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Is football actually better after all this? No defending. Huge scores. Big deficits. Very few games going down to the wire. I'm not convinced at all.

I agree. It's been a tough watch so far. Tap and go was the only one we needed and possibly the 3 men up if they were adamant that they wanted more space in the forward line. The 2 pointer in particular is a blight on the game.

MR2 might have an explanation for this one?

During the Antrim v Armagh game Jarly Og Burns was tackle around the halfway line just after he played the ball in the first half.
The ref allowed play to continue and didn't signal he was playing advantage. Armagh continued to attack and Soupy Campbell was fouled with a clear push in the back around the 21m line.
The ref then went back and booked the Antrim player for the earlier tackle and Burns, and gave Armagh a free from the spot of that foul.

Given that play had continued why didn't Armagh have the free from where the second clear foul took place? This would've given them a tap over free rather than a feee from the middle of the pitch?

I was watching the match in a bar overseas with no commentary so I'm not sure if this was explained at the time on air.

[for a big man he's on the floor a lot]

Both players were going for the ball, honestly, and Burns came off worse, 50 50 ball.

The yellow the Antrim lad got was for being tackled after the ball was played, I'm not giving a black card for that as he was late, not deliberately taking him down, I'm fact in that incident it was his lineman that brought it to his attention as he didn't put the hand up to give advantage, for a big man he's on the floor a lot

So you think he was diving?

I said, and instead of putting words in my mouth, for a big lad he's on the floor a lot.

He gets fouled a lot also.

[for a big man he's on the floor a lot]

Both players were going for the ball, honestly, and Burns came off worse, 50 50 ball.

The yellow the Antrim lad got was for being tackled after the ball was played, I'm not giving a black card for that as he was late, not deliberately taking him down, I'm fact in that incident it was his lineman that brought it to his attention as he didn't put the hand up to give advantage, for a big man he's on the floor a lot

So you think he was diving?

That is not a strong Armagh 15 on the field at the moment.

Not great depth then?

You could argue winning by 11 points shows quite a decent level of depth considering the turnover of players from last year.

That is not a strong Armagh 15 on the field at the moment.

Not great depth then?

If it was the first team score would have been much higher.

Aye, and if your granny had balls she'd be your granda.

If Antrim can be in front for 35 plus minutes then regardless of what team Armagh put out, if they play anywhere near that they'll have a shorter summer than last year

A shorter summer than last year? Unless they go back to back, which no Ulster team has done since 1961, they yes, you'll be proven correct. Well done.

Is bayinder or heaton any better.

Literally anything would be better than that fella. See Blaine Hughes named on the bench for the weekend he would do a job at United.

Something like Onana then? Lol
Let's be honest though, as decent as Blaine is he's far off the level of a professional soccer goalkeeper. He'd struggle for a game at an Irish League club.

You know that's shite though.

Is bayinder or heaton any better.

Literally anything would be better than that fella. See Blaine Hughes named on the bench for the weekend he would do a job at United.

Let's be honest though, as decent as Blaine is he's far off the level of a professional soccer goalkeeper. He'd struggle for a game at an Irish League club.

What about the disallowed goal? Mental decision from var. No evidence to overturn that at all. Obviously might have got Celtic a point although I thought Hibs should have had a penalty too tbf.

Seemed pretty clear that the ball had crossed the line.

Jarleth in bother now hes going to have to sort out the domestic abuse in Crossmolina now... let's see how it plays out.

Haven't heard anything about this?

The competition needs Omagh CBS so last night left a sour taste.
Maybe a retrospective ban of the large amalgamated team could be in order.

It needs them?

They're an intermediate team. Why should they be forced to play in a reserve leave which, as things stand, they would be much too good for

I don't want them to play in a reserve league. If you read my comments on this topic I've always advocated for seconds teams being able to play in the All County League set up if that's what their club wants to do.
I've said they should play in a revamped reserve championship as they are reserve teams. Whether they play intermediate at present, or not, they're still a reserve team. My reference to the junior championship was not CE specific, obviously.

