By: Kevin Corrigan
The 1986 Ofaly U21 football squad.Front, left to right, Kieran Rigney, Ciaran Higgins, Declan Carroll, Paddy Sheridan, Vinny Claffey, Brendan Flynn, Kevin Brazil, Greg Blong, John Owens. Back, left to right, Cathal Ryan, Ger Galvin, Garrett O’Brien, Ken Corcoran, Enda Claffey, Bernie Scully, Padraig Farrell, Ronan Scully, Paul Rabbitte, Aidan Stewart, Vinny Byrne, Adrian Daly, Mick Casey, David Claffey. Missing from picture are Peter Brady, Mick Devne and Tom Rafferty | Ger Rogers
A multi-talented, very strong Cork team may have ensured that they didn’t join the pantheon of Offaly’s All-Ireland champions but the 1986 U21 footballers still occupy a cherished, much appreciated place in the county’s great footballing story.
The vast majority of the panel were in Tullamore’s Old Warehouse on Saturday evening for a reunion where nostalgia and great memories pervaded the air and old friendships were renewed. Some of the panel had barely met in the intervening forty years but picked up where they let off – one of the panel and a very talented footballer, Bernie Scully from Gracefield flew came home specially for the reunion from Holland where he has lived in recent decades, after initially going to New York in 1990.
The 1986 squad are among a distinguished group of people who have collected Leinster U21 football medals and the county has not been inundated with titles at this grade. Before 1986, Offaly had won the Leinster U21 Football Championship in 1968, 1971, 1973, 1977 and 1979 – and they have only added two since then, in 1995 and in 2021 when they went onto capture an All-Ireland in what was adjusted to U20.
They had yet to collect an All-Ireland title in the grade in 1986 and the great 1964 All-Ireland minor football champions had failed to add a Leinster U21 to their collection three years later in 1967 when Longford ate them alive in the quarter-final in Mullingar – the U21 grade was only introduced in 1964.
In 1968, Offaly were a different proposition as they captured Leinster en-route to the All-Ireland final, where Derry beat them. Until 1986, that was Offaly’s only All-Ireland U21 football final to compete in. The four Leinster champions in the 1970s all failed to reach the ultimate stage and those teams included some of Offaly’s greatest ever footballers.
The 1986 squad were all children of the great 1971/1972 team. They were all born in the second half of the 1960s and were impressionable young boys when the county was set ablaze by the breakthrough wins in ’71 and ’72. They were too young to fully appreciate the enormity of what had happened but many of them were in Croke Park in 1971 and 1972, they could see the excitement of their parents, the unbridled joy of supporters. The tears that flowed down Mayo cheeks in July 2026 came out of Offaly eyes in 1971, creating a Croke Park flood. They were reared on tales of the 1971/1972 exploits and when Offaly denied Kerry an unprecedented five in a row in 1982, they were of an age to fully appreciate what they had seen. Most were playing U16 and minor football at that time and they knew they had seen something truly extraordinary.
The 1986 run provided a ray of sunlight during what was a traumatic period for Offaly football as the great 1982 team declined way too quickly. They had the talent to win a second one but it didn’t happen – Offaly threw away a golden chance when losing the 1983 Leinster final to Dublin but also lost to them in 1984, 1985 and 1986 with the gap becoming more pronounced with each year.
The 1982 champions were effectively finished by 1986 but there was a powerful beacon of hope on the horizon. Offaly won the Leinster U21 Football Championship in 1986 and 1988, a Leinster minor football in 1989 and the All-Ireland U21 Football Championship in 1988.
Offaly had come with ravenous intent at the start of the 1960s, ‘70s and ‘80s and the underage success in the second half of the 1980s suggested that this trend would be maintained at the start of the 1990s. It didn’t happen, the reasons are many and complex, and all of that is a story for another day.
The 1986 exploits suggested that Offaly football was still in rude health but even though they didn’t replicate the success of some of their predecessors in this grade, they were an outstanding young team and they made a lasting contribution to Offaly football, in a variety of ways.
