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I know there has been debate on related threads before but having read Martin Breheney's latest attempt to fill column inches with his mid-summer all-stars it got me thinking.

Would GAA followers welcome an All Star squad rather than a team especially with the qualifier system and a host of worthy candidates.It was easier pick fifteen when it was simple knockout stuff. Would a panel of 25 be a fairer system? It would resemble the squads picked at major soccer tournaments, seems to make more sense to me. Just take the candidates for midfield last year in football, a bit harsh only selecting two from at least five worthy candidates.

Any views?

Now that its inevitable that Fianna Fail will lead the next government who would you LIKE see form the next government?

Dont think theres any point in offering any other alternatives if we are realistic

Canning's Galway future in doubt


There is growing speculation that Ollie Canning won't be returning to the Galway hurling squad as the fallout from last October's ill-fated county final continues.

The three-time All-Star corner back has been a notable absentee from pre-season training, and it's believed he remains disillusioned with the Galway hurling board after the controversial county final which saw his club Portumna lose their county and All-Ireland crowns to Loughrea.

Portumna felt aggrieved at the treatment they received and were particularly upset at the injuries sustained by Canning's younger brother Joe. However, the hurling board came down heavier on Portumna than they did on Loughrea when handing out suspensions, and this has undoubtedly been a factor in Canning's decision not to return to the county set-up.

A Galway hurling source said: "It looks unlikely that Ollie will be playing next year. Hopefully, he will change his mind and come back but at the moment it looks like he won't be. As of yet, he hasn't been training."

Taken from Hogan Stand



Anyone else besides me think this is a pathetic attitude, IF the reasons that he refuses to play are true? Any opinions?

While looking at the motivational music thread this thought came into my head, has anyone any examples of events where players/managers etc look back on a year after winning an All Ireland/Provincial Title/Club All Ireland and say this incident was the turning point...this is when we knew we were going to do it..etc...like maybe Ger Loughnane in 95, telling his players after the League Final defeat that they would win a Munster Title!!

Just wondering to people buy into that stuff as you will only hear about it when teams win. The cases below i think are examples of incidents that would be blown out of proportion had the results at the end of the year been different.

Example: Had Mayo won the All Ireland this year, id imagine all the talk would have been about them taking up residence in the Hill before they overcame Dublin and this was the psychological turning point that helped them go on and win the All Ireland.

Or my own own personal favourite even Galway man....i didnt witness the incident but heard it from many with a better view, one of our hurlers Thurles this year(wont name him because I didnt see it myself) "laced" John Tennyson as he crossed him after the parade broke up. That didnt work to good as Tennyson had a stormer and the other player in question...well he had something of the opposite.

Any other such stories (mainly successful) of such incidents?

Mayo to unveil O'Mahony

John O Mahony
20 November 2006


After weeks of speculation, John O'Mahony will finally be unveiled as Mayo's new football manager at a press conference on Monday night, November 20.

Mayo county board officials have invited members of the media to the Welcome Inn Hotel in Castlebar to meet Mickey Moran's successor. It is understood that O'Mahony has agreed to take the job, despite running as a Fine Gael candidate in next year's General Election.

The Ballaghadereen clubman has been the board's number one choice since Moran stepped down in acrimonious circumstances last month. O'Mahony previously guided Mayo to an All-Ireland final appearance in 1989 before going on to win a historic Connacht title with Leitrim in 1994.

He subsequently led Galway to All-Ireland glory in 1998 and 2001 and was involved with both Ballaghadereen and St. Brigid's – who have qualified for the Connacht club final – this year.