Messages

It's not fair that Ballinderry get to play the final at their county ground.

It's in Omagh

It's a joke about Ballinderry's proximity to the border with Tyrone...

There's been a lot of talk of grading on this thread. Yesterday's game was probably one of those with the biggest gulf (19th team in Tyrone v 3rd team in Antrim) based on league. And that 3rd place for Ballymena came without their 4 county players for much of the league.

In Conor Stewart and Paddy McAleer they've two of the best players in Antrim. Kavan Keenan, was on the Taitleann Cup team of the year. Anybody that thought Derrylaughan should have been strong favourites yesterday was very naive. It was a remarkable game played in the right spirit and a credit to the two sides.

Why dont you give us this sort of info before games so we can put a few pound on.

Booked had Ballymena as massive underdogs.

But they are often wrong with club games like this

I had flagged it on the Tyrone thread a few weeks ago. You'd have needed to back the draw to win anything there...

In saying that Derrylaughan have been up and down in Tyrone the last few years. Lost to winners Pomeroy in championship semi final by a point last year. Were senior for 4 years before that. Beat Moortown and Moy to win Tyrone so they aren't a weak side at this level by an stretch.

There's been a lot of talk of grading on this thread. Yesterday's game was probably one of those with the biggest gulf (19th team in Tyrone v 3rd team in Antrim) based on league. And that 3rd place for Ballymena came without their 4 county players for much of the league.

In Conor Stewart and Paddy McAleer they've two of the best players in Antrim. Kavan Keenan, was on the Taitleann Cup team of the year. Anybody that thought Derrylaughan should have been strong favourites yesterday was very naive. It was a remarkable game played in the right spirit and a credit to the two sides.

A lot of chat about Derrylaughan playing Ballinderry but will they beat Termon first? The Donegal champs are no mugs

And if they do win that, Ballymena are as strong a representative as Antrim has had at any grade since St Enda's won an Ulster Intermediate in 2018. 3rd in Antrim Division 1 this year and a good smattering of county players.

Termon beat Naomh Columba in Donegal yesterday as well.

Need somebody to man mark Enda Smith at midfield a bit like how Mayo did it to Fenton.
Who could do that?

Kennedy has proven himself in this role in the past against David Moran, Matthew Ruane etc.

Last 2 or 3 times we've played Roscommon across league and championship it's been Meyler who had picked up Smith. Not sure Brian's in that mould, if that's how they think he needs to be marked. Be interesting to see who gets the job.

Very poor from Conn, the game was won. When will he ever learn? He needs to look at his peers, Fenton, Conroy, McGee, even Glass (to a lesser extent)
None of them engage in the constant macho hardmen act he does
He has become a liability
And he doesn't need too, brilliant footballer when his head is right

Now we have a midfield conundrum. Kilpatrick is looking at a 2 game ban, so he might as well go on holiday.
3rd Choice midfielder, Joe Oguz injured. Fourth choice Aodhan Donaghy injured. Fifth choice Liam Gray injured. Who can partner Kennedy now??

Very good second half yesterday. That's two good second halfs in a row. Is there a performance building in this team??

Think McShane was brought on yesterday to try and shore it up when Conn went off but we're definitely light there now. Burns has played midfield before but hasn't played much ball this year.

The tender documents have been sitting on Gordon Lyons desk for a couple of months and he's refused to release them to this point (in comparison with Paul Givan who issued docs for Strule campus without money commitments in place). UK Governmemt can't commit to a figure because they need a tender process to take place to ensure value for money. Unless the  tender process gets underway in the next few weeks the Euros are dead and the UK government won't pay for a GAA stadium.

The IFA have their sub regional stadia project underway but the £36m they've been promised won't look at what the clubs now need in comparison to 2014 when it was conceived. You can be sure there'll be money found for that...

Its gonna take a few £million just to clear the site.

I wonder how Stormont dodged the procurement rules on this.

Obviously some contractor is being handed a blank cheque and no doubt will fill their boots.

And: you know this:- or you are just saying?

Just saying.

Yes in private sector you can mobilise a contractor fairly quickly as it is your own money ultimately.  Different ball game when it comes to public sector with the need for transparency and what not.

For all you know there could be a couple of government departments who need to shift capital money before the end of the year so this could be a win win for them.

Procurement law went out the window when Covid came, cant see Casement as being as critical though.

That's to assume it's being take forward by a government department. If Ulster GAA were funding the initial works themselves they'd be able to move things on fairly quickly. They've committed £15m to the project. That can be spent any time.

How heavy are Omagh CBS favoured on Sunday? Are they just edging it or are they expected to win by 4 or 5+?

It's a long time from the Academy made any noise at MacRory, only getting badly beaten in the 2015 final since the great generation from 2008-2011

Was just thinking about the 2015 final earlier. Academy team had Michael McKernan, Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick, Ciaran Higgins (Armagh) and a number of former county panelists Liam Rafferty, Daniel Kerr, Ryan Coleman and beat a decent Maghera team in the semi final in Ballinderry but didn't turn up for the final.

Omagh probably deserving favourites and have players that have been there and done it. Might be a year early for Dungannon but you never know. This year's Rannafast team would be fancied to make an impression over next two years.

[Many clubs would kill for what we win year on year as a club.]

Little to say about the game. Too hard to rationalise so I won't. This hurts.

Well done to Trillick, best team over the hour.  Got the match ups right and McGennitys old style methods seem to be paying dividends. They will make it difficult for whoever is in the semi (likely Kilcoo) and they won't be too far off but still think they will come up slightly short.

On a PS well done to our junior Camogs who won the Ulster championship yesterday. Many clubs would kill for what we win year on year as a club. We just have to get the head down for now and see what next year brings.

Strong Cross team is good for Armagh football. I'll always wish them and any other county title winners the best in Ulster and beyond. On paper Cross have as good or better players than any team in Ulster, certainly far better than Trillick but for whatever reason its just not happening.

I think you're seriously under-estimating Trillick's players there. At a quick glance around 9-10 will have played on successful county teams for Tyrone at either minor, U20 or senior. Certainly won't have any fear of anyone left in Ulster

Pomeroy by 2
Errigal by 3

[Dungannon]

Trillick v Dungannon
Derrylaughan v Pomeroy
Clonoe v Moy
Errigal v Ardboe
Fintona v Drumragh - Biggest win

Moy

[Aghaloo]

Aghaloo V Fintona
Drumragh V Cookstown
Clonoe V Aghyaran - Draw
Moortown V Errigal - Biggest winning margin
Edendork V Trillick
Ardboe V Coalisland
Dungannon V Dromore - Draw
Derrylaughan V Gortin
Owen Roes V Pomeroy