Injury hit Offaly putting best foot forward for Leinster U-20 Football Championship

INJURIES to key players have handicapped Offaly as they prepare for their Leinster U-20 Football Championship opener in Louth next Tuesday evening, March 21.

Key players Keith O'Neill and Marcas Dalton are definitely out while Cormac Egan, a star as Offaly won the All-Ireland U-20 Football Championship in 2021, is a major doubt after dislocating his finger in a challenge win over Cork last weekend.

Manager Ken Furlong is waiting on news for the full extent of Egan's injury but will be bracing himself for the worst and there are fears that he could be ruled out for a few weeks. They will be doing everything they can to get him into action but only if he is fully fit – the injury and timing of it is desperate hard luck on the Tullamore flier who had done very well to get himself back fit after a long lay off with a bad hamstring injury.

It all means that Offaly will be entering the unknown next Tuesday evening. There were high hopes about the prospects of this team as they were very unlucky to be beaten by Meath in the 2020 Leinster minor football final. That final was only completed in 2021 because of Covid and immediately after it, John Furlong, Cormac Egan, Tom Hyland and Keith O'Neill went onto play very important roles as Offaly won that All-Ireland U-21 title.

Keith O'Neill has a long term hip injury that may require a prolonged spell on the sidelines to get right while Clara man, Marcas Dalton has a hamstring injury. Dalton was a huge loss for Ard Scoil Chiarain, Clara as they lost to St Joseph's of Spanish Point in the Post Primary Schools All-Ireland Senior “D” Football final last weekend. He also missed the All-Ireland semi-final and Ken Furlong has confirmed that both O'Neill and Dalton are out, while he is still waiting for word on Cormac Egan.

There are other injury worries. The manager's son, John Furlong is back in action after missing last year with a groin injury. Brilliant as Offaly won that All-Ireland U-20 football title and one of the brightest prospects in the county, Furlong has got some game time in the Liam O'Connor Cup and challenges but it is being managed very carefully. “He is still getting physio and we are taking it game to game. John has got some game time and we have to see how he reacts after training. It is bit by bit,” Ken Furlong remarked.

Chris Kenny, a son of former Offaly star, John Kenny, has been out recently with a quad injury but is on his way back. Whether he is fit enough to start on Tuesday remains to be seen. “He has missed out on a good bit,” remarked Furlong. Ballinagar's Adam Joyce has also missed recent games and training with a calf injury. He is due back shortly but may not be ready to play yet.

It leaves a lot of uncertainty hanging over Offaly as they enter a tough round robin campaign. They are away to Louth and then at home to Wicklow and Dublin on successive Tuesday nights and there won't be much time to recover from knocks sustained in any of those games.

Having been so close three years ago and with a few players playing U-20 county football for the third year, Offaly should be strong but their injury list has left them very depleted. O'Neill and Dalton would be automatic starters and Egan would be expected to lead the attack.

Ken Furlong was the minor manager three years ago and replaced Declan Kelly as U-20 manager this year.

He said: “They are putting in a great effort. It's a balancing act. It is very difficult with players playing colleges freshers and Cormac was playing Sigerson. The schools were going well in Tullamore and Clara as well. It's a hard grade with lads involved in so much and that was always the case. They are pulled in loads of different directions and it is about getting players out when we can and managing their load. The lads on the pitch are putting in the effort and it is important to have a panel.”

The Offaly team won't be announced until nearer game time. Harry Plunkett will now be a key player in attack and there is a possibility that he will spend some time at midfield. Plunkett and John Furlong were midfield on the minor team three years ago and could be played there again, though it would not be their strongest position – Furlong is a natural half back and Plunkett is best in attack. Daingean's Cathal Ryan, centre half back on that 2020 minor team, is also a possibility for midfield.

Diarmuid Finneran and Tom Hyland will be key figures in defence and Offaly will be targeting a win.