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http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-43670607

A belated apology but a welcome one.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/gaelic-football/gooch-deserves-reward-for-his-efforts-but-are-testimonials-a-step-too-far-for-amateur-players-36127070.html

Is this the new thing in the GAA. Testimonial dinners for ex players as a pay off for years of service. Dressed up as a charity event with full approval from Padraig Duffy.

Tomas O Se said last night that the top matches deserve to have one of the top 3 or 4 referees in charge. Who are these top 3 or 4 referees though. Coldrick is probably the best out there at the minute but the standard overall is very poor. McQuillan made an awful lot of mistakes yesterday for both teams. It is increasingly becoming an impossible game to referee though with so many cards and a non clearly defined tackle. The issue of time keeping is another bug bear and I don't underatand how a stop clock has not been introduced at this stage. They will probably go and goive the replay to Marty Duffy now!!!

Can't see a seperate thread for this but does anyone think that these proposals might actually carry through. In recent weeks there have been countless examples highlighted of niggly tactical fouling which has become a blight on the game. In todays Irish News Paddy Heaney stated that of the Ulster counties Tyrone, Down, Antrim and Fermanagh (i think?) have all indicated that they intend to vote against the proposals. Does this mean that the remaining counties are in favour of the new proposals? Does the 2/3rds majority rule apply to get them through?

Apparently the 3 issues are:
1) The introduction of black cards
2) Introduction of the mark
3) Introduction of a 30m penalty (ball brought forward)  for dissent

For potential rule changes that could drastically alter the landscape of gaelic football, there has been surprisingly very little debate in the media about these issues in the last week.

Presumably the issues are to be voted for seperately and not as part of a package?

Would definitely be in favour of the black cards and the dissent rules, not too sure about the mark, would like to see how it would work first.

Another rule which should have been a no brainer is the issue of time keeping. It needs to operated on a hooter system much like in ladies football. I watched the AI club final on Sunday and the McRory cup final on Monday and how they gave 1 and 2 minutes injury time respectively in these 2 games was mystifying.

[Cream of the crop attend Aussie Rules trials]

Cream of the crop attend Aussie Rules trials
13 February 2013


Cormac Costello (Dublin), Daniel Flynn (Kildare) and Damien Cahalane (Cork) are just some of the young GAA stars who are attending Tadhg Kennelly's Australian Rules trials at DCU this week.

The cream of the country's young gaelic footballers are being put through their paces by the AFL's International Ambassador.

Dublin pair Eric Lowndes and Shane Carthy were also at the trials which are taking place over yesterday and today.

Paddy Brophy is another emerging Kildare talent attending along with Armagh's Ethan Rafferty and Antrim's James Lavery.

Meanwhile, rising Dublin star Jack McCaffrey turned down a fresh approach from Kennelly to attend the trials.

Kennelly told The Irish Daily Star: "Jack came last year, we saw a lot of potential in him and it's his preference (not to go further). Jack McCaffrey ran a 2.8 for a 20-metre sprint. It blows them out of the water in Australia straight away.

"It's a thing that clubs can look at and say 'there is freaky talent in Ireland. They're not just footballers, they're athletes as well'.

"It's not just Gaelic footballers we're looking for."

Galway's Shane Walsh and Kerry's Padraig Lucey are exciting basketball prospects while English rugby international Cameron Cope is also attending the trials.

AFL trialists - Cormac Costello, Gavin Burke, Shane Carthy, Eric Lowndes, Niall Scully (all Dublin); Paddy Brophy, Daniel Flynn (both Kildare), Damien Cahalane (Cork); Bill Maher, Philip Quirke, Steven O'Brien (all Tipperary); James Laverty (Antrim); Conor Carville, Niall Grimley (both Derry); Shane Walsh (Galway); Ronan Daly (Roscommon); Che Cullen, Lee Cullen (both Fermanagh); Adam Gallagher (Mayo); Ethan Rafferty (Armagh); Hugh McFadden (Donegal); Padraig Lucey (Kerry); Cameron Cope (Wolverhampton); G Leech (Westmeath).

Kerry are very poor, could bea while before they win another AI. Dublin should have had this game wrapped up by now. Had a couple of goal chances and Brogan missed a 14 yard free that a 6 year old would score.

Predicted All Stars at the minute. Obviously this will change depending on who gets to/wins AI final.

1. Cluxton
2. McGlynn
3. Cadogan
4. Higgins
5. Nolan
6. Lacey
7. Bolton
8. Walsh
9. McAuley
10. Kerrigan
11. McHugh
12. Dillon
13. McFadden
14. O'Connor
15. Brogan

Really struggled to pick a forward line and I think that says more about defensive systems and how inside forward lines are finding time and space to become prolific scorers. McHugh could just as easily be picked as a defender.

Can anyone tell me the dates and venues for this years compromise rules series in Australia? I was thinking of heading to Australia in October and would like to take in one of the tests if possible. I can't seem to see anything on the gaa website.

Can anyone post up the best available odds on each team for the final. I have a large bet on Down to win the title and am looking to hedge off some of it on Cork if I can get a good price. 1/2 on Cork to win the title outright is the best I have seen yet which is ridiculously short. Has anyone seen any bigger odds in any independent bookmakers?

[6th Feb 2010]

What does anyone reckon are the value bets for this weekend games. I reckon the following treble could come up trumps:

Tyrone @ 8/11
Galway @ Evs
Wicklow @ 10/11

Treble pays over 6.5/1

The following are all the odds taken from Paddy Power:

6th Feb 2010

11/8 Derry 15/2 Tyrone 8/11 
     
8/13 Laois 15/2 Tipperary 13/8 
   
5/6 Meath 15/2 Armagh 6/5 
   
7th Feb 2010

Evs Antrim 15/2 Sligo Evs 
   
11/10 Mayo 13/2 Galway Evs 
   
8/13 Kerry 15/2 Dublin 13/8 
   
6/4 Monaghan 15/2 Cork 4/6   
   
8/11 Kildare 15/2 Down 11/8 
   
12/5 Westmeath 8/1 Donegal 2/5 
   
13/8 Offaly 15/2 Fermanagh 13/8   
   
8/11 Louth 15/2 Wexford 11/8 
   
4/6 Roscommon 15/2 Cavan 6/4 
   
8/1 London 16/1 Limerick 1/20 
   
7/4 Carlow 15/2 Longford 8/15 
   
11/10 Clare 13/2 Wicklow 10/11 
   
1/2 Leitrim 15/2 Waterford 15/8 

The pitch doesn't look to have fully recovered from the re-laying. In fact it looks worse than last week.