Ulster Senior Football Club Championship 2009

[milltown row]

As for the ban on players not being able to transfer from clubs in Antrim at juvenile level, it is in place, so again you're full of it

If you are stating there is a ban on juvenile transfers within Belfast, you are incorrect.

am i?  go onto the Antrim Website and ask the admin. they will tell you. also check out some threads on the Antrim Hoganstand Forum  threads about it also.

why do you think there isn't?

[milltown row]

The point that i am getting at is that these players are making the game a farce. I noticed the way you dodged the question when i asked you why did they join St Gall's. You didn't know the answer but you could probably defend every other point. I will tell you the answer it is because they are the most successful team in the area. So it wasn't just because they wanted to play Gaelic it was because they wanted glory. The ordinary clubman on the other hand will knock his pan in year in and year out for the love of his club and the hope of winning an odd league or intermediate championship and there lies the difference. If you asked an ordinary club member to move to St Gall's then they would say no i am happy with what i have at my own club because therein lie the traditions and people that they have grown up with. Certain players like Mc Geeney and Mc Nulty's (to come away from Antrim examples ) are taking the game away from this. They have a duty to play for their own club and not to go elsewhere simply because the glory and in some cases the pay is good. It is not what our game is about.


With regardes to Wanderer apart from a St Johns player there have been few others that have came to my club from any other . The player is question wasn't paid or offered special deals. He moved to Lurgan with his family. It was his decision to join Clan Na Galel but what probably swayed his decision was the fact that we are the most successful team in that area and this is wrong. So even though it happens at many clubs, i cannot do anything about this but it doesn't make it right whether it be my club or any other. Just on the subject a couple of years back we had a player that moved to Donegal  with his family that lad traveled up to Lurgan and back twice a week for ttraining , sometimes more and a game at the weekend. He could have played for any other club in Donegal but he knew where his heart was. To me it is players like this that hold the true essence and spirirt of the game and not the lad who goes where the glory is. It will soon be like soccer if this persists along with the pay for play deals.

I told you to ask them. Rory came i'd say cause his brother played. Ronan came cause he was friends with a player form college.

no pay for any of our players. we have NO MONEY. The taditions you look for is great but don't lambast my club, we didn't ask for these players. our club has a great name for GAA maybe thats the reason people are keen to join should they move to Belfast

[fitzroyalty]

I think the first thing a player considers when chosing a club is his own ability. no point joining st galls if you're not going to get on. How many clubs has gallagher played for before joining them just out of interest? I can see where winsam is coming from regarding club loyalty.

what about st brigid's, there's bound to be a few backhanders went on to get them to where they are now

[milltown row]

They all live in Malone/South Belfast. the players or families don't lack money. so i doubt backhanders is a reason for players at St Brigid's, its a new club so players usully come from 'outside' give it a chance. very progressive club and even had a divisional hurling club for a season or two. better than those single code clubs which are not part of the GAA ethos (IMO anyway)

[saffron sam2]

I think the first thing a player considers when chosing a club is his own ability. no point joining st galls if you're not going to get on. How many clubs has gallagher played for before joining them just out of interest? I can see where winsam is coming from regarding club loyalty.

Didn't stop some, Mr Kane being one example.

what about st brigid's, there's bound to be a few backhanders went on to get them to where they are now

Don't think there are any back handers involved with any clubs now. More of a north Armagh thing I always thought.

In Belfast, outsiders will be attracted to Belfast clubs for a number of reasons:

1. How their ability matches the club's ability. Whereas St. John's (in the distant past) and St.Paul's (in the more recent past) would have had quite a few higher profile players, it is now St. Gall's turn. Likewise clubs like Rossa, Lamh Dhearg and St Agnes, who are at various lower stages of the food chain will still get their share of smaller fish. Not that I'm calling big Ronan fat.

2. Friends  / work mates already involved with a particular club.

3. Desire to play at a higher level. This is particularly true of the likes of the Drake brothers, McCrossan etc. who transferred from junior clubs to a senior club.

4. But definitely not, and I'm being serious here, financial inducements.

Luckily milltown row's hurlers are above reproach here. Aren't they? They even turned down a former Clare panellist who offered his services, although something about Eire Og is nagging away at me.

