Hastings Cup 2016 - Now back to normal

[Syferus]

How can you claim to have the edge in sweetness?

For us the Dempsey and Duffy years at U21 were very disappointing. There was plenty of players there too but they played like total strangers.

Not too familiar with current U21s but some I do know and I think they can play senior which is what it is all about imo. I m talking about Regan X2, Coen, Burke and Gallagher anyway and maybe others that I ve not seen much of.

Larry gave Gallagher rave reviews and no doubt he is top prospect. If I may be permitted a caveat it is that Adam Gallagher is a serious athlete - seriously good cross country runner - and at this time of year would show most players up. If the gap is as wide later in the year is another thing. But the half forward line on the senior team has an opening for that kind of player. Some of the others I mentioned may have to wait a while for a cut at senior because they re operating in the same positions as likes of Keegan and Boyle. Those boys will take shifting but the competition can only be good for us.

Evan has declined an invitation to get involved with the seniors recently.

Mayo will be at home on a high after winning the minor AI and i'd say you will be favourites with bookies. Gallagher was also good at schools level last year if you want to read into that.

I wonder why he declined?

Winners of Connacht should make the AI final again. Who that will be is a lottery between Ros, Mayo and Galway. It'll come down to attitude on the day as there's little between the panels in terms of talent.

Steady on.

While the Connacht U-21 championship will have three AI contenders the winner has to face Munster champs which could be Tipp containing plenty of their 2011 AI minor team.

On another note the teams that bet us the last four years have gone on to win the U-21 AI, couldn't happen for a 5th year in a row could it?

Nah, we'll just win it ourselves this time.

Were Roscommon or Mayo to run the hard yards in Connacht only to lose the very next day it'd be a big disappointment.

[moysider]

How can you claim to have the edge in sweetness?

For us the Dempsey and Duffy years at U21 were very disappointing. There was plenty of players there too but they played like total strangers.

Not too familiar with current U21s but some I do know and I think they can play senior which is what it is all about imo. I m talking about Regan X2, Coen, Burke and Gallagher anyway and maybe others that I ve not seen much of.

Larry gave Gallagher rave reviews and no doubt he is top prospect. If I may be permitted a caveat it is that Adam Gallagher is a serious athlete - seriously good cross country runner - and at this time of year would show most players up. If the gap is as wide later in the year is another thing. But the half forward line on the senior team has an opening for that kind of player. Some of the others I mentioned may have to wait a while for a cut at senior because they re operating in the same positions as likes of Keegan and Boyle. Those boys will take shifting but the competition can only be good for us.

Evan has declined an invitation to get involved with the seniors recently.

Mayo will be at home on a high after winning the minor AI and i'd say you will be favourites with bookies. Gallagher was also good at schools level last year if you want to read into that.

I wonder why he declined?

Declined?

He was not minor last year. Colleges a different age. Not sure how you mean he declined?

Gallagher is U21 again next year, as is Sean Regan, Cian Burke and Coen has 2 years left at this level. And I think they are all serious footballers. For what it s worth, Seanie Regan is a serious hurler as well. FF on Mayo team at 18yrs of age.
Winners of Connacht should make the AI final again. Who that will be is a lottery between Ros, Mayo and Galway. It'll come down to attitude on the day as there's little between the panels in terms of talent.

Steady on.

While the Connacht U-21 championship will have three AI contenders the winner has to face Munster champs which could be Tipp containing plenty of their 2011 AI minor team.

On another note the teams that bet us the last four years have gone on to win the U-21 AI, couldn't happen for a 5th year in a row could it?

[larryin89]

My post has as per been all sensationalised by my neighbours .

I praised Gallagher for his performance and am not shy at airing my opinion I've held since he was a minor , that he has the potential to be a future senior star .

Moysider, I was not aware of his cross country talent but that is a fair point you make with that . There is just something about him that I really like , I can't really pinpoint it exactly but apart from his talent, he comes across as mentally strong, it's early days in his career and it would be ridiculous for someone like me who has only seen him play a handful of times to make bold predictions but sure that's my character , I'm a bit ridiculous and I say he's the next Ciaran mac.

Now in response to the noisy neighbours who were in like rockets to shout me down, where did I say we were unbeatable at this grade or anything like it ? All I said was I think it's important we stop this losing streak at 21s and I'd like it if we won Connacht .

That's hardly saying we are an unstoppable machine as that's the spin you put on my post.

[ross4life]

Declined?

He was not minor last year. Colleges a different age. Not sure how you mean he declined?

Gallagher is U21 again next year, as is Sean Regan, Cian Burke and Coen has 2 years left at this level. And I think they are all serious footballers. For what it s worth, Seanie Regan is a serious hurler as well. FF on Mayo team at 18yrs of age.

I was wondering why Evan Regan declined not Gallagher.

[Syferus]

Declined?

He was not minor last year. Colleges a different age. Not sure how you mean he declined?

Gallagher is U21 again next year, as is Sean Regan, Cian Burke and Coen has 2 years left at this level. And I think they are all serious footballers. For what it s worth, Seanie Regan is a serious hurler as well. FF on Mayo team at 18yrs of age.

I was wondering why Evan Regan declined not Gallagher.

Didn't Jam have to drop him in July last year because the Mayo coutny board wanted him to trim the panel?

