2008 Ulster Club Championships

[StGallsGAA]

Corect decision.  As an Antrim man I hope that Cross now go on and win it.  They are like sh*t to watch but play good hard football.  They would walk your face into the ground but only on the way thru, wouldn't come back for afters.   Has that fella Aherne ever got a run in the county?  Not much to his game but battle hardened that's for sure.

[el_cuervo_fc]

Taken from Irish News

http://www.irishnews.com/irishnews/597/5776/2008/12/4/604508_365429921065McEnteecl.html

McEntee cleared to play as red turns to yellow AIB Ulster Club Senior Football Championship
By Andy Watters
04/12/08

JOHN McEntee has been cleared to play for Crossmaglen in Sunday's Ulster Club SFC final replay against Ballinderry.

The influential half-forward had the red card he received from referee Martin Sludden for a foul on Darren McGuckian quashed at a meeting of the GAA's Central Competitions Committee (CCC) last night.

After the referee's report and video evidence of the incident in last Sunday's drawn final were reviewed, the CCC decided that the red card would be downgraded to a yellow.

McEntee's availability is a huge boost to the Armagh champions who would have struggled to replace the class and experience of the

All-Ireland winner for the Brewster Park sequel.

"Justice has been done, it's just a pity it wasn't done last Sunday," said relieved Crossmaglen manager Donal Murtagh as he put his players through a training session at St Oliver Plunkett Park last night.

The news of the CCC's decision was greeted with a roar of delight in the Crossmaglen clubrooms. Murtagh and his players will have been buoyed by the outcome as they prepare for their second meeting with the Derry champions.

"We had a good idea he would be available. It's a big boost for us, he's a quality player, there's no doubt about that," said Murtagh.

"We have plenty of forwards, if we didn't have him somebody else would have stood up. But you don't want to lose a quality player like John McEntee."

The news will have had the opposite effect on the Ballinderry players, who battled back from five points down to force a draw in a thrilling finish last Sunday.

"I'm sure it is a big blow to them, I don't know what their agenda was," said Murtagh.

"But we're just worried about ourselves at the minute."

[wherefromreferee?]

Taken from Irish News

http://www.irishnews.com/irishnews/597/5776/2008/12/4/604508_365429921065McEnteecl.html

McEntee cleared to play as red turns to yellow AIB Ulster Club Senior Football Championship
By Andy Watters
04/12/08

JOHN McEntee has been cleared to play for Crossmaglen in Sunday's Ulster Club SFC final replay against Ballinderry.

The influential half-forward had the red card he received from referee Martin Sludden for a foul on Darren McGuckian quashed at a meeting of the GAA's Central Competitions Committee (CCC) last night.

After the referee's report and video evidence of the incident in last Sunday's drawn final were reviewed, the CCC decided that the red card would be downgraded to a yellow.

McEntee's availability is a huge boost to the Armagh champions who would have struggled to replace the class and experience of the

All-Ireland winner for the Brewster Park sequel.

"Justice has been done, it's just a pity it wasn't done last Sunday," said relieved Crossmaglen manager Donal Murtagh as he put his players through a training session at St Oliver Plunkett Park last night.

The news of the CCC's decision was greeted with a roar of delight in the Crossmaglen clubrooms. Murtagh and his players will have been buoyed by the outcome as they prepare for their second meeting with the Derry champions.

"We had a good idea he would be available. It's a big boost for us, he's a quality player, there's no doubt about that," said Murtagh.

"We have plenty of forwards, if we didn't have him somebody else would have stood up. But you don't want to lose a quality player like John McEntee."

The news will have had the opposite effect on the Ballinderry players, who battled back from five points down to force a draw in a thrilling finish last Sunday.

"I'm sure it is a big blow to them, I don't know what their agenda was," said Murtagh.

"But we're just worried about ourselves at the minute."

Tut tut tut, that's just lazy journalism

[saffron sam2]

Not sure of ref, but live again on tg4 3:45.

