Veteran Claffey back and eager for magic of championship

OF all the familiar faces that Offaly will field against Laois on Sunday, the most familiar will be pacing around at corner forward.

Back for another year’s service with his county, Vinny Claffey still finds the same tingle when the first day of the championship beckons.

“I am still enjoying it,” affirmed the veteran forward, an inspirational figure during Offaly’s 1997 Leinster success. “Yeah, there is more and more commitment these days, but as long as you are enjoying it, you don’t mind. When it gets to the stage that you find training a chore and you are dreading each session, that’s the time to give it up. I haven’t reached that stage yet.”

Although Claffey has struggled with injury in the past couple of years, he remains one of the stalwarts of Faithful football. His presence on Sunday is redolent of the side Tommy Lyons led to a NFL and out of Leinster. But, he isn’t the only evidence of better times in the county. Cathal Daly, Ciaran McManus, Finbarr Cullen; they will all line out in Portlaoise.

It’s not all about past glory, though as new boss Paul O’Kelly is keen to emphasis by his team selection for the weekend. Five under-21s will join the grand old heads on Sunday, including a goalkeeper and full-back who are making their senior summer debuts. While the lack of experience might bother some, Claffey is encouraged the conveyor belt is moving again.

“That’s a big difference with Paul’s management,” he said. “He spent the league blooding players, good younger players. That is something which Offaly haven’t had in a few years. The county hasn’t had great success under-age and young lads did not seem to have been coming through. But there are players genuinely fighting for places now which we didn’t have for a few years.”

Footballing life seemed to be lived for some time in the shadow of the 1997 summer of success. But that seems to be changing, according to the veteran.

“The bones of the team were the same and, I suppose, made up of the Leinster-winning side. All it takes is a few younger lads to change that, and they re-vitalised the older lads. People say these players haven’t been successful under-age and that obviously changes the structures they are taken in under, but if you look at Laois and Westmeath, they’ve been successful under-age and it hasn’t necessarily translated.

“If you find two or three players every year, bring them through, make them settled members of the squad, well that gives your team added strength. And it is about strength in depth now with the five substitutes. You need a panel of 24 or 25 players who are around the same level.”

To prove Claffey’s point, half of the Offaly bench on Sunday is under-21.

Seven years. It doesn’t seem that long since the like of McManus and Roy Malone stunned Leinster. Offaly were a younger team back then, full of vibrancy and without any fear. Since then, apart from the eviction of Meath when they were All-Ireland champions, the Faithful county has been quiet in the summer months. It is about time they made people sit up and take notice again.

“We would be disappointed that we haven’t built on the success of 97/98, but as Armagh showed last year, you need a certain amount of luck. The playing field has levelled out now, there are only a few points between a lot of teams. Last year, we were disappointed not to beat Kildare but we weren’t far away from them and maybe should have beaten them. Against Dublin it was the same thing. You are talking about small margins being the difference between a long championship or a short one.”

Claffey spent most of the spring training alone, putting himself through the paces before finally deciding to commit in March. It is part of the new regime that some older players have done their own thing. Cullen was given an extensive rehab programme and trusted with it. McManus has trained in Germany due to work commitments. But it’s all coming together.

“Yeah, things are going to plan,” Claffey said. “I suppose, it’s funny with Offaly, there are always big expectations when the team are quiet. It’s the same in hurling, supporters will always be hoping the team can do something after a fairly poor league campaign. But, we are under no illusions. Laois are a test and they will be obvious favourites for this game.”

Just as Offaly have always liked it.