Offaly Senior “B” Football Championship teams profiled

SENIOR “B” football has been one of the best championships in Offaly in recent years and this year should be no different.

It consists of seven clubs, all in the one group with the top four qualifying for two semi-finals. Ballinagar, Ballycumber, Cappincur, Clara, Daingean, Gracefield and Tubber are the seven clubs and the joy of the championship is that all these teams can dream of glory.

At the same time, you can separate them into two groups of contenders with Clara, Daingean, Cappincur and Ballinagar in the top tier and Ballycumber, Gracefield and Tubber having more doubts surrounding their prospects.

Ballycumber, Gracefield and Tubber, however, are capable of beating any of the first four named on any given day and it should make compelling viewing. Tubber could get on a roll and are well capable of getting into the title mix. In fact, it would be a surprise if the first four named do make the semi-finals and at least one out of Tubber, Ballycumber and Gracefield doesn't make it.

It is just a very evenly matched competition and there will be a lot of twists and turns along the way in a very testing campaign.

Profiles of teams are:

CLARA

Manager - John Rouse (Tullamore)

Coach - Pauric Brazil 

Selectors - Brendan Lowry, John O'Hara, Alan Cronin;

Captain: Marcas Dalton;

Absentees – None;

New players – Carl Stewart is back from Australia;

Last year – Beaten by Cappincur in the semi-final;

Star player – Marcas Dalton;

Prospects – A long time senior club, senior “B” has been very much the right level for Clara in the past couple of years. This is proven by their failure to win the championship but they are very hungry to get back up. They impressed when winning the Division 2 Football League and have plenty of quality. They have strength, improving players and Carl Stewart's return from Australia further boosts their prospects. Clara can be fragile when real pressure comes on in knockout football and that will dictate their years but as things stand, their title prospects are as good as anyone else's.

CAPPINCUR

Manager - Ger Lynam (Erin Rovers)

Selectors - Darren Screeney, Eoin Carroll, Mike Tormey

Captain - Bill Carroll

Absentees - Brian Norris, Hubert Healion are both in Australia and Enda Daly has transferred to Dublin;

New players - Defender Micheál Fitzgerald has transferred in;

Last year – Beaten finalists;

Star player – Bill Carroll;

Prospects – You have to admire the way Cappincur get the most out of what they have, the spells they spend up in senior ranks. With a lot of house building going on in the area, they should get strong again in the future but are in a transitional phase at the moment. Bill Carroll is capable of winning matches on his own at this level and his brother Eoin can still contribute powerfully. Both of those players are managing injuries, however, and they are very vulnerable without them. You would fancy them to qualify for a semi-final but that is far from certain. Cappincur's track record ensures respect and that they not be written off but they need everything going right and can't afford injuries. What you see if what you get with them but the impression that returning to senior at this stage may be a bridge too far for them is a strong one and they could come up short.

TUBBER

Manager – Michael McNamee (Rhode);

Selectors – Olsen North (Coach), Paddy Sheridan;

Captain – Ciaran Allen and Padraig McLoughlin;

Absentees, long term injuries, retirements from last year – None;

New players – None;

Last year – Beat Walsh Island in the relegation semi-final;

Star player – Bernard Allen;

Prospects – Tubber have been fiercely competitive in this championship for a few years, very close to winning it as they suffered some hard defeats. They are contenders but had a disappointing 2024 and there are doubts about them. They can't be written off but have a lot of improving from last year to do.

BALLYCUMBER

Manager - Joey Deehan (Clara)

Selector - Sean Hackett;

Captain - Clive Keena/ Cormac Quinn;

Absentee - Joe Lowry is a long term injury;

New players – None;

Last year – Beat Walsh Island in the relegation final;

Prospects – Like Tubber, Ballycumber's long track record earns them respect and consideration as potential champions. At the same time, they are in transition and they have been struggling to produce county players in recent years. They will give anyone a game but they are outsiders.

GRACEFIELD

Manager - Adrian Dunne

Selectors - Odhrán Gallagher and Conor Galgey

Captain - Philip Hurley

Absentees - Jonathan Knight has retired. Jamie Evans has transferred back to Kildysart in Clare.

New players -  Jake Nichol and Conor Shortall. Ruairi Allen will be available for some of the championship. 

Last year – Beat Ballycumber in the relegation semi-final;

Star player – Jack Walsh;
Prospects – Gracefield's struggles in recent years is a problem for Offaly football and it would be great to see them coming strong again. A club with a great tradition and a big population base, they have been senior “B” for a few years and haven't been able to win it- they are another club who are struggling to produce county players at the moment. They never really ignited last year and they have it all to do again. The departure of their star player Jamie Evans is a blow but it will be cushioned by the return of Ruari Allen from Australia for some of the championship. They will be difficult to beat and could get on a roll but are also outsiders.

DAINGEAN

Manager – Adrian Farrell (Edenderry);

Selectors – Mick Connolly, Stephen Burns, Willie Kennedy, Trevor Palmer, Keith McGuinness;

Captain – Conan Curley;

Absentees, long term injuries, retirements from last year - none

New players – Stephen Joyce and Jack Connolly have recovered from long term injuries;

Last year – Beaten by Clonbullogue in the semi-final;

Star player – Shane Tierney;

Prospects – Another traditional and very important Offaly football club, Daingean have made obvious progress in recent years. They are serious contenders for this championship and will have a chance against every team. They are well prepared and generally perform close to expectations. They could be short a couple of players but they are on the short list of potential champions.

BALLINAGAR

Manager – Benny O'Brien (Tullamore);

Selectors – Dermot Cuskelly and Brendan Cuskelly;

Captain – Adam Strong;

Absentees – Ray Daly is a long term injury loss;

New players – None;

Last year – Intermediate champions;

Star player – Morgan Tynan;

Prospects – Ballinagar are the great unknown but they could very easily get back to back promotions. In Morgan Tynan, Robbie Gallagher, Geordi O'Meara and Diarmuid Finneran, they had four players on the extended Offaly panel this year and while none established themselves or got much game time, they are very much on an upward trajectory. They did very well to win intermediate last year and should be very competitive at the higher grade. They are very well coached and Gallagher, who was brilliant for them last year, Tynan and O'Meara are all potential match winners while midfielder Adam Strong is another player close to county standard. There aren't many teams who have that sort of county or near county players at this level. They won the Leinster junior championship last year and almost reached the All-Ireland final, which shows their potential. Considering this great success, it may seem strange to note that there was low level underlying friction between players and the club at stages last year over certain issues but you would imagine all of this has been ironed out as Ballinagar try to develop a senior mentality in all spheres, to transition fully from a junior outlook. They look to be bound for the top flight but it is a very short window of opportunity for Ballinagar. Their first game against Cappincur will tell a lot about their prospects but if they do get into a semi-final, they could be very difficult to beat That is the absolute priority and while they could well have to wait a year to fulfil the club's ambitions of top flight football for the first time since the 19^th century, it would not be a surprise if they won this year.