NFL DIV3

[Maguire01]

upon what is everybody so sure Down will get promoted?

Note sure, but they would appear to be one of the strongest. How many teams in this Division would be likely to beat Tyrone in the Championship, for example?

[armaghniac]

How many teams in this Division would be likely to beat Tyrone in the Championship, for example?

Sligo do that all the time. 

[Rossfan]

Will many of ye travel to the Hyde on Sunday AZ? .

There's a chance it may have to be moved to Kiltoom I hear.
Wherever this will be a test for us and a vital one to get 2 points from.
We've had a few exciting tussles with the Biffs in recent years in the NFL and I suspect we'll get plenty of it off them on Sunday.
As long as we dont go around thinking we're back to where we belong after recent FBD performances we should prevail. Anyway I can't see  Fergie letting lads get ideas about themselves so we should continue to see a spirited Ros team firmly grounded in reality.

[Maguire01]

How many teams in this Division would be likely to beat Tyrone in the Championship, for example?

Sligo do that all the time. 

'All the time' is probably overstating it a bit!
And anyway, Sligo are Division 4.

[AFS]

Down's defence is shocking, and has been for some time. This is why they'll always be vulnerable to getting turned over by teams they really should beat. I think I'm right in saying that they'll be missing Dan Gordon for at least part of this league campaign, so that added to the continued absence of Ambrose Rodgers means they'll not have their first choice midfield available for at least a few games.

On paper they should come out on top of this group but I wouldn't be surprised to see them lose any of their games, even against Tipp this weekend.

[Louth Exile]

To my mind this year's Div 3 is a lower class to last year's, Wexford and Fermanagh both had a very serious year. Even if you look at the bottom end of the table Sligo would typically provide most teams with tougher opposition that Tipp. For what its worth here is my stab at the placings.

1. Down - Although AFS made some very good points to oppose the 2/1 favourites on paper I still feel that they have both class and history on their side.
2. An Lu - I will elaborate in full
3. Cavan - Having seen 3/4 of Cavan's games last year I felt that they competed very strongly against top opposition for 60 mins and then just fell away in the last ten. They have the ability and I feel Carr was a very positive appointment, particularly in the fashion in which it was done. There will be great relief in the whole of the county that the last man is gone! They will up their game from last year and I feel the Louth v Cavan game in Drogheda could be a crucial one. I even heard a rumour that Larry Reilly is in flying form!!
4. Limerick - certainly have the potential to take points off any of these teams, but nailed on for a mid table finish I feel
5. Roscommon - A lot of people talking them up. Personally I feel that the set up has been so bad in the past and that they have so far to come from that this will not be year. They were in an awful mess and things will only get better for them
6. Offaly - As Breheny points out, surprising to see them second favourites!! I think they still have enough to stay up, but Mc Namee in OZ is huge IMHO, to my mind a whole class apart from the rest of the team and a player that doesn't get the credit nationally that he deserves.
7. Longford - big task for Ryan, really needs some first year impetus!
8. Tipp- Everyone else is writing them off, why should I be any different!

Maybe the Rose tinted glasses are affecting my decision but I have already backed Louth e/w with Boyles at 8/1 (1/3 the odds first two) LS only priced them at 6/1 and I just think that 8/1 is a massive price. The management is putting massive focus on the league this year, as ML already mentioned we have three key men that will be coming back in. We really are set up to get off to a flyer, but very importantly, I don't think that the fixture list could have fell any better for us! Of the three away games, Newry is closer to most in North Louth than Drogheda! Tipp away is definitely winnable. Tullamore is not much of a trek either and there should be decent travelling support that day, I think the result will be largely influenced by whether jeckle or hyde turns up for the biffs.

[umpire]

Forecast for Div 3 this weekend.


Roscommon v Offaly.. Roscommon
Longford v Cavan.. Cavan
Louth v Limerick... Limerick
Tipperary v Down.. Down

[pedro]

Fcuk off umpire 

My predictions for this week:
Roscommon
Cavan
Louth
Down

[armaghniac]

Maybe the Rose tinted glasses are affecting my decision but I have already backed Louth e/w with Boyles at 8/1 (1/3 the odds first two)

Louth e/w seems a reasonable bet at those odds, I have Louth and Cavan e/w, one or other of them should be in the top two.

[mylestheslasher]

To my mind this year's Div 3 is a lower class to last year's, Wexford and Fermanagh both had a very serious year. Even if you look at the bottom end of the table Sligo would typically provide most teams with tougher opposition that Tipp. For what its worth here is my stab at the placings.

