Longford Football (& Hurling) Thread

[North Longford]

Just thought we might as well get one started.
Anyone see the panel for the county trial game on Saturday.
a few interesting names.........P Davis, D. Hanniffy & N. Sheridan to name but a few.
Overall not sure if there is a whole lot to add to what we had last year. A lot of the bench in at this too.
Maybe Sean McCormack an add something. If Hanniffy gives the commitment it could be good.
We have a coupl eof new faces in and as previously discussed the old 2 Declan Reilly's conundrum has come a step closer.
Co. board seem to have gotten obver this by using (not cornadrung) as part of the new Declan's title!!

[LaurelEye]

Just thought we might as well get one started.
Anyone see the panel for the county trial game on Saturday.
a few interesting names.........P Davis, D. Hanniffy & N. Sheridan to name but a few.

Do you have the full list?

I'd heard that the Big Man had been called back into the panel alright - didn't realise that Davis and Hanniffy were back in. I'd been told that Hanniffy had pretty much lost interest even at club level, and while Podgie is always motivated and interested, he's getting on a bit.

Overall not sure if there is a whole lot to add to what we had last year. A lot of the bench in at this too.

Off hand, I could think of a few who were impressive during the Championships and it always helps to see what else might be there.

Maybe Sean McCormack an add something. If Hanniffy gives the commitment it could be good.

McCormack was the one outstanding prospect from the Championship, I thought. I don't think he'll be available to them for the O'Byrne Cup though.

We have a coupl eof new faces in and as previously discussed the old 2 Declan Reilly's conundrum has come a step closer.
Co. board seem to have gotten obver this by using (not cornadrung) as part of the new Declan's title!!

Does the poor fellow not have a townland to call his own? 

[Longfordian]

I see we have home advantage v the neighbours , which is a good advantage .... hopefully we can continue our good run of form at home in championship matches .......

and the game is scheduled for MAY 13TH !!! ....  thats very early IMO.......


Is it true that the losers of this game will be out of the championship proper , and into the Michael Mouse cup ... ?...heard someone saying it this week , very unfair on the losing team if this is the case ...but on the other hand will add an extra dimension to an this local derby ......

Can any of the regular throw some light on this ??

[Owenmoresider]

Longfordian:

Not quite. The bottom four teams in Divisions 2A and 2B will be exiled to the TM Cup if they don't advance. Westmeath can't go out, and ye should be alright.

[LaurelEye]

I see we have home advantage v the neighbours , which is a good advantage .... hopefully we can continue our good run of form at home in championship matches .......

and the game is scheduled for MAY 13TH !!! ....  thats very early IMO.......

You're forgetting that we had a bye to the quarter-finals the last two years. If I remember correctly, the 2004 fiasco agin Caarla in O'Connor Park was in mid-May.

[Billys Boots]

As far as I know, because we're D4, if we lose we're in Disaster Cup situation alright, but I'd hope we'd be good enough for the neighbours, with home advantage.

Hanniffy would be very good cover for midfield alright, but like Laureleye, I thought he'd lost interest completely.  I knew Podgie was over the worst of his injury, but I didn't think he'd be back.  I'm not sure what part Niall will play, with the running and passing game seeming to have replaced the aimless long-ball to targetman game - I'd have thought reverting to that would be very retrograde, but Eastlongford have never been able for him, in fairness.

Anyone know what the list of League fixtures looks like?

[LaurelEye]

As far as I know, because we're D4, if we lose we're in Disaster Cup situation alright, but I'd hope we'd be good enough for the neighbours, with home advantage.

We're only in Cooper Cup territory if we finish in the bottom 4 of Division 2A. Hopefully that won't occur. We'd have ended up there last year though because of scoring difference - the Donegal match was a killer on that front.

Hanniffy would be very good cover for midfield alright, but like Laureleye, I thought he'd lost interest completely.  I knew Podgie was over the worst of his injury, but I didn't think he'd be back.  I'm not sure what part Niall will play, with the running and passing game seeming to have replaced the aimless long-ball to targetman game - I'd have thought reverting to that would be very retrograde, but Eastlongford have never been able for him, in fairness.

