The team last won the Leinster Senior Hurling Championship in 1995, the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1998 and the National Hurling League in 1991.
History
After a scheme developed by the Gaelic Athletic Association in the 1970s to encourage the playing of hurling in non-traditional counties, Offaly was one of the first teams to benefit. As a result, the county won six Leinster Senior Hurling Championship titles in the 1980s, as well as its first All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship in 1981.
The county has since gone on to win three other All-Irelands. Perhaps Offaly's most famous win came in the All-Ireland Final of 1994 in what has come to be remembered as the "five minute final." Limerick looked set to win their first All-Ireland title since 1973 until Offaly staged one of the greatest comebacks of all time, scoring two goals and five points in the last five minutes. They defeated Limerick by 3–16 to 2–13.
In the 1998 All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship semi-final, Offaly defeated All-Ireland champions Clare in a second replay. Offaly had lost the first replay after referee Jimmy Cooney blew for full-time too early, leading Offaly fans to blockade the pitch in protest.[1]
Offaly conceded a walkover to Kildare in the 2020 Christy Ring Cup after an outbreak of COVID-19 forced "almost every member" of the panel into isolation due to Health Service Executive (HSE) advice that they were "close contacts".[2][3][4] Later in the same competition, in the semi-final, Down knocked Offaly out in a first ever inter-county hurling penalty shootout.[5]
On 8 June 2024, at Croke Park in Dublin, Offaly defeated Laois in the Joe McDonagh Cup final by 2–23 to 0–26. This was the first success in this competition and also earned them promotion to the 2025 Leinster Senior Hurling Championship.
Current panel
Team as per Offaly vs Laois in the Joe McDonagh Cup Final, 08 June 2024
INJ Player has had an injury which has affected recent involvement with the county team. RET Player has since retired from the county team. WD Player has since withdrawn from the county team due to a non-injury issue.
Current management team
Manager: Johnny Kelly, appointed head of the 2023 season
Other backroom: Martin Maher (Brendan's brother)[6]
Managerial history
Offaly have a history of appointing "foreign" managers.[7] In 2016, the former Waterford hurler Kevin Ryan became Offaly's ninth "foreign" manager in a quarter of a century.[8]
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Colours and crest
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Kit evolution
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Team sponsorship
The food company Carroll's of Tullamore sponsored Offaly since the GAA first permitted shirt sponsorship deals in 1991 until 2021. It was the sport's longest running shirt sponsor. In 2022, Glenisk became the County's Camogie, Football and Hurling sponsors, with them becoming the Ladies Football sponsors in 2023 once their current sponsorship with CMG closes.
Professional golfer Shane Lowry and Offaly announced a five-year partnership in April 2021.[44][45]
^"Sport: Bond resigns as Offaly manager". RTÉ News. 25 September 1999. Bond took over from Michael 'Babs' Keating in controversial circumstances after last season's Leinster final defeat and guided the Faithful County to their second All-Ireland success of the '90's via the back door.
^"'Flu hits Enniskillen camp". BBC. 4 October 2001. Meanwhile, former Tipperary hurling boss Father Tom Fogarty has been appointed as the new Offaly manager. Fogarty replaces Michael Bond, who stepped down after this year's disappointing campaign which saw Offaly well-beaten by Kilkenny in the Leinster Semi-Final.
^Wright, Rob (14 September 2004). "Offaly footballers withdraw services". RTÉ. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Hurling manager, Mike McNamara also quit, citing a lack of support as the main reason for his decision. McNamara met with club delegates last night and then took questions from them during a two hour session. However following that meeting McNamara felt he did not have enough support and announced he would not be staying for next season.