Uibh Fhailí - Cill Dara Saturday July 4th, Tellamore

[AZOffaly]

Might as well start it. Kildare will be favourites, but coming off a bad beating only 6 days beforehand (which is unfair) and travelling to Tullamore to play an Offaly team who are quietly feeling they are making some progress (albeit with a bad day at the office v Longford) it should at least be a proper championship challenge. Offaly will want to play through the hands, and at pace, before feeding the inside line. A lot will depend on whether Niall McNamee is fit, but lads like Willie Mulhall, Panda Allen and Nigel Dunne can score, I just think they will need their leader to direct operations. They are young, fit and keen, but they are probably a couple of years behind Kildare in preparation.

That said, if Offaly fire into it, they have a chance. I'd love to see them win a game like this, we could do with it, and after all Kildare will be a D3 next year, so you want to prepare for that too.

[Dinny Breen]

I disagree about Offaly not returning to at least competitiveness in Leinster. Dual status isn't that much of a factor for us, because of the way the county is split. The issue with Offaly has been the assumption that these things look after themselves, and another crop will come around eventually. That message seems to have sunk in, maybe 10 years too late, and with the right work, I think Offaly can, and will, challenge in Leinster again, at least challenge teams like Meath, Kildare, Laois and Westmeath. Dublin is a bit of an exception at the moment, but if the investment put in there continues to pay off, we are all goosed.

I think the GAA perceived a problem in Dublin about 15 years ago, and wanted to take action to ensure that the Capital would remain a GAA hotspot. Unfortunately in doing so, they have created another problem which is that the investment in Dublin has been brilliantly spent, and therefore the other counties are being left a mile behind. At some point people will stop going to games between Dublin and anyone else in Leinster, and at that stage it will be too late.

Maybe the GAA assumed the Dubs would squander a pile of money, like a lot of other county boards have!

I think you are been romantic when it comes to Offaly AZ, 8 years since your last Leinster Championship win and that was against Carlow, 26 years since a Leinster minor title (should have beaten Kildare this year), 20 years since you won an u21. Offaly are capable of one-off performances, would be no surprise to see them beat Kildare this weekend but when did you last see an Offaly football team put in a sustained level of performance in the championship. Development wise they are yo-yoing between Division 3 & 4. Resource wise been a dual county money has to spread more intelligently but means less money for each code which dilutes support structures. Without proper support structures it is hard to identify talent and nurture talent all in a sustainable environment.

[southderryman]

Why is this game 6 days after Kildare's defeat? Was the purpose of splitting the qualifiers into A & not to give teams a minimum 13 day break?

Seems unfair to me. Has any other county had a 6 day turn around?

[Dinny Breen]

Why is this game 6 days after Kildare's defeat? Was the purpose of splitting the qualifiers into A & not to give teams a minimum 13 day break?

Seems unfair to me. Has any other county had a 6 day turn around?

Dublin v Kildare was deferred a week, because the Leinster Council decided the semi-finals should be a double bill in Croke Park.

They got 50K so are well happy, no complaints from Kildare, our minors got to play in Croke Park and we got a two break after Laois.

[southderryman]

Why is this game 6 days after Kildare's defeat? Was the purpose of splitting the qualifiers into A & not to give teams a minimum 13 day break?

Seems unfair to me. Has any other county had a 6 day turn around?

Dublin v Kildare was deferred a week, because the Leinster Council decided the semi-finals should be a double bill in Croke Park.

They got 50K so are well happy, no complaints from Kildare, our minors got to play in Croke Park and we got a two break after Laois.

Fair enough. Didn't realise Dublin v Kildare had been put back a week. Was confused as to why Kildare were out again 6 days later

[Donnellys Hollow]

Offaly look to have got their house in order under Flanagan. I don't know what happened them in the last twenty minutes against Longford. They've had a few wins against Kildare at u21 level recently so you would expect them to be confident enough of a mild upset.

Will McNamee be fit and if he is will Ollie Lyons be fit to do man marking job on him?

