WHEN THE FOOTBALL business of 2024 concluded, the Offaly results sheet did not make for favourable reading.
Two wins from seven in the third tier of the league, forced to settle for a sixth-placed finish.
They did rebound to hand off Midlands rivals Laois in their Leinster opener, but then got walloped by 20 points by Dublin in the provincial semi-final.
Their summer unravelled further with three defeats from three games in the Tailteann Cup as they exited before the knockout stages commenced.
Add it all up and a promising 2025 did not appear to be in store for someone moving into their management team, but years of experience and success lead Mickey Harte to different football judgements.
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Partnering with Declan Kelly, he took on his latest football project with an optimistic outlook. Promotion was secured last week and when the Division 3 music stopped yesterday in Croke Park, Offaly were crowned league champions.
Did Harte always believe these targets were realistic?
“Yeah, I did. I’m kind of like that anyway…but I didn’t necessarily announce it to anybody. In my own head and heart, I said this team is good enough to go out of this division. We said that when we went to Louth as well. We said they were good enough to get out of Division 4, we believed they were good enough to get out of Division 3. And now they’re consolidating themselves in Division 2, which I’m glad to see.
“So yes, if you didn’t have the aspiration to improve, then you’re going in to just create a team for a division and think they’re happy to stay there. If you’re happy to stay where you are, you generally don’t – you go backwards.
“So, if you’re not moving up and forward, you’re moving backwards and I don’t really think that’s a great idea.”
The only blot on Offaly’s copybook is the fact that they look unlikely to get the chance to compete in the All-Ireland series.
Despite finishing top of Division 3, Down will overtake them in the standings as they are guaranteed Sam Maguire football after last year’s Tailteann Cup win, while one of Clare, Tipperary or Waterford will qualify as they will contest the Munster final.
Offaly’s hopes rest on reaching the Leinster final, a sizeable challenge given they are on the same side of the provincial draw as Dublin.
Harte is aware that the Tailteann Cup could appear on their radar before long.
“It’s a very unlikely event (to play in the All-Ireland championship), put it like this! When we have to play to get there, it seems very unlikely that we’ll get that route. Look, that’s a pity; it would have been great to be there.
“But the rules are the rules. As they transpire, it doesn’t favour us at the minute. We have to go where we find ourselves and whatever level we’re playing at, there’s no easy games. If we want to continue to win silverware, we have to really keep focused and keep working hard and get the rub of the green.”
Offaly’s opening Leinster assignment will be against Carlow or Meath on Sunday 13 April.
In comparison to the happiness enveloping the Offaly camp, both those sides have hit turbulence with Carlow boss Shane Curran departing last week, while Meath coaching duo Joe McMahon and Martin Corey stepped down from their roles on Saturday.
“Whatever happens in any other county is their own business; it’s not really our business at all,” stated Harte.
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“What we had to do was prepare ourselves to be in the very best position we can be in a fortnight from now. Whoever it is we have to play, because that begins the rest of the journey of this team for this year. So it’s a very important day for us. Whoever comes along, we have to be really ready for them and I don’t anticipate it being an easier day.”
Harte’s sidekick Declan Kelly savoured a senior success at a venue where he celebrated with the Offaly U20 class of 2021.
“That particular group, Cormac (Egan) is only 21, John (Furlong) is only 21, Keith O’Neill is only 21. In the greater scheme of things they’re young. Lee (Pearson) has gone 22, 23 – but they’re finding their feet in the last couple of years. You can work hard and not get results but, to be fair to the lads, they’ve been going at it the last couple of years…and to get a result and get up to Division 2 is big for them.
“We don’t get up here that often and to get a cup at the end of the day, it’s great. We’d a good support there today, and we’ve the hurlers down in Cork next Sunday, a good crowd if they can get tickets will try and travel to that. But there’s good following, there’s good backing around the county.”
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Mickey Harte: 'In my own head and heart, I said this team is good enough'
WHEN THE FOOTBALL business of 2024 concluded, the Offaly results sheet did not make for favourable reading.
Two wins from seven in the third tier of the league, forced to settle for a sixth-placed finish.
They did rebound to hand off Midlands rivals Laois in their Leinster opener, but then got walloped by 20 points by Dublin in the provincial semi-final.
Their summer unravelled further with three defeats from three games in the Tailteann Cup as they exited before the knockout stages commenced.
Add it all up and a promising 2025 did not appear to be in store for someone moving into their management team, but years of experience and success lead Mickey Harte to different football judgements.
Partnering with Declan Kelly, he took on his latest football project with an optimistic outlook. Promotion was secured last week and when the Division 3 music stopped yesterday in Croke Park, Offaly were crowned league champions.
Did Harte always believe these targets were realistic?
“Yeah, I did. I’m kind of like that anyway…but I didn’t necessarily announce it to anybody. In my own head and heart, I said this team is good enough to go out of this division. We said that when we went to Louth as well. We said they were good enough to get out of Division 4, we believed they were good enough to get out of Division 3. And now they’re consolidating themselves in Division 2, which I’m glad to see.
“So yes, if you didn’t have the aspiration to improve, then you’re going in to just create a team for a division and think they’re happy to stay there. If you’re happy to stay where you are, you generally don’t – you go backwards.
“So, if you’re not moving up and forward, you’re moving backwards and I don’t really think that’s a great idea.”
The only blot on Offaly’s copybook is the fact that they look unlikely to get the chance to compete in the All-Ireland series.
Despite finishing top of Division 3, Down will overtake them in the standings as they are guaranteed Sam Maguire football after last year’s Tailteann Cup win, while one of Clare, Tipperary or Waterford will qualify as they will contest the Munster final.
Offaly’s hopes rest on reaching the Leinster final, a sizeable challenge given they are on the same side of the provincial draw as Dublin.
Harte is aware that the Tailteann Cup could appear on their radar before long.
“It’s a very unlikely event (to play in the All-Ireland championship), put it like this! When we have to play to get there, it seems very unlikely that we’ll get that route. Look, that’s a pity; it would have been great to be there.
“But the rules are the rules. As they transpire, it doesn’t favour us at the minute. We have to go where we find ourselves and whatever level we’re playing at, there’s no easy games. If we want to continue to win silverware, we have to really keep focused and keep working hard and get the rub of the green.”
Offaly’s opening Leinster assignment will be against Carlow or Meath on Sunday 13 April.
In comparison to the happiness enveloping the Offaly camp, both those sides have hit turbulence with Carlow boss Shane Curran departing last week, while Meath coaching duo Joe McMahon and Martin Corey stepped down from their roles on Saturday.
“Whatever happens in any other county is their own business; it’s not really our business at all,” stated Harte.
“What we had to do was prepare ourselves to be in the very best position we can be in a fortnight from now. Whoever it is we have to play, because that begins the rest of the journey of this team for this year. So it’s a very important day for us. Whoever comes along, we have to be really ready for them and I don’t anticipate it being an easier day.”
Harte’s sidekick Declan Kelly savoured a senior success at a venue where he celebrated with the Offaly U20 class of 2021.
“That particular group, Cormac (Egan) is only 21, John (Furlong) is only 21, Keith O’Neill is only 21. In the greater scheme of things they’re young. Lee (Pearson) has gone 22, 23 – but they’re finding their feet in the last couple of years. You can work hard and not get results but, to be fair to the lads, they’ve been going at it the last couple of years…and to get a result and get up to Division 2 is big for them.
“We don’t get up here that often and to get a cup at the end of the day, it’s great. We’d a good support there today, and we’ve the hurlers down in Cork next Sunday, a good crowd if they can get tickets will try and travel to that. But there’s good following, there’s good backing around the county.”
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