Offaly Intermediate Football Championship teams profiled

THE Offaly Intermediate Football Championship starts this weekend and the competing clubs are profiled here;

GROUP 1

GRACEFIELD

Manager - Martin Keogh

Selector - James Lawrence and Ciaran Aspell

Captain - Michael Wilcox

New players - Jake Nolan

Absentees - Niall Smith has retired, Jack Walsh has moved to London, Dan Hanlon is travelling but will feature later in the Championship;

Last year – Relegated from senior B;

Star player – Stephen Flanagan;

Prospects – as a relegated team, Gracefield should be the favourites for this grade but we have to steer clear of loading this onto them. They are still serious contenders and they could win it but we just don't know where they are and how they will go. The early games will tell us a lot more and the first target for them is to qualify out of the group and take it from there.

FERBANE

Manager – Brian Flynn; Selectors – Michael Corrigan, Cian Johnson, Paddy Moore;

Captain – Bernard Corcoran;

New players - A few of last year's minor champions should breakthrough, including James Wren and David Heffernan, who are likely senior panelists, Lee Moore, Niall Flynn, Eoin Coughlan;

Any retirements, long terms absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – No and it looks like the veteran Liam Browne and Kieran McManus will soldier on for another year at this grade;

Last year – beaten by St Brigid's in the semi-final;

Star player – Bernard Corcoran;

Prospects – Ferbane looked like they could win this grade for a long time last year but went down badly against St Brigid's in the semi-final. They retain the potential to win it and have a lot of footballers, plenty with senior experience and good young players. The jury, however, is out on them and we have to wait and see but they have to be fancied to make the knockout stages.

EDENDERRY

Manager – Declan Farrell;

Selectors – Tony Kenny: The Intermediate panel trains in conjunction with the Senior squad, with the Senior management team also assisting with overall preparation and coaching.

Captain – Jake Connolly;

New players - The Intermediate panel is expected to be strengthened by experienced players transitioning from the Senior setup, including Sean Pender and Colm Byrne, which should add leadership and depth to the squad.

Any retirements, long terms absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – there will be some turnover in this squad as players come out of minor ranks and down from senior;

Last year – bowed out in the group stages;

Star player – Colm Byrne;

Prospects – Edenderry's second team should be strong in the third tier but time will tell on how it fares. You just couldn't say what way they will be at the moment – they will be in the hunt for a knockout berth and could get going well.

ST RYNAGH'S

Manager - Kevin Meehan

Selectors - Mark Deehan, Christy Slevin plus Noel Buckley Trainer/Selector

Captain - Niall Flannery

Any new players – None;

Any retirements, long terms absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – none;

Last year – Lost to Raheen in the quarter-final;

Star player – Aaron Molloy;

Prospects – There are levels they can descend to yet but the indications are that St Rynagh's may have hit their rock bottom and are beginning the climb back up the ladder again. One of Offaly's great proud footballing areas, any rejuvenation in the Cloghan based club is to be welcomed with open arms. They have young players coming onto the scene and while no bold predictions can be made about them yet, they are a team who could progress well and get into the hunt.

KILCORMAC-KILLOUGHEY

Manager – Brendan O'Malley;

Selectors – Daithi Feighery;

Captain – Tom Spain;

Any new players – Players progressing out of underage into adult ranks may play;

Any retirements, long terms absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – as usual, it remains to be seen who wants to play football for K-K;

Last year – went out early;

Star player – Jordan Quinn;

Prospects – if Kilcormac-Killoughey made any sort of decent effort, they could be serious contenders in this grade. They could still beat good teams and get into the equation but football has changed from the days when K-K could win football titles with a less than stellar commitment. Teams have got fitter and you have to be playing football to win. You can't rule Kilcormac-Killoughey fully out but they are outsiders and unlikely to win this grade.

SEE NEXT: Offaly Senior Football Championship teams profiled

GROUP 2

ST BRIGID'S

Manager – Anthony Foy and Laz Molloy;

Selectors – John Cocoman and Mattie Moore;

Captain – To be picked;

Any new players – Ronan Doyle and Odhran Briodyy

Any retirements, long terms absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – Conor Casey has emigrated;

Last year – beaten by Tullamore in the final;

Star player – Dan Molloy;

Prospects – St Brigid's are marginal pre-championship favourites and have been knocking on this door for some time. They were surprised by an emerging Ballinagar in the 2024 semi-final and paid the price for a dreadful first half in last year's final against Tullamore, battling back bravely into contention but leaving themselves too much to do. They really need to win this grade now and there is a lot of pressure on them. It could be their year but like every team in the third tier, they are there for a reason and they are always capable of showing vulnerabilities when the stakes are high.

RAHEEN

Manager - Niall Carthy

Selectors – Pat Reynolds, Trevor Cahill, Brian Brerton, Matt McCormack & Sean Sweeney

Captain – Eamon Bolger

Any new players – Dara Grehan & Colm Nolan (both up from Minor)

Any retirements, long terms absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – Conor Carroll (injured);

Last year – beaten by Tullamore in the semi-final;

Star player – Dylan Hyland;

Prospects – with one of the deadliest forwards in Offaly, Dylan Hyland in their ranks, Raheen have to be given a chance but there is a problem in that – they tend to be more reliant on one player than anyone else in the top three grades and Hyland cannot win games on his own. Raheen have been working very hard to bring other players up to the level and getting them to perform and they are contenders. They have been there or thereabouts for a few years but lost to parish neighbours, Ballinagar in the 2024 final while Tullamore were too strong in the semi-final last year. Hyland was severely restricted by a groin injury for Raheen last year and and a red card in the quarter-final win over St Rynagh's ended his season. His influence will be much greater this year and that will give Raheen a chance against every team but you couldn't say with any confidence at the moment that they will win this grade.

RHODE

Manager – Paschal Kellaghan;

Selectors - Declan Gorman, Pat Daly, Mark Scanlon;

Captain – Harry Jones with vice captain Jordan Kilmurray;

Any news players – Billy Quinn, Adam Kellaghan, Joshua Kellaghan, Kyle Kilmurray, Reece Glennon, James Taylor, Owen Murphy are all coming into adult football with some likely to play senior and others junior.

Any retirements, long terms absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – none;

Last year – Junior football champions;

Star player – Darren Garry

Prospects – Winning the Junior Football Championship was an important step for Rhode last year and they should compete well in the higher grade. The higher grade will be a good test for the players with ambitions of going to senior at some stage and Rhode will fancy their chances of coming out of the group. They are not title favourites but they do have some sort of a chance.

WALSH ISLAND

Manager – Darren Quinn;

Selectors – Mervyn O'Shaughnessy;

Captain – Willie Mulhall;

New players – Peter Manley;

Any retirements, long terms absentees through injury, emigration or other reasons – Ian Duffy has a long term injury and Jack Haverty has emigrated;

Last year – beaten by Ferbane in the quarter-final;

Star player – Oisin Murphy

Prospects – Walsh Island have done very well to keep the flag flying in recent years, hanging onto senior B status for as long as they could before stepping back. It is very possible that they could have to go back junior at some stage but they will fight to stay as high as they can for as long as they can. Walsh Island's problem is that they still rely on elder statesmen such as cousins Willie and Alan Mulhall, and Thomas O'Connor. They have other players with the miles up and without young players emerging, Walsh Island's descent into junior football is inevitable. It may not happen this year and their great strength is that they nearly always play to potential – they could end up in a relegation play off but they could also sneak into the quarter-finals and that would be a very good year for them.