Congratulations to Potumna

[AZOffaly]

Ferbane would have been one of the stronger football clubs in Offaly, but are going through a lean enough spell at the moment. We won 5 in a row county titles in the late 80s and a Leinster Club in 1986. We then won a couple more in the 90s, but nothing since, as Rhode and Tullamore, especially Rhode, took over a little, but I hope/expect that roundabout to come around again.

In the hurling, we would be a good bit off being serious contenders, although we do seem to be relatively comfortable at Senior. There's probably 3 or 4 worse teams than us.

The reason why it is two teams is that it's one parish, and the Belmont end of the parish would have been the traditional hurling end, whereas we would have been football. Belmont lads used to play intermediate/junior football, and senior hurling, while we played vice versa. Also in the late 80s the Belmont lads were allowed to play with us in the senior football, and vice versa for the hurling.

Then the minor clubs amalgamated to make Ferbane/Belmont, and we won a rake of underage titles in both codes, including an All Ireland Minor Football Club up in Belfast in 1991.

After that, there were moves to amalgamate the senior clubs, and eventually Belmont football ended, and they all played with us at all levels, called Ferbane, while the hurlers all played under the Belmont name. We even have different coloured jerseys, Green for Ferbane, Green and Gold hoops for Belmont.

[orangeman]

There's probably 3 or 4 worse teams than us.

That's a good way of putting it ! 

[mouview]

Brian Whelehan owes nothing to anybody, and will rightly go down as one of, if not the, greatest hurlers of his generation when he was in his prime. His reading of the game, his wristiness and his vision were a joy to behold, and as an Offaly fan I owe him a huge, huge debt of gratitude. Having said that, he is getting a bit frustrated in the autumn years of his playing career, and he has lost the cool a few times in Offaly championship games, so maybe it's time for him to accept that the legs can no longer do what the mind tells them. If he does go, he will take the best wishes of all genuine hurling fans with him.

Spot on, AZ. I've always rated him the greatest of his generation because *he was always a factor / intinsic / vital to the team he played in*. (Read carefully.) Hopefully the next JC will emulate Whelehan's achievements.