If clare were so unskillful, how come they dominated the game for 4 years solid

I never said they were 'unskilful'. For the record, I think Limerick were a similar team to Clare, hard, fast physical hurling, decent skill level, but neither as skilful as Offaly.

Don't confuse me saying 'Clare were not as skilful as Offaly' with 'Clare are not skilful'. If Clare had no skill they would not have won all you mention. I think back on some of the scores that they got which were fantastic, but they also had a 'power play' element to their game a bit like Kilkenny have now where they could rattle 1-4 without reply.

But did you see the Billy Dooley goal in the 94 Leinster final posted on this thread today. Do you remember any player from Clare doing something similar to John troy's flick? That is where Offaly were superior to both our counties, little flicks and deflections that bought them the extra second needed to get the scores.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6483 - 31/08/2010 14:30:38    761387

That Offaly team were far more skillful than the Clare team. Two great teams but Offaly were on a different level in terms of skill. Clare were a well trained physical unit who were hungry to win 2 championships and should have won more.

MayofaninKK (Mayo) - Posts: 117 - 31/08/2010 14:43:17    761405

But did you see the Billy Dooley goal in the 94 Leinster final posted on this thread today. Do you remember any player from Clare doing something similar to John troy's flick? That is where Offaly were superior to both our counties, little flicks and deflections that bought them the extra second needed to get the scores.
slayer , 31/08/2010 at 14:30

did you see the little flick lar corbett gave to Johno Brien for the point against Waterford in the first half?

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 15:26:50    761462

i'm no expert but what ye all appear to be saying is that John Troy was a more skillful hurler than anyone on that Clare panel, rather than the whole panel. Thats how I seen it anyway. I don't think anyone else on that Offaly team was exceptionally more skilful than anyone on the Clare team.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12423 - 31/08/2010 15:33:29    761471

Breffni - I would argue that Offaly had more naturally skillful players than the Clare team of that era. Thats not saying Clare didn't have skillful players but that Offaly just had more of them in the team

NavyNBlue (Dublin) - Posts: 1357 - 31/08/2010 15:58:32    761523

Breffni - I would argue that Offaly had more naturally skillful players than the Clare team of that era. Thats not saying Clare didn't have skillful players but that Offaly just had more of them in the team
NavyNBlue , 31/08/2010 at 15:58

Offaly Clare and Wexford won all irelands in the 90s cos Tipp and Cork and Kilkenny were all in transition from 1994 onwards until 1999!

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 16:07:01    761542

thurles - my favourite team was the galway one from 85-90 that used to hammer Tipp every chance they got, except when ye got two of our lads sent off for nothing and got the best player in the country banned. So the only way ye had to win was to cheat..otherwise, Galway, amazing team.

abhainn (Galway) - Posts: 1000 - 31/08/2010 16:12:16    761554

Breffni - I would argue that Offaly had more naturally skillful players than the Clare team of that era. Thats not saying Clare didn't have skillful players but that Offaly just had more of them in the team
NavyNBlue , 31/08/2010 at 15:58

Offaly Clare and Wexford won all irelands in the 90s cos Tipp and Cork and Kilkenny were all in transition from 1994 onwards until 1999!
thurlesblues , 31/08/2010 at 16:07

since 1999 no other county except Tipp, Cork Kilkenny have won All Irelands the same applies in 2010 and looks set to continue for the next ten years too with the talent Tipp have coming through and to a lesser extent Kilkenny

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 16:12:19    761555

thurlesblues
County: Tipperary
Posts: 1231

Offaly Clare and Wexford won all irelands in the 90s cos Tipp and Cork and Kilkenny were all in transition from 1994 onwards until 1999!

Tipp seem to spend a lot of time in transition.

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12423 - 31/08/2010 16:15:01    761557

Offaly Clare and Wexford won all irelands in the 90s cos Tipp and Cork and Kilkenny were all in transition from 1994 onwards until 1999!

I dunno tb, isn't that just a fancy way of saying that the holy trinity just weren't good enough back then?

NavyNBlue (Dublin) - Posts: 1357 - 31/08/2010 16:17:04    761561

thurlesblues
County: Tipperary
Posts: 1231

Offaly Clare and Wexford won all irelands in the 90s cos Tipp and Cork and Kilkenny were all in transition from 1994 onwards until 1999!

