Offaly club season in need of an injection
By Kevin Egan
The presence of new Offaly football manager Mike Solan at a range of club championship games in the county over the coming few weeks will presumably add a jolt of electricity to a summer that badly needs it.
In the short term at least, the new format of the Offaly SFC made sense, but results weren’t kind and one could argue that there isn’t a lot to keep supporters interested in the Dowling Cup race this weekend. On that basis, the fact that players will be out to catch the eye of the new man at the helm of the senior county team might inject a some energy.
Shamrocks have clearly gone well in 2026 but they could still use a big win, and their game with Ferbane provides that opportunity. Ferbane have left their disappointing start to the season behind them but their win over Tullamore last time out felt like the product of Tullamore’s lethargy rather than the brilliance of the West Offaly club. From the Shamrocks’ perspective, Alan Heffernan’s ongoing injury issues means that they still haven’t quite caught fire up front against the better teams, and a total of 19 scores against both Rhode and Tullamore would suggest that they still need to do a lot better at raising more flags.
Tullamore should bounce back a little but Paschal Kellaghan wouldn’t want it any other way as he prepares his team for knockout football. Aaron Kellaghan’s return to the forward line means that once again, any coach sitting down to prepare his team for a match against the Village has to be ready to put out a lot of fires, so this will be a good defensive test for the county champions.
There’s no obvious favourite in the parish derby between Clonbullogue and Bracknagh on Sunday, with Clonbullogue’s strong two-point threat matched up against a Bracknagh team that had an off-day up front last time out. Watch out for Tom Hyland possibly being sent out to marshal Keith O’Neill in a battle that could have a huge bearing on which of these two clubs drops into the relegation decider.
Durrow could yet have one big game in them, but it’s hard to imagine that it will be this Sunday afternoon against Clara. Expect a comfortable win for the Magpies here, then if Ballinamere can account for Belmont to secure a bye through to the senior hurling semi-final, there will be one big push in Durrow to try and get the one win that will keep them senior. For now, Clara should cruise into the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere around the county, there are three games in the Senior B grade tonight (Friday) but the obvious attraction is what is effectively a straight knockout game between Tubber and Tullamore in Pullough.
Tubber have bounced back well from a shocking start to the championship and while they rode their luck a little bit against Cappincur last time out, they will spring into this game feeling that things are coming together at the right time.
Ballinagar might go all guns blazing against Cappincur, who still could find themselves in the relegation mire if they don’t pick up a win and Tullamore beat Tubber, but when one team who would like to win takes on another team that has to win, that’s usually worth a four or five point head start for the side with their behind in the bacon slicer, to use Mick McCarthy’s immortal phrase.
The intermediate championship round robin stages came to a conclusion last night (Thursday), after this Offaly Independent edition went to print but before it hit the shelves, as did Doon’s game against Clara’s second team in the Junior quarter-finals. But there is a fascinating local derby on Sunday between Erin Rovers and Shamrocks to watch out for.
It’s hard to get a handle on Erin Rovers’ form in a group where there was only one competitive game played, but their game on Monday night against Clodiagh Gaels was a proper championship battle, and one that could well be a preview of the county final at this grade, so they just about get the vote to join Shannonbridge, Clodiagh Gaels and presumably Doon in the last four.