1. Down - Although AFS made some very good points to oppose the 2/1 favourites on paper I still feel that they have both class and history on their side.
2. An Lu - I will elaborate in full
3. Cavan - Having seen 3/4 of Cavan's games last year I felt that they competed very strongly against top opposition for 60 mins and then just fell away in the last ten. They have the ability and I feel Carr was a very positive appointment, particularly in the fashion in which it was done. There will be great relief in the whole of the county that the last man is gone! They will up their game from last year and I feel the Louth v Cavan game in Drogheda could be a crucial one. I even heard a rumour that Larry Reilly is in flying form!!
4. Limerick - certainly have the potential to take points off any of these teams, but nailed on for a mid table finish I feel
5. Roscommon - A lot of people talking them up. Personally I feel that the set up has been so bad in the past and that they have so far to come from that this will not be year. They were in an awful mess and things will only get better for them
6. Offaly - As Breheny points out, surprising to see them second favourites!! I think they still have enough to stay up, but Mc Namee in OZ is huge IMHO, to my mind a whole class apart from the rest of the team and a player that doesn't get the credit nationally that he deserves.
7. Longford - big task for Ryan, really needs some first year impetus!
8. Tipp- Everyone else is writing them off, why should I be any different!

Maybe the Rose tinted glasses are affecting my decision but I have already backed Louth e/w with Boyles at 8/1 (1/3 the odds first two) LS only priced them at 6/1 and I just think that 8/1 is a massive price. The management is putting massive focus on the league this year, as ML already mentioned we have three key men that will be coming back in. We really are set up to get off to a flyer, but very importantly, I don't think that the fixture list could have fell any better for us! Of the three away games, Newry is closer to most in North Louth than Drogheda! Tipp away is definitely winnable. Tullamore is not much of a trek either and there should be decent travelling support that day, I think the result will be largely influenced by whether jeckle or hyde turns up for the biffs.

Cavan beat Wexford in a challenge last weekend by 6 points and the bold Larry supposedly scored 4/5 points from play. Not sure if he'll start many games but I expect super sub appearances from him.

[mattockranger]

I think Cavan have huge potential!

there forward line could look like

10 martin reilly
11 Michael Lyng/ronan flanagan
12 Cian Mackey
13 Paddy Gummley
14 Seanie Johnston
15 Jason o'Reilly

they boost huge scoring potential

with Gerald pearson mark mckeever, Eddie o'reilly, larry reilly as a sub also and dermot Mccabe still worthy of a place

Along with a strong midfield of lorcan mulvey an improving michael mcdonald and Nicholas Walsh playing good football supplying them ball i can see them doing alot of damage

Down for me have too many question marks surrounding their team, management and style of play mixed with an arrogant attitude that they have a divine right to be in a higher division makes them vulnerable. they have 4 long treks also so they are poor value as favourites for this group.

Roscommon for me show alot of potential also with a youthful enthusiaism under fergal o'donnell they will want to undo their previous seasons woes and make their county respectable again
and they have good players to do it.


With league football a good start is half the battle get the points on the board early relieves the pressure especially in Div3 where relegation pressure is most felt!!

[cavan4sam]

Mattock, although you have some knowledge of the Cavan panel, you are a bit mislead by your information, Michael McDonald is not on the Cavan panel this year and Lorcan Mulvey done his hamstring in the first McKenna Cup game. The midfield for Cavan on Sunday will be Nicholas Walsh and Ciaran Galligan. In the forwards Gerald Pierson is in great form and will be a definite starter, Johnston should play if fully recovered from injury, looked good in second half against Louth, I think McKeever will probably start at half forward, its very hard to call the Cavan team as so many of them were tied up with college teams and its difficult to know whether he will put them in or play the lads from the McKenna Cup. Ronan Flanagan will hopefully be used in the half back line this year.

[mattockranger]

Galligan i forgot about him...also playing well...why is mcdonald not on the panel
Flanagan was the real dissapointment for me on sunday was poor at half back and got himself sent off not convincing at all

Are you as a cavan fan confident of promotion?

[cavan4sam]

I wouldn't say confident of promotion but Cavan should be there or thereabouts, I don't see anyone that much stronger than Cavan in the division.

Flanagan is a clubmate of mine and believe me that was probably the worst game ive seen him play, he is an outstanding player and his best position is definitely in the half back line, I would say CHB but some feel he is a little small for there.

Michael McDonald left the Cavan panel last year after the Armagh game where he started was taken off and put back on again. He wasn't considered this year. Mick wouldn't be the most committed man on a panel and is fairly fond of the black stuff.

[bridgegael]

I think Cavan have huge potential!

there forward line could look like

10 martin reilly
11 Michael Lyng/ronan flanagan
12 Cian Mackey
13 Paddy Gummley
14 Seanie Johnston
15 Jason o'Reilly

they boost huge scoring potential

with Gerald pearson mark mckeever, Eddie o'reilly, larry reilly as a sub also and dermot Mccabe still worthy of a place

Along with a strong midfield of lorcan mulvey an improving michael mcdonald and Nicholas Walsh playing good football supplying them ball i can see them doing alot of damage

Down for me have too many question marks surrounding their team, management and style of play mixed with an arrogant attitude that they have a divine right to be in a higher division makes them vulnerable. they have 4 long treks also so they are poor value as favourites for this group.

Roscommon for me show alot of potential also with a youthful enthusiaism under fergal o'donnell they will want to undo their previous seasons woes and make their county respectable again
and they have good players to do it.


With league football a good start is half the battle get the points on the board early relieves the pressure especially in Div3 where relegation pressure is most felt!!

what is this based on??