Offaly v Down 19/20 July

[amallon]

Down v Offaly snippets

Down played Offaly in the 1960 Semi final.  Paddy Doherty remarked that this was a much tougher game than the final against Kerry.  

The 1961 All Ireland Final between Down and Offaly attracted the highest ever attendance to Croker.

Paddy Doherty made probably one of the shortest ever speeches by a winning captain in '61 with the words "Thanks Offaly"

Down played Offaly in the 1981 All Ireland semi final.  Offaly won this one

Offaly beat Down in the 2004 Division 3 Final in Croker.

Any others??

[Niall Quinn]

Offaly Down will describe my mood if we fail to win this one - Down by 5.

Ba doom tsssh!

Is that a Basil Brush allusion?!

[Our Nail Loney]

Offaly Down will describe my mood if we fail to win this one - Down by 5.

Ba doom tsssh!

Is that a Basil Brush allusion?!

Yeah, my crap attempt at writing out the sound a drum would make!!

[Niall Quinn]

02.05.2004 NFL, Div 2 F  Offaly 3-11  Down 1-8 Details
05.04.1982 NFL, Div 1 QF R  Offaly 3-8  Down 1-10 Details
22.03.1982 NFL, Div 1 QF  Offaly 1-9  Down 0-12 Details
24.08.1981 All-Ireland SFC SF  Offaly 0-12  Down 0-6 Details
02.03.1981 NFL, Div 1 League  Offaly 1-10  Down 0-12 Details
1961 All-Ireland SFC F  Down 3-6  Offaly 2-8 Details
1960 All-Ireland SFC SF  Down 1-7  Offaly 1-5 Details

4-2 to Offaly.

Source: http://www.gaainfo.com/compare.php?co=0&team1=9&team2=24&sport=f&years=120&type=5

[Mourne Rover]

The only other Down/Offaly snippet I can offer is about the 1981 game. It must hold the record for the longest wait for the first score during any senior match in the All Ireland series. Both sides were fairly inexperienced at that level, and the nerves got to them in a big way. My recollection is that more than 15 minutes had been played with no score when Down were awarded a penalty. Ambrose was brought down in the box, although he probably should still have scored anyway, and Brendy McGovern had to take the kick. He hit it well enough, but Martin Furlong made a fine save. Offaly got the first point a couple of minutes later, from a Matt Connor free I think, when almost 20 minutes must have gone. The score steadied Offaly,and they settled into the game and won pretty easily in the end.

What might be of more pressing concern for Saturday in the referee. It is our old friend Aidan Mangan, the guy who practically single-handedly cost us an Ulster title in 2003. Down fans will not need to be reminded that he wrongly sent off Gregory McCartan before half time, when Brian McGuigan should have been red-carded instead. We had to play the entire second  half on the hottest day of the year with 14 men, and he still managed to give Tyrone a dodgy penalty and frees every time Canavan got the ball. It was a draw which felt like a defeat, and, with Gregory still suspended, we were duly hammered in the replay. Mangan is unlikely to get a friendly reception from the Down support in Tullamore.

[Dubh driocht]

And Rover, as you well know, Down supporters have had their moments with referees in Tullamore.
I hope you will be calling for respect and restraint.Mangan may be a bollox but we can't antagonise him.

[Mourne Rover]

Restraint, yes - respect, you must be joking. Sullen silence is the best Mangan can expect from the visiting support. On a separate matter, the Irish Indo said today that Offaly were hoping to get the football throw-in brought forward to 2pm because of their hurling QF at 5pm. I have every sympathy for them, but I would assume it is simply too late for a change. Is there any word from Croke Park ?

[Lecale2]

the Irish Indo said today that Offaly were hoping to get the football throw-in brought forward to 2pm because of their hurling QF at 5pm. I have every sympathy for them, but I would assume it is simply too late for a change. Is there any word from Croke Park ?

I heard this on RTE this morning. If anyone hears anything official can they post it?

Down hurlers are in Christy Ring Cup action in Newry at 2.30pm. We should ask Offaly to move the football back to 8.00pm so that Down supporters can attend both.

[AZOffaly]

Moving the Football to 8, and the hurling to 4 would be ideal for us. (Although I had the lights on last night at 9.15, so we mightn't get it done.

Actually for us, the hurling at 2 and the football at 7 would have given us a chance to be at both, but them's the breaks. I'm leaning towards Thurles at the moment.

[Red Army]

im all for Moving the game to Sunday. Ive a fecking wedding on Saturday so wont be able to go.

[AZOffaly]

Foireann Uibh Fhailí, in aghaidh an Dún.

1. Padraic Kelly

2. Ger Rafferty
3. Scott Brady
4. Paul McConway

5.Karol Slattery
6.James Keane
7.Nigel Grennan

8.Ciaran McManus
9.Niall Smith

10. Niall Darby
11. James Coughlan
12. Jason Kelly

13. Pascal Kellaghan
14. John Reynolds
15. Niall McNamee


I like the half back line. Think the half forward line is interesting, but I'd imagine there'll be a few switches there. Jimmy Coughlan is a bit light for centre forward, so I'd say you could see Kelly going in centre forward, Reynolds coming out to the win, and Coughlan going inside.

[amallon]

Are there floodlights in O'Connor park?

[AZOffaly]

No, amallon. We have no lights there, yet anyhow. I think they are still not 100% finished in there, as the 'terrace' behind the goals is still the old stuff. I'd guess that's where any lights would have their foundations.

[amallon]

An 8 throw in would be too late then so as they would have to take the possibility of extra time into account. 

[AZOffaly]

We'll just play away, and not tell ye the starting time. Maybe we'll start it at 8 in the morning, to get a good run at the day!