Jobber

I don't think Kiltale,Kilmessan anywhere around the Trim area is bordering Westmeath and thats the main hurling area in Meath.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 03/05/2016 10:08:20    1851498

Are you sure your from Westmeath jobber, your post is way off the mark.

wd45 (Westmeath) - Posts: 211 - 03/05/2016 10:21:48    1851509

Killyon is the start of the Meath hurling area & it's on the Westmeath border...right next door to Raharney, Ziggy.

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 03/05/2016 10:57:08    1851529

And that's where it ends keeper7. All around Trim and Kilmessan is the hurling areas of Meath.

wd45 (Westmeath) - Posts: 211 - 03/05/2016 11:32:36    1851546

To be quite honest i dont think the GAA give a flying "you know what" about the decline of hurling in the likes of Offaly. Likewise for Wexford, Antrim etc etc. Nor do they care about developing the game further in counties such as Westmeath, Carlow etc.

The last time they cared enough to intervene was to help Dublin hurling which is no great surprise seeing as a successful Dublin hurling team means more chances of filling Croke Park more often and more money coming in through the gates.

As much as it pains me to see Offaly hurling where it is expecting help from HQ is a waste of time and isnt going to help Offaly at all. They simply dont care, Offaly doesnt have the population base to represent value for money when it comes to investment unlike the likes of Dublin.

If Offaly is going to get back to the levels we remember they are going to have to do it themselves. Its the same down here and elsewhere unfortunately. Funding for the likes of Offaly doesnt add up on a spreadhseet unfortunately.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1349 - 03/05/2016 11:57:43    1851562

WD45,

"And that's where it ends keeper7."

What about Kildalkey & Longwood...right next door to Killyon & quite close to the Westmeath border?

keeper7 (Longford) - Posts: 4088 - 03/05/2016 12:12:42    1851572

That's rubbish tearintom.

Even if the powers that be are solely motivated by money, wouldn't it make sense to have Offaly hurling fans coming through the turnstiles. I would say a decent Offaly hurling team doing what Dublin have over the past few years would be bringing similar numbers to games as Dublin have. If Offaly were playing in Birr and looking to beat a visiting KK team then you could get 3,000 at the game just like when Dublin welcome KK to Parnell park they get the same.

If people want to stick their heads in the sand and put this down to money and basically blame Dublin then that's fine but in reality I think the problem must be in maladministration by the county board.

There are plenty of motivated hurling people in Offaly but the correct structures must be put in place. Sure money is helpful and is needed but the number one thing is to put the structure in place whereby hurling can thrive, make a 5 year plan with the aim of creating competitive minor teams. More than money its a lot of hard work, time and effort.

I haven't seen the Offaly CB in the papers grumbling that they didn't have enough money to put development panels in place at underage or maybe they're just happy enough once they get millions to build a fantastic stand in tullamore despite the fact that portlaoise is down the road to cater for the midlands. As I see in my own county, vanity projects often come before the development that matters most when you have a substandard CB.

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 03/05/2016 13:13:07    1851591

There seems to be a lot of youngsters carrying hurls around Athboy when I drive through it every evening , there must be a school or club doing decent work there ?

Jack_Sparrow (Westmeath) - Posts: 1018 - 03/05/2016 13:17:26    1851593

Killyon, Longwood, Clan na Gael Moylagh-Kilskre are all clubs who are on the Westmeath border.Boardsmill,Trim,Rathmolyon,Na Fianza all really close.Do some people need geography lessons?

jobber (Westmeath) - Posts: 1459 - 03/05/2016 13:42:22    1851606

throwing money at Offaly won't stop the rot....
The problems are massive - the Co. Ground is and never will be half full for an Offaly game - we knew it, Leinster Council Knew it , but the politics of the day let it happen, Offaly are crippled with its debt.....

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 03/05/2016 13:45:03    1851608

There's plenty of counties who chased their Byzantine towers of large county grounds and centres of excellence and have ended up in debt and danger..
Down, Galway to name but two so Offaly are in good company.

