If the minors beat Dublin will they playing on Croke Park on a double bill on July 16th with the Senior Leinster Final? If so, what a great day it'll be.
The minors should get a lift from the seniors great display v Wexford. They should get decent support in Portlaoise on Wednesday evening (7.30 p.m.)
Offaly minors looked good against Wicklow. Since then they've had some mixed results in challenges but Diarmuid Horan is supposed to be back and playing well for them.
Any team news, predictions etc?
Minor Football Championship Offaly v Dublin, Portlaoise, Wed
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the bare biffo
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Minor Match
Both sides played some good football and both sides also had some awful misses - whoever lost this would have been kicking themselves. Thankfully we got through, with Horan and Brady due a large share of the credit IMHO. I'll leave it up to the more expert opinions among us to go into detail 
(Unusual at a minor game to see four players (all Dublin) collapse with cramp before full time.)
(Unusual at a minor game to see four players (all Dublin) collapse with cramp before full time.)
Well done!!
Offaly had only two scorers: Ken Casey (1-5, 1-2 from play), William Mulhall (1-0)
Offaly dominated the first 10 minutes but failed to score, missing both point and goal chances. At least chances were being created and Offaly were trying to play intelligent football but always the final shot or pass went astray. Dublin were also struggling for scores before Ken Casey at last got Offaly off the mark by putting the ball in the roof of the net. Ken Casey went on to score all but one of Offaly's total, featuring some wonderful scores from placed balls.
Offaly played some decent football for a period but gradually Dublin got a grip at midfield and there was a 10 minute period in the first half where the ball never got out of the Offaly half. Despite this it looked like Offaly would go in with three points advantage before Dublin narrowed it to one just before half time.
The first half will also be remembered for a strange miss where two of the Offaly full forward line were in behind the defence and the goal chance was not converted.
1-3 to 0-5 at half time.
The pattern of missed chances on both sides continued after half time. Offaly went four points ahead after Ross Brady put Willie Mullhall in for a goal which was taken very coolly. The rest of the game was a backs to the wall exercise with the ball permanently in the Offaly half. Some of the Dublin misses from frees and play were unbelievable.
Ross Brady withdrew deep into the Offaly half and did very well in tackling and fielding high ball. The backs tackled tirelessly and Brian Quinlan made a vital save.
Fair play to Offaly for getting enough scores to win but there is a lot more potential in this forward division.
2-5 to 0-10 at the end.
Offaly dominated the first 10 minutes but failed to score, missing both point and goal chances. At least chances were being created and Offaly were trying to play intelligent football but always the final shot or pass went astray. Dublin were also struggling for scores before Ken Casey at last got Offaly off the mark by putting the ball in the roof of the net. Ken Casey went on to score all but one of Offaly's total, featuring some wonderful scores from placed balls.
Offaly played some decent football for a period but gradually Dublin got a grip at midfield and there was a 10 minute period in the first half where the ball never got out of the Offaly half. Despite this it looked like Offaly would go in with three points advantage before Dublin narrowed it to one just before half time.
The first half will also be remembered for a strange miss where two of the Offaly full forward line were in behind the defence and the goal chance was not converted.
1-3 to 0-5 at half time.
The pattern of missed chances on both sides continued after half time. Offaly went four points ahead after Ross Brady put Willie Mullhall in for a goal which was taken very coolly. The rest of the game was a backs to the wall exercise with the ball permanently in the Offaly half. Some of the Dublin misses from frees and play were unbelievable.
Ross Brady withdrew deep into the Offaly half and did very well in tackling and fielding high ball. The backs tackled tirelessly and Brian Quinlan made a vital save.
Fair play to Offaly for getting enough scores to win but there is a lot more potential in this forward division.
2-5 to 0-10 at the end.
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ballymanabroad
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I couldn't sit down for the last five minutes I was so nervous. We were being bombarded by Dublin and at one stage I thought a draw was the best we could hope for. But fair dues to this heroic Offaly squad and their management. Just like last year, they've provided us with performances to be proud of.
When the time came to roll up their sleeves and fight for the cause, the likes of goalkeeper Brian Quinlan, basically all of the backs, plus my man of the match Ross Brady, and Daniel Currams were not found wanting.
As far as I can remember, Dublin owned possession for most of the second half and were inches away from getting a couple of goals. That being said, Brian Kelly hit the butt of the post for Offaly in the second half.
In the opening ten minutes, Offaly should have stormed ahead, but were nervous in front of goal. I think 'Bogman' has made a slight error - Mulhall got the goal in the first half and Casey slammed one home in the second. It was fitting that Casey hit a mighty clearance from defence in the last few agonising seconds of injury-time - with a drop-kick no less!
Fair dues to them for the most nerve-wracking, but heart-warming display I've seen for a quite a while.
When the time came to roll up their sleeves and fight for the cause, the likes of goalkeeper Brian Quinlan, basically all of the backs, plus my man of the match Ross Brady, and Daniel Currams were not found wanting.
As far as I can remember, Dublin owned possession for most of the second half and were inches away from getting a couple of goals. That being said, Brian Kelly hit the butt of the post for Offaly in the second half.
