Condron Concrete Offaly GAA Coaching Corner
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
Name: Ben O’ Meara
School: Coolderry N.S
Club: Coolderry
What do you play: Hurling and Football
Whatβs your favourite part of GAA: Playing with my Team mates and winning games.
Who is your favourite player: Charlie Mitchell
What is your favourite meal: Chicken and Chips
What are your GAA ambitions: To play for my County and win an All Ireland.
Give us a few words about your club and what you like and maybe even dislike: Coolderry have got to an All Ireland final and have had a lot of success winning County titles.
Pupil Name:Β Senan Dunne β Offaly U15 Football
School:Β Gallen Community School Ferbane
Club:Β St Manchans Gaels
What do you play: I am currently involved with St Manchans U15 and U16 football teams, Iβm also involved with Offaly U15 Football Development Squad.
Whatβs your favourite part of GAA:
My favourite part of GAA is the buzz you get from being out on the pitch with your teammates. The memories you make, the hard work, and that feeling when everything clicks into place and you get a good result, Thereβs nothing like it.
Who is your favourite player:Β Niall Morgan
What is your favourite meal:Β Dominos Pizza
What are your GAA ambitions: To captain Offaly to win an All Ireland.
Give us a few words about your involvement with the Offaly Development Squads:
I like being involved in the development squad,
Playing a sport I love, being able to compete at the highest level against the best players inside and outside my county.
Working with quality coaches and constantly trying to improve myself.
Name: Ross Spollen β Offaly U15 hurling
School: Killina
Club: Ballinamere Durrow
What do you play: Hurling and football
Favourite Player: Cian Lynch
Favourite Food: Pasta
What are your GAA ambitions: Play senior hurling for Offaly and win an all ireland with offaly.
Give us a few words about you involvement with the Offaly Development Squads:
I am in the u15 hurling squad and I enjoy playing with the best players in offaly. It helps me improve my skills as a player
Get to Know our Underage Coaches
Adrian Farrell – Offaly Minor Football Manager
In my role as Minor football manager along with my management team we had the responsibility for assembling the football panel for this year.
This phase begin with trials in late 2025 through to commencing training in January of this year.Β We are always looking at development squad players and those that came through the development pathway and also club games to unearth new talent.
The most rewarding aspect for me along with watching each player develop and improve through challenging environments to improve all the time ,is the friendships forged between players from different clubs.Β We are fortunate to be exposed to high quality players coming out of development squads and our aim is to continue the development of each player this time in championship action and competition and keep each player on the conveyor belt with the goal of progressing through to Offaly u20 and Senior intercounty football.
Games Programme
Games Programme Update
Our Go Games Programme
Our Go Games programme provides regular opportunities for U8, U10 and U11 boys across the county to participate in both hurling and football throughout the playing season.
The programme runs each month from the changing of the clocks in March through to the clocks changing back in October.
Each month, the four Saturdays are structured to provide:
Β· One U8 and U10 Hurling Go Games Saturday
Β· One U8 and U10 Football Go Games Saturday
Β· One U11 Hurling Go Games Saturday
Β· One U11 Football Go Games Saturday
For the U8 and U10 age groups, both groups attend the same venue, with their games played one after the other. On the designated U11 Saturdays, the U11 boys play their Go Games, with clubs also able to bring U10 players where required to help with numbers.
This structure means that parents attend a single venue on each Go Games Saturday, making the programme easier and more manageable for families, clubs and organisers.
An equally important part of the programme is what happens on the Saturdays when a team does not have a scheduled Go Games fixture. It is hoped that clubs use these mornings to focus on coaching and developing the vital basic skills of hurling and football within their own club environment.
The current structure is an agreed county-wide process which has evolved considerably over a number of years. Changes have been made following regular reviews and feedback, with the aim of continually improving the Go Games experience for our young players, their parents and our clubs.
The 2026 programme has been particularly successful, with very positive feedback from both players and parents. The structure has provided children with regular, organised games while also allowing dedicated time within their clubs for coaching and skills development.
Ultimately, the purpose of our Go Games programme is simple: to give every child the opportunity to play regularly, develop their skills, enjoy hurling and football, and build a lifelong connection with their club and our games.
Best of luck to all teams for the remainder of the season. Enjoy the games!
Underage Spotlight β Offaly U15 Cups
Johnny Flaherty & Ollie Daly U15 Cups β Knockout Stages
Our new Johnny Flaherty and Ollie Daly U15 Hurling and Football competitions are now heading towards the knockout stages, with both Cup and Shield honours up for grabs.
The U15 Hurling quarter-finals take place on Tuesday, 11 August, while the U15 Football quarter-finals will be played on Sunday, 16 August.
The first final has already been confirmed, with Rhode taking on St Manchanβs in the Ollie Daly Shield Final at Ballycumber GAA. Following the game, the presentations will be made by members of the Daly family, which will make the occasion particularly special.
The Flaherty family will also be on hand to make the presentations at the U15 Hurling Finals, which will fittingly be held in Johnnyβs home club Kinnitty in a few weeksβ time.
These new competitions were introduced to give more young players the opportunity to represent their clubs in meaningful competitive games. In particular, they provide opportunities for players who may not necessarily make their clubβs regular U16 team, as well as clubs that may concentrate primarily on one code but want to give their players additional games.
The competitions were open to entries from all clubs, and the response has exceeded expectations. The number of clubs that entered, and the enthusiasm shown throughout the competitions, has been hugely encouraging.
Most importantly, it means more young players getting more games and more opportunities to play for their clubs.
The success of these inaugural competitions also bodes very well for the introduction of our U16 Championships next year.
Best of luck to all the teams as we head into the knockout stages!
By Offaly Secretary Fri 28th Aug
