Iconic Offaly hurling club fields a golden oldies football team with All-Ireland medal holders and former heroes

THERE was great fun in one of Offaly's most cherished hurling clubs when they fielded a real golden oldies team in a Junior “C” Football Competition game on Friday evening.

Lusmagh had a great part in the Offaly hurling story and they have an elevated place in the affections of all GAA supporters in the county.

They have provided some of Offaly's greatest hurlers and memories of the performances of heroes such as Joachim Kelly and Jim and John Troy is enough to get the blood flowing in any Offaly person.

They have made a great contribution to several of Offaly's greatest hurling teams and their team in Friday evening's 7-11 to 3-5 win over Crinkill featured All-Ireland medal winners, ancient and recent, along with revered club stalwarts who are much closer to collecting the free travel pass than their sporting prime.

Lusmagh won their only Senior Hurling Championship title in 1989, beating a Seir Kieran side who had won their first just a year earlier. That was one of the iconic stories of a great era for Offaly hurling, a tremendous against the odds achievement by a small rural club who are bordered on one side by one of the giants of Offaly hurling, St Rynagh's with the Shannon separating them from Galway on another side and Tipperary on their south flank.

A fiercely proud club, two of that great team played in Friday's win over Crinkill, 57 year old Brendan Kelly and 55 year old Pat Temple. Both won All-Ireland senior hurling medals with Offaly in 1994 – Brendan Kelly's Offaly career spanned from 1986 to 1997 and he had his best year in 1994 when his barnstorming performances and physicality inspired team mates and galvanised supporters.

Pat Temple was a valued member of the panel in 1994, playing a few league games that year and he was a very good, hard running hurler whose best position was probably midfield – he made just short of 20 league appearances for Offaly from 1992 to 1995.

The majority of the team on Friday night were not born when Kelly and Temple helped Lusmagh win that 1989 senior hurling title and Kelly and Temple were themselves school children when 60 year old Mick Troy played in Lusmagh's loss to St Rynagh's in their first Senior Hurling Championship final appearance in 1982.

60 year year old Mick was full forward against Crinkill and was replaced by his brother Brian, a former Lusmagh senior hurler – they are brothers of Jim and John Troy.

The team featured Ruari Kelly at midfield. Kelly was outstanding at corner back as Offaly won the All-Ireland U20 Hurling Championship in 2024 – injury limited his involvement for Offaly seniors this year but he should be on the panel next year. The attack included Eimhin Kelly, an Offaly senior hurler in recent years.

As you would expect from a small club in a tight knit community, there are loads of family connections.

There were three fathers and sons. Brendan Kelly was in goals with his son Daire at number 4 – Ruari Kelly is a nephew of Brendan.

Brian Troy's sons Cillian and Lorcan were on the team along with his nephew Gary Kelly – Gary Kelly is also a nephew of Brendan Kelly and Mick Troy.

Pat Temple led the attack at centre forward while his son Daire was corner back.

There were a plethora of medals in the collections of various players, including intercounty ones while Brendan Kelly actually played in an All-Ireland Vocational Schools senior football final, 1986 when Offaly lost to Kerry in Croke Park.

Lusmagh's participation shows the benefits of Offaly having a junior “C” football competition – it is a competition rather than a championship as a championship must be fifteen aside and this is 13-a-side to facilitate those clubs who are struggling for numbers, like Lusmagh.

It is very much a fun outlet and it is not unusual for clubs to bring former stalwarts back to fulfil fixtures and you would occasionally see men in their 40s and 50s playing in it.

For years, junior “C” football was restricted to hurling clubs in the south of the county but this has changed in recent times and anyone can enter it. Lusmagh have won it in the past and while they are very much hurling territory, several people there have a real genuine affection for football and are regularly seen at Offaly football games. Hurling legends like Joachim Kelly, John Troy and Jim Troy have all played football for them for years along with so many other excellent hurlers.

There was a time a few years ago when Lusmagh competed in the Junior “B” Football Championship and held their own against many teams. Football is very much a fun outlet for Lusmagh, as it is for some other clubs in the south, and they certainly got a great kick out of Friday's game and their unique collection of players - no doubt, the post game refreshments were also enjoyable with old stories and memories rekindled, most of them true!!!

SEE NEXT: Solid Offaly record easy win in emotion filled Adam Mangan shield decider

LUSMAGH: Brendan Kelly; Daire Temple, Aidan Byrne; Daire Kelly, Lorcan Troy, Oliver Keenaghan; Ruari Kelly, Luke Bowe; Eimhin Kelly, Pat Temple, Cillian Troy; Mick Troy, Gary Kelly. Sub – Brian Troy for Mick Troy.