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Anyone in Sligo?

Imagine if Peter Quinn agreed with most gaels at the time and decided that Croke Park just needed some updating and no need for a full new stadium then where would we be today?. He had a greater vision and we are all thankful for it now.

Same with Casement. A 35,000 seater is appropriate for Ulster finals and showcase matches in Belfast/Antrim and our games should become mainstream as part of big package weekends. It then also becomes Antrims home ground, and rightly so. It will boost GAA in the county and give a focal point for future generations.

I don't see the Norn Iron crew wanting to play there too often, if ever. It could host World Cup Rugby games, which would be great too. Concerts, events, exhibitions as well as everything Antrim GAA, on a big or small scale.

Yes it has been handled badly from the outset, in fact it has been a complete shambles. But now is not the time to start settling for 2nd best!

A very poor performance. A lucky early goal kept the scoreline respectable. I thought it was far too defensive when we had the wind. 15 behind the ball with no really attacking intent.

Is Glass doing a bona fide degree or is he another perennial student like Jim McGuinness who had more degrees than a compass.

McGuinness has 1 degree only. He did lesser qualifications in Tralee then got his degree at UU and did a masters in Liverpool which he didnt finish. Best to stick to the facts instead of cheap headlines.

The final on Wednesday night and number of players to play for their county teams on Saturday is far from great scheduling either.

The whole thing needs an overhaul. Currently not fair on players. County manager rule the GAA and continue to do so and the GAA sit on their hands. Sigerson simply needs to move before xmas and counties need leave the players to it.

Big chance for UUJ to finally deliver. Though you'd make UCD favourites having beaten them comfortably enough in Round 2A

UU didnt have the Canavans against UCD. Surely that puts them as favs. How many college teams have 2 of the best forwards in the country.

16 Team Div 1 passed

Big step in the wrong direction. Silly move. Would love to hear the justification for this. It will simply demean the league even further.

Good result today. Limerick are relegation favs but still its a good showing away from home with a convincing win. Well done all. Much toucher games ahead though.

There's an article about Dougan and his job in Irish examiner or times or something today. It sounds like he travels a lot with his work. I couldn't read it as it's behind a paywall.

Cahair and the Irish News online have it as well yesterday about him only coming back in July and traveling and working for a few months. Also a few of the other lads being away and only coming back about then. It shows that O'Rourke has trust in lads to keep in half decent shape and come back and do the hard yards when it really matters. Warnock in another Irish news interview last week said that they are not being run into the ground early on in the year. By the time the important time in the season comes round a lot of lads just want it all to be over to get a break is is his view on training. Probably a good few clubs have lads flogged at this time of the year thinking that's what they need to do to compete with Glen in September/October time.

Not every team can afford to take it easy until mid season and then up the ante. The quality of Glen players allows them to do that plus they have done the hard yards in previous seasons playing right up to Xmas time when every other club in Derry was finished few months earlier and as a result a high fitness level is in the bank.

If you can't match the Glen quality of player then the obvious other way to narrow the gap is fitness and that's why some clubs feel that is their best way of closing the gap.

As long as the Derry championship stays in the format it is then Glen will most likely win. They can pace themselves through that system and come good when it matters.

Only challengers realistically are Magherafelt & Slaughtneil.

Yes fair point although I hear the Championship format is to get a shakeup. Slaughtneil and M'felt will see Glens All-Ireland win as an opportunity to step in as Glens hunger will ease for a year or so at least. Slaughtneil in particular were very close last year, Rossa perhaps a bit to go yet with a younger age profile.

Are UUJ out or is there a backdoor after this round?

Back door route for UUJ as this match was in the winners section. I believe they now play a winner from the losers section.

Why was the game played in UCD if it was a home fixture for UUJ according to any fixture schedule published.
I know there is always a neutral venue if the distance between the colleges exceeds a certain mileage but Dublin to Belfast is not extreme in comparison to other journeys.

Maybe someone can explain 

Not sure but I suspect that UCD had a bye in the first round and therefore had a home game in the 2nd round Vs the winners of UU/UCC. That puts UCD in Qtr finals and UU into next round Vs winners of the losers group.

Anyone got the next fixtures? The coverage of Sigerson in the media is pathetic.

I think a restructure is needed. But not a 16 team div 1. There is too big of a gap between top of 2 and bottom. The initial 1a 1b looked very competative making 4 leagues

Armagh league is 1a- 8 teams, 1b 8 teams, 2a- 8 teams, 2b- 8-teams, with junior also split between a and b which makes for competitive games at all levels in the main.  Two up two down.  Previously, had the 16 team senior league 16 team intermediate league and rest in junior and quite a few mismatches in league games.   

Yes an 8 team league makes absolute sense (my club have proposed exactly this). It will be competitive, every game will mean something and it will give the league credibility. 2 up, 2 down. Its the only decent option.

Bonkers stuff!
A Div.1 of 10 teams max would be ideal. It would be competitive and give the league credibility. A 16 team league would be farce.. in most counties, especially Antrim.

"the alleged infraction was not proven"

What on earth does this even mean? Does it mean McGuinness didnt know the rule therefore he couldnt have knowingly broke it?
Seems crazy.

Has it been a rule for long that Freshers can't play Sigerson?

Yes a long time as far as I know. I remember it as far back as 2007/08 I think

Just me, or is there a major drop off of "county stars" that play sigerson these days? pulled 2014 final for example between cork + jtown... littered with big IC names

Ian Maguire Luke Connolly Brian O'Driscoll Conor Cox Michael Quinlivan Paul Geaney

Rory Beggan Chrissy McKaigue Colin Walshe Killian Clarke Matthew Donnelly Nial McKeever Kieran Hughes Ronan O'Neill Jamie Clarke Conor McAlliskey

That really was an exception rather than the norm. Sigerson should always be about discovering and confirming new stars rather than county stars playing. At least that's how it was in my time.