National Forum

Time To Accept Offaly Are Now A "Weaker" County

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Replying To 890202:  "I think many accepted that before yesterday. When was the last time Offaly beat a top 8 team in the championship? Btw I would class Wexford as a top 8 team in 2012, so that's not to be included

Hurling has a distinct hierarchy at the moment

Tier 1
Tipp
Limerick
Kilkenny
Galway

Tier 2
Cork
Waterford
Clare

Tier 3
Wexford
Dublin
Laois

Tier 4
Carlow
Westmeath
Kerry
Antrim

Tier 5
Meath
Down
Offaly
Kildare

Tier 6
Derry
Roscommon
Wicklow
Sligo"
if you want to know more about this poster,go to the wexford homepage and look at the 3 hurling threads for 2017/18/19.they were all resurrected.....

perfect10 (Wexford) - Posts: 3841 - 15/11/2020 19:12:12    2309519

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Replying To 890202:  "I think many accepted that before yesterday. When was the last time Offaly beat a top 8 team in the championship? Btw I would class Wexford as a top 8 team in 2012, so that's not to be included

Hurling has a distinct hierarchy at the moment

Tier 1
Tipp
Limerick
Kilkenny
Galway

Tier 2
Cork
Waterford
Clare

Tier 3
Wexford
Dublin
Laois

Tier 4
Carlow
Westmeath
Kerry
Antrim

Tier 5
Meath
Down
Offaly
Kildare

Tier 6
Derry
Roscommon
Wicklow
Sligo"
Very good post. Think you are being generous to Cork but can't argue with it otherwise.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3772 - 15/11/2020 20:16:36    2309586

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Offaly had a big backroom team this year with Michael Fennellly & Johnny Kelly etc onboard. I'd say they were greatly hampered by the initial lockdown & then the COVID case in the squad a couple of weeks ago. Hopefully they'll get a full season unhindered in 2021.

However, you have to admire Down. While the 3 Ards club still dominate, Bredagh are competing at senior level so it's now a 4 team championship. Ulster hurling teams seem to have something about playing against outside teams in their own province. You could see that the way Slaughtneil went at Ballyhale earlier this year, also in Newry. Hats off to Down for tearing up the script yesterday.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 3868 - 15/11/2020 20:22:20    2309600

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Offaly hurling fans need to realise that the 80s/90s glory days were a 'blip' and their level now is more in common with where they were for most of their history. They aren't getting back to the top anytime soon

M Lyster (Antrim) - Posts: 421 - 15/11/2020 20:24:04    2309604

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I believe that the hurling-playing area of Offaly is quite small. Would it be as small as that off Laois or Carlow, for example? Surely it's much smaller than that of Westmeath? Antrim also have had a long period of decline, despite having many strong clubs, which didn't get as much notice because they weren't at the same level to begin with.

It's remarkable that their hurling decline is in no way attached to dominance in the football - quite the opposite. Surely it must be down to structural issues within the county board or the like.

DL_Man (Donegal) - Posts: 89 - 15/11/2020 20:34:02    2309617

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Massive win for Down and further vindication of the manager and coach who have taken a lot of these lads through Feb squads and minor. Down had 4 teams in their senior championship this year. Bredagh on the outskirts of Belfast and after serious underage work for 15 years actually beat an Ards team (first time this has happened in 60 years) Next year probably 5 teams in Down SHC as Liatroim well fit to move up. After that there will be 4 intermediate teams and 5 in junior. If East Belfast who started up in 2020 go the same way re underage hurling as neighbors Bredagh and lesser extent Carryduff then that's another plus. 8 clubs represented on Down panel. What I am trying to say is our resources are nowhere near Offaly s but we seem to be getting the best outa what we have. Surely Offaly can sort themselves out?

SouthCounty (Down) - Posts: 43 - 15/11/2020 20:44:21    2309626

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Replying To DL_Man:  "I believe that the hurling-playing area of Offaly is quite small. Would it be as small as that off Laois or Carlow, for example? Surely it's much smaller than that of Westmeath? Antrim also have had a long period of decline, despite having many strong clubs, which didn't get as much notice because they weren't at the same level to begin with.