In the opening ten minutes, Offaly should have stormed ahead, but were nervous in front of goal. I think 'Bogman' has made a slight error - Mulhall got the goal in the first half and Casey slammed one home in the second. It was fitting that Casey hit a mighty clearance from defence in the last few agonising seconds of injury-time - with a drop-kick no less!
Fair dues to them for the most nerve-wracking, but heart-warming display I've seen for a quite a while.
Great stuff, well done to the lads, and thanks for the reports fellas, and Treas
We're certainly on the way back in the big ball game it looks like. These lads will have the benefit now of at least an All Ireland 1/4 final as well. It's all experience for the future.
Is Daniel Currams anything to the great Liam?
Hope they can do the business against a reportedly strong Meath team in the Final.
Uibh Fhailí abú
We're certainly on the way back in the big ball game it looks like. These lads will have the benefit now of at least an All Ireland 1/4 final as well. It's all experience for the future.
Is Daniel Currams anything to the great Liam?
Hope they can do the business against a reportedly strong Meath team in the Final.
Uibh Fhailí abú
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Lone Shark
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Certainly it seems this team shares the trait with last year's of grinding out the tough wins in the tight games - definitely admirable. Give me guys like that to build Offaly teams around over highly skilled but windy fellas any day.
I see we lost to Meath in the league, but in saying that we lost to Dublin as well - both by five points. Between that and the high profile lads like Shane O'Rourke there's no question but they'll be the fancied outfit, but it seems like you can depend on our boys to dig deep if nothing else - and one thing's for sure, win or lose the extra All Ireland quarter final will certainly stand to them as footballers. They will have their work cut out all the same - no danger of Meath underestimating them, too many guys still there from last year.
All in all - very well done lads. Good work.
I see we lost to Meath in the league, but in saying that we lost to Dublin as well - both by five points. Between that and the high profile lads like Shane O'Rourke there's no question but they'll be the fancied outfit, but it seems like you can depend on our boys to dig deep if nothing else - and one thing's for sure, win or lose the extra All Ireland quarter final will certainly stand to them as footballers. They will have their work cut out all the same - no danger of Meath underestimating them, too many guys still there from last year.
All in all - very well done lads. Good work.
Team
To answer Ballymanabroad's question, the squad as per the programme:
Brian Quinlan, Edenderry
Bryan Lonergan, Birr
Daniel Hales, Gracefield
Sean Pender, Edenderry
Ger Ward, Tullamore
Diarmuid Horan, St. Rynaghs
John Knight (C), Gracefield
Niall Geraghty, Ballinamere/Durrow
Ross Brady, Edenderry
James Gorman, Kilcormac/Killoughey
Daniel Currams, Kilcormac/Kiloughey
Brian Kelly, Ballycumber/Tubber
William Mulhall, Walsh Island
Nigel Dunne, Shamrocks
Ken Casey, Rhode
Ian Duffy, Walsh Island
Liam Brennan, St. Vincents
Damien Kilmartin, Kilcormac/Killoughey
Conor Mahon, Kilcormac/Killoughey
Colin Egan, Ferbane/Belmont
Glenn O'Connell, Rhode
Mark Mangan, St. Vincents
Paul Deehan, Clara
Paul Lambe, St. Vincents
Brian Quinlan, Edenderry
Bryan Lonergan, Birr
Daniel Hales, Gracefield
Sean Pender, Edenderry
Ger Ward, Tullamore
Diarmuid Horan, St. Rynaghs
John Knight (C), Gracefield
Niall Geraghty, Ballinamere/Durrow
Ross Brady, Edenderry
James Gorman, Kilcormac/Killoughey
Daniel Currams, Kilcormac/Kiloughey
Brian Kelly, Ballycumber/Tubber
William Mulhall, Walsh Island
Nigel Dunne, Shamrocks
Ken Casey, Rhode
Ian Duffy, Walsh Island
Liam Brennan, St. Vincents
Damien Kilmartin, Kilcormac/Killoughey
Conor Mahon, Kilcormac/Killoughey
Colin Egan, Ferbane/Belmont
Glenn O'Connell, Rhode
Mark Mangan, St. Vincents
Paul Deehan, Clara
Paul Lambe, St. Vincents
Daniel Currams is a nephew of the great liam currams,
Is Daniel Currams anything to the great Liam?
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Rynaghs Biffo
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Links with the past
Great result and very well done to the minors. Looking forward to a super day on Sunday week.
Are there some other possible links to former greats in this team; maybe someone can confirm or refute:
Ross Brady - Peter Brady ?
Ken Casey - Mick Casey (if he's from the Croghan part of Rhode) ?
William Mulhall - one of those Mulhall brothers who shared in the Connor-led dominant team of the early 80's ?
Sure dont all the best Offaly teams come from proved pedigree lines !
Woof Woof !
Are there some other possible links to former greats in this team; maybe someone can confirm or refute:
Ross Brady - Peter Brady ?
Ken Casey - Mick Casey (if he's from the Croghan part of Rhode) ?
William Mulhall - one of those Mulhall brothers who shared in the Connor-led dominant team of the early 80's ?
Sure dont all the best Offaly teams come from proved pedigree lines !
Woof Woof !