In association with Condron Concrete
Compiled by Carina on behalf of Offaly GAA
If you would like to submit information (Player or Club) for this weekly underage promotion, please email administrator.offaly@gaa.ie.
National School & Development Squad Player Profiles
Sixth Class Pupil Name: Philip Burke
School: Scoil Naomh Phadraig, Ballybryan
Club: Rhode
What do you play: Football with Rรณd รg U14s
Whatโs your favourite part of GAA: Playing matches
Who is your favourite player: David Clifford
What is your favourite meal: Steak
What are your GAA ambitions: To win a club and county all-Ireland with Rhode & Offaly
Give us a few words about your club and what you like and maybe even dislike:
Rhode GAA is a big community where my friends from Rhode, Clonmore & Croghan come together to play with and for each other on a regular basis each week. We get great encouragement from our coaches whether we win, lose or draw which is great. Our training sessions are fun but weโre always improving as well.
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Name: Lauren Masterson
School. Scoil Naomh Phadraig, Ballybryan
Favourite part of GAA: Playing with friends and staying active and fit.
What do u play Football with Rhode LGFA U12s and Handball with Fahy Handball Club
Favourite player: David Clifford
Favourite meal: Chicken and pasta
Ambitions: To win championships with Rhode and Offaly
About the club: I love the encouragement given by our coaches in both football and handball. This lets us have fun and learn at the same time.
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Pupil Name: Nicholas Noonan โ Offaly U14 Football
School: St Maryโs Edenderry
Club: Rhode
What do you play: Football
Whatโs your favourite part of GAA: Playing matches
Who is your favourite player: Cormac Egan
What is your favourite meal: Steak
What are your GAA ambitions: To compete at the highest level possible
Give us a few words about your involvement with the Offaly Development Squads – I enjoy getting to use the facilities at faithful fields, as well as training and playing matches with players from other clubs.
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Pupil: Andrew Galvin Dunne โ Offaly U16 Football
School: Mercy Kilbeggan -Secondary School
Club: Ballinamere Durrow
What do you play: Football & Hurling
Whatโs your favourite part of GAA: Winning
Who is your favourite player: David Clifford
What is your favourite meal: Sunday Roast
What are your GAA ambitions: Win an all-Ireland
Give us a few words about your involvement with the Offaly Development Squads: I have been with the Offaly development squad for the past 3 years and it has helped me get fitter and better at football. I am very proud to represent my county.
Games Programme
Games Programme Update
With the end of July now approaching, we are well underway in our U14 and U16 Championships, while our Minor Championships have also commenced, producing some excellent and highly competitive games across the county.
There will be a short break at the conclusion of the group stages, allowing clubs to have all of their players back together in September ahead of the knockout rounds.
Our U12, U13 and U15 League Finals will take place during August. Full fixture details and venues will be confirmed once the remaining group games have been completed.
We would like to thank all clubs, players, mentors, referees and volunteers for their continued commitment in ensuring our games programme is progressing successfully, and we wish all teams the very best for the remainder of the season.
Best of luck to all teams for the remainder of the season. Enjoy the games!
Get to Know Our Staff & Weekly Coaching Hints
Shane Murphy โ GPO
Club: Seir Kieran
SHANE MURPHY โ GPO, BIRR & KILCORMAC/KILLOUGHEY GAA
As Games Promotion Officer serving both Birr and Kilcormac/Killoughey clubs, my work centres entirely on growing, supporting and sustaining Gaelic games across the area.
๐ฏ Core Focus: Development & Support
Player development: Working with children from nursery right up to minor level, building skills, confidence and love for hurling, football and camogie. Every session is designed to be active, engaging and ageโappropriate.
Coach support: Providing guidance, resources and training to coaches at every grade โ helping them plan better, teach effectively and create positive environments for young players.
School programme: Delivering coaching in over 8 local schools during term time โ introducing games early, building links between schools and clubs, and widening participation from the very start.
๐ Pathways & Retention
Smooth progression: Supporting players as they move from school activity into club teams, and helping them adapt successfully from club level into Offaly GAA development squads โ clear, fair pathways that reward commitment and skill.
Retention priority: Making sure our clubs and games are places children want to be โ fun, inclusive, welcoming, and full of friendship and achievement. Keeping young people involved from primary school through to minor and beyond is central to everything we do.
๐ช Key Message to Players
โGreat players are made not just by talent, but by effort and attitude. Consistently work on your weaknesses until they become your greatest strengths. Remember: practice makes perfect โ every training session, every game, every bit of extra effort builds you as a player and as part of your club and county.โ
Underage Club Spotlightย
Underage Club Spotlight โ Rhode
Rรณd รg & Rhode LGFA is a thriving Gaelic Football & Ladies Football Club catering for boys and girls from nursery up to adult level in the parish of Rhode, Croghan & Clonmore. We are committed to promoting a love Gaelic games for every child through initiatives including our Rรณd รg Warriors Nursery, hosting yearly Easter & Summer Camps for primary school children, Athletic Development Programmes for our older youth teams and later in the Autumn, we will launch our inclusive programme โRรณd รg Cluiche le Chรฉileโ which aims to give children with additional needs from 3-14 years old the opportunity to take part in Gaelic games in a fun and supportive environment.
Our Committee & team of volunteer coaches are committed to ensuring that every child has a positive and enjoyable Gaelic games experience where they will flourish and grow from U8 Go Games right up to Adult Football Level.
Rhode GAA/LGFA are currently in the midst of an ambitious development project within the grounds of Fr Dowling Park which will deliver a multi sport development that will benefit both Rhode and the wider locality for generations to come.
