Flying Offaly minor footballers aim to stay on the road

TAKING a giant leap into the unknown, Offaly will have a refreshing lack of fear when they enter the Dr Hyde Park, Roscommon arena on Sunday next to take on Connacht runners-up, Mayo in the All-Ireland Minor Football Championship quarter-final.

Any result is possible in this game and nothing would surprise. That is very much the nature of the beast at minor level but Offaly's confidence is certainly flying after their sensational win in the Leinster Minor Football Championship.

It has been a terrific roller-coaster of a year for Offaly, full of highs and lows but they have hit form at the real right time, are improving with every game and are on a road that could lead anywhere – it could all end on Sunday but equally, it could have another few miles to run and finish with a second All-Ireland minor football title visiting the county.

It is a great place for Offaly to be. Offaly are now in bonus territory but it would be very wrong to suggest they have nothing to lose. They have something very big to lose, an All-Ireland quarter-final and their dreams. These opportunities don't come along often and they are rare at this grade for Offaly. Their only All-Ireland minor success came in 1964 and they have only won the Leinster championship seven times. Most of these were crammed into the 1960s when they won in 1960, '62, '64 and '65. Their first came in 1947 and their last was in 1989 when they competed in the All-Ireland minor final for only the second time, losing out to Derry.

There are distinct differences between the run of this team and the 2021 journey that led to Offaly winning the All-Ireland U20 Football Championship but there are also similarities. The 2021 U20 was knockout the whole way but Offaly's form in their opening round wins over Wexford and Westmeath did not suggest in any way that they would end up getting their hands on big silverware in the Hogan Stand.

Yet once they got going, they grew in stature, improved significantly and took the breath away with some of the football they played in their wins over Dublin, Cork and Roscommon.

This minor football team have also got going after a slow start and are improving in leaps and bounds with the scope for more. You certainly wouldn't be putting much money on them winning the All-Ireland at this stage but you would not rule it out either. They have an almost undefinable X factor and they are made of the right character and spirit.

After sustaining heavy beatings by Dublin and Louth in their first two group games, Offaly have embarked on a thrilling roller coaster ride. They have flew on the seat of their pants in most of their games since, surviving on their wits but they have won every game and clearly have something special going for them.

Wins over Laois, Wicklow, Meath, Kildare and Louth secured a sensational Leinster title and this team has now struck a unique bond with supporters, who are responding to their youthful honesty, the pace they play at and the heart they are showing. Goalkeeper Jack Ryan has boomed over huge late two point frees to help them over the line in the wins over Laois, Meath, Kildare and Louth and Offaly now find themselves in uncharted territory.

They have a genuinely exciting attack. Dylan Dunne and Cian McNamee have clear potential to play at a much higher level and there are others who will improve as they enter adult ranks, do the hard work and show that they want them.
Eoin Rouse has been instrumental to Offaly getting going, coming back from a bad knee injury when introduced in the group mauling by Louth and adding a much needed physicality and attacking threat to the team when starting, initially at midfield and then back at wing back.

There are plenty of others who have performed at a consistently high level along with some who have had excellent games, albeit not on a consistent basis – Patrick Duffy, Aaron Daly and Tony Furey have had some really good games while special mention has to be made of the midfield pairing of Eamon Maher and Charlie Duffy. Maher has a lot going for him and his ability to do the right thing in the heat of battle shone out in the latter stages of the Leinster final win while Duffy has found his best form against in recent weeks.

It has all combined for a winning combination and it has been great to watch it all unfold.

Offaly are not without their weaknesses and their defence has been exposed at times. They are very much a work in progress but that is the way for all teams at this young level.

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Mayo will provide a new test for Offaly. They looked a good team in their Connacht final defeat by Roscommon and may be slight favourites but no one really knows. The minor grade is so unpredictable and can change so much within a game, never mind between them. Offaly, however, have a very good chance and will have huge self belief. They should be very competitive here and if they can stick with them into the closing quarter, they have proven their capacity to win tight games.