She looked like a fine bit of stuff from behind to be fair to her. Not to sure how she got that gig though, I do put in a better effort myself after 8 or 9 pints when the band is finishing up in Niall Linnanes bar on a Saturday night.
Gaa 2013
- Thread starter Buchan
- Start date
After thinking about yesterday's game - and result - today in the cold light of day, I still think Tipperary will be in Croke Park come August.
Nothing unconventional either, but I also think it'll be two from Kilkenny, Galway and Tipperary back there in September, too.
Nothing unconventional either, but I also think it'll be two from Kilkenny, Galway and Tipperary back there in September, too.
Someone was telling me that the Cavan Fermanagh game will be on CNN in the states.
Such a game to choose to showpiece our sport.
Such a game to choose to showpiece our sport.
A little complementary news report on it I imagine, as its coinciding with the G8 summit.
Was delighted to see Limerick beating Tipp last weekend, no great feelings for either county but at least it was a bit of a shock. The championships so far have been a procession for the stronger teams, it's been really poor stuff.
Every one of the provincial championships are in trouble in football again this year. I include Ulster in that even though it is relatively competitive at least, the standard of teams has taken a backward step from the early noughties. Back then, there were a number of genuinely strong teams, now there's only really Donegal and Tyrone (though a shadow of their former selves) and more an air of "anyone can beat anyone on their day". The GAA need to review the whole system top to bottom.
All that said, here's hoping Mayo beat the shite out of Roscommon tomorrow!
Every one of the provincial championships are in trouble in football again this year. I include Ulster in that even though it is relatively competitive at least, the standard of teams has taken a backward step from the early noughties. Back then, there were a number of genuinely strong teams, now there's only really Donegal and Tyrone (though a shadow of their former selves) and more an air of "anyone can beat anyone on their day". The GAA need to review the whole system top to bottom.
All that said, here's hoping Mayo beat the shite out of Roscommon tomorrow!
I never even thought of that.
That's why you have the brains and I have the looks feeky.
Myself and the old man were talking about this a couple of months back. He had a go at the Premier League for being predictable, so I said I wagered the GAA had many more occasions where the favourites won. I went back and looked at the Championship results going back a few years, it was fairly shocking - can't quite remember the figures but I'm sure in provincial games the favourites won about 90% of the time.
Heading up towards Big Papi's side of the country tomorrow the defence of the Bob O'Keefe cup is underway. Galway should win it handy enough but It'll be interesting to see which Galway team turns up after.
I wonder will Wexford rue their missed opportunity last weekend and Dublin to finally get their act together? Should be a decent game and hopefully the quality of hurling will be a lot better this time around.
We're out in championship hurling ourselves this evening. Can't wait for it.
We're out in championship hurling ourselves this evening. Can't wait for it.
I'd love the Rossies to have a decent showing in Castlebar tomorrow but I fear for them.
I really want Cavan to turn up and win for the wife and I expect them to get the win.
I really want Cavan to turn up and win for the wife and I expect them to get the win.
I'm heading over myself, with one of the young lads. There's a huge groundswell of goodwill towards the hurlers at the moment, especially as the footballers seem to believe their own hype. The minors have had a few good wins in the championship and are playing in the Leinster semi, the U16 team is competing with and beating top-level counties. The seniors have had a rough few years, especially with the Fennelly debacle and Teddy's turn at doing sweet feck-all. Now, there are good Laois men doing great work with the current panel and with younger hurlers and teh positivity around the hurling community is bursting through.
The thing about Laois is, the population has jumped to 80k recently, but its probably the younger end of the scale. For years, Laois' population hovered around the 50k mark. Within the county, you could drive south from Kilcavan in North Laois, through Mountmellick, to Portlaoise, through Abbeyleix through Durrow. Every club to the west of that line is hurling, almost everything to the east is football. Dividing a population that small in two, does not make for competitive county teams. Portlaoise are the only club hurling and kicking senior. Clonaslee & Ballyfin are two 'hurling' clubs that compete at the second level in both codes.