That'd sour any player on a county set-up. Probably doesn't want to set himself up doing 8 months of training only to be dropped from the panel in the middle of the championship.

[moysider]

Declined?

He was not minor last year. Colleges a different age. Not sure how you mean he declined?

Gallagher is U21 again next year, as is Sean Regan, Cian Burke and Coen has 2 years left at this level. And I think they are all serious footballers. For what it s worth, Seanie Regan is a serious hurler as well. FF on Mayo team at 18yrs of age.

I was wondering why Evan Regan declined not Gallagher.

Didn't Jam have to drop him in July last year because the Mayo coutny board wanted him to trim the panel?

That'd sour any player on a county set-up. Probably doesn't want to set himself up doing 8 months of training only to be dropped from the panel in the middle of the championship.

Yeah. Something like that anyway. At least I think that was the explanation given to the player.

[Crete Boom]

Declined?

He was not minor last year. Colleges a different age. Not sure how you mean he declined?

Gallagher is U21 again next year, as is Sean Regan, Cian Burke and Coen has 2 years left at this level. And I think they are all serious footballers. For what it s worth, Seanie Regan is a serious hurler as well. FF on Mayo team at 18yrs of age.

I was wondering why Evan Regan declined not Gallagher.

Didn't Jam have to drop him in July last year because the Mayo coutny board wanted him to trim the panel?

That'd sour any player on a county set-up. Probably doesn't want to set himself up doing 8 months of training only to be dropped from the panel in the middle of the championship.

Yeah. Something like that anyway. At least I think that was the explanation given to the player.

Evan had a hugely frustrating year for him last year (being young and inpatient ) but I think him focusing on the U21's is a good mature choice given his knee problems over the last couple of years and could be a brilliant move in developing his undoubted talent.

I notice Sean Regan getting good reviews and he stood out for me last year for the the club especially when we were being hammered by Mitchels where he gave Tom Cuniffe a torrid time of it in the second half. He will be a big loss to the Mayo hurlers in the league this year should the U21's do well . 2-8 from play in his debut against Armagh last year he looks like he could even take the mantle of top dog in the small ball from Higgins but will probably end up concentrating more on the big ball this year.

[larryin89]

When that Sean Regan played county minor in 2012, wasnt he a forw
ard player?

[Crete Boom]

When that Sean Regan played county minor in 2012, wasnt he a forw
ard player?

Yeah he was a half forward and played half forward for the club the last two years too.

[moysider]

When that Sean Regan played county minor in 2012, wasnt he a forw
ard player?

Yeah he was a half forward and played half forward for the club the last two years too.

I ve always had a problem with young players being pigeonholed. There are Mayo county coaches out there that dont rate Kevin McLoughlin outside his own 45 because of where he played as a kid.

Horseshit of the highest order of course.

I m delighted this management are giving Seanie Regan this role. There is still the possibility he could end up as a midfielder at this level. He s been unlucky with injury. Broke leg in first minor year and was just getting into it and havin a blinder in minor semi v Meath when a clash of heads with Lavin cost us the match and a decent chance in the final. I m confident this development will work out. If there was a criticism of him in the forwards, it was that he tried to play football it like a Shefflin or a Canning. Bursting through big tackles and hits and going for his own finish.

[nippycornerman]

Surely the position a player is selected in is influenced as much by what the team needs as much as his personal best position.
This is particularly the position at club level where talented wing/corner men are often deployed in central positions. The history of football is full of players who changed position, often radically, at various times throughout their careers.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Adam Gallagher is a huge prospect and I would not be surprised to see him start in the half-forward line for Mayo this summer.

There's some collection of forwards to choose from for that U-21 squad: Evan Regan, James Shaughnessy, Conor O'Shea, Adam Gallagher, Diarmuid O'Connor, Brian Heneghan from Moy Davitts, Tommy Conroy, Liam Irwin, Conor Loftus, Michael Plunkett, Darren Duffy, Kevin Gibbons from Louisburgh, Gareth O'Donnell. I could be forgetting players there too. They'll have some job picking six from there. Two of them may end up at midfield. Probably talking two from O'Shea, Gallagher, O'Connor and O'Donnell.

Defensively I'm not as sure how strong we are but the half-back line from the weekend of Sean Regan (another forward option), Stephen Coen and Cian Burke is strong and very attacking minded. Add in the likes of Mitchels' Patrick Durcan, Mayo Gaels' Kevin Lynch (a young Keith Higgins in the making) and Conor Horan (a fine minor from my memory). There could be plenty more I'm not thinking of here too. Aidan Butler from Claremorris is another one. Very strong U-21 team at our disposal this year.

[Rossfan]

I'm scared sh1tless already 

[GalwayBayBoy]

I'm sure it will be a very high standard in Connacht again this year. I know ourselves have most of last year's All-Ireland winning team back and the 2011 minors were unlucky to lose to Dublin in the semi-final that year. There will be 3 good teams again and even a little thing like whoever has home advantage could swing it for someone on a given day. From our perspective they certainly have the talent to go all the way and win it again but I would be slightly concerned that after winning it last year they will drop their levels a small bit. Even doing so by 5% could be the difference between winning and losing a game.

[RedandGreenSniper]

I'd agree. All three times will be closely matched. In most other years each county would be strong favourites on their own but the quality of the three county's Under 21 teams this year is very high. Some standard in Connacht.