Offaly GAA chairman re-iterates total commitment required by emerging young county stars

OFFALY GAA chairman Michael Duignan has re-iterated the commitment that young players must give if they hope to make it in county underage and adult squads.

In a passionate and very well received speech at a recent promotional launch of the county's underage football and hurling development squads, Mr Duignan referred to controversy a few years ago when some young players were left off a football development squad after missing training as they were playing a soccer game.

Mr Duignan told a packed gathering in Kilcormac's Faithful Fields that he had no problem with young players playing other codes but he confirmed that Offaly GAA policy about their development squads would not be changing to facilitate this: that young players must attend each squad training session, unless for specified reasons such as illness, bereavements etc. He didn't say it explicitly at the function and didn't need to as his message was perfectly clear and understood by all present: missing a training session or game because of playing another sport would result in being left off the development squad.

His comments came during a real feel good morning as the 200 plus development squad members were joined by their parents and siblings, club members and supporters. The function was organised to give them an opportunity to see what goes on each Saturday morning in Faithful Fields and to hear the County Board's plans for the future – the young players were also presented with their gear for 2024.

The county currently has development squads in football and hurling for U-14, 15 and 16 and Mr Duignan revealed that of the 241 players asked into these, 238 accepted and have been working hard since the start of the year.

A new U-13 football and hurling squad, called Faithful Og, has been initiated this year with 158 players joining these.

The development squad system is the cornerstone of Offaly's future ambitions they aims to instil best practices in players from a young age and ensure that they can compete with the best counties at minor, U-20 and finally senior level in the future. Already, the benefits of the system has been witnessed in Offaly as the All-Ireland U-20 Football Championship was won in 2021 while Offaly competed very well in the 2022 and 2023 All-Ireland Minor and U-20 hurling finals – they were desperately unlucky to lose the 2022 minor final to Tipperary, when they conceded a devastating last gasp injury time goal.

With the senior footballers and hurlers working very hard to turn the corner, there is new optimism about the future of Offaly GAA and the near 1,000 people who attended the recent launch were certainly impressed by what they saw.

The gathering included senior football and hurling captains, Lee Pearson and Jason Sampson and 1982 All-Ireland football winning heroes, Matt Connor and Brendan Lowry. They had the opportunity to watch players doing strength and conditioning work and listen into various workshops on nutrition, psychology etc.

Mr Duignan made the keynote speech and the standout part was his passionate call to arms and insistence that players must be fully committed to the development squads during their season from January through to mid Summer.

“When I think back to five years ago when I became chairman and you could only dream about a day like today where we have such brilliant buy in from all our young players across the county in hurling and football,” he smiled.

Mr Duignan spoke about the importance of players enjoying themselves but told them they had to do what is required, stating that their only responsibility is to the GAA and football and hurling.

“The enjoyment of all you young lads and your development is what is most important. I know there was a bit of noise a few years ago about other sports and all that kind of thing. With the split season, we have this part of the year to concentrate on our county development. Our responsibility in the GAA is with hurling and football. There is no issue with anybody at any stage about any other sport. They can go and play them but when we are here, we have January, February, March, April, May, into the Summer. That is the way it is gone and that is the reality of it. ”

An All-Ireland minor hurling medal winner with Offaly in 1986, Michael Duignan won All-Ireland senior hurling medals in 1994 and 1998 but in the late 1980s, early 1990s, he was a good dual player, playing several league and championship games for Offaly footballers. A former student at Garbally College, near Ballinasloe, he also played rugby there and later in his then home town of Naas, where he won a Provincial Towns Cup medal in the 1990s. Looking back on it now, he regrets that he attempted so much and feels he would have been better served by concentrating on hurling at a younger age.

“I know I played a lot of sports myself and if I had my time back, I will be honest with you, I wouldn't have played them all because I am broke up for a start but apart from that I didn't really concentrate in time. I played football, hurling, rugby, everything. I did okay but I think if I had my time back, I would have concentrated on the hurling that bit earlier and maybe a few of the team mates I played with would agree, it might have made a bit of a difference down the road.”

He thanked the people responsible for the development squads: County Board administrator Carina Carroll; Head of Games Adrian Clancy, Head of Performance Gary Flannery and Offaly senior football manager Declan Kelly and Drumcullen's Toni Ryan who head up the football and hurling academies.

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Mr Duignan outlined the seven pillars that they are trying to develop from a young age: physical, nutritional, tactical, technical, performance which includes strength and conditioning, mental and medical.

“We are trying to develop all that through the Faithful Fields with different experts heading up each area to make sure all of ye get the proper development as ye go along through the age groups. The most important thing is that ye enjoy coming here, that ye want to be here and that ye get everything ye can out of it.”

He also told the young players that they need to combine their sporting careers with their education, outlining the path of some of the current county footballers and hurlers.

“Cormac Egan is on a full scholarship in UCD, Lee (Pearson) is in Trinity studying, John Furlong has taken up an apprenticeship, Ciaran Burke off the hurling team has just qualified as an electrician with Bord Gais. Ross Ravenhill mechanic. My own lad Brian has just qualified as a teacher. Jason (Sampson) a professional man. We want to develop across the board further education. For some people, that will be third level, it will be university and for other lads, it will be an apprentice or whatever. We are there to support that as well. Everything that you learn here will stand to ye.

“The importance of the structure here, the friendships you build up, everything you take out of here with the expertise the lads bring will really stay with ye for the rest of your lives. While we want Offaly back winning All-Ireland's, we also want every single one of you to achieve the maximum in life as well. That is fierce important.”

Noting the presence of Brendan Lowry and Matt Connor, he remarked:

“We are building our future on the foundations of the past. None of us want to be looking back but we can't forget what these lads achieved and what these pictures on the walls here mean.”

He saluted the coaches: “Coaches are absolutely vital to the cause. Ye all have young families and commitment to clubs but you always come out here. It is a huge commitment and much appreciated.”

Mr Duignan was warm in his praise of parents for their support.

“This is a long journey. It is a huge commitment and when they get to minor it gets worse as they will be here two or three nights a week. Your children will look back in years to come and they will thank you for this. My own mother has been out staying with me and without her, I wouldn't have made it. My father was always working and she brought us all over the country, often eight or ten in a car. Without your support, the lads wouldn't be able to do anything.”

He promised the players that they would get full support and the right structures.

“The most important people in Offaly GAA are the players. Everyone else has a part to play, the staff, volunteers, parents but the players are central to everything. Ye are number one in terms of anything we can do for ye. We can't do everything for ye but in terms of gear, nutrition, travelling expenses when you get older, gym membership. Anything ye can do to try and help the lads to be the best that ye can be, that is what we are about. It takes a lot of work and a lot of support but ye are the most important people in the room.”

He concluded:

“I want to wish ye the best of luck in the future. All of ye won't make it but ye will all have a huge role in the GAA. Only X amount can make it but ye will all be playing with your clubs, ye will all have a life time of friendships and playing. No matter where you go in the world, if you can bring a pair of football boots and a hurl with you, you will never go too far wrong. Thanks very much for the huge effort you put in.”