Anyway, sorry for the geography. Galway will be expected to win. The belief is that we must keep it tight and be within 6/7 points behind with 10 minutes to go but I have a strange feeling about tomorrow's game. I think we will give it a right lash. If the sun's shining and there's a big crowd in O'Moore Park, this Laois team should keep us happy tomorrow.
May 5th
Connacht SFC Prelim
New York: Leitrim 4-19 New York 0-7
May 18th
Leinster SHC Rd1
O'Moore Park: Laois 1-16 Antrim 0-13
Dr Cullen Park: Carlow 4-17 London 2-13
May 19th
Ulster SFC Prelim
Breffni Park: Cavan 1-15 Armagh 1-11
Connacht SFC QF
Pearse Stadium: Mayo 4-16 Galway 0-11
Leinster SFC Rd1
Cusack Park: Westmeath 3-15 Carlow 1-10
May 25th
Munster SFC QF
Gaelic Grounds: Cork 3-17 Limerick 0-8
May 26th
Ulster SFC QF
Ballybofey: Donegal 2-10 Tyrone 0-10
Leinster SFC Rd1
Aughrim: Wicklow 1-15 Longford 0-16
O'Moore Park: Louth 1-16 Laois 1-6
Connacht SFC QF
Ruislip: London 1-12 Sligo 0-14
Munster SFC QF
Fitzgerald Stadium: Kerry 2-19 Tipperary 0-8
June 1st
Leinster SFC QF
Croke Park: Dublin 1-22 Westmeath 0-9
Croke Park: Kildare 0-19 Offaly 1-12
Munster SFC SF
Killarney: Kerry 4-21 Waterford 1-4
June 2nd
Munster SHC QF
Semple Stadium: Clare 2-20 Waterford 1-15
Leinster SHC QF
O'Moore Park: Laois 2-18 Carlow 0-13
Ulster SHC QF
Celtic Park: Down 2-17 Derry 1-15
June 8th
Leinster SHC QF
Wexford Park: Wexford 1-17 Dublin 1-17
June 9th
Munster SHC SF
Gaelic Grounds: Limerick 1-18 Tipperary 1-15
Leinster SFC QF
Drogheda: Wexford 2-13 Louth 1-15
Leinster SHC QF
O'Connor Park: Kilkenny 0-26 Offaly 4-9
Ulster SFC QF
Casement Park: Monaghan 0-11 Antrim 0-6
June 15th
Leinster SFC QF
Aughrim: Meath 1-17 Wicklow 1-12
Leinster SHC QF Replay
Parnell Park: Dublin 1-17 Wexford 0-12
Connacht SFC Prelim
New York: Leitrim 4-19 New York 0-7
May 18th
Leinster SHC Rd1
O'Moore Park: Laois 1-16 Antrim 0-13
Dr Cullen Park: Carlow 4-17 London 2-13
May 19th
Ulster SFC Prelim
Breffni Park: Cavan 1-15 Armagh 1-11
Connacht SFC QF
Pearse Stadium: Mayo 4-16 Galway 0-11
Leinster SFC Rd1
Cusack Park: Westmeath 3-15 Carlow 1-10
May 25th
Munster SFC QF
Gaelic Grounds: Cork 3-17 Limerick 0-8
May 26th
Ulster SFC QF
Ballybofey: Donegal 2-10 Tyrone 0-10
Leinster SFC Rd1
Aughrim: Wicklow 1-15 Longford 0-16
O'Moore Park: Louth 1-16 Laois 1-6
Connacht SFC QF
Ruislip: London 1-12 Sligo 0-14
Munster SFC QF
Fitzgerald Stadium: Kerry 2-19 Tipperary 0-8
June 1st
Leinster SFC QF
Croke Park: Dublin 1-22 Westmeath 0-9
Croke Park: Kildare 0-19 Offaly 1-12
Munster SFC SF
Killarney: Kerry 4-21 Waterford 1-4
June 2nd
Munster SHC QF
Semple Stadium: Clare 2-20 Waterford 1-15
Leinster SHC QF
O'Moore Park: Laois 2-18 Carlow 0-13
Ulster SHC QF
Celtic Park: Down 2-17 Derry 1-15
June 8th
Leinster SHC QF
Wexford Park: Wexford 1-17 Dublin 1-17
June 9th
Munster SHC SF
Gaelic Grounds: Limerick 1-18 Tipperary 1-15
Leinster SFC QF
Drogheda: Wexford 2-13 Louth 1-15
Leinster SHC QF
O'Connor Park: Kilkenny 0-26 Offaly 4-9
Ulster SFC QF
Casement Park: Monaghan 0-11 Antrim 0-6
June 15th
Leinster SFC QF
Aughrim: Meath 1-17 Wicklow 1-12
Leinster SHC QF Replay
Parnell Park: Dublin 1-17 Wexford 0-12
Get on the draw today in Ulster folks, 7/1.... great price!
