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Am I missing something here? What do the Antrim players want here? If Croke Park have asked for a name, should the Antrim County Board refuse to comply? Where would that leave them in terms of the ethos of the game?

If a player has been up to no good then surely they must face the consequences.

That's not to say Antrim County Board shouldn't still try and defend him, if indeed what he did was defensible. We can all remember plenty of Tyrone/Dublin/Mayo/Armagh offences over the years that have been overturned due to 'technicalities'.

I hate to say it but...only in Antrim

This thread has gone to the dogs. Let's keep the harte bashing, name a player who isn't on the county panel that should be etc on the county thread.

I don't know about the rest of you but on the club thread i want to hear about club discussion. We're 3 matches into the leagues and not too many comments about any of the games.

Who looks like they're going well in Div1? Clonoe's win over Killyclogher would be viewed as an upset.
Donaghmore with two out of three have started well.
Coalisland don't look as strong this year.
Looks like it could be a difficult year for Greencastle and Strabane.

In Div 2, Eglish are the early pace setters with Dungannon and Derrylaughan a point behind. I think it'll be these 3 along with Augher in the mix come end of the year.
Kildress have dropped down a division and seem to be struggling a bit, 2 bad losses.
Cookstown also on the end of a bad loss yesterday, will they be in relegation trouble?

In Div 3, Derrytresk have started well and look most likely to challenge Tattyreagh and Owen Roes.
I see Stevie O'Neill lined out in midfield for CNG the other week. What kind of shapes he in?

I heard the tyrone players were asked to pay £15 a month direct debit into paul rouse's bank account.

Let's be honest about it, majority of clubs now have outside men and it's been going on for years.  I heard a few stories this year that the going rate is £10-15k and that's clubs in intermediate/bottom Div1 level, god knows what the likes of Clonoe, Killyclogher, Coalisland, Errigal etc have paid out in recent years.

Is asking 30 senior players to chip in £20 a month any different to asking non-playing club members to paid monthly direct debit (which most clubs do now) or local business man to fork out sponsorship etc? Money has to come from somewhere.

I don't agree with it but its where we're at. A blanket ban on outside managers is the only way of dealing with it but even then i'm sure there would be ways around it - men becoming members for the year etc.

Unfortunately not all clubs are blessed with people who are equipped to be decent managers at adult level so sometimes the only option is the outside man who has a proven track record of taking teams.

From what i've heard the Dungannon players were told that if they wanted to be provided with food, physio, travel, gear, outside manager etc they needed to stomp up £20 a month as they club couldn't afford to pay for this otherwise. A certain former powerscreen man mustn't be putting in the money he used to!

I suppose it's a symptom of where the games at. If you want to have the best preparation then it costs money. Dungannon obviously think that's what it'll take to get back to div1.

Is it really much different to the club tyrone type direct debits that majority of clubs are at these days?

Cookstown not doing too much yo-yoing these days in fairness. Firmly cemented to mid table div 2 this past while and look to be going nowhere fast.

You have to wonder if Rock players get same buzz out of it having been there before, some of them a few times. Still an ulster final i suppose and not something too many of us have achieved.

You'd have to fancy Pomeroy for the intermediate title given they are playing with 3 county panelists at this level.

Neither Donaghmore or Dungannon paid managers this year, good club men in charge of both clubs. Hetheringtons for Donaghmore and Slater and McRory for Dungannon.

Although given the time and effort and hassle involved you have to give credit to any club man who does it for nothing

Congratulations to Trillick. A massive achievement to come from intermediate football and win the senior championship the next year. Just shows what can be achieved by a club in a relatively short period of time.

It says a lot for where Dungannon clarkes are.  They destroyed them in the final last year.

it's a tremendous accomplishment and should be an example to clubs everywhere. This time last year nobody would have gave them a hope but it goes to show what can be done when 30 lads buy into somethin 100%. It doesnt matter if you've 7 county seniors or 1 it can be done.

rrhf gettin a wee dig at your near neighbours! i dare say it doesnt say too much about where dungannon are. newly promoted team struggle in div1 isn't exactly a shocker but i'd say theyre scratching their heads watchin a team they beat easy go on and win senior championship.

in the relegation battle i'm prediction dungannon to lose to clonoe, augher to be a depleted moy, sending them down and escaping themselves, with donaghmore to get the points gifted from greencastle who have packed up. that leaves donaghmore and clarkes in a playoff with loser down and winner playin div2 play off team

Ardboe gaa twitter page Ardboe 1-14 Dungannon 2-11,tyrone gaa page 1-13 to  1-13,must of been a deal done there ;when the ref puts in a different score than the 1 that's on there offical twitter account

From the talk i heard and readin the tyrone times today there didnt look to be any deal done - a last minute free from dungannon to equalise, 2 arbo men sent off and a clarkes player sufferin a serious facial injury accordin to there notes in the paper. it's certainly tight in the bottom 4, any of them could do down really. could this be the year donaghmore finally drop or will they manage a couple of wins as usual at the end to escape? could the cavanaghs be playing intermediate football next year??

http://cricfree.sx/sky-sports-5-live-stream

While Lee Brennan's display was excellent on Saturday night let's not blow it up too much - a good bit was from frees and 45s although he was very sharp from play too. Don't think we should be calling for a senior call up just yet until we see what he's like against the top defences, no disrespect to Dungannon. Plus is he not only 19 or so? Having said that Trillick look a decent team and with the 2 Donnellys and 2 Brennans on form should have too much for Greencastle in the next round. Funny how championship matches go with that reversal against Dungannon from the intermediate final last year. all on the day as they say! Great weekends championship action