Messages

Kelly was one of the prototype modern foraging/defensive half forwards. He could run all day, mark, tackle, dig out possession, pass and take a score. I remember one a la Maurice Fitz against Kildare in Croke Park, with the outside of the foot from 45 metres out on the right wing. Better than Maurice's because Kelly was in full flight. () Man of the Match (maybe not officially) in 1999 AIF. See Dooher, Galvin, O'Rourke, etc.

   
Cake Curran                     Currant Cake

What impressed me any time I've seen him is that he always appears to have time and space and to me thats the sign of a good player. 

Exactly. He seems to have everything really - great balance,  ball skill, change of pace and strong as well for such a young lad.

Breaking news ... when approached by police a suspect in the case ran into a local confectioners and attempted to hide in a large vat of eggs, flour and sugar. A man is in custardy.

Jinxy - I agree about Byrne. If he delivers against Dublin, then maybe we have the new Evan Kelly. I also agree with Claw that Reilly's job is not to be a CHF, but to Mark Cullen.

What's the Dublin view about Connolly? I've only seen him once (on TV against Tyrone in the floodlit league match) and he looked a special player to me – the first really exciting new Dublin player in many years. Why is he not sure of his place? I saw somewhere that his club form hasn't been good. Is it just that he's a bit young yet and the weight of expectation is too high? Is he as good as he looked to me?

Thanks, LS.

why on earth would you not wait until Saturday evening when all the info will be clear?

The only reason I'd do it (did it this week on Meath at 11/4 with PP) is if I think an early price is very good value and I want to get on in case it attracts a lot of money and disappears fast. (I see PP is down to 9/4 this morning). I know Darren Fay, Moyles and the whole full forward line could get the summer vomiting bug and it wouldn't be value any more, but I suppose all those risks are factored into whether you think the early price is good value, even though it's more of a gamble than a bet five minutes before throw-in. 

Downredandblack did you just ring up and ask or do you know someone or what?

Just ring up - Declan gave the number earlier in this thread. Upper Hogan and Canal tickets were still available this afternoon, so they may still be. One of our travelling party got four, not knowing that we should have four coming from the home club. If we are double-ticketed I will have spares for anyone here who wants up to four. I won't be sure until Saturday, though.

Seanie - PPower is going 5/6 for Meath +3.

I can't see any match betting up on Ladbrokes site and the special bets seem to have gone too. All I can see is the outright betting for the All-Ireland. Am I looking in the wrong place?

Sorry AZ – I didn't make myself clear. What I meant was that I expect FF to form a government, but that I think it has now become more likely that it will be with Cowen as Taoiseach, because anyone sitting down to deal with FF may be forced, by media pressure and the fear of what will come out at the tribunal, to make that a condition.

Lads - just to clarify - I started this thread as a discussion on the square ball rule and whether it's time to review or scrap it. I took the discussuion off the Armagh v. Donegal thread for that purpose. The question of the contents of Hearty's shorts or whether Sunday's goal should stand is neither here nor there in this discussion.

Does every thread have to become a discussion about Armagh?

Should Cork, for instance, be similarily divided?

If Dublin is to have an extra team, then to preserve the mathematical symmetry of the number 32, Cork should be abolished. If it's to be two extra teams in Dublin, abolish Cork twice.

What do you Meath lads think your line up will be??

MY guess is it'll be the team that started against Kildare, with Geraghty in for Farrell.

Murphy
Harrington Fay McKeigue
Kenny Moyles King
M.Ward Crawford
McLoughlin Reilly Byrne
Bray Geraghty Sheridan

He's a buffoon, no doubt, and his blustering outrage that another journalist has an agenda is laughably ironic. But he has Fintan O'Toole taped. "Let him waffle away for another two hours"

Loved it.

Declan, AZ I don't think they'll get away with "this is a matter for FF" and go ahead negotiating government with Bertie when the media are jumping all over it and "stable government" is the catchphrase du jour. I think Bogball is right – FG are already issuing statements, Labour are waiting to consider what yesterday means when they read the papers(!) and even Finian McGrath was on this morning saying 5-year stability was everything to him and implying that an unresolved accusation hanging over Bertie was not conducive to going into government with him.

Maybe it's possible for Bertie's counsel to request the tribunal (if they're still talking to him!) in the national interest, to bring Bertie's cross-examination forward so that it can be dealt with before the Dáil is due to meet. Then all that's needed is for Bertie to come up with a story.

Well put AZ. I agree completely - exactly as I saw it.