Fixtures Released For 2017 Bord Na Móna O'Byrne Cup23 Nov 2016 ANDY McEntee's first game in charge of Meath football will be a home clash with Wicklow in the Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup on January 8. The dates and pairings for the 2017 Bord na Móna Leinster GAA Series were agreed last night with all eyes on the new managers who will take up the reins across Leinster GAA in the New Year.
Defending O'Byrne Cup champions Meath are in a tough group with Wicklow, Laois and students DIT as McEntee embarks on a new era following the departure of Mick O'Dowd at the end of last season. Laois, of course, also have a new manager for 2017 with Peter Creedon at the helm.
Meanwhile, All-Ireland and Leinster champions Dublin have been pitted against DCU, Wexford and UCD with Jim Gavin expected to feature an experimental selection as he again loses a large chunk of players to Third Level teams.
Dublin's clash away against Wexford on January 15 will see them renew rivalry with Seamus 'Banty' McEnaney who was last in action against the Dubs while he was manager of Meath in 2011 and 2012. It is also a potential forerunner of events later next summer with Dublin drawn to play either Carlow or Wexford in a Leinster SFC quarter final in Portlaoise or Wexford next June.
Longford were the only team to inflict a competitive defeat on Dublin in 2016, toppling them in the Bord na Móna O'Byrne Cup semi-finals, and they are grouped with Kildare, Offaly and IT Carlow in another testing selection. Westmeath, Louth, Carlow and Maynooth University make up the fourth competitive group.
The competition begins on Sunday, January 8, 2017 with another round played under lights on Wednesday night with the final round the following Sunday.
It will represent the first time in 2017 that inter county players get to grips with the introduction of the Mark in Gaelic football while it has also been decided that there will be no limit on the number of substitutions allowed. Leinster GAA is delighted to announce an agreement with Bord na Móna to extend their sponsorship of the Leinster GAA Series for a further three years up until after the 2019 competition.
Fixtures for LaoisFull Fixture list here....http://www.leinstergaa.ie/news/fixtures-released-for-2017-bord-na-m%C3%B3na-obyrne-cup.8327.html (http://www.leinstergaa.ie/news/fixtures-released-for-2017-bord-na-m%C3%B3na-obyrne-cup.8327.html)
DIT game be in somewhere like Port or Crettyard? Is a stand necessary?
A stand might not be a necessity but it is certainly an added bonus when you are watching games in winter.
Quote from: Heshs Umpire on November 28, 2016, 08:27:24 AM
DIT game be in somewhere like Port or Crettyard? Is a stand necessary?
Not at all, there's no stand in Rathdowney is there, and we play all our Walsh Cup games there nowadays? Heywood has hosted Walsh Cup games, and now that I think of it, didn't Ratheniska host an O'Byrne Cup game last year?
I imagine it all comes down the pitch, Crettyard, even since the renovations, has always held water, and Ports pitch doesn't hold up well either.
Anyone going to a game in the first week of January will be hardy enough to stand on a bank and would do without a stand I imagine.
True. Think I'd prefer a venue with a stand in January in case it's milling rain. Port's pitch is plenty dry but the surface leaves a bit to be desired.
Quote from: Heshs Umpire on November 28, 2016, 03:46:16 PM
True. Think I'd prefer a venue with a stand in January in case it's milling rain. Port's pitch is plenty dry but the surface leaves a bit to be desired.
They moved them round last year. DIT won't bring supporters. Expect that to be somewhere harmless again.
The following are the Laois fixtures and venues for the O'Byrne Cup 2017
8th January: Laois v DIT in Portarlington @ 2pm
11th January: Wicklow v Laois in TBC @ 7.30pm
14th January: Laois v Meath in Stradbally @ 7pm
Semi-Finals
22nd January: A: Winners Group 2 v Winners Group 1 (Group 2 Venue)
22nd January: B: Winners Group 3 v Winners Group 4 (Group 3 Venue)
Final
29th January: Winners B v Winners (Winners B Venue)
Any Laois lads involved with the college teams?
Any new faces expected to line out for us in O'Byene Cup?
One interesting new rule being brought in this year and being tried out in the O'Byrne cup is "The Mark". Here is Maurice Deegan explaining what he thinks of it...
http://www.gaa.ie/gaa-tv/gaelic-football-referee-maurice-deegan-explains-the-mark/
Deegan speaks well there about it...Harder to implement lower along the food chain tho!
I think it will work and will be great for the game. Once players at club level get used to it I can't see any problems.
The Laois footballers' O'Byrne Cup clash against DIT has been switched to Crettyard.
The game was originally fixed for Portarlington on Sunday, January 8th.
Throw-in time is 2pm and Longford's Fergal Kelly will be the man in the middle.
Feck sake Crettyard that doesn't suit me ...No stand over there or in stradbally means it will be a tough watch for spectators....
Why Stradbally ??Ohh hold on I know why....
There is a stand in Cretty albeit small. The softer crew among the crowd can avail of it.
Quote from: redsetanta on December 23, 2016, 02:23:56 PM
There is a stand in Cretty albeit small. The softer crew among the crowd can avail of it.
And one of the beat kept club stands i know of. Holds about 250 -300 people. Its a pleasure to watch a match from. Far better set up than Port
O'Byrne Cup
v DIT P2 W2 D0 L0. Last win 2012.
v Meath P7 W2 D0 L5. Last win 1994. Last defeat 2016.
v Wicklow P9 W6 D0 L3. Last win 2008. Last defeat 2011.
Looks like a largely u-21 outfit togging out for Leix Sunday .
No harm sending out the U'21s as most if not all of the opposition will be of that age. It's how the competition should be used to blood some of these younger panel members to see how they fare in a competetive environment. They should be out to impress the management so a very worthwhile exercise!
Just seen where the U'21's are out against Carlow on Friday evening. They'd hardly have them playing again on Sunday.