Whereas the might Dubs with more financial clout than anyone haven't to worry about either, have access to CP and an state of the art training facility designed to their specification for SFA.

There's an uneven playing field created by CP and it needs redressing now!

bricktop (Down) - Posts: 2503 - 03/05/2016 15:04:09    1851647

"They have access to CP"

Bricktop, i don't think they train there. What access do they have beyond match day the same as everyone else?

hurlinspuds (Cork) - Posts: 1494 - 03/05/2016 15:19:42    1851659

throwing money at Offaly won't stop the rot....
The problems are massive - the Co. Ground is and never will be half full for an Offaly game - we knew it, Leinster Council Knew it , but the politics of the day let it happen, Offaly are crippled with its debt.....

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts:1304 - 03/05/2016 13:45:03 185160

I still am not convinced by this "Games in Tullamore are a disaster" excuse. I drive 30 minutes to a Wexford match and think nothing of it.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts: 4100 - 03/05/2016 15:50:14    1851675

storm in a tea cup.offaly threw the game v westmeath.they will beat kerry and carlow easily,finish second avoiding galway and beat laois and hey presto a leinster semi awaits in croker!!

kavvie (Clare) - Posts: 505 - 03/05/2016 17:15:25    1851721

throwing money at Offaly won't stop the rot....
The problems are massive - the Co. Ground is and never will be half full for an Offaly game - we knew it, Leinster Council Knew it , but the politics of the day let it happen, Offaly are crippled with its debt.....

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts:1304 - 03/05/2016 13:45:03 185160

I still am not convinced by this "Games in Tullamore are a disaster" excuse. I drive 30 minutes to a Wexford match and think nothing of it.

Pinkie (Wexford) - Posts:3413 - 03/05/2016 15:50:14 1851675


Nothing to do with a short journey, a half empty stadium is the main reason. I have been to a game in Birr and it is far more suitable, and the pitch is better for hurling. But then you have an unused stadium in Tullamore.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 7907 - 03/05/2016 17:40:03    1851732

@hurlinspuds

I never once blamed Dublin so im not sure what your referring to, this isnt a Dublin issue at all. And again i never said it was down to money either, what i referred to was the GAA intervening to help hurling in the capital, that help wasnt just money which is why i didnt mention it

Ye need to read whats been wrote. As i stated a more successful Dublin means more chance of filling Croke Park more often which is the case. In the 2011 census Offaly had a population of 76,687 people, if everyone of those people man woman and child attend Croke Park it still wont fill it. Dublin has 1.27 million people, its very simple, which County with success is going to generate more gate receipts? We have been told on numerous occassions that the basis for GAA funding is done on population, so very simply as i stated Offaly does not have the population base when looking at the GAA's current method of funds distripution.

Again you seem to think the problem in offaly is down to the fact they built up the ground in Tullamore and this seems to be an issue but im sure it was done with the best intentions to get more games to Tullamore, is this a financial impediment Dublin need to worry about? No it isnt so its unfair to say sure look its your fault for building a new stand. I dotn begrudge any county wanting to have a top county ground for their games, why should they be forced to go to Portlaoise for games? Its funny but only a few weeks ago Roscommon were getting abuse for not spending enough on their county ground because a league match had to be moved. Also you refer to them making a 5 year plan and put the structure in place, i believe they have done that.

My point is very simple, Offaly will need to do this themselves because they wont receive much help from HQ although the precedent for that has happened in the past.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1349 - 03/05/2016 18:27:39    1851749

@hurlinspuds

I never once blamed Dublin so im not sure what your referring to, this isnt a Dublin issue at all. And again i never said it was down to money either, what i referred to was the GAA intervening to help hurling in the capital, that help wasnt just money which is why i didnt mention it

Ye need to read whats been wrote. As i stated a more successful Dublin means more chance of filling Croke Park more often which is the case. In the 2011 census Offaly had a population of 76,687 people, if everyone of those people man woman and child attend Croke Park it still wont fill it. Dublin has 1.27 million people, its very simple, which County with success is going to generate more gate receipts? We have been told on numerous occassions that the basis for GAA funding is done on population, so very simply as i stated Offaly does not have the population base when looking at the GAA's current method of funds distripution.

