Recent posts

#1

GAA Discussion / Re: Guide to the Sam Maguire a...

Last post by Mario - Today at 08:24:46 AM

Tyrone be happy with that draw, short drive to ulster winner and should have more than enough for clare and Cork. Draw from hell for Derry.

Definitely a tough draw for us but the only advantage to be had is from winning the group, so from that perspective avoiding Dublin and Kerry is most welcome.

It's hardly a draw from hell. If we can't beat Westmeath we don't deserve to be in last 12. In terms of topping the group, I'd prefer the Connacht winners to any other province. Ulster runner up will be a tough one but we should have plenty of motivation to play either of those teams.

#2

Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Footba...

Last post by John Martin - Today at 08:20:11 AM

Anyone here been to a game in Ruislip before? Thinking of making the trip if I can keep the costs down as it's unlikely we'll have too many games against them in the future

I've been over at a game. They used to have a marquee up for the championship games and hanging around the ground after for a few pints was good craic. Not sure if they are still doing that though.

#3

Down / Re: Down Club Hurling & Footba...

Last post by snoopdog - Today at 08:13:50 AM

Anyone here been to a game in Ruislip before? Thinking of making the trip if I can keep the costs down as it's unlikely we'll have too many games against them in the future

Best way would be fly to Heathrow. I was thinking about doing it , as you say when will Down ever be back in Ruislip.

#4

General discussion / Re: Things that make you go Wh...

Last post by Never beat the deeler - Today at 07:40:38 AM

This article about Richard Martin (1754 - 1834)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Martin_(Irish_politician)

Active life
Martin also had a very eventful life. He was a colonel of the County Galway Volunteers.[29] He survived two shipwrecks.[30] He fought over a hundred duels with sword and pistol and earned the nickname "Hairtrigger Dick".[31] He travelled extensively in Europe and the Americas during the 1770s and was in New England when the American Revolutionary War began.[32] He initiated Galway's first theatre in 1783.[33]

Martin was on a first-name basis with many of the famous names of his age, including King George IV (who gave him the nickname "Humanity Dick"), Henry Flood, Henry Grattan, William Pitt, Queen Caroline, and Daniel O'Connell.[34] Despite his nickname he was considered a very harsh landlord in Ireland.[35]

On his death in 1834 his son Thomas became his heir.[36] A workhouse was built on his estate during the Irish famine. Although the workhouse was an apparent pledge to help the poor suffering from starvation, it is agreed that Thomas and his family did little to help and approximately 150,000 people died on their land during this period from starvation and fever.[36] Most of Martin's estate (approx. 200,000 acres (809 km2)) was in the west of Ireland and this area had one of the highest death tolls during the Famine.

You'd want to be a serious operator to be considered a harsh landlord at the time. Though 150,000 dead would do it

#5

General discussion / Re: Boxing Thread

Last post by Milltown Row2 - Today at 07:18:39 AM

I see that Amy Broadhurst has chosen to compete for Great Britain in Olympic qualifiers in Bangkok
The Dundalk boxer had been looking to change allegiance after Irish Athletic Boxing Association said they would not be putting her name forward.

I suppose Boxing in the Olympics is a major ambition for any Boxer. No doubt it was a tough decision. Best of luck to her.

What was the reason for not putting her forward?

#6

General discussion / Re: Have many countries have G...

Last post by Gabriel_Hurl - Today at 04:51:05 AM

I'll go to the opposite end of the spectrum

Zambia
Zimbabwe

#7

Laois / Re: Laois Senior Footballers 2...

Last post by County Man - Today at 01:58:33 AM

Looking forward to the Tailteann Cup and hopefully, like last year we can have a good run at it.

We'll have Carlow at home to start, a team that have not beaten us in league or championship since 1988. We played them in the league back in February and had 11 points to spare.

A week later, we go to Aughrim to face Wicklow. They will be going for 3 competitive wins in a row against us having beaten Laois in last year's division 4 and in the Leinster championship of 2022.

Round 3 will take place in the first weekend of June. We will face Fermanagh in a neutral venue. We got the better of them last year in the Tailteann Cup in Enniskillen so it should be a good battle again.

If we manage to top the group we would have a home quater final. Second place would gain us a home preliminary quater final.

#8

General discussion / Re: Have many countries have G...

Last post by dec - Today at 12:52:02 AM

Austria
Belgium 

#9

GAA Discussion / Re: Guide to the Sam Maguire a...

Last post by onefineday - Today at 12:43:47 AM

Why do they do the draw for this before the provincial finals?

It's a good question.  Some teams might now be thinking a loss wouldn't be the end of the world, so it takes the edge off things.

I'd imagine the draw is made in advance for logistical reasons, it allows teams to prepare by knowing when they are first out etc, couldn't leave it until the provincials are over as some teams will be out 6 days later.

#10

GAA Discussion / Re: Guide to the Sam Maguire a...

Last post by onefineday - Today at 12:42:07 AM

It's a whole load of games to whittle the number of teams down from 16 to 12. And when the draw is made you will be able to predict the 4 teams who will be eliminated with a fair degree of certainty. The main interest will centre around which teams top their groups. 

That's true, because after last year, we all now realise what an advantage finishing top appears to be.

I said last year, if additional jeopardy is needed, we could have the four group winners and the best 2nd place team all progress directly to the quarters. The third place team with the worst record would be eliminated - that should mean little or no dead rubbers.

I'd also tweak it by giving the provincial winners and the 4 top league places (who weren't provincial winners) two home games and get rid of the neutral ground game - this would provide better incentives for provincial winners and league placings. It would also boost attendances as the neutral games last year were very poorly attended iirc.

But this scheme basically advantages Dublin and Kerry, if they didn't have enough advantages.

It did cross my mind, maybe we could just give 2 home games to the highest league finishers?
Still, I like the idea of only 3 third place teams progressing, it happens in the tailteann to facilitate New York, but equally would work by just putting 5 straight into the qualifiers.