1986 was a great roller coaster of a year. There was no real expectation about them at the start as they hadn’t done much at minor, well beaten by Kildare in the 1983 Leinster semi-final replay. In that era, the turnover from minor to U21 was often considerable and it was no different on this occasion. There will be a curiosity about the corresponding minor team so the 1983 team that lost to Kildare is published here: John Leogue (St Mary’s); Ciaran Higgins (Gracefield), Adrian Gavin (Clara), John Owens (Tullamore); Tom Brady (Gracefield), Aidan Stewart (Clara), Kieran O’Connell (Edenderry); Mel Currums (Kilcormac), James Buckley (Kilcormac); Peter Brady (Edenderry, Ronan Scully (Clara), Brian Evans (Ballyfore); Paddy Sheridan (Tubber), Paraic Carroll (Edenderry), Kieran O’Brien (Ballinamere). Subs – Liam Pillion (Doon), Derek Claffey (St Carthage’s), Michael Keegan (Gracefield).
Other players who played in the draw with Kildare or first round win over Wicklow in 1983 were Jimmy Minnock (St Carthage’s), Ger Corbett (Shannonbridge), Ambrose Dempsey (Bracknagh). Some of those players had drifted away by 1986, injuries ruled a couple out and others opted out because of educational and work commitments.
Other fantastic footballers emerged. The Claffey twins from Doon, Vinny and David had been more into athletics than football in their young years but football had taken over by 1986. Players who were too young and small to play minor in 1983 were “big and ugly” enough to play U21 football in 1986 and this young cohort added a lot. The 1986 squad featured a few players who won All-Ireland U21 football medals just two years later: Garrett O’Brien, Mick Casey, Brendan Flynn and Mick Devine – 1988 goalkeeper Donal O’Neill was between the posts in the first round win over Wicklow in ’86 but went to America for a few weeks after that.
Offaly made a solid start in 1986, beating Wicklow by 1-14 to 2-5 and momentum grew with each game.
They came up against some of the best footballers in the country in the 1980s and 1990s on their way. The Wicklow team in the first round included Kevin O’Brien who was their star player in a bleak era. Meath’s 1-11 was all scored by Bernard Flynn in their Leinster semi-final defeat by Offaly and their lineup included other stars from a great era. Several of the Laois team they beat in the Leinster final went on to play senior. The Mayo team they conquered in an All-Ireland semi-final replay included Liam McHale and Padraig Brogan while the Cork team that beat them in the All-Ireland final was full of household names.
There were injuries and team changes along the way. Full back Padraig Farrell broke his leg after the first round win, injury ended Brendan Flynn’s season after the All-Ireland semi-final draw with Mayo There was great stories from games with Offaly requiring replays to beat Laois and Mayo – the tactics used to stop Liam McHale dominating midfield against Mayo are fondly remembered by many of the team. The team was full of character and struck up a great bond with supporters.
Offaly scraped past Meath, 1-12 to 1-11 in the Leinster semi-final in Mullingar with confidence growing Like the 1988 campaign, replays defined 1986. . It took two attempts to beat Laois in the Leinster final and they also needed a replay to beat Mayo in the All-Ireland semi-final.
Offaly played some great football in 1986 but astute observers knew that Cork were likely to be a bridge too far in the decider. They were aiming for three All-Ireland’s in a row in 1986 and had a golden generation of young footballer. Many of those U21 sides graduated to become great senior footballers and collected All-Ireland senior medals and All-Stars in 1989 and 1990.
They just could not be beaten in 1986 and Offaly duly fell, 3-16 to 0-12 in the final but there was no shame whatsoever in defeat as they gave it their best shot and they did leave an important legacy to Offaly football.
At senior level, the wheels came off the Offaly football train from 1985 to 1996. The county plummeted to Division 4 football and several of the 1986 U21 side experienced some dark, black days. It was just not a nice time as managers were pulled over the coals and supporters became utterly despondent. Some of the U21 side played a lot of very good football for Offaly – Vinny Byrne, Mick Devine, Aidan Stewart, Brendan Flynn and Mick Casey were among the players who featured prominently over a few seasons. They deserve great credit as they put the shoulder to the wheel in an era when high expectations were not matched by wins and performances – and you don’t have to be an Einstein to guess the toxic mix this created.
Two of the 1986 team joined the pantheon of Offaly’s footballing immortals, Peter Brady and Vinny Claffey. Peter Brady had made his senior championship debut in 1984 and was Offaly’s marquee footballer for the next decade. Him and Vinny Claffey are among Offaly’s centenarians, having played over 100 senior championship and league games and they were absolutely pivotal to the great revival that was sparked by Dubliner Tommy Lyons when the Leinster Senior Football Championship and National Football League was won in 1997 and 1998.
