By Cian O’Connell

These are encouraging times for Offaly hurling. Ben Conneely has endured demanding and damaging defeats with the Faithful County, but hope has returned to Offaly hearts.

An emerging crop of hurlers have competed in All-Ireland minor and U20 finals, while the senior team have also shown signs of improvement in recent campaigns.

Undoubtedly the Joe McDonagh Cup Final loss to Carlow hurt, but Offaly are beginning to generate that vital sporting ingredient: momentum.

“It is massive,” Conneely says about the feel good factor in Offaly. “Our county is a bit old school where a lot of people were always thinking about the 90s.

“Unfortunately some people still think that, but other people have started to realise we aren't back there anymore. We are our own team. Then momentum started picking up, we were winning the Christy Ring, winning Division Two, and we were competing.

"We were unlucky last year to drop again, but this year to go undefeated up until the Carlow match and the Carlow final, that is a massive achievement for any team to do.

“Momentum when it comes it is fantastic, everybody loves it, the buzz at training is a lot better compared to a couple of years ago when we were going down instead of coming up. When momentum is there it is a hard thing to stop.”

That Offaly hurlers are beginning to sense possibilities again is significant. Manager Johnny Kelly has connected with a group of players ready, willing, and able to develop further.

“100 per cent,” Conneely responds. “When (Michael) Duignan came in he got a good management team set up with (Michael) Fennelly and Johnny was part of that. The two of them together did great things, when Johnny took the reins this year, he brought it up another level.

“He brought his own thing to it and it has been great, he is a great manager to have. Everybody knows what he has done and the experience he brings to a team, it is great having him around the place.”

Conneely is well versed in responding to setbacks. So following the loss to Carlow, Offaly will want to summon a defiant display when Tipperary visit Glenisk O’Connor Park for an All-Ireland SHC Preliminary Quarter-Final.

“We had goals set out at the start of the year, obviously the Joe McDonagh was one of them,” Conneely says. “Obviously the way the game went and the way I looked at it after, it was very hard to be too disappointed because of the effort we put in. We were very, very poor in the first half, we shot ourselves in the foot then really when we were trying to claw ourselves back into it.

“Still it showed there was a bit in us, to get it to extra-time. We are kind of proud of that, but at the end of the day we still did lose. We are disappointed with that. Things have went well this year, we won the league so we cannot complain too much. We still have another match coming up.”

Liam Cahill’s Tipperary team will provide a stern test in Tullamore, but Conneely is embracing the task. “I've never played Tipp in the Championship, I think I've maybe played them once in the League,” Conneely says.

“So I'm looking forward to playing them, it is a great challenge to get. It is going to be tough, but hopefully everyone in the county will get behind us and come to the game. The U20s had great support all year, if we could just get some of their support to the senior team, it would be great.”

With interest in hurling increasing once more in Offaly, Conneely is optimistic about the future. Promising new players are being crafted, but it is important not to overburden them either according to the St Rynagh’s clubman.

“I've been there since we got relegated and I have been there for the last couple of years for the ups and downs,” Conneely says. “There was a long time where we weren't seeing anything coming through. Then there was a while where we weren't very successful at underage.

“It has been great in the last couple of years to see the minors and U20s start producing some very good players and very good teams.

“If it stays going that way hopefully they can make the step up to the senior team so we can stay progressing. Things are looking good at the moment, but we have learned to keep our feet on the ground.”

Remaining patient is vital. “Our average age is fairly young for an inter-county team, I know most teams are the same, but we have a good group, who have a good few years left in us,” he adds. “It isn't like there is going to be a massive change of guard when these lads start coming up which isn't what you really want.

“You are looking for one or two to start coming in every year or every two years. If we can get that it will be great. It is a lot better than what it was in the last couple of years.”

The highly regarded Conneely is still passionate about representing Offaly. “There are definitely times when you finish up with the club, and you think we have to go again, but everybody probably thinks that before all of the hard training you're going to be doing,” he laughs.

“I always loved playing with Offaly, even when we were getting relegated and losing. I just loved playing with Offaly, I can't go any further in hurling, bar playing with the county. Every day I get to play a match it is definitely a great opportunity. I don't take it for granted.”

St Rynagh’s return to prominence in Offaly is another source of satisfaction for Conneely during the past decade. Since 2016 the Banagher outfit have claimed four Offaly senior titles to bring their total to 20.

“We have been very lucky, we had a great team that just came into their own in '16,” he reflects. “We lost two after that and last year, but to get to four is something. The celebration we had in '16, it was nearly a relief. After that then you really got to the next three we won.

“The thing is that we still have the same team with a couple of young lads, who have came on to make it better. Things are going well, for a long time they weren't so it is great to have a bit of success back in the club.”

Conneely occupied a central role in the Rynagh’s revival. In Offaly colours Conneely remains an influential figure.