Messages

What? The ones calling for censorship are the MAGA crowd.

I haven't seen that Eamonn... links?

Here's recent evidence on the Dems position

https://x.com/Grand_Ole_Evan/status/1831362176617185486?t=HhrV0yRJeAc-xgGQEFjHqw&s=09

I will not be surprised either way

Kamala Harris was making reasonable comments that social media sites have a responsibility to regulate the content that they allow on their platforms.

Some idiot rolling his eyes about and suggesting they want to stop 'people taking amongst themselves' is not 'evidence' of anything.

The whole platform needs shutting down, restart with actual people talking to each other, not bots (someone at work mentioned almost 30% of tweets are from bots, no idea if it's true or not) and not fake names spewing grimness, the world doesn't need it, people don't need it.

Can anybody tell me what is the story with St Marys Ardmore; conceding games in Junior championship and getting beat by 40 points.

Surely they cant be that bad if they have won 3 Junior Titles since 2000.

Sad to see. Numbers issues is it?

Although their last was 11 years ago, what they have done in that last 24 years has no corelation with where they are now.  For example they won a Junior in 2000, they beat Coleraine in the final who have since won 2 x Senior championships. Ogra Colmcille won the Junior in 2001 and have since folded (although they are back up & running and play in the recreational league)

Ardmore had a golden generation during the time of winning the championships, and didn't have much coming through. Seem to have big numbers are underage. Drum the same, all hit mid 30s at the same time.
Ardmore are doing well to field as often as they do tbh, miss very few league games the last 8/10 years, so credit to them

Why do counties need 3 pre season friendlies before taking part in a national league they've no interest in winning?

Have you ever managed a team? Surely you can see the benefits of the McKenna Cup? Maybe time to pick another sport

To be honest, I don't think you're applying much logic here.

It's the kind of groupthink that permeates Gaelic Games, and is driven by managers (and players) who will blame everyone and everything but themselves when seasons do not go their way. It falls from the same tree whereby one year people will tell you a competitive Ulster Championship is the best preparation for a run at an AI title, and the following year will tell you that the competitiveness of the Ulster Championship takes its toll on northern counties as the season moves on. It's all all f**king nonsense sound bite shit that people latch onto rather than accept they were beaten fairly and squarely.

Whether or not there is a McKenna Cup will have no bearing on anyone's season. Half of the players in that competition were traditionally discarded by the halfway point of the league. Which, oddly enough, roughly the same point when half the teams forget about the league and start planning for a championship they cannot win. And that's when their real shape, style and personnel begin to unfold.

The current January has roughly the same impact on a team's current season, as a January from 5 years ago.

Ok, logic here. You're managing, Down. You've your first league game against Monaghan , Sun 19th Jan. How do you prepare your team in say the 4 weeks leading up to the 1st league game?

That's it. Groupthink is not evil. Dare to think differently and you're not real GAA. Even when correlation and causation are rarely seen as far apart as McKenna Cup success and AI success.

I mean who can forget the importance of the McKenna Cup in Tyrone's preparations for 2021 AI success?

Or how going to Donegal and getting mullered by a team who didn't even know eligibility guidelines, then tamely exiting in a semi-final, each proved pivotal in Armagh's 2024 AI success?

You've the AI in one hand and the McKenna in the other, that's a ridiculous starting point tbh and having a pop at the league to boot. A very negative outlook on the GAA calendar

How is it ridiculous? And how is it fixing anything really?

Well, we'll have to see how 2025 pans out.
Counties won't be going into the 1st round of League without a few challenge games under their belt that's for sure, so what is it fixing? If the league starts mid Jan to allow for a break before the Anglo Celt, counties will be playing challenge matches throughout December. Div 1 teams will be desperate to stay in Div 1.Div 2 will want to survive / get promoted. Div 3 will desperately want to get into the top 2 leagues for the AI series.
All this doing is taking the crowds away from the games and giving the county secs alot more work

That's it. Groupthink is not evil. Dare to think differently and you're not real GAA. Even when correlation and causation are rarely seen as far apart as McKenna Cup success and AI success.

I mean who can forget the importance of the McKenna Cup in Tyrone's preparations for 2021 AI success?

Or how going to Donegal and getting mullered by a team who didn't even know eligibility guidelines, then tamely exiting in a semi-final, each proved pivotal in Armagh's 2024 AI success?

You've the AI in one hand and the McKenna in the other, that's a ridiculous starting point tbh and having a pop at the league to boot. A very negative outlook on the GAA calendar

[groupthink]

Why do counties need 3 pre season friendlies before taking part in a national league they've no interest in winning?

