Offaly requested half-time presentation for jubilee team

The Irish Examiner understands the county board had looked for the group to be announced when the stadium was full. However, a compromise of 2.45pm was eventually agreed with Croke Park

LEGENDS: The Offaly 1998 All Ireland winning team. Pic: INPHO/Morgan Treacy

Offaly requested their silver jubilee All-Ireland senior hurling winning team of 1998 be presented to the crowd at half-time of Sunday’s All-Ireland final.

The Irish Examiner understands the county board had looked for the group to be announced when the stadium was full. 

However, a compromise of 2.45pm, just over 15 minutes before the teams entered the field, was eventually agreed with Croke Park.

On The Sunday Game, pundits Shane Dowling and Dónal Óg Cusack questioned the timing of their entrance to the pitch. 

“The jubilee team beforehand, coming out at the time they did – why not just bring them out at half-time?" suggested Dowling. 

"What a team they are. It's half empty. People still haven't come into the stadium. At half-time, there were kids playing. I still think you could do both. You could still have a primary game and honour them lads and all the teams."

Describing their presentation as demonstrating “a certain amount of tokenism”, Cusack claimed their unveiling was proof that “the GAA does not respect its players.” 

Galway’s 1998 footballers, captained by Ray Silke and featuring current manager Pádraic Joyce and coach John Divilly, are to be announced to the crowd before this Sunday’s Dublin-Kerry All-Ireland SFC decider.