Tipp seem to spend a lot of time in transition.
Breffni39 , 31/08/2010 at 16:15

actually no Breffni we won it in 2001 were in the final last year and again this year and will be for the next few years too!

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 16:19:20    761568

Good lord Thurles, that's the worst yet. Clare Offaly and Wexford won all irelands because they were teh best teams those years. No flukes, no transitions, no excuses.

Slayer - re the Offaly team of the 1980s - I did them a disservice. I think I'm still in shock over their emergence that time. I missed the 1980 Leinster Final as a 9 year old to stay playing with friends as it was going to be an easy win for us........probably not as traumatic a time as the good folks of Limerick around that time to be fair. That team did come from nowhere and would have to be up there. But having said that I can reel off the Cork and Wexford players from the 1970s but I only really can remember Pat Carroll and Pat Delaney from that team off the top of my head.

Puddersthecat (Kilkenny) - Posts: 1692 - 31/08/2010 16:19:31    761569

Offaly Clare and Wexford won all irelands in the 90s cos Tipp and Cork and Kilkenny were all in transition from 1994 onwards until 1999!

I dunno tb, isn't that just a fancy way of saying that the holy trinity just weren't good enough back then?
NavyNBlue , 31/08/2010 at 16:17

Well the unfortunate thing for the above 3 teams and a few more teams like them is that the holy trinity are back again after taking a nap for a few years.

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 16:21:52    761577

Good lord Thurles, that's the worst yet. Clare Offaly and Wexford won all irelands because they were teh best teams those years. No flukes, no transitions, no excuses.

Slayer - re the Offaly team of the 1980s - I did them a disservice. I think I'm still in shock over their emergence that time. I missed the 1980 Leinster Final as a 9 year old to stay playing with friends as it was going to be an easy win for us........probably not as traumatic a time as the good folks of Limerick around that time to be fair. That team did come from nowhere and would have to be up there. But having said that I can reel off the Cork and Wexford players from the 1970s but I only really can remember Pat Carroll and Pat Delaney from that team off the top of my head.
Puddersthecat , 31/08/2010 at 16:19

As I said the big three were in transition which is unusual for the 3 of them to be down together thats why!

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 16:26:22    761580

actually Limerick should have won 2 all irelands in the 90s threw it away against Offaly Id say they were preparing the speech and were caught on the hop!

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 16:29:01    761583

So ye were in transition from 94-99 and 01-09?

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12423 - 31/08/2010 16:36:00    761594

So ye were in transition from 94-99 and 01-09?
Breffni39 , 31/08/2010 at 16:36

thats right Breffni thats why they won and Cork were in transition from 90 to 99 and Kilkenny from 83 to 92 and from 93 to 2000
there you go!!

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 16:42:36    761607

NavyNBlue wrote:

Breffni - I would argue that Offaly had more naturally skillful players than the Clare team of that era. Thats not saying Clare didn't have skillful players but that Offaly just had more of them in the team

This is ecatly what I was trying to say only NavyNBlue said it far more succintly.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6483 - 31/08/2010 16:43:56    761609

But having said that I can reel off the Cork and Wexford players from the 1970s but I only really can remember Pat Carroll and Pat Delaney from that team off the top of my head

Without googling them, there was Damien Martin, Padraig Horan, Johnny Flaherty, the Coughlans & the Corrigans.

For me what makes Offaly's sides from 1980-200 stand out was they'd won nothing before that. Imagine if Carlow, westmeath or Kerry were to come from nowhere now & win a provincial title, there would be absolute shock. That was the magnitude of Offaly's achievements, with counties like Tipp, Kilkenny & Wexford not far away it was some achievement. I was only 6 when Offaly made the breakthrough in Leinster & I thought it was normal for Galway & Offaly to be winning all-Ireland's in the hurling. A few years on I realised that I started watching during a golden era for the game with Limerick knocking Cork off their perch in Munster, Offaly knocking Kilkenny & Wexford off their perch in Leinster & Galway also making a breakthrough after a 57 year wait. Great memories.

slayer (Limerick) - Posts: 6483 - 31/08/2010 16:52:26    761629

by the way Breffni Offaly were in transition from 1884 to 1985 when they won their first All Ireland and Clare from 1914 to 97 when they won their second now thats what I call transition. ha ha!

thurlesblues (Tipperary) - Posts: 4475 - 31/08/2010 16:58:49    761640