Have you ever managed a team? Surely you can see the benefits of the McKenna Cup? Maybe time to pick another sport

To be honest, I don't think you're applying much logic here.

It's the kind of groupthink that permeates Gaelic Games, and is driven by managers (and players) who will blame everyone and everything but themselves when seasons do not go their way. It falls from the same tree whereby one year people will tell you a competitive Ulster Championship is the best preparation for a run at an AI title, and the following year will tell you that the competitiveness of the Ulster Championship takes its toll on northern counties as the season moves on. It's all all f**king nonsense sound bite shit that people latch onto rather than accept they were beaten fairly and squarely.

Whether or not there is a McKenna Cup will have no bearing on anyone's season. Half of the players in that competition were traditionally discarded by the halfway point of the league. Which, oddly enough, roughly the same point when half the teams forget about the league and start planning for a championship they cannot win. And that's when their real shape, style and personnel begin to unfold.

The current January has roughly the same impact on a team's current season, as a January from 5 years ago.

That's the key word here...so you'll naturally go the other way.

The McKenna Cup, 3rd in the pecking order, has its benefits. It's football games at the end of the day, in the longest month of the year. While you maybe want to suck the life out of it, for many supporters, it's a welcome release. For managers there's multiple benefits, and for many players, it's a chance to either show what you're about, or for an established player to regain some fitness for the league ahead.
Just have a look at the attendances for the finals, often mid week, often a good distance to travel.

Agreed, Alan does a great job

Why do counties need 3 pre season friendlies before taking part in a national league they've no interest in winning?

Have you ever managed a team? Surely you can see the benefits of the McKenna Cup? Maybe time to pick another sport

[Yes there is a good squad to work with]

Derry County Board deserve top marks for keeping  all of us in suspense re the identity  of the new Derry football manager! Their sense of omerta is really watertight. RTE Radio went a step further yesterday  to really confuse us, in their weekly Sunday Sports programme, by naming a candidate whom we know will not get the job!! Hopefully the County Board do know!!

I'm starting to think they don't know...feels like they're frantically running round behind closed doors trying to pick up the pieces after being turned down by orourke and not being able to appoint RG. There are rumours of horan, fitzmauirce, moran and keane. I haven't yet heard one credible source name someone from within Derry who has been nominated for the job. Any ideas?

I would imagine with the way the process has been handled up to now, it wouldn't be a massively attractive prospect for an outside manager come in. Yes there is a good squad to work with but the drama seems to follow them around.

Coupled with some of the best facilities on the island, what else matters? ... Unless the new manager brings his own drama, what drama would their be?

How is it the best facilities on the island not being smart genuine question?

Can't be a genuine question, and that's not strictly what I said

Derry County Board deserve top marks for keeping  all of us in suspense re the identity  of the new Derry football manager! Their sense of omerta is really watertight. RTE Radio went a step further yesterday  to really confuse us, in their weekly Sunday Sports programme, by naming a candidate whom we know will not get the job!! Hopefully the County Board do know!!

I'm starting to think they don't know...feels like they're frantically running round behind closed doors trying to pick up the pieces after being turned down by orourke and not being able to appoint RG. There are rumours of horan, fitzmauirce, moran and keane. I haven't yet heard one credible source name someone from within Derry who has been nominated for the job. Any ideas?

I would imagine with the way the process has been handled up to now, it wouldn't be a massively attractive prospect for an outside manager come in. Yes there is a good squad to work with but the drama seems to follow them around.

Coupled with some of the best facilities on the island, what else matters? ... Unless the new manager brings his own drama, what drama would their be?

Other than the fact that any manager coming in might be what, 2nd or 3rd choice at this point if not further down the pecking order.

Or the fact that clearly an element of the playing squad & administration wanted RG back.

But other than that its been pretty smooth sailing 

Sure whoever comes in now, it'll be their choice, does it matter how far down the pecking order it is? It's a plum job. The problem is, where are the available plum managers?

[Yes there is a good squad to work with]

Derry County Board deserve top marks for keeping  all of us in suspense re the identity  of the new Derry football manager! Their sense of omerta is really watertight. RTE Radio went a step further yesterday  to really confuse us, in their weekly Sunday Sports programme, by naming a candidate whom we know will not get the job!! Hopefully the County Board do know!!

I'm starting to think they don't know...feels like they're frantically running round behind closed doors trying to pick up the pieces after being turned down by orourke and not being able to appoint RG. There are rumours of horan, fitzmauirce, moran and keane. I haven't yet heard one credible source name someone from within Derry who has been nominated for the job. Any ideas?

