Offaly captain Lee Pearson pictured at the launch of the Leinster SFC. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
By Cian O'Connell
These are exciting times for Offaly GAA.
Leinster Senior Championship action is imminent in both codes following satisfactory Allianz League campaigns. Promotions attained, hope restored.
For Declan Kelly and Mickey Harte's footballers, a provincial quarter-final away to Meath at Páirc Tailteann is an ideal opportunity to truly test how far the team has travelled.
Comprehensively beaten by London in the Tailteann Cup last year, the Offaly response has been defiant. "As you can imagine, it's a huge difference," explains captain Lee Pearson. "It's a real confidence thing as well.
"When you lose in that manner on your home turf as well, in a competition you're probably thought going into that you're going to give a good rattle it's really demoralising.
"But again, you see some of the big results we've got this year. It seems like a bit of a distant memory now. It's obviously in the back of your head that those results can't happen.
"You can't slip back into form like that. We're very much aware of results like that and they can happen. But the difference with getting big wins like the win we got against Kildare in Croke Park, it's massive."
Pearson acknowledges Harte's role alongside Kelly in the Faithful revival. "Obviously, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience," Pearson says.
"Obviously, it's very reassuring. It gives the players a bit of confidence that someone of his calibre wants to get involved with you. He obviously sees something. He sees that he can kind of bring us to that next level. So, from that point of view alone, it's amazing.
"Even working with him week in, week out on the training ground, the bits of video analysis work he does, he just has a kind of different eye for the game and that comes from obviously his experience and the big days and it's really, really helped us now."
The joint manager approach seems to be going smoothly for Offaly, who won the Allianz Football League Division Three title last month. "I think it really is working for us," he says.
Offaly captain Lee Pearson celebrates following the Allianz Football League Division Three Final win over Kildare. Photo by Piaras Ó Mídheach/Sportsfile
"I suppose not too long ago Tyrone did win an All-Ireland there with a joint management team as well. That has to be said too.
"Declan knows Offaly football like the back in his hand. He knows a lot of our players. He would have had us under age, under 20 level. So when you combine that kind of internal knowledge with the external kind of knowledge and experience Mickey brings, it makes for a nice combination.
"It's really working well. The two lads seem to have a really good dynamic going together."
Several panel members from Offaly's All-Ireland U20 winning outfit are now delivering in the senior ranks. "Yeah, it's not an easy step from 20 level into senior level," Pearson says.
"The levels, from a strength and conditioning point of view, from a fitness point of view, a skill level point of view, it's a completely different ball game.
"It would be very unfair to expect a team fresh out of under 20s, lads 18, 19, 20 years of age, can just step in and make a real impact at senior level. As you said, these things take time. A lot of them guys from that cohort are 22, 23, approaching 24 now as well.
"Those few years really do make a big impact from an S&C point of view, fitness point of view, coaching point of view. Just trying to get lads up to speed with what the game requires."
Ultimately, Pearson is aware that hurling and football in Offaly is beginning to thrive. That matters. "There's a great buzz back in Offaly GAA," Pearson says.
"The U20 hurling team is doing good. The U20 football team have been doing good the last few years.
"Obviously, the hurling team played in the league final. They're back in the top seven in Ireland in terms of league positions. Back in the Leinster championship. There is a good buzz.
"There's a great buy in. It's largely thanks to the effort that goes in. Huge effort put in by the outgoing county board and the incoming county board. Big name sponsors coming on board as well. It's great. Everyone seems to be really running behind what's going on."