[Dinny Breen]

Offaly look to have got their house in order under Flanagan. I don't know what happened them in the last twenty minutes against Longford. They've had a few wins against Kildare at u21 level recently so you would expect them to be confident enough of a mild upset.

Will McNamee be fit and if he is will Ollie Lyons be fit to do man marking job on him?

That just reinforces my point they beat Kildare in 2012 (Gracefield must be the worst venue in Ireland) and lost to Louth in the next round and last year where they were subsequently trimmed by Meath. Always capable of a one off performance against their neighbours but unable to sustain it though a championship. 

[AZOffaly]

I disagree about Offaly not returning to at least competitiveness in Leinster. Dual status isn't that much of a factor for us, because of the way the county is split. The issue with Offaly has been the assumption that these things look after themselves, and another crop will come around eventually. That message seems to have sunk in, maybe 10 years too late, and with the right work, I think Offaly can, and will, challenge in Leinster again, at least challenge teams like Meath, Kildare, Laois and Westmeath. Dublin is a bit of an exception at the moment, but if the investment put in there continues to pay off, we are all goosed.

I think the GAA perceived a problem in Dublin about 15 years ago, and wanted to take action to ensure that the Capital would remain a GAA hotspot. Unfortunately in doing so, they have created another problem which is that the investment in Dublin has been brilliantly spent, and therefore the other counties are being left a mile behind. At some point people will stop going to games between Dublin and anyone else in Leinster, and at that stage it will be too late.

Maybe the GAA assumed the Dubs would squander a pile of money, like a lot of other county boards have!

I think you are been romantic when it comes to Offaly AZ, 8 years since your last Leinster Championship win and that was against Carlow, 26 years since a Leinster minor title (should have beaten Kildare this year), 20 years since you won an u21. Offaly are capable of one-off performances, would be no surprise to see them beat Kildare this weekend but when did you last see an Offaly football team put in a sustained level of performance in the championship. Development wise they are yo-yoing between Division 3 & 4. Resource wise been a dual county money has to spread more intelligently but means less money for each code which dilutes support structures. Without proper support structures it is hard to identify talent and nurture talent all in a sustainable environment.

I agree with a lot of that Dinny, maybe I just have more faith in what I think the raw material is. Our County Board have negelected investment in coaching and preparation, and instead have invested in things like O'Connor Park. That debt is being assisted from Croke Park now, and they are currently planning their centre of excellence. The fact that this is only happening in 2015 is indicative of where we are as a county in terms of long term planning, but at least it is moving now.

I don't accept the dual county issue dilutes finances to a critical level. We had no money because of the O'Connor Park situation, not because we hurl (or try to) and play football (or try to). I believe that a proper development plan, focussed on maximising the resources we do have, and preparing our teams to the best of our ability is a sustainable approach, and will help us be as competitive as we can. I believe that sort of approach will at least see us competitive with our peers. At the moment we are a Division 3 team in standard, and we won't change that unless the young lads that start coming through are prepared as well as the ones in the other counties are. That's not all about money, it's about attitude, dedication, coaching skills and tactical appreciation.

We're a good bit away from that, but it can be done. I have to believe that, and so do the people on the ground.

[Donnellys Hollow]

Willie Heffernan - your county needs you

[AZOffaly]

Now that would get us going. We'd bring back these lads to fight fire with fire... The Grennan Brothers!

[Donnellys Hollow]

O'Connor Park wouldn't hold the crowd!

[Dinny Breen]

Will Ciaran be flying back for this one

[AZOffaly]

Is that Maccer? I can't see his face. Doesn't look like him to me.

[Donnellys Hollow]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YefEHYSBo9c

[Dinny Breen]

Is that Maccer? I can't see his face. Doesn't look like him to me.

9 on his jersey and inpho have him down

http://inpho.ie/media/45KeSOOGn5bf6anmyfUScQ..a?wosid=sBVVitWXsKHpBGwdkdEklg&woinst=3&ts=qnVy7lM9ysd7a51YI4DsWTEa2Zpiv_zwPjeeB_g13Ro.a