20 mins gone and I already want to turn it off
Fermanagh are horrible.The hurlers did us proud today. I reckoned before the game, that if we had the wind in the first half, we'd go in leading....it was a pity it was only a point and not the 5/6 it could have been. I started to dream when our goal went in, I can tell you but Whelan falling when Big Joe got the ball opened up the backline and though O'Reilly made a great stop, there were only Galwaymen at the follow-up.
The Laois tactic was to block up the backs completely and play with only one full-forward and though it limited our chances of scoring, it was more important to limit Galway's. In the light of the tankings taken by us in the past few years, this is a huge step forward. As I've said, our U21s are competitive enough, the minors better and the U16s better again.
We may never get to the top table, but if we even got to the level of the 1981-85 team where any team could be beaten, we'll be happy with that.
The Laois tactic was to block up the backs completely and play with only one full-forward and though it limited our chances of scoring, it was more important to limit Galway's. In the light of the tankings taken by us in the past few years, this is a huge step forward. As I've said, our U21s are competitive enough, the minors better and the U16s better again.
We may never get to the top table, but if we even got to the level of the 1981-85 team where any team could be beaten, we'll be happy with that.
Sounds like ye gave them a right rattle so, BP. I didn't see any of the games today (apparently, Cavan and Fermanagh was putrid stuff) so I'm only going on hearsay comments.
The Tipperary club scene was taking pride of place this weekend and everyone was hoping for some good hurling to try and put last week to bed. Mullinahone (Eoin Kelly's club) were playing Killenaule (John O'Dwyer's club) in the South hurling semi-final this evening. The final score was Killenaule 0-12 Mullinahone 0-11. Eoin Kelly scored the entire 0-11 for Mullinahone and was also sent off. There's one for the history books.
In other news, Thurles Sarsfields (reigning Munster champions) were beaten in the County qualifiers tonight by Nenagh, and are now in the relegation section of the championship. Lar Corbett was sent off for striking. Hard to know whether that result is good or bad for Tipperary hurling as Sarsfields have a lot on the Tipperary panel, but it blows the championship wide open now.
So who's left in the Tipp SHC?
Laois were in hard luck alright today, along with a gutsy team performance they were tactically very well set up. Playing so deep or with so many players behind the ball damn nearly paid off but tiredness probably got the better of them in the end along with being really unlucky when Galway hit back immediately with a goal after they scored to put them a point ahead of Galway with 10 odd minutes left on the clock . Fair play to Laois though from what i can gather they'll be playing either Tipp or the losers of the Cork/Clare match. If I was a Laois supporter I'd be hoping it's Cork they draw as if they put in a performance like that of today and with Cork in all sorts of bother with injuries etc they could well pull it off and it would be mighty if they did.