Brady and Claffey were the survivors from the 1986 team as Offaly captured the imagination with some breathtaking attacking football in ’97 and ’98. Members of the 1988 All-Ireland U21 football champions, Leinster minor and U21 medal winners from 1989 and 1995 joined them and for a brief couple of tremendously exciting years, it looked like Offaly could win a fourth All-Ireland title. The presence of a star studded Meath side in Leinster, however, ensured that this ship sailed by but that 1997/1998 flourish was important to the ongoing health of Offaly football.
A new decline set in during the 2000s before the county came again in the 2020s, winning a fantastic All-Ireland U20 Football Championship in 2021 (the U21 grade had changed to U20 just a couple of years earlier) and a Leinster minor football title in 2025.
Now 40 years on, we reflect on the exploits of a panel who generated a wave of excitement, created hope and expectation and brought joy to the lives of their county men and women in 1986 – and who have made their own very significant contribution to Offaly football – many of them also gave sterling service to their clubs as players and later mentors and officers.
Offaly’s path to the 1986 All-Ireland U21 football final
Leinster 1st round June 22 in Aughrim: Offaly 1-14, Wicklow 2-5
Offaly scorers: Peter Brady 0-6, Vinny Claffey 1-2, Brendan Flynn 0-3, David Claffey, Garrett O’Brien and Ronan Scully 0-1 each.
OFFALY: Donal O’Neill; John Owens, Padraig Farrell, Ciaran Higgins; Aidan Stewart, Kieran Rigney, Bernie Scully; Garrett O’Brien, Peter Brady; David Claffey, Vinny Claffey, Brendan Flynn; Ronan Scully, Ger Galvin, Vinny Byrne.
WICKLOW: D Leigh; S O’Brien, F Kane, K Keyes; R Allen, M Murtagh, R Clarke; P Murphy, K Foley; V Hatton, K O’Brien, A Cullen; PJ O’Connor, A Zellerm, G Dunne. Subs – M Hetherman for Keyes, P Quinn for Cullen, M Nolan for Zeller.
Referee – John Denton, Wexford.
Leinster semi-final July 9 in Mullingar: Offaly 1-12, Meath 1-11
Offaly scorers: Peter Brady 0-8, Brendan Flynn 1-2, Ronan Scully and Aidan Stewart 0-1 each.
OFFALY: Adrian Daly; Kieran Higgins, Kieran Rigney, John Owens; Aidan Stewart, Tom Rafferty, Bernie Scully; Garrett O’Brien, Peter Brady; Vinny Claffey, Peter Brady, Brendan Flynn; Ronan Scully, Ger Galvin, Vinny Byrne. Subs – Declan Carroll for Galvin, Ken Corcoran for Owens.
MEATH: Sean O’Sullivan; Sean Carolan, Robbie O’Malley, Jim Farrell; Declan Smyth, Phil Fay, Des Lane; Sean Kavanagh, PJ Gillick; Leo McEnroe, Michael Smith, David Beggy; Eugene Gorry, Paul Mallon, Bernard Flynn. Sub – Mark O’Neill for M Smith.
Referee – Carthage Conlon, Westmeath
Leinster final July 20 in Kilkenny: Offaly 1-11, Laois 2-8
Offaly scorers: Ronan Scully 1-3, Peter Brady 0-4, Vinny Claffey, Brendan Flynn, David Claffey and Vinny Byrne 0-1 each.
OFFALY: Adrian Daly; Ken Corcoran, Kieran Rigney, Ciaran Higgins; Aidan Stewart, Tom Rafferty, Bernie Scully; Peter Brady, Garrett O’Brien; Vinny Claffey, David Claffey, Brendan Flynn; Ronan Scully, Vinny Byrne, Declan Carroll. Subs – John Owens for Rafferty, Mick Casey for Flynn, Paul Rabbitte for Corcoran.
LAOIS: T Mahon; J Bolton, P Kelly, R Ryan; W Ramsbottom, T McMahon, N Hayden; PJ Delaney, L Turley; P Lawlor, J Irwin, T Smyth; A Lacey, T Conroy, D Lawlor. Subs – M Behan for Lacey, TJ White for Lawlor, PJ Dempsey for Conroy.
Referee – Tommy Howard, Kildare.
Leinster final replay July 30 in Newbridge: Offaly 1-10, Laois 0-9
Offaly scorers: David Claffey 1-1, Ronan Scully 0-3, Cathal Ryan and Mick Casey 0-2 each, Vinny Claffey and Declan Carroll 0-1 each.
