Edenderry & Offaly minor footballer Derek Kelly is set to play his second Minor Leinster Final in 3 years but the Cloncannon man will be looking for better fortunes this time around. Derek was part of the Offaly minor team which was beaten by Meath in the Leinster final with a last minute point in 2008.
Offaly got their revenge this year when they dumped Meath out of the championship in Navan in the Leinster quarter final. Offaly had already accounted for Longford in the first round before they beat Laois on Wednesday night to reach their 4th final in 6 years. Only Kelly and Towering midfielder Noel Andrew Graham remain from that team that lost to Meath 2 years ago and both men will be hoping to make amends this time around.
‘Ah yeah there is of course, but when your have been playing for 3 years with the minors that is always going to be expected of you. Thats just football’.
Have you a preference between Kildare or Longford to play in the final?‘No not in slightest, either way it doesn’t matter. We’ll just concentrate on our game and let them worry about us’.
What key players should Offaly supporters be watching for?‘Eoin Rigney is a huge addition. He is just back from injury. Peter Cunningham is also a great little player and obviously Noel Graham too’.
Will a lack of experience for Offaly be a problem?‘No I don’t think so. The players we have are good enough to deal with the situation. They have all done very well so far this year in our 3 games’.
You have played in Croke Park. What’s it like?‘It is an unbelievable place to play. It will be great to play there again, just hopefully with a better outcome this time’!
How does this Offaly side compare to the 2008 team?‘The two teams are completely different even in the way we play. The 2008 team were very good and very unlucky on the day against Meath so hopefully we can win and make up for that loss’.