A Galway v Kilkenny Leinster final is on the cards now in 3 weeks time and if it's the same Galway team that turned out today it'll be one way traffic for Kilkenny. A lot of people saying that Cunningham was holding them back a bit today as he didn't want to give to much away for the final and the way he used Canning (scored 0-11 today) might might back that argument up. Cody won't have a clue now whether Canning will play full forward or not the next day and that could prove to be a vital part of Galway's preparations. Either way Galway will have to work on their 1st touches which has been an ongoing and worrying problem right through out the league campaign. Cunningham taking a liking to Aiden Harte and playing him so often is another worry.
A Galway v Kilkenny Leinster final is on the cards now in 3 weeks time and if it's the same Galway team that turned out today it'll be one way traffic for Kilkenny. A lot of people saying that Cunningham was holding them back a bit today as he didn't want to give to much away for the final and the way he used Canning (scored 0-11 today) might might back that argument up. Cody won't have a clue now whether Canning will play full forward or not the next day and that could prove to be a vital part of Galway's preparations. Either way Galway will have to work on their 1st touches which has been an ongoing and worrying problem right through out the league campaign. Cunningham taking a liking to Aiden Harte and playing him so often is another worry.
Cork-Clare next Sunday could be a humdinger. The relegation play-off was excellent.
Wonder when the draw is on for the qualifiers.
Actually was this morning.
Offaly v Tyrone
Galway v Tipperary
Derry v Sligo
Westmeath v Fermanagh
Laois V Carlow
Armagh v Wicklow
Louth v Antrim
Longford v Limerick
Offaly v Tyrone
Galway v Tipperary
Derry v Sligo
Westmeath v Fermanagh
Laois V Carlow
Armagh v Wicklow
Louth v Antrim
Longford v Limerick
Derry will hammer Sligo up in Derry unfortunately. I'd love to see Sligo going on a Q run but after getting beat by London I can only see one result.
Yeah, they'll beat them, but it's the best of a bad bunch of games imo. If it was in Sligo it would've been better, but as it is, Derry will beat them. Do you support the Sligo team? What do you think of what Eamonn O'Hara said about Kevin Walsh? I know it happened a while back but wasn't around to read/hear the reactions.
I'm a Tyrone man but I've been living in Sligo for 13 years and both my kids are from Sligo so I do like to see them do well. In fact in the last 4-5 years I've been to way more Sligo games than Tyrone. I'd also know all the Sligo lads on the panel from Tubber to some degree.
As for O'Hara I think it was poor form from him tbh. I know the Sunday game brought him in and asked him his view and he gave it honestly, but to me there seems like a bit of resentment over how he's not in the panel this year and how Walsh treated him. He shouldn't have had a pop on TV unless Walsh was there to defend himself.
The Sunday game has turned into a farce lately anyway. Spillane was a total joke yesterday after and during the Ulster game. As poor as it was there was some decent play and the second half was very exciting. He slagged off the two teams far too much and slagged off ulster football. Perhaps Pat should have a look at his own Provence to see how many good games we'll have.
Yeah, I didn't like it either, seemed a bit cowardly not giving Walsh a chance to defend himself.
Agreed about the Sunday game too. I was watching that match yesterday too and Spillane was ridiculous. He always gives Ulster football a ribbing at every opportunity though, so it's not surprising from him.
On that note about Munster's lack of competition, it really is a joke, same with Connacht and to a lesser extent Munster. If Leitrim beat London, they are into the last 12 of the competition straight away, after just one game against one of the worst teams in the thing. Whereas in Ulster you have Armagh/Cavan who were in the preliminary, who had to beat eachother, then Fermanagh and now Monaghan just to get to the same stage as Leitrim. It's a joke really.
Agreed about the Sunday game too. I was watching that match yesterday too and Spillane was ridiculous. He always gives Ulster football a ribbing at every opportunity though, so it's not surprising from him.
