Offaly GAA

Coaching & Games Development – Upcoming Courses: 

Football Goal Keeping Workshops

(This course is aimed at all under age goalkeepers 12 to 18 years where the skills and training drills specific to goal keepers will be delivered. Club coaches are encouraged to attend where they can up skill in the goal keeping skills and drills)

Venue: Cappincur Date: 23/04/2016 – 07/05/2016 Time: 10am – 12Noon Tutor: Conor Clancy

 Code of Ethics

Venue: Kilcormac Date: 17/05/2016 Time: 7pm – 10pm Tutor: Conor Clancy

For further details Email liam.oreilly.gda.offaly@gaa.ie or phone 0877407212.

U-17 Football Development Squad

Under the management of John Hughes, Noel Daly, Ger Lynam and Kevin Meehan, Offaly have entered an U17 County team into the Mattie Ford Championship which starts in July and Damien Reid tournament which starts in October. Clubs have been asked to select players who were born in 1999 and in their last year of U17 who are interested in trying out for this panel to attend training in Tubber GAA Pitch this Wednesday the 20th of April with training starting at 6.30pm and finishing at 8pm. Any player on the Offaly Minor Panel will not be expected to attend this training.

All-Ireland U-21 Football Semi Finals

We received this email from Michael Lang (Mayo) who attended the All-Ireland U-21 Semi Finals in O’Connor Park last Saturday.  Thanks to all the volunteers on match day who ensure that supporters like Michael have such a positive experience.

A chara,

Although I have been attending inter-county Gaelic football games for close on 40 years, yesterday was my first ever visit to O’Connor Park on the occasion of the All-Ireland U-21 semi-finals.  I was accompanied by my young son.

I wish to compliment Offaly GAA not just on the magnificently appointed grounds but more importantly on the warmth of all the stadium staff.  We have all had the experience of encountering match day officials who embrace the responsibility of donning a “Maor” vest with all the officiousness and tolerance of international border guards. The worst kind are those who respond to the playfulness of young children by barking commands to “get that child out of here”.

Whether it is just the natural demeanour of Offaly people, or maybe they were tutored on how to deliver customer service, but for whatever reason, all of the personnel that we met in O’Connor Park yesterday were very kind and helpful.

Quite apart from Mayo’s last minute victory over the Dubs, it made my son’s day to be granted an impromptu tour of the VIP area at half-time. And it made mine to have the pleasure of meeting one of my own childhood heroes, the brilliant Matt Connor.

A good “stadium experience” is not about paraphernalia, it is much more about empathetic staff who genuinely care about their patrons. Thank you Offaly GAA for a very enjoyable day.

Mise le meas

Michael Lang, Tourmakeady, Co. Mayo

Offaly Minor Footballers

Hard luck to Offaly Minor Footballers who lost opening round of Leinster Championship 2-14 to 1-07 to Dublin.  Offaly will now play Longford in the next round with the winners facing Wicklow.

Offaly Minor Hurlers

This Saturday at 3pm in Nowlan Park, Offaly will face Kilkenny in the Leinster Minor Hurling Championship Quarter Final.  Ned O’ Connors team are coming off a good win over Laois and we wish them all the best of luck this Saturday

County U-21 Football Final

The county U-21 Football Final between St. Vincent’s and St Patrick’s will take place on Saturday 30th April at 6:30pm in O’Connor Park

Social Media

The new website will be up and running this week.  This will be updated regularly and we are currently looking for volunteers to help with the updating of the website.  If you have Word press experience and are interested please email Kenny Franks @ pro.offaly@gaa.ie

Twitter @Offaly_GAA

Facebook OfficialOffalyGAA

Lotto

Offaly GAA has gone through a tough spell in recent times but there is a real attempt now to change the fortunes of all our teams and to lay done credible and feasible structures at underage level that will hopefully lead to a pathway of success.

The faithful field’s project will allow all our teams to train in designated center of excellence.  The coaching and games development team has been working hard to create sustainable coaching structures at underage level and throughout our schools and development squads.  The results this year at county level have been somewhat mixed but there are signs of improvement and hopefully this will be seen in this year’s championships.

The weekly GAA lotto is our main fundraiser each year. It costs €90 for a year that equates to €1.73 per week.  The monies generated from this Lotto allow Offaly County Committee to invest in some of the listed structures above and allow for investment in the continuous development of our young players throughout the county. The current jackpot is €20,000.

I would appreciate if you would consider joining the lotto.  You can do so by purchasing online at offaly.gaa.ie/  Many thanks and hopefully we will get an opportunity to meet you at a game throughout the year