Best 15 from Offaly Hurling AllStars

[llkj]

I was browsing the main section of this site and reading through the list of hurling All Stars from Offaly. In total, there are 25 different players with 42 All Stars between them.
So, in about 2 minutes, I picked my starting 15 from the list of 25. There are obviously some tricky decisions and I would say that you could have 20 different combinations of players. Here is my selection for what it is worth. I won't highlight any of the ones that I was mulling over, and let people give their own opinions.
Apologies to the 10 lads that didn't make the starting selection, but I can only start 15. The rest of ye, stay warm and you'll all be getting a run in the 2nd half. (Deep down everyone knows that they wont be getting a run, but it sounds better than telling them to head off home now, as we might need someone to collect sliotars or do umpire)

1. D. Martin
2. P Fluery
3. E. Coughlan
4. M. Hanamy
5. B. Whelehan
6. P. Delaney
7. K. Martin
8. J. Pilkinton
9. J. Kelly
10. Johnny Dooley
11. J. Troy
12. M. Corrigan
13. P. Carroll RIP
14. P. Horan
15. Joe Dooley

Do your best. Here is the link to the list of players to choose from: http://offaly.gaa.ie/offaly-s-all-stars

[Kevin]

I was browsing the main section of this site and reading through the list of hurling All Stars from Offaly. In total, there are 25 different players with 42 All Stars between them.
So, in about 2 minutes, I picked my starting 15 from the list of 25. There are obviously some tricky decisions and I would say that you could have 20 different combinations of players. Here is my selection for what it is worth. I won't highlight any of the ones that I was mulling over, and let people give their own opinions.
Apologies to the 10 lads that didn't make the starting selection, but I can only start 15. The rest of ye, stay warm and you'll all be getting a run in the 2nd half. (Deep down everyone knows that they wont be getting a run, but it sounds better than telling them to head off home now, as we might need someone to collect sliotars or do umpire)

1. D. Martin
2. P Fluery
3. E. Coughlan
4. M. Hanamy
5. B. Whelehan
6. P. Delaney
7. K. Martin
8. J. Pilkinton
9. J. Kelly
10. Johnny Dooley
11. J. Troy
12. M. Corrigan
13. P. Carroll RIP
14. P. Horan
15. Joe Dooley

Do your best. Here is the link to the list of players to choose from: http://offaly.gaa.ie/offaly-s-all-stars

Regarding a run in the second half I wouldn't be so hasty in dismissing the services of some of those left off the first 15. A few impact subs there to say the very least...

[llkj]

I was talking about this with a few lads over the weekend and having a debate about our respective selections. One of the lads in the group reckoned that the best 15 from Offaly's All Stars would not beat the current Kilkenny team. It turned into a fairly heated debate with solid enough arguments made on both sides.

So, what do you reckon. Offaly All Star 15 V Kilkenny 2012 Best 15 (with all their players free from injury). Who's gonna win that one?

[Lone Shark]

I was talking about this with a few lads over the weekend and having a debate about our respective selections. One of the lads in the group reckoned that the best 15 from Offaly's All Stars would not beat the current Kilkenny team. It turned into a fairly heated debate with solid enough arguments made on both sides.

So, what do you reckon. Offaly All Star 15 V Kilkenny 2012 Best 15 (with all their players free from injury). Who's gonna win that one?

Depends completely on who refs it. The rules are completely different now. If it's reffed according to 2012 rules, where eight steps are allowed, where you can charge into guys to barge them out of your way, where you can run with the ball and flail the hurl wildly behind you, and where lads looking to play the ball overhead get broken fingers for their trouble, then yes, Kilkenny would win. Probably by a lot.

That's not meant as a criticism by the way - the rules are being enforced in a certain way and Kilkenny have adapted to that better than anyone else. That's to their credit, but if you look at that Offaly forward line, they were masters of a different type of game. I'd have faith in the likes of Horan and Carroll to give as good as they got, but the other four would struggle to get on the ball, so their ability to do magical things with it would be redundant.

[corner back]

[quote="Lone Shark] where lads looking to play the ball overhead get broken fingers for their trouble, then yes, Kilkenny would win. [quote]

Interested in your reference to this one. I haven't seen anyone get injured trying to field a high ball in inter county hurling for the last few years. I would have thought high fielding would be a strength for the Kilkenny lads in this imaginary game. I would have thought your fingers would have been in much more danger in days gone by.

[kingscounty]

I was talking about this with a few lads over the weekend and having a debate about our respective selections. One of the lads in the group reckoned that the best 15 from Offaly's All Stars would not beat the current Kilkenny team. It turned into a fairly heated debate with solid enough arguments made on both sides.

So, what do you reckon. Offaly All Star 15 V Kilkenny 2012 Best 15 (with all their players free from injury). Who's gonna win that one?

Depends completely on who refs it. The rules are completely different now. If it's reffed according to 2012 rules, where eight steps are allowed, where you can charge into guys to barge them out of your way, where you can run with the ball and flail the hurl wildly behind you, and where lads looking to play the ball overhead get broken fingers for their trouble, then yes, Kilkenny would win. Probably by a lot.

That's not meant as a criticism by the way - the rules are being enforced in a certain way and Kilkenny have adapted to that better than anyone else. That's to their credit, but if you look at that Offaly forward line, they were masters of a different type of game. I'd have faith in the likes of Horan and Carroll to give as good as they got, but the other four would struggle to get on the ball, so their ability to do magical things with it would be redundant.

totally disagree, kilkenny in my mind are far from a dirty team. you say 8 steps are allowed in 2012 rules then why dont the offaly lads take 8 steps, it was a joke when at the game in clara baker and some players were shouting steps at the ref and we 20 points down at the time. hurling is a contact sport , you try and barge and get your way by your opponents. thats whats wrong with offaly today they wont mix it like the teams of old. offaly in the 80s and 90s were well able to mix the hard stuff with the clares,galways,kilkennys etc and they also had the skill to win these games when it came down to hurling. i cant remember much lads from other teams over the last 10 years getting broken fingers when they played against this kilkenny team the best hurling team we are ever likely to see.

[turk]

The Offaly greatest team would hammer Kilkenny!

Have some pride in your county and yourselves

[Ahlethimoutwithit]

Thats the spirit Turk, enough of this talk about the last 20 years, the big one is only a week away! I dont intend being reduced to tears, leap into the Yellowbellies lads and dont mind what our AllStars would have done!!

[Kevin]

Aye, Aye!!!

Let's go git 'em!!!!!!