I can't see it being reverted to based on what Dempsey said last summer, but I suppose him being there creates a bit of uncertainty in the minds of the opposition as to which strategy might be chosen. Confusion is good as long as it's not your own. Having to mind Sheridan AND Kavanagh AND the two Bardens would be a bit of a stretch. I'd expect him to be there as a sub rather than as a starter.

Anyone know what the list of League fixtures looks like?

Much the same as last year except with home/away reversed, I expect. That we have four home games this year is the one thing I'm certain of, because the County Chairman has told us so.

[LaurelEye]

Full listing for the trials was ('06 panellists in bold):

Ciarán MacEoin (Seán Connollys), Conor Casey, Shane Carroll, Ronan Clyne, Derek Casserly (Rathcline), Paul O'Hara, Seán McCormack (Killoe), Peter Masterson, Francis McGee (Dromard), Francis Murphy (Ballymore), David Hannify, Padraic Davis (Fr. Manning Gaels), Enda Williams, Brendan Burke (Clonguish), David Sheridan, Michael Brady, Trevor Clendenning, Barry Gilleran, Tomás O'Rourke (Longford Slashers), Dónal Ledwith, Kevin Smyth, James McEntire, Damien O'Connor, Niall Sheridan (Abbeylara), Kevin Mulligan (Mullinalaghta), Michael Victory, Martin Coyle (Mostrim), Noel Farrell, Declan "not Cornadrung" Reilly, Declan Farrell (Colmcille), Stephen Lynch, James Hynes, Liam O'Rourke, David Blessington (Granard), Gerard Evans (Killashee), Danny Keenan (Ardagh), Gary Murphy (Kenagh), John J. Greene, Peter Foy (Cashel), Emmet Finn (Ballymahon), Tommy Cummins, Kevin Moran (Carrickedmond).

I believe David Hannify didn't show.

In addition, the following are presumably automatically on the panel (made it to Killarney and either played or were on the bench for that match):

Damien Sheridan, Cathal Conefrey, Diarmuid Masterson, Jamesie Martin (Dromard), Bernard McElvaney (Ballymore), Paul Barden, David Barden, Paddy Dowd (Clonguish), Dermot Brady (Longford Slashers), Enda Ledwith, Padraig Berry, Arthur O'Connor (Abbeylara), Shane Mulligan (Mullinalaghta), Padraig Murtagh(?), Declan "Cornadrung" Reilly (Colmcille), Liam Keenan, Brian Kavanagh (Ardagh), Trevor Smullen (Ballymahon).

[Billys Boots]

because the County Chairman has told us so

You're a cynical man Laureleye! 

[North Longford]

Padraig Murtagh(?),
In Australia for a few months so I'd say not involved at all.

Pity about Haniffy. Thought when the list had been published in the papers it meant these were guys that had agreed to go in.
Not sure what would have been learned in a trial game yesterday with the conditions. I'm sure there'l be more before a panel is announced.

[LaurelEye]

Padraig Murtagh(?),
In Australia for a few months so I'd say not involved at all.

I was wondering about that, which was why I had the question mark in. When the likes of Gilleran and Kevin Smyth were only on the trial panel, I wouldn't have expected him to be an automatic panel choice. I know Willie Murray of Slashers is abroad and unlikely to be back for this year. Don't know what the story is with Donnacha Corcoran.

Pity about Haniffy. Thought when the list had been published in the papers it meant these were guys that had agreed to go in.

I'd say it's just the ones they've asked. I can think of one name on that list (not from my own club) who'll be gone abroad by the New Year and is unlikely to be back any time soon, and I couldn't see him bothering to go in yesterday - he didn't bother with it last year.

Not sure what would have been learned in a trial game yesterday with the conditions. I'm sure there'l be more before a panel is announced.

The only obvious omission from that list that I can think of would be Stephen Phillips, who may still be injured. There are a few more possibilities on the under-21 panel that was announced.

[Billys Boots]

Stephen Phillips

I was under the impression that there was a general (if not official) consensus that he was just too small/light for inter-county football.

[LaurelEye]

Stephen Phillips

I was under the impression that there was a general (if not official) consensus that he was just too small/light for inter-county football.

Just how small do you have to be to be too small for the Longford team?

[Billys Boots]

Good point. 

[North Longford]

Any truth in the story Damien Mitchell is returning to his home county??