The challenges facing Offaly in return to Division 2 fare

And so, after 16 years in the wilderness, Offaly football is finally getting ready to prepare for a league campaign in one of the top two divisions.

It’s been a long time coming, and based on the form that John Maughan’s side showed in 2021, this group are entitled to take their place in more esteemed company.

The problem in 2022 is that so many of the key players that were central to Offaly’s promotion are unavailable for this upcoming campaign. Eoin Carroll and Peter Cunningham were the perfect modern midfield, deceptively good under a high ball but also good all-round footballers, physically at their prime, and athletic enough to make strong contributions at both ends of the field. Cian Farrell had matured into the county’s leading attacking talent, a devastating scorer who had taken on leadership roles with both Edenderry and Carlow IT.

Shane Horan’s energy and his experience of Dublin club football was a welcome addition on and off the field, while probably the biggest loss of all is Eoin Rigney, who was arguably one of the best man-marking defenders in Ireland, at any level, in 2021. One by one the Rhode man took on elite opponents in key Offaly fixtures and shut them down.

The form of players like Ciarán Donnelly and Declan Hogan over the past few months is such that Offaly still won’t be weak in the full back line, while similarly, there’s no lack of scoring in attackers like Bernard Allen, Jack Bryant, Anton Sullivan and Ruairí McNamee, and that’s before we get to the man entering his 20th season of inter-county football, Niall McNamee. However, there will be injuries, there will be Covid-related absences, and there will be fatigue from a rigorous schedule of county and third level football, so these losses are not insignificant.

All that said, it’s a lot better to be plugging gaps with a group of footballers that have just won an U20 All-Ireland, than scrambling and scraping for players who have maybe shown flashes of potential in club and underage matches here and there.

So, with all that in mind, here’s the Offaly Independent breakdown on the upcoming Allianz Football League Division 2 schedule (first named team at home).

Clare v Offaly (January 30)

Since 2016, Clare have been a steady Division Two side, rarely in the mix for promotion but invariably safe from relegation before the last round of games as well. Playing in Munster alongside Cork and Kerry can sometimes mask the quality of some of the younger footballers coming up through the system in the Banner County, but John Maughan and his selectors will know that they won’t be short of ability.

A huge amount rests on Johnny Moloney, and his likely battle with Eoin Cleary. If Cleary goes well, Clare go well. This isn’t a “must-win” game, but Offaly aren’t without hope either.

Offaly v Derry (February 6)

Offaly really could have done with Glen beating Kilcoo in the Ulster championship semi-final, because if they had, it’s highly likely that it would be Glen in All-Ireland action this weekend, and Derry would have to come to Tullamore without a host of key men, most notably Conor Glass at midfield.

The Division 3 league final in 2021 is a fair indication of the trajectory that Derry is on right now, and their strong Ulster championship showing backed that up. Our hunch is that Derry get promoted this year, and frankly Offaly might have preferred to have another team for one of the county’s precious home fixtures.

Galway v Offaly (February 20)

Alongside Derry, Galway are my pick for promotion in 2022. The All-Ireland winning U20 side from 2020 has matured and is ready to hit the ground running; Damien Comer has put his injury issues behind him, and Cian O’Neill has been added to the coaching ticket. It looks like all their ducks are in a row, and while there are some question marks about whether or not Pádraic Joyce will be able to take them to the next level, Offaly will find it very tough to take anything from this game.

Offaly v Meath (February 26)

A must win game. Meath have a great reputation and are being tipped by many to go back up to Division One, but frankly, we don’t see it. Jordan Morris is a proper goalscoring inside forward in the finest Meath tradition established by players like Ollie Murphy or Bernard Flynn, but aside from that, they are capable, but not exceptional.

Moreover, Andy McEntee appears not to be the level-headed general that an army needs going into battle, and the split in the Meath County Board as to whether or not he should have been retained backs that up. If they get off to a poor start, he’ll start to feel the pressure.

Down v Offaly (March 12)

This will almost certainly be a relegation four-pointer, to borrow a phrase from our cousins in the soccer world. Down have been left behind in Ulster in recent years, with no Anglo Celt Cup win since 1994 and just three final appearances this millennium, yielding one draw and three heavy defeats. There is a sense too that James McCartan was an emergency substitute as manager, as opposed to the chosen one. This is a very winnable game.

Offaly v Roscommon (March 20)

Roscommon have bounced between Division One and Division Two in recent years and there will be an expectation in the county that they will bounce back this year – or that if they don’t, they’ll come very close to it, and certainly they would expect to win this with plenty to spare.

Some of that is with good cause – they have a physically mature group, oodles of top level experience, and quality forwards by the bucketload. Of their 2021 U-20 side, which was quite close to Offaly in last year’s final, only their captain and full-back Colin Walsh is likely to feature this year. With Maughan having had an unsuccessful stint at the Roscommon helm, no doubt the Mayo native will have Offaly primed to give a good show here.

Offaly v Cork (March 27)

The Rebels continue to be one of the great enigmas in Gaelic football, consistently competitive at underage level and yet somehow a long way short of what should be their natural level when it comes to senior football. The charismatic Keith Ricken has taken over in a bid to try and get a tune out of the group, no doubt with one eye on promoting several players from last year’s U-20 side. Again, Offaly might have preferred to get this game earlier in the campaign, when he was still bedding in his team. Alternatively, Cork may have nothing to play for at this stage. Time will tell.

- Kevin Egan