On that note about Munster's lack of competition, it really is a joke, same with Connacht and to a lesser extent Munster. If Leitrim beat London, they are into the last 12 of the competition straight away, after just one game against one of the worst teams in the thing. Whereas in Ulster you have Armagh/Cavan who were in the preliminary, who had to beat eachother, then Fermanagh and now Monaghan just to get to the same stage as Leitrim. It's a joke really.
O'Hara was dead right to say how he felt about Walsh and Sligo's training methods etc and hopefully what he did will pave the way for more players to come out and do the same. There's plenty of platforms out there at the moment for Walsh to defend himself if he wants.
The first half of the Fermanagh v Cavan game is up there with the poorest I have ever seen at inter county level.
Nah, I disagree TBP. It was an assassination on live TV of an amateur sportsman as a result of a personal feud. If O'Hara was nuetral I could perhaps see your point but he wasn't and therefore he shouldn't have been afforded the time to air his views.
Fermanagh were totally shite, and I'm a bit surprised that Peter has them playing in such a poor style. However Cavan were good in the first half and deserved to be much further ahead.
As for the future of intercounty GAA I would propose.
The teams that get to the final will play 7 games (excluding draws) and all teams will play the same amount of games to get to the same stage.
The Ulster (League) Championship for example will have 8 games for every team and 9 for the teams that make the final.
London and NY will be out of the Championship but maybe they could be introduced by having a play off against the teams that have the worst record from the previous year.
- Scrapping the League as it is.
- Playing the provincial titles as a league format with a final in the spring instead thus retaining Ulster Champions etc, and also making the games more important.
- Play the Championship as a Champions League style comp with 4 teams of 4 playing each other once. This gives every team 3 games minimum.
- The top two from every group go through in a seeded open draw with 16 teams left.
- From there on it's an open draw to the final.
The teams that get to the final will play 7 games (excluding draws) and all teams will play the same amount of games to get to the same stage.
The Ulster (League) Championship for example will have 8 games for every team and 9 for the teams that make the final.
London and NY will be out of the Championship but maybe they could be introduced by having a play off against the teams that have the worst record from the previous year.
Doesn't sound too bad Irwin, but it's too drastic a change imo and the GAA will never change that much. You can't beat straight-up knockout imo for excitement, but I suppose there has to be something there to ensure teams don't end up playing one game a year. The way it is at the moment isn't too bad, but there is something wrong when, as I said, Leitrim can get to the last 12 by beating London whereas others must beat 2 or 3 good teams to get to the same stage.
I agree that the cup format is the best, but with the league being disregarded by most county managers the fact remains that if you had a straight open draw cup you would have 16 teams only playing one game in the Summer. At least this way we get a straight cup format for an extra round.
Well to be fair O'Hara is an amatuer sportsman as well and I'm not to sure it was all down to a personal feud either. Considering how long he has been in the Sligo set up and what he has done on the pitch I'd be inclined to go with him possibly caring and being hurt with what he had just seen. O'Hara would have a good insight into what was going on in the Sligo camp in relation to training and preparations etc and if he thought for a second that those training methods and preparations could have played a factor in what was a real low point for Sligo football (probably the lowest they've ever gone) well then he was dead right to bring it up on the Sunday Game when asked, no point in holding back in situations like that.
It's not like he said anything that doesn't be said within inner county circles anyways, there's always county players, managers and lads high up in county boards bitching and shit going within counties especially on the back of defeats. I seriously doubt what O'Hara said was news to the Sligo footballing fraternity and I think there was a mountain made out of a molehill by the national media over what he said.
I see your point man, but I still think he was OTT.
My issue is with the Sunday Game in general and how they seem content to spend so much time talking about shit that has very little to do with the actual games and how it's turned into such a spiteful little forum. Spillane and Brolly have a lot to answer for.
My issue is with the Sunday Game in general and how they seem content to spend so much time talking about shit that has very little to do with the actual games and how it's turned into such a spiteful little forum. Spillane and Brolly have a lot to answer for.