I know you're not having a go at CE. But if they played a reserve championship where is the scope for improvement? Win the reserve championship year in year out? I hate does that achieve? I can see where the junior teams are coming from but let's be honest, it's not CE or cross who have been stopping teams like Lissummon or whoever from winning junior championships

In fairness to Lissummon, and as much as I disagree with the exact proposal they came up with, they haven't completely stopped seconds teams from competing in the junior championship. I'm sure if they pushed to do so they would have got some support from numerous other clubs.
I also don't think junior clubs are blaming seconds teams for any lack of success they may have had. Lissummon's proposal was an attempt to limit the junior championship to a reasonable number of teams given the rumours of the possible addition of 4 or 5 new seconds teams.

Let's be honest, if CE or Cross were able to field a 2nds team capable of challenging at senior level you'd still have people saying they should play in a "reserve team only" championship. (I know the above scenario may not be permissible under current rules but you get the gist).

It wouldn't change my view. If I currently don't want them competing in the junior or intermediate then I certainly wouldn't want a reserve team competing in the senior championship.

They're an intermediate team. Why should they be forced to play in a reserve leave which, as things stand, they would be much too good for

I don't want them to play in a reserve league. If you read my comments on this topic I've always advocated for seconds teams being able to play in the All County League set up if that's what their club wants to do.
I've said they should play in a revamped reserve championship as they are reserve teams. Whether they play intermediate at present, or not, they're still a reserve team. My reference to the junior championship was not CE specific, obviously.

My club is Clann Eireann. I'm a bit biased but I don't see a reason to change it as it is.
As it happens, I won a reserve championship, of B as it was back then, many years ago and enjoyed it. Had I had the chance to play in the junior league and championship, I would have bit your arm off for it. People saying a junior championship doesn't mean that much to a senior club are mistaken.

There had to be a change given there was talk of an additional 4 or 5 seconds teams entering the league and championship. The junior championship already had 17 teams last year, increasing that to 20+ teams would be ridiculous. Lissummon's proposal wouldn't be the change I'd have opted for, but it was passed fair and square. For as long as we link the leagues and championship structures, then the addition of a junior B championship for the teams in the junior B league might have been a better solution than the convoluted one we've ended up with.

I take your point about junior championship success meaning something to a senior club, but your sentence makes my point for me i.e. a senior club competing in a junior championship. A reserve championship that caters for reserve teams is the logical solution.
I've no doubt the lads who win a junior championship are delighted when it happens, but there's no way it means as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as a club to win a junior championship, in comparison to Clady, Mullabrack or Corrinshego.

CE are a senior club. CE seconds aren't a senior team

Yes, they're the reserve team of a senior club. Junior championship in my opinion should be for junior clubs and reserve championship for reserve teams. I don't blame the clubs who enter seconds teams by the way. The rules are there and clear for everybody.

My club is Clann Eireann. I'm a bit biased but I don't see a reason to change it as it is.
As it happens, I won a reserve championship, of B as it was back then, many years ago and enjoyed it. Had I had the chance to play in the junior league and championship, I would have bit your arm off for it. People saying a junior championship doesn't mean that much to a senior club are mistaken.

There had to be a change given there was talk of an additional 4 or 5 seconds teams entering the league and championship. The junior championship already had 17 teams last year, increasing that to 20+ teams would be ridiculous. Lissummon's proposal wouldn't be the change I'd have opted for, but it was passed fair and square. For as long as we link the leagues and championship structures, then the addition of a junior B championship for the teams in the junior B league might have been a better solution than the convoluted one we've ended up with.

I take your point about junior championship success meaning something to a senior club, but your sentence makes my point for me i.e. a senior club competing in a junior championship. A reserve championship that caters for reserve teams is the logical solution.
I've no doubt the lads who win a junior championship are delighted when it happens, but there's no way it means as much to Cross or Clann Eireann as a club to win a junior championship, in comparison to Clady, Mullabrack or Corrinshego.