. Add in Darragh Corbett from shannonbridge and you could have the spine of your team and this has been reflected in ferbanes success at schools level last year winning the all ireland. They should possibly have even more than their present allocation on the panel.
Moate have also acquited themselves well at schools level with a few from the west, surprised that nobody from Ballycumber tubber Doon or pollough have made the panel either as there has go to be one out there good enough between these clubs . The power shift has gone to west offaly for this age group, similar to what rhode og would have had a few years ago. It is a shame that only 4 players have made the panel between tullamore, Clara and St Vincents as this is the centre of offaly football and two of them are traditional powers of Offaly. I know a of a few from these clubs who are good enough but maybe they have been tried and failed, i dont know, but i would certainly see some of them better than a few who are in there. However this will always be the case and i wouldnt argue a whole lot with the selection process as John Ryan would be one known to do things fairly as possible.

Too many East Offaly lads as well!

Bracknagh Peter Cunningham

This lad has the potential to head for really big things. He destroyed all around him in the Intermediate championship last year and has speed, strength and can take scores from anywhere. We don't get too many outstanding players in Bracknagh but when they do come along they tend to be special!!!

Good man Bracknaghboy! Hope he goes on to contrbute more at senior level than some of your other "special ones"!!
Seriously though, Connolly was a right one, remember him terrorising Laois in U21 drawn game in Portlaoise. Frank was the big loss as he could have been the difference in winning another Leinster after 97 if he could have handled the training. Indeed, some way should have been found as he was a special talent.

Is Frank Weir still minor this year?

I see Carnew won, so Leinster final will prob be in Carlow/Portlaoise? Is that fixed for Saturday also?

Ahlethimoutwithit wrote:I see Carnew won, so Leinster final will prob be in Carlow/Portlaoise? Is that fixed for Saturday also?

Provisionally for Saturday, no venue set yet though that I'm aware of.

Gallen cs v carnew half 12 Friday in ratheneska? Outside portlaoise?

darknight wrote:Gallen cs v carnew half 12 Friday in ratheneska? Outside portlaoise?

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