Although I don't pay to much heed to Spillane and Brolly as I wouldn't have the same interest in the football as I do the hurling I do think they are a pair of knobs. I'd sit and listen to Cyril Farrell and Ger Loughnane all day though especially Loughnane, the man is so passionate about the game and he clearly knows his stuff. Daithi Regan who does be on off the ball a good bit is the only hurling pundit that really pisses me off. I'd say he's frothing at the mouth to come on tonight and say ''I told ye so'' about Galway.
Aye, its pretty shit. Get this done and move to to the next rounf where Monaghan, Down, Wexford, Kildare, Clare, Waterford, London and Roscommon will await the winners. For us, I hope we beat Carlow (in Dr Cullen Park as they were away last year) then get a 5/8 chance of getting a relatively poor team.
I think Longford will beat Limerick and Tipp could surprise Galway. Doing a predictions thing in work and I'm winning it!
I'm not to sure Tipp beating Galway would be a surprise now. Galway were beyond brutal against Mayo, the tacking, marking and their overall attitude was terrible. There's something not right in that camp at the moment I reckon, might need a bit of an overhaul.
Only sat down to watch the Mayo Roscommon game last night, and now wish I hadn't. That second half was as poor a game as I've ever seen. Mayo were far superior in every area, but were still shockingly bad in the second half. Finishing was atrocious.
That was also as bad a Roscommon team as I've ever seen play Mayo. Don't get me wrong, Mayo are a very good side this year, but I can't remember any other Roscommon side that have bowed out with as little effort against Mayo before. Sides of old days used to at least get stuck in and keep it to a tight contest, even if footballing ability let them down. Roscommon seem now to have focused on getting some nice footballers on the pitch, the lads who won the All Ireland minor title in 2006, but are nowhere near good enough to compete at this level and seem to think themselves above having to put any type of work into the game at all.
It was a farce of a game really. It's so disappointing that the Championship these days is so predictable. I remember back in the late 90s when Mayo came off the back of 2 All Ireland final defeats only for Galway to win it in 1998, and the day Mayo beat them in Tuam in 1999 was one of my favourite football games ever. There's no competition like that in Connacht now, and there's only really Ulster where any type of competition exists, though the vast majority of counties in Ulster are now pretty rubbish too.
The GAA need to take a look at where it's heading and fast. I wouldn't pay to go to any provincial game these days, the vast majority of the games are a pointless exercise. Scrap the backdoor and at least there would be a genuine nervousness going into every game that a single slip and you're gone, at least that thought might keep people on the edge of their seats if nothing else and keep the turnstiles ticking over.
That was also as bad a Roscommon team as I've ever seen play Mayo. Don't get me wrong, Mayo are a very good side this year, but I can't remember any other Roscommon side that have bowed out with as little effort against Mayo before. Sides of old days used to at least get stuck in and keep it to a tight contest, even if footballing ability let them down. Roscommon seem now to have focused on getting some nice footballers on the pitch, the lads who won the All Ireland minor title in 2006, but are nowhere near good enough to compete at this level and seem to think themselves above having to put any type of work into the game at all.
It was a farce of a game really. It's so disappointing that the Championship these days is so predictable. I remember back in the late 90s when Mayo came off the back of 2 All Ireland final defeats only for Galway to win it in 1998, and the day Mayo beat them in Tuam in 1999 was one of my favourite football games ever. There's no competition like that in Connacht now, and there's only really Ulster where any type of competition exists, though the vast majority of counties in Ulster are now pretty rubbish too.
The GAA need to take a look at where it's heading and fast. I wouldn't pay to go to any provincial game these days, the vast majority of the games are a pointless exercise. Scrap the backdoor and at least there would be a genuine nervousness going into every game that a single slip and you're gone, at least that thought might keep people on the edge of their seats if nothing else and keep the turnstiles ticking over.
The gap between the top teams and the rest is growing all the time. Most of the provincial games are forgone conclusions. Last weeks games were atrocious.