It's remarkable that their hurling decline is in no way attached to dominance in the football - quite the opposite. Surely it must be down to structural issues within the county board or the like."
It's not much smaller than Westmeath. Carlow only has 4 senior clubs. Offaly has 16 in their senior championship.

Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 193 - 15/11/2020 20:48:59    2309633

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There are 14 hurling clubs in Westmeath in total.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 3868 - 15/11/2020 21:12:50    2309648

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Replying To 890202:  "I think many accepted that before yesterday. When was the last time Offaly beat a top 8 team in the championship? Btw I would class Wexford as a top 8 team in 2012, so that's not to be included

Hurling has a distinct hierarchy at the moment

Tier 1
Tipp
Limerick
Kilkenny
Galway

Tier 2
Cork
Waterford
Clare

Tier 3
Wexford
Dublin
Laois

Tier 4
Carlow
Westmeath
Kerry
Antrim

Tier 5
Meath
Down
Offaly
Kildare

Tier 6
Derry
Roscommon
Wicklow
Sligo"
Surprised you didn't put us in tier 6...

wexico15 (Wexford) - Posts: 2602 - 16/11/2020 01:18:23    2309753

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Replying To Rolo2010:  "It's not much smaller than Westmeath. Carlow only has 4 senior clubs. Offaly has 16 in their senior championship."
8 teams in Senior A, and 8 in Senior B at the moment. The B grouping when introduced, included the bottom 4 Senior teams, and the 4 intermediate semi finalists at the time. This was introduced a few years ago, from 2021, there will be 10 sides in Senior B. Regardless of the number of clubs, Offaly hurling has dropped to the third tier in recent years. The executive and team management will work on improving this.

MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 112 - 16/11/2020 10:41:28    2309849

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Replying To DL_Man:  "I believe that the hurling-playing area of Offaly is quite small. Would it be as small as that off Laois or Carlow, for example? Surely it's much smaller than that of Westmeath? Antrim also have had a long period of decline, despite having many strong clubs, which didn't get as much notice because they weren't at the same level to begin with.

It's remarkable that their hurling decline is in no way attached to dominance in the football - quite the opposite. Surely it must be down to structural issues within the county board or the like."
Offaly hurling is spread over the south and north of the county. In the Deep South, hurling dominates, Coolderry, Shinrone and Seir Kieran (Clareen), are hurling only. As you move north there is a mix of hurling and football, Tullamore and Shamrocks, and Clodiagh Gaels, play hurling and football, as do Clara.
Edenderry in the east, are reintroducing hurling, they always catered for football clubs, in the north east of the county.
Belmont are the hurling end of Ferbane parish. In west Offaly St. Rynagh's cover hurling and football.
Birr have played in the junior football championship, and provided a few county footballers.

MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 112 - 16/11/2020 11:02:53    2309880

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Replying To wexico15:  "Surprised you didn't put us in tier 6..."
Where would you put us. What would you change

890202 (Wexford) - Posts: 1204 - 16/11/2020 11:49:28    2309933

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Replying To MicktheMiller:  "8 teams in Senior A, and 8 in Senior B at the moment. The B grouping when introduced, included the bottom 4 Senior teams, and the 4 intermediate semi finalists at the time. This was introduced a few years ago, from 2021, there will be 10 sides in Senior B. Regardless of the number of clubs, Offaly hurling has dropped to the third tier in recent years. The executive and team management will work on improving this."
Correction. There will be 10 hurling teams in Senior A in 2021.

MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 112 - 16/11/2020 11:53:53    2309940

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Replying To 890202:  "Where would you put us. What would you change"
Tipp, limerick, galway tier 1

Kilkenny, wexford, cork, Waterford, Dublin, clare tier 2

I know kilkenny beat galway on Saturday but I think galway are a better side than kilkenny and threw away that game on Saturday

wexico15 (Wexford) - Posts: 2602 - 16/11/2020 12:00:01    2309951

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Replying To WanPintWin:  "And you get Mayo posters having a pop at Galway. What on earth has any of that got to do with Offaly hurling. 2001 isn't the 90s, just to be absolutley accurate.
Offaly are in the third tier of the hurling championship currently. The Galway footballers are a division 1 team and were All-Ireland semi-finalists 2 years ago. There's no comparison between the two at the moment. A very clumsy attempt to derail a thread about Offaly hurling."
as I work in a border county with Galway Mayo Roscommon supporters here, it amazes me the way they think their weekend game is the be all and end all of the weekend, for exampl, first thing this morning "what did you think of the match?" me: "which one? Them: the connaught final!!! (with an unsadid follow up of "what game to do you think)...I replied, I didnt watch that game, watched Kildare /Meath and later Limerick Waterford in Munster final...there is this perception that no other games really matter only their counties...I follow all GAA, but the way some go on about their own counties is rediculous....

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 387 - 16/11/2020 12:41:07    2309994

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Replying To wexico15:  "Tipp, limerick, galway tier 1

Kilkenny, wexford, cork, Waterford, Dublin, clare tier 2

I know kilkenny beat galway on Saturday but I think galway are a better side than kilkenny and threw away that game on Saturday"
I agree that overall despite losing at the weekend Galway have better quality than KK at the moment but the fact that KK actually beat us means theres no way KK could be ranked in a tier below Galway. But having better quality doesn't mean they are a better team because if they were a better team they wouldnt have lost the game!
Anyway imo theres not much merit in your distinction of Tier 1 teams from Tier 2 because in any given day all your tier 2 teams (except possibly Dublin) are capable of beating the teams you name in tier 1.

PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1448 - 16/11/2020 12:50:56    2310003

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Replying To PoolSturgeon:  "I agree that overall despite losing at the weekend Galway have better quality than KK at the moment but the fact that KK actually beat us means theres no way KK could be ranked in a tier below Galway. But having better quality doesn't mean they are a better team because if they were a better team they wouldnt have lost the game!
Anyway imo theres not much merit in your distinction of Tier 1 teams from Tier 2 because in any given day all your tier 2 teams (except possibly Dublin) are capable of beating the teams you name in tier 1."
I'd agree the tiered stuff is nonsense but the poster I was replying too goes to embarrassing extreme lengths to dismiss wexford long before our 2 awful performances in the last few weeks.

Funnily enough and I might sound like I'm contradicting myself but I think kk will get to the final as this years condensed nature makes it very difficult for back door teams .

wexico15 (Wexford) - Posts: 2602 - 16/11/2020 13:17:09    2310030

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Replying To wexico15:  "I'd agree the tiered stuff is nonsense but the poster I was replying too goes to embarrassing extreme lengths to dismiss wexford long before our 2 awful performances in the last few weeks.

Funnily enough and I might sound like I'm contradicting myself but I think kk will get to the final as this years condensed nature makes it very difficult for back door teams ."
and go and start your own posts please about how Galway will do and how KK will do, this post is about Offaly...thanks.

Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 387 - 16/11/2020 18:01:33    2310261

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Offaly have always been punching above their weight due to small population. However I have the greatest respect for Offaly who won all Irelands at both codes with such a small pick. That shows the drive of Offaly people. I watched tg4 recently about the Lowry s and they said if it was nt for Bord na móna they would probably all have been in England meaning Offaly might not have won football in 82.When employment gets smaller so does your pick. I'm sad to see Offaly hurling at mó. I have faith in Michael Duignan and he will do his best but with the economy going to crash again after covid it's the smaller counties that lose more players ré employment etc. As a Kerryman I was devastated in 82 but happy for Offaly too who were such gracious winners. I loved Matt Connor and the hurlers I loved Joachim Kelly Paraig Horan etc. I hope Offaly comeback in both codes.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 630 - 16/11/2020 18:27:08    2310278

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I think Offaly will be back. There are enough young lads hurling in the county to produce another golden generation. Might not be for a good few years though and all they can do in the meantime is start with the schools and work up as Wexford had to do after a dismal period in the late noughties.

Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 1024 - 16/11/2020 20:28:22    2310361

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