Ulster Colleges

[twohands!!!]

Abbey winning 16-3 in the mclarnon. They're supposed to be backboned by four masters players so are probably very strong.

Are the schools in the 26, kids a year older?

Nope - same ages.

There used to be a 6 month difference years back that favoured Ulster (all nine from what I recall/not just the six)

[johnnycool]

Abbey winning 16-3 in the mclarnon. They're supposed to be backboned by four masters players so are probably very strong.

Are the schools in the 26, kids a year older?

Nope - same ages.

There used to be a 6 month difference years back that favoured Ulster (all nine from what I recall/not just the six)

I think it's down as an U19 competition but realistically unless someone is doing a resit most upper 6th or whatever it's called now would be U18.5
Could be the same in the 26, I don't know

[Estimator]

Abbey winning 16-3 in the mclarnon. They're supposed to be backboned by four masters players so are probably very strong.

Are the schools in the 26, kids a year older?

Nope - same ages.

There used to be a 6 month difference years back that favoured Ulster (all nine from what I recall/not just the six)

I think it's down as an U19 competition but realistically unless someone is doing a resit most upper 6th or whatever it's called now would be U18.5
Could be the same in the 26, I don't know

Its Under 19 for that reason and they rejigged the playing rules for the MacRory this year, regarding Yr 15 students (Repeat U6th students). 
If you have decided to repeat your final year in secondary school, you can only play MacRory Cup football if you are returning to the same school that you completed the previous 7 years in. Cuts out any school recruiting students/footballers who have left school, but could still play another year of MacRory Cup.

[clarshack]

Abbey winning 16-3 in the mclarnon. They're supposed to be backboned by four masters players so are probably very strong.

Are the schools in the 26, kids a year older?

Nope - same ages.

There used to be a 6 month difference years back that favoured Ulster (all nine from what I recall/not just the six)

can remember Dungannon Academy in 1991 losing players for the Hogan Semi due to a 6 month difference rule.

[imtommygunn]

Maghera lost a few late 90s too. (Plus suspensions from that bug fight too haha)

[Taylor]

Abbey winning 16-3 in the mclarnon. They're supposed to be backboned by four masters players so are probably very strong.

Are the schools in the 26, kids a year older?

Nope - same ages.

There used to be a 6 month difference years back that favoured Ulster (all nine from what I recall/not just the six)

Maybe my mind is playing tricks but I always thought the rule DIDNT favour Ulster teams and they used to lose players when they went to the Hogan

[bennydorano]

Abbey winning 16-3 in the mclarnon. They're supposed to be backboned by four masters players so are probably very strong.

Are the schools in the 26, kids a year older?

Nope - same ages.

There used to be a 6 month difference years back that favoured Ulster (all nine from what I recall/not just the six)

Maybe my mind is playing tricks but I always thought the rule DIDNT favour Ulster teams and they used to lose players when they went to the Hogan

Yes,definitely used to be that way, not sure when it was equalised.

[the_daddy]

MacRory was u18.5 & Hogan was minor for many years but they all when to 18.5 at some stage and I'm not sure when it changed, presumably the 90s. The transition year in the South gives three years in the leaving cert cycle in some cases so this is why there's the perception of them having the year extra.

[ClubScene13]

How heavy are Omagh CBS favoured on Sunday? Are they just edging it or are they expected to win by 4 or 5+?

It's a long time from the Academy made any noise at MacRory, only getting badly beaten in the 2015 final since the great generation from 2008-2011

[barelegs]

How heavy are Omagh CBS favoured on Sunday? Are they just edging it or are they expected to win by 4 or 5+?

It's a long time from the Academy made any noise at MacRory, only getting badly beaten in the 2015 final since the great generation from 2008-2011

Was just thinking about the 2015 final earlier. Academy team had Michael McKernan, Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick, Ciaran Higgins (Armagh) and a number of former county panelists Liam Rafferty, Daniel Kerr, Ryan Coleman and beat a decent Maghera team in the semi final in Ballinderry but didn't turn up for the final.

Omagh probably deserving favourites and have players that have been there and done it. Might be a year early for Dungannon but you never know. This year's Rannafast team would be fancied to make an impression over next two years.

[ClubScene13]

How heavy are Omagh CBS favoured on Sunday? Are they just edging it or are they expected to win by 4 or 5+?

It's a long time from the Academy made any noise at MacRory, only getting badly beaten in the 2015 final since the great generation from 2008-2011

Was just thinking about the 2015 final earlier. Academy team had Michael McKernan, Brian Kennedy, Conn Kilpatrick, Ciaran Higgins (Armagh) and a number of former county panelists Liam Rafferty, Daniel Kerr, Ryan Coleman and beat a decent Maghera team in the semi final in Ballinderry but didn't turn up for the final.

Omagh probably deserving favourites and have players that have been there and done it. Might be a year early for Dungannon but you never know. This year's Rannafast team would be fancied to make an impression over next two years.

I think Paul Donaghy and Armagh's Ben Crealey were on the bench for that team as well. In fairness, most the lads you named were a year young in 2015. It's 2016 were they really missed the boat, losing a semi narrowly to Maghera

[bennydorano]

I think Aidan & Steffan Forker of Maghery both went to the Academy as well, could have been around 08-11 era.

[onefineday]

Abbey winning 16-3 in the mclarnon. They're supposed to be backboned by four masters players so are probably very strong.

Are the schools in the 26, kids a year older?

Nope - same ages.

There used to be a 6 month difference years back that favoured Ulster (all nine from what I recall/not just the six)

Free state secondary only needs to be 5 years after 8 years primary. That was the norm until probably 10-15 years ago, now majority of secondary is 6 years as they include transition year, which is an additional year thrown in to mess around in and find themselves after junior cert and before the leaving cert syllabus starts - seems like great craic tbf

Anyway, long and short of it is that it's now pretty even and we rarely see 16yo Donegal students as college freshers anymore.

!

[ClubScene13]

Omagh's best player a Loughmacrory man for the second year in a row, that's a club making big strides

[Goals_Will_Come]

Omagh's best player a Loughmacrory man for the second year in a row, that's a club making big strides

Omagh's best player is an Omagh man. Callum Daly at Centre Half Back is their best player followed by Ruairi McCullagh, Charlie Donnelly, Eoin Donaghy and Nathan Farry, strong argument could be made that he was also their best player last year. McElholm certainly had the biggest reputation last year but their were a number of players who outperformed him over the course of the season - Owens, Daly, McCullagh, Donnelly, Donaghy, Farry all had better campaigns.