I would imagine with the way the process has been handled up to now, it wouldn't be a massively attractive prospect for an outside manager come in. Yes there is a good squad to work with but the drama seems to follow them around.

Coupled with some of the best facilities on the island, what else matters? ... Unless the new manager brings his own drama, what drama would their be?

This Raheny v Castleknock game is pretty middling stuff, was expecting a bit more quality.

Just watching it now. What a stupid red card 5 mins in, what was Quinn thinking?

Think it was 2007 the last time I went to a McKenna Cup match. Watched Down C play Antrim B. It was mostly a box checking exercise to allow lads who'd trained over the winter to say they'd played county... before being released.

The McKenna Cup was rubbish, it always was, and - thankfully - never will be again.

Think it was 2007 the last time I went to a McKenna Cup match. Watched Down C play Antrim B. It was mostly a box checking exercise to allow lads who'd trained over the winter to say they'd played county... before being released.

The McKenna Cup was rubbish, it always was, and - thankfully - never will be again.

I hindsight Down should maybe have taken the McKenna more seriously

Imo, it will be missed, if not by some supporters, by the county teams / management. I've enjoyed it over the years, comes at the time you've just recharged the batteries and are ready for another year of football. The games between Christmas and the NY when you've got cabin fever were always enjoyable

Got couple of premium level tickets for oasis. Anyone ever been to gig on premium level? To be honest always been standing at gigs

The sounds pretty poor but the bar and toilet facilities are top notch.  Plenty of FOMOs will snap them up so they can take a selfie for their social media.

It's Oasis so the sound will be poor anyway. Premium Level would be my dream ticket (seat, toilets, drinks, chance of an early escape) - good luck to you N.O.

Tickets prob cheaper than standing

Was it the strutting or ball rubbing that annoyed you more ref

The mere fact he was in Dungannon tipped the scales

[Should have beaten Galway this year but didn't, should have beaten Dublin this year but didn't, should have beaten Derry this year but didn't.]

From MayoNews.ie

A review into the 2024 season between the Mayo GAA county board and the senior management team is ongoing and due to be completed in the next couple of weeks.

A discussion around the ongoing review was initiated at Wednesday's county board meeting by Garrymore delegate John Farragher, who claimed that players and supporters are 'not happy' with the current state of the Mayo senior team.

"A lot of people are not happy, they want change,"

"And questionnaires sent out to players, I'm hearing players are not happy. This sends out alarm bells. What I'm saying, if you lose a dressing room...you can forget about it.

"I can tell you, I go to a lot of games and the supporters, the genuine people going through the turnstiles are not happy," he added.

Louisburgh delegate, John Gibbons, echoed his sentiments, saying: "People are not happy with our selectors, our coaches, people are not happy. And that's out there and it's out there big time."

Is it not down to the fact that Mayo do not have the same calibre of players atm? You can whoop and wail all you want, but if the players aren't there to compete at the very top level, you're wasting your time? Or show the county how much it means to you by throwing the present management team under the bus...

The counter-argument is to ask if Mayo are maximising their potential.
I think the view of most people within the county is No, they are not.
The approach has been far too cautious.
I don't have a clue what the mgmt team are like in terms of levels of preparation, fostering a team atmosphere etc, but the soundings aren't great.

The counter counter argument is, what is the current Mayo panel's potential?
You lose the likes of Keegan, Boyle, S O'Shea, Parsons, Moran and have an older Durkin, injury ridden C O'Connor, what is the potential of this current Mayo team? Conroy is serious forward to replace an O'Connor or Moran, but flatters to deceive. O'Flynn, not consistent enough.
These things often work in cycles, but from the outside looking in, and I'm a huge admirer of Mayo, I honestly think the county is just about, in the pecking order, where it should be atm.. Hope I'm proved wrong

I agree, the current panel simply isn't at the level of the 2012-2017 panel, but with respect, I would hold that Mayo team (12-17) above most, if not all, current county teams.
There are still good young players on that Mayo panel - McBrien, Callinan, Conroy, and players who should be coming into their prime like Flynn, McLaughlin, O'Donoghue etc

I'm not saying McStay has to go - there's no obvious Messiah waiting for the call.

But they have under-achieved in the last couple of years imo.
Should have beaten Galway this year but didn't, should have beaten Dublin this year but didn't, should have beaten Derry this year but didn't.

Unless there is a potential manager out there that is jumping out at Mayo, then now is the time to let the head rule the heart, and back McStay and his team to learn from the last season or two, imo