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It is a problem affecting Rural Ireland, with no apparent plan by Government to develop life outside Dublin. I wouldn't be expecting Fintan O'Toole to cast his eye on life past the M50 anytime soon.
MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 02/02/2021 21:38:56 2330175 Link 1 |
The town was Kilcormac.
MicktheMiller (Offaly) - Posts: 421 - 02/02/2021 21:40:01 2330176 Link 1 |
Too right and sad too.
CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3674 - 02/02/2021 21:49:50 2330180 Link 0 |
Even the great All Ireland winning teams that they had wouldnt win an All Ireland nowadays because of the rule changes I.e. the 5 sub rule and big squads. For a small county like Offaly to have 15 good hurlers come along at the same time is a once in several generations achievement but now it's got even harder for counties with small hurling populations because nowadays it's a 20 man game and you have to have a very strong squad to have a hope of being seriously competitive and in with a chance of winning an All Ireland. If or when the black card comes into hurling it will raise the bar even higher again for counties with small hurling pools. Sadly that's why counties like Offaly and Laois are unlikely to ever make progress at All Ireland level, the rules ensure that the strong stay strong because if you dont have the resources you dont have a hope of winning anything.
PoolSturgeon (Galway) - Posts: 1903 - 02/02/2021 22:04:42 2330184 Link 0 |
So whats the answer to Offaly's freefall? a county we all delighted to see performing and winning against the best!Do Offaly people want to continue with the status quo or play in a tiered competition?I don't believe its realistic to expect Offaly to return to the top ever with the current structure and giving them more cash won't do it either.Young players in Offaly and in all counties deserve an opportunity to play at elite level,its only right and fair,otherwise they may see their future in other sports outside of GAA.
ONdeDITCH (Limerick) - Posts: 873 - 02/02/2021 22:08:08 2330185 Link 0 |
I was reading somewhere last week where all this "set" training at underage, not only in GAA but in all (team) sports is resulting in alot of drop out and I can see why, as a coach of sports myself, we dont win everygame and I like to think we have a good relationship with my panel, then I go to other sports including GAA (not saying this is specificic to GAA) but I see a fear almost in the the youngsters towards the coaches, dont get me wrong, they coaches are nice lads and all and are former players, but they seem to bring the "hardness" of their senior intercounty and club days down with them, and youngters while obeying and doing what they are told appear to be almost fearful of the coaches..yes its a fine line line between coaching/managing/receiving respect and the supposedly important bit of kids enjoying the game, what ever sport it is..yes you will get a bit of grief from the odd messer if you are not strict, but i dont believe in any underage player being afraid to put a foot wrong either...they are young, those that want to learn will learn, those who are passing through will pass through, encourage them yes, but we cannot mould them into being what they may not want or ever will be... Offaly I dont know, in a club I hurled with at underage, I did notice alot of fringe players moving away from playing for one reason or another, and next thing they were over the juniors or training the U14's etc...and fair dues, but I often wonder (and I wasnt a county player hands up) do they really posess the skill set to coach and develop, i am sure they have done all the courses etc. but I often wonder is that enough..I know someone has to do it and we all cant have every retired intercounty star back coaching all under age groups, added to my observations of their management attitudes outlined above..its not an easy answer...I do note for several years on the local papers in Offaly, each year its such and such a school crowned Leinster champions in football or hurling, and then when you read on its in the B or even C competition...of course you would be annihalated by the anoraks of the local GAA if you said this openly, but beating a traditional non hurling county schools team by 4/5 points is not going to get you over the line in a Leinster Minor hurling or U20 championship game against Kilkenny or Wexford...we then sit back in Offaly and say we "they done well to compete" etc..education in schools too has become way more important since my day, and most now are educating well, getting there own jobs and professions unlike years ago when the GAA got them jobs, and a few that fall through the cracks I see now are getting coaching jobs with GAA etc. but as I say, many are branching off in their own areas, and often now dont need the GAA, which in itself is a loss to the teams coming up... Fairplayalways (Offaly) - Posts: 1034 - 03/02/2021 11:55:45 2330203 Link 0 |