Is it not White from Donegal, the linesman from the original game??

Even moreso than the (correct) lifting of John McEntee's ban, this appointment has turned the game irrevocably in favour of Cross. Donegal men have a long and less than glorious history of mistreating Ballinderry men. Just look at what they did to Sean Larkin.

Up the Shamrocks! Remember Drumbo!

[Onion Bag]

Who? and what happened, dont recall

[SidelineKick]

Irish History lesson OB.

http://www.finnvalley.ie/history/martyrs/sean_larkin/seanlarkin.html

Would be past his grave right and often.

[saffron sam2]

Would be surprised if you did recall it. A quick google should help.

Although, i will admit that my point is quite tangential to the whole thread.

[SidelineKick]

Quite 

[mackers]

In fairness, White is one of the better refs about, he was praised for his performances in the Championship last suimmer, reffed both Cavan Antrim and the first Ulster Final.
Bogball, the ref red carded McEntee because he thought he caught Conway on the face, in fairness to the ref the TV camera angle was close to that of the ref and I must say that on first glance (and the ref's only glance) it did look like he caught him high. It was only on subsequent replays that we could see that Conway cheated. In this one incident I would not blame the ref at all, i would blame the man that cheated.
The Ulster Council with the benefit of the replays that we have seen reversed the decision that the ref had to call on the spot. Common sense prevailed. It barely merited a yellow card, but then again virtually all fouls are now deemed to be yellow cards.

[Onion Bag]

Irish History lesson OB.

http://www.finnvalley.ie/history/martyrs/sean_larkin/seanlarkin.html

Would be past his grave right and often.

My History was never a strong point, cheers lads

[corn02]

Why should Conway be punished?

Cross players feign injury, Balinderry players feign injury - Dromintee players do it too before you think I am having a go.

Should we make an example of him just because the cameras were there?

[Hardy]

Yes. It would be a significant blow against this abomination in the game. Its prevalence in the game is probably mainly due to what lads see on television. Therefore, it's fitting that television should be employed in its eradication.

[amigo]

Why should Conway be punished?

Cross players feign injury, Balinderry players feign injury - Dromintee players do it too before you think I am having a go.

Should we make an example of him just because the cameras were there?

I am with you on this one Corn. Unfortunately it is common place in our games. In the first half on Sunday Tony and Steven Kernan both feigned injury in an attempt to get a player either booked or sent off!! Darren Conway did the same in the second half!! In my eyes there's no difference, players will do anything it takes to win a game!!!

[Hardy]

See, this is what 's most depressing about it - it's gradually gaining acceptance.

[SidelineKick]

Why should Conway be punished?

Cross players feign injury, Balinderry players feign injury - Dromintee players do it too before you think I am having a go.

Should we make an example of him just because the cameras were there?

I am with you on this one Corn. Unfortunately it is common place in our games. In the first half on Sunday Tony and Steven Kernan both feigned injury in an attempt to get a player either booked or sent off!! Darren Conway did the same in the second half!! In my eyes there's no difference, players will do anything it takes to win a game!!!

When was that? What minutes I would like to go and have a look at it now.  Not saying you are wrong but would like to know which particular incidents you feel they were trying to get a man sent off.  Did they go down clutching their faces?

I don't think the ref is really to blame as mackers said it was his only chance to see the incident while us armchair refs had the benefit of the cameras.  Conway should be punished yes.  If you can't do it when the cameras are there meaning there is NO dispute as to what happened then when can you do it?  If its not nipped in the bud now it will just escalate then we will have nothing more than what soccer is now.  Ten years ago when I loved soccer it was good fair hard hitting football, now its full of f**king pansies. Gaelic is heading that way.

There is a difference in lying down for a few mins to falling to the ground clutching your face to get a player from the opposite teams booked.  Next you'll see players waving an imaginary card to the ref to indicate the player that committed the foul should be booked a la soccer.