I think there is not a hurling man in the country who is not saddened to see Offaly in such a plight, but unfortunately as we learned a few years ago in Wexford you need to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch and the most poisonous medicine is sometimes the most affective. But I too would have to question what happened to that great team of the 90's - are they not saddened enough by it to do something about it rather than writing in the newspaper and/or talking on TV/radio? I know ex players will often say they have done their stint and if they feel that way that is fine, but then button your gob if you feel like that rather than standing on the sideline and complaining to whoever will listen. But a question for our Offaly posters, are any of those great team of the 90's training underage, etc? What is the training for coaches like?
Replying To Pinkie: "I think there is not a hurling man in the country who is not saddened to see Offaly in such a plight, but unfortunately as we learned a few years ago in Wexford you need to go back to the drawing board and start from scratch and the most poisonous medicine is sometimes the most affective. But I too would have to question what happened to that great team of the 90's - are they not saddened enough by it to do something about it rather than writing in the newspaper and/or talking on TV/radio? I know ex players will often say they have done their stint and if they feel that way that is fine, but then button your gob if you feel like that rather than standing on the sideline and complaining to whoever will listen. But a question for our Offaly posters, are any of those great team of the 90's training underage, etc? What is the training for coaches like?"
aggree with you Pinkie..we dont have that many Senior Clubs either in Offaly (many are Senior and unfortunately come up one year from intermediate and go down the next year)..around 10 Senior Clubs...Wexford town has 6 or 7 alone as far as I know..so that tells you the battle facing Offaly..players being accelerated upto u21 and senior I never aggree with no matter what county...isnt 21 time enough to play Senior and play it for as long as you can rather than start at 17 or 18 and retire at 28 with legs/knees gone?...I think Wexford and Dublin will fill the void when Kilkenny go into their 10-15 yearly slump for a few years....
Replying To extranjero: "one has to focus on commitment too I think, counties like Wexford have litterally a motor way to Dublin, and many in the southeast can commute to Dublin to better jobs etc. than from places like Offaly where you have to drive for 30 minutes or more to either get a train or get onto a good road that will take another half hour to get you to the motor way..as said in previous posts I know 2 or 3 young lads in Offaly working in the West etc. and they say they just dont have the commitment to drive up and back to training...every county has their non committers I know and Offaly are no different, except they are missed accutely in counties like Offaly..its all money money money in Offaly, Carroll Meats are long serving Sponsors and are pumping big money into Sponsorship but I think it may not be enough through no fault of theirs...I notice in Offaly now when a fellah reaches 16 or 17 and plays minor he is automatically "nabbed" by the county board to be coach at the GAA summer camps..I doubt if they are being paid much if anything..other counties advertise their summer camps and it is the county Senior Stars who are doing the coaching..in Offaly the county senior stars are held back to stand into presentations to the county board etc...apparently O'Connor park is our GAA HQ yet the faithful fields project is located in Kilcormac (nothing wrong with Kilcormac)..it probably is centre for most teams all over the county...
I'd agree with most of what you're saying, but as regards what I highlighted in your comment, here is some information from Google maps, with some of the most distant areas from Dublín, in both counties Offaly and Wexford. (All times and distances mentioned are to Croke Park)
I've heard this mentioned before from a few friends in the midlands, "ahh sure Wexford is only down the road from Dublín...." Well, unless you live in Gorey, its really not!"