[SambaSaffron]

Some very fair points there Sam. Who is the Kane you speak of though, and who did he transfer from?

[saffron sam2]

A John Kane, son of Val and nephew of DJ. May have played for Ballyholland or Shamrocks and was last seen managing Kilclief. Was living about Bangor / Holywood when he was registered for Naomh Gall. The tenuous connection appears to have been the Ulster Colleges' Council.

[milltown row]

over the years there have been players who came to the club to play hurling also, that club didn't hurl (which is fair enough) I've never denied that. that lad played in an All Ireland Club football final, some feat for a lad who only wanted to hurl.

John Kane, School teacher? Brown hair, fast as fook? if its him lovely lad. whatever happend to that fella?

[imtommygunn]

Who's the McCrossan you refer to Sam? I'd be familiar with some of the others but not him.

There is most definitely no money involved here by the way.

St Brigid's have many more south belfast players than people give them credit for. Take an example - they currently have two county panelists and both played through the ranks. A lot of their team came through their ranks. You have to remember that they are one of few clubs in south belfast and with it being "affluent" people are going to move there for employment purposes and want to play football.

This makes them no worse than small country clubs. I'm from a small country club and we have had our ringers over the years. We've not had a massive amount however we've not turned anyone away either - particularly the ones who can play...

[milltown row]

Who's the McCrossan you refer to Sam? I'd be familiar with some of the others but not him.

There is most definitely no money involved here by the way.

St Brigid's have many more south belfast players than people give them credit for. Take an example - they currently have two county panelists and both played through the ranks. A lot of their team came through their ranks. You have to remember that they are one of few clubs in south belfast and with it being "affluent" people are going to move there for employment purposes and want to play football.

This makes them no worse than small country clubs. I'm from a small country club and we have had our ringers over the years. We've not had a massive amount however we've not turned anyone away either - particularly the ones who can play...

Trone lad who has been teaching in CBS Glend road. doesn't play anymore, scored the winning goal against Bellaghy in the Ulster final (fcuk, we should hand that one back)

[saffron sam2]

Who's the McCrossan you refer to Sam? I'd be familiar with some of the others but not him.

Ciaran "Dregish" McCrossan. Played chb / mf on the team that made the All-Ireland final.

Beat me to it mr.

John Kane's managing Kilclief this year. I think I read that somewhere. I know I did - I read it here.

A John Kane, son of Val and nephew of DJ. May have played for Ballyholland or Shamrocks and was last seen managing Kilclief. Was living about Bangor / Holywood when he was registered for Naomh Gall. The tenuous connection appears to have been the Ulster Colleges' Council.

[milltown row]

 

we left out what he likes for tea!!

[saffron sam2]

Starting to get excited about this game now.

Some very intriguing issues nagging at me already.

Will Naomh Gall complete the Oak Leaf hat trick, having previously seen off Bellaghy and Glenuillin or will An Lub make it a Milltown double?

During the game, how many times will the An Lub's (yes I have a stutter too) substitutes run into the St. Gall's manager whilst conducting their warm up?

Will either manager throw screed at the crowd?

Will the best referee ever Pat McEnaney be fooled, once more (like he was with wee Peter in 2001), by the skullduggery of Littlebridge's finest, Johnny McBride?

Why do the peelers have a speed trap in the 40 zone just past the Newry 6 sign, where (as you are going down hill) it is a physical impossibility to travel at 40mph or less?

What does An Lub mean? I know it means the Loup, but what is a Loup?

[saffron sam2]

Hell of a big bend if it weaves its way through Magherafelt, Drumullan, Liitlebridge and Ballinderry.

[milltown row]

great game to look forward to, Loup are great at grinding out results and can be cute when it comes 'making scores'

last day out against Loup we failed to play the type of game that took us to the final in 2003. and it became a struggle, was pretty much an ugly game.

Brennan is no mug either, and may have blockers in place to stop our running game, with some winding up for the usual tagets (though they have not reacted this year) they can play good football but their downfall has to be Benny tipping them today in the Irish News

i'm going for a low a low scoring game- 0-10 to 0-9