Glory days of Offaly hurling to feature in Réabhlóid GAA

The glory days of Offaly hurling in the 1990s will feature in Réabhlóid GAA - a new one-hour documentary that tells the story of how hurling redefined itself in the revolution years of the 1990s.

Réabhlóid GAA will be shown on TG4 at 9.30pm next Wednesday, December 16.

For over a century, the hurling spoils were generally shared among the traditional three superpowers of Cork, Kilkenny and Tipperary. As the decade began there was no sign of the aristocracy being unseated. Then, over the course of five minutes in the 1994 All-Ireland final, the hurlers of Offaly sparked a revolution with their dramatic comeback win over Limerick.

Along came a collection of upstarts to destroy the old order, and go down in history as among Ireland’s most charismatic, colourful and enduring personalities.

Clare secured the All-Ireland title in 1995 (their first in 81 years), defeating Offaly in the final. Wexford won their first title in 28 years in 1996, as Limerick were again prevented from making the breakthrough.

Ger Loughnane's Clare warriors regained the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 1997, and Offaly claimed their fourth title in 1998.

From 1994 to 1998, none of the traditional big three lifted the Liam MacCarthy Cup. Indeed, Kilkenny's defeat to Offaly in 1998 and Tipperary's loss to Clare in 1997 were the only appearances by the trio in a final during those five years.

This is their story, their words and their deeds - in the defining period of modern hurling history. Réabhlóid (which means revolution) GAA digs deep into an extensive archive of classic GAA shows - from Breaking Ball, Road to Croker, Committee Room, Championship Matters, Thank GAA It’s Friday – weaving together archive interviews with unforgettable action from some of the greatest games of all time.

Former Offaly stars Brian Whelahan, Johnny Dooley and Johnny Pilkington are among those featured along with the likes of legendary former Clare manager Ger Loughnane, and Wexford duo Liam Griffin and Martin Storey,

In the forthcoming documentary, the famous Offaly v Clare trilogy of 1998 is revisited with referee Jimmy Cooney giving insight into the famous “sit-in” semi-final. With three points separating the sides in the first replay, Cooney would blow up the full-time whistle a few seconds short of the 68th minute, sparking a sit-in protest by Offaly fans.

“Immediately after the full-time whistle, a number of the Offaly players confronted me saying, ‘Ref, there’s more time left’. Then when I looked out to the linesman that was nearest me, he held up five fingers. When I checked back on the watch again I knew instantly what I had done. There was five minutes left in that game,” recalled Cooney.

Offaly went on to defeat Clare in the third instalment of that All-Ireland semi-final at Semple stadium.

Réabhlóid GAA is the latest offering from Loosehorse, the standard-bearers in GAA and sports documentary with an acclaimed track record featuring The Boys in Green, Micko, Giles and many more, and is directed by Ronan O’Donoghue. Diarmuid Lyng, for whom the ‘90s provided the inspiration for his own stellar inter-county career with Wexford, is an authentic and affectionate narrator.

This is an epic retelling of an extraordinary time, from Offaly’s astonishing comeback, Biddy Early being banished in the Banner, the Boys of Wexford marching across the border, and the outrageous trilogy of '98, all played out in a rapidly evolving social and cultural landscape.

Réabhlóid GAA is the story of how, in one decade a sport, and a country, changed forever.