Offaly hurling's demise was a topic of conversation on Newstalk's 'Off The Ball' programme last night and Daithi Regan took no prisoners in his assessment of the current sad state of affairs.

Following last Sunday's embarrassing 14-point defeat at the hands of Westmeath, the former Birr and Faithful County star stated that their chickens have come home to roost.

"I was lambasted three years ago for suggesting that in three year's time, we would be a Christy Ring side. A columnist actually contacted me on Twitter to tell me that my comments didn't appear as outlandish now.

"My comments three years ago weren't outlandish then and are not outlandish now. The point about it three years ago is that there's too many people with their heads up their a**, because the view was pretty from their perspective.

"They couldn't see what was happening in our county, where our county was going. The inadequacies at school level, from primary to our principle secondary schools."

He continued: "The current county board are not the core problem in relation to the yields of Offaly hurling at the moment. That began, for me, in the early to mid-nineties, with the types of coaching that was lost.

"What I will say in relation to the county board that are there now is that they've absolutely buried their head in the sand for the last couple of years. Why can I say this? Because I know enough of them and I've had enough dealings with enough of them.

"I've attacked and questioned the county board chairman and when I stated that we would become a Christy Ring side he went on a public forum to question my contribution to Offaly over 12 or 13 years.

"Michael Corleone wouldn't hold a candle to some of these guys, to be honest with you. Hurling is dying on its knees. It's died for twenty years. And successive county boards have stood over it and watched it."

Regan absolved manager Eamonn Kelly of any blame...

"Eamonn Kelly is a damn good coach and a damn good trainer. Eamonn Kelly, and I know from guys involved in the panel, they've been very complimentary towards him.

"And what he did this year in Offaly, he made it very clear if you want to play at the highest level in Offaly, these are the lifestyle choices you must make.

"There's an amount of people in Offaly questioning why don't we have our best team out, why aren't some of these players togged out?

"They're not there and they won't tog out cos they're gobshites. Because they weren't willing to commit to the levels that this man has required for our county, which he rightly has done.

"And there is apologists out there lacing him for not having them there. I admire him. He's a really, really good coach."

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