OFFALY: Adrian Daly; John Owens, Ciaran Higgins, Ken Corcoran; Greg Blong, Kieran Rigney, Bernie Scully; Vinny Claffey, Garrett O’Brien; Cathal Ryan, David Claffey, Declan Carroll; Ronan Scully, Vinny Byrne, Mick Casey.
LAOIS: T Mahon; P Kelly, J Bolton, R Ryan; W Ramsbottom, T McMahon, N Hayden; TJ Delaney, L Turley; A Lacey, J Irwin, T Smyth; M Behan, D Lawlor, T Tynan. Subs – D Mullally for Lacey, M McDonnell for Hayden, T Conroy for Behan.
Referee – Tommy Howard, Kildare.
All-Ireland semi-final August 10 in Roscommon: Offaly 1-11, Mayo 1-11
Offaly scorers: Vinny Byrne 1-1, Peter Brady 0-3, David Claffey and Ronan Scully 0-2 each, Vinny Claffey, Brendan Flynn and Mick Casey 0-1 each.
OFFALY; Adrian Daly; John Owens, Ciaran Higgins, Ken Corcoran; Greg Blong, Kieran Rigney, Bernie Scully; Peter Brady, Garrett O’Brien; Vinny Claffey, David Claffey, Brendan Flynn; Ronan Scully, Mick Casey, Vinny Byrne. Sub – Paul Rabbitte for Blong, Declan Carroll for Flynn.
MAYO: Gabriel Irwin; Padraig Ward, Mick Walsh, Ciaran McCormack; Pat Holmes, Ian Reidy, Kevin Beirne; Liam McHale, Ger Boyle; Michael Fitzmaurice, Liam Niland, Martin McGrath; Padraig Corcoran, Tom Higgins, MJ Mullen. Subs – Greg Maher for Higgins, Padraig Brogan for Corcoran.
Referee – D Campbell, Fermanagh.
All-Ireland semi-final replay: August 17 in Roscommon: Offaly 1-15, Mayo 1-7
Offaly scorers: David Claffey 1-1, Peter Brady 0-4, Cathal Ryan 0-3, Bernie Scully and Ronan Scully 0-2 each, Garrett O’Brien, Mick Casey and Vinny Claffey 0-1 each.
OFFALY: Adrian Daly; John Owens, Ciaran Higgins, Kevin Brazil; Aidan Stewart, Kieran Rigney, Bernie Scully; Peter Brady, Garrett O’Brien; Vinny Claffey, David Claffey, Cathal Ryan; Ronan Scully, Mick Casey, Vinny Byrne. Sub – Declan Carroll for Byrne.
MAYO: Shane Campbell; Padraig Ward, Pat Holmes, Ciaran McCormack; Kevin Beirne, Mick Walsh, Ian Reidy; Liam McHale, Ger Boyle; Padraig Brogan, Greg Maher, Martin McGrath; Michael Fitzmaurice, Liam Niland, MJ Mullen. Subs – Liam Monahan for McCormack, Tom Higgins for Maher, Padraig Corcoran for Boyle.
Referee – S MacGothraigh, Cavan.
All-Ireland final September 14 in Semple Stadium, Thurles: Cork 3-16, Offaly 0-12
Offaly scorers: Peter Brady 0-9 (5f), Vinny Claffey, Cathal Ryan (f) and Mick Casey 0-1 each.
Cork scorers: Paul McGrath 1-7 (2f), Michael McCarthy 0-6, Con O’Connell 2-0, John O’Driscoll 0-2, Paddy Harrington 0-1.
OFFALY: Adrian Daly; John Owens, Ciaran Higgins, Ken Corcoran; Aidan Stewart, Kieran Rigney, Bernie Scully; Garrett O’Brien, Peter Brady; Vinny Claffey, David Claffey, Cathal Ryan; Ronan Scully, Mick Casey, Vinny Byrne. Subs – Greg Blong for Owens, Kevin Brazil for Rigney, Ger Galvin for O’Brien.
CORK: Jerome O’Mahoney; Kevin Scanlon, John Murphy, Michael Maguire; Michael Slocum, Denis Walsh, Tony Griffin; Paddy Hayes, Teddy McCarthy; Con O’Connell, Michael McCarthy, Barry Coffey; Paddy Harrington, John O’Driscoll, Paul McGrath. Subs – Andrew McCarthy for Maguire, John O’Brien for O’Mahoney, Brendan Stack for Griffin.
Referee – John Gough, Antrim.
By Offaly Secretary Mon 17th Aug
