Ger Loughnane fears Offaly will disappear from the hurling map completely if the GAA doesn't intervene.

The Faithful County's dramatic decline was confirmed when they suffered a 14-point hammering at the hands of neighbours Westmeath in the Leinster SHC round-robin series yesterday and Loughnane is calling on Croke Park to provide them with funding for coaching before it's too late.

"Offaly need help, outside help from Croke Park," he writes in today's Irish Daily Star.

"Unless they get the kind of help Dublin got a decade or so ago, then Offaly will get even worse. I do think there are hurling people within the county who are knowledgeable and have plenty to contribute.

"But serious financial investment is needed - and Croke Park have to realise that this is a crisis. You can't let a county that was winning All-Irelands not that long ago slip through the cracks. If something isn't done, Offaly is in danger of disappearing as a hurling county."

The former Clare manager added: "The hurling world is shrinking. There are problems in Antrim and Wexford too. To lose Offaly would be a massive blow to hurling." 

Tweet

Most Read Stories