Again you seem to think the problem in offaly is down to the fact they built up the ground in Tullamore and this seems to be an issue but im sure it was done with the best intentions to get more games to Tullamore, is this a financial impediment Dublin need to worry about? No it isnt so its unfair to say sure look its your fault for building a new stand. I dotn begrudge any county wanting to have a top county ground for their games, why should they be forced to go to Portlaoise for games? Its funny but only a few weeks ago Roscommon were getting abuse for not spending enough on their county ground because a league match had to be moved. Also you refer to them making a 5 year plan and put the structure in place, i believe they have done that.

My point is very simple, Offaly will need to do this themselves because they wont receive much help from HQ although the precedent for that has happened in the past.

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1349 - 03/05/2016 18:27:55    1851750

Where's the County training ground in Down??

as regards Tullamore, I'm not criticising the town or venue etc, but the County Board were left with massive debts over the building of the ground - which is bound to have major impact on underage development etc....., they were bailed out by Croke Park

The problem with Offaly is one which affects every county but some counties can manage it better....
1. In the 1970's and 80's the vast majority of Offaly schoolchildren played GAA, today you have more and more kids playing rugby and soccer ( Tullamore town FC have very impressive facilities, how many children in Clara or Birr etc played soccer in the 70's, today that figure has mushroomeed
2. Finance - realistically Offaly is a rural agricultural county , it doesn't have the wealth of some other counties, one yr after they won Sam in 1982 a large number of the players had emigrated
3. Its a dual county living in the past - they have a history, proud histroy, fantastic history, are they a football or a hurling county..... what they did in the 1980's will NEVER we replicated by any county of their size again , Liam, Sam, minors U-21's etc
4. BUT they have strong hurling clubs

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1676 - 03/05/2016 21:35:49    1851793

Lads the problem in Offaly is development of the game within the county. This year for the first time in their 125 history Edenderry failed to field a hurling team thus ending all hurling in north Offaly , which 10-15 years ago had hurling teams in Croghan , Rhode , Daingean, Ballyfore, Walsh Island , Geashill, each and every one of these clubs dropped off the hurling radar , and some players from these clubs played with Edenderry in later years . I know this is not the strong end of the county but it generated interest in hurling and county teams could pick a few guys down the years from here , in my mind the county board did nothing to stop this decline as they were only interested in south Offaly , but to have a successful County team within such a small county Offaly need support and players from all corners of the county . Even today there are players from Edenderry who looked to transfer to another club to play and they are left in limbo with the county board doing nothing . If the county board don't do something quick the rot will spread county wide , the solution lies with the players, supporters, and the county board , if you want it WORK for it!!!

ke40 (Kildare) - Posts: 209 - 03/05/2016 21:46:01    1851800

Jasus Jobber you are pushing that border a fair bit there! Longwood near the Westmeath border? By that reckoning Mullingar is on the Meath border.

It's sad to see the demise of our neighbours in Offaly in both codes. Funnily I suspect the demise in football might be reversed sooner than the malaise besetting the hurlers for a number of reasons, but it's still hard to see the footballers getting close to a Leinster final for years yet.

One of the posters mentioned the ground hurling tradition of the Offaly boys. It struck me watching the League Final on Sunday how far removed from that great tradition the modern game is. I think hurling needs Offaly, and I don't mean that in a pithy, condescending manner.

Oftentimes it seems to me the needs of Cork, Tipperary and Kilkenny are all that matters to the hurling powersk, and the likes of Offaly, Clare. Wexford and Galway are little more than a nuisance.

alan_o2 (Meath) - Posts: 1 - 04/05/2016 08:14:39    1851809