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#1

GAA Discussion / Re: Joe Brolly

Last post by From the Bunker - Today at 04:43:00 PM

He wrote an article the week before the league final saying it would be a success if Derry get within 6 points of this amazing Dublin team. Since then he's made a few comments that it's only the league. Then on his podcast last week he said he'll support those Derry lads no matter what as they are giving everything for the jersey, it's just Mickey Harte he doesn't like, but a few months ago he was saying no Derry player is good enough to start the Dublin team. The quality just isn't there and processed football can only get you so far.

From a football point of view he wants nothing more than Dublin to hammer everyone and he can then somehow link it to Pat Gilroy.

As a Dungiven man I find it very hard to listen to him these days. He is a walking contradiction. He's not stupid and I suppose he is staying relevant as we are talking about him so he's probably achieving what he set out to do.

I struggle to listen to Brolly anymore too. Used to enjoy him but he comes across now as slightly unhinged. Uses his platforms to target those who he hates incl Derry players and strikes me as a man who is content when Derry lose, he's not a real supporter. It's pretty clear to me of those who he targets have all one thing in common, he's highly jealous of them. He only ever has one objective and that is to make everything about him!!

That last podcast annoyed my head and I usually like the podcasts. I'm 100% a GAA man 1st and foremost but the constant it's nothing unless the GAA do it is bollox. My lads go to the local soccer club and they're very much a community club and do a lot for the people in the area and are absolutely delighted that they had a load of lads and girls from the surrounding GAA clubs playing with them.
He hadn't even the humility to check the history of the people he mentioned in it. "Do you think Gary Neville and David Beckham give a shit about Man Utd after they left them?" No wonder people from other sports don't like the GAA

Yeah its cringeworthy stuff from Brolly.

Why cant we say how great one sport is without having to run down another.

Unless its rugby just to wind them up haha.

My kids play a multiple of sports. Soccer and Gaelic football is naturally the biggest cross over of players in the area. Both clubs are parish Clubs. Both are mainly supplied by the 3 Schools in our area. We have kids from the different schools meeting up 4 times a week from training and Matches for both codes. This builds huge familiarity, bonding and friendship. Exposure to matches in both codes brings on fitness, match confidence and skill. There are naturally parents and players that might prefer one over the other, but we generally work well together. There are also multiple cross over of Coaches. Both Facebook pages regularly acknowledge achievements of the other. After all we are really just pouring praise on ourselves.

Anyone I find you tries to belittle the other is missing the whole spirit of sport and how it can galvanise pride in where you come from (or where you live).

 

#2

GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Senior football cha...

Last post by Armagh18 - Today at 04:38:47 PM

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

Armagh will have failed agreed, Armagh will continue to fail until the County Board grows a set and get rid of McGeeney but they aren't devaluing it.  Who's these fans devaluing it two people on a discussion board, most counties would love to win Ulster, doubt Fermanagh, Antrim and Monaghan are sitting there thinking as sure it means nothing.

Would be a failure for Armagh not to reach the Ulster final. Derry will be strong favourites to win the final should they reach it.  Armagh comfortably bounced back to Div 1 and in 2025 will be their 4th year in the last 5 years to play in Div 1 and the last two years they reached the All Ireland quarter final only losing out on penalty shootouts.

Would another manager have got much more out of Armagh than McGeeney has? I highly doubt it when you consider Armagh haven't won U20/21 Ulster title since 2007 and U17/18 Ulster title since 2009 plus club football especially Crossmaglen hasn't been as strong as they use to be.

theres an opinion within Armagh that we have left behind an Ulster and at least one AISF in the last 2 years due to the negative tactics we have seen. So maybe another manager might, and I stress might, have achieved more than McGeeney. Or we could have got thumped in all those games

It's a tough one for me. I think Geezer deserves a lot of credit for building a strong squad with 23/24 players who I would consider all to be good inter county footballers albeit without too many superstars.

That said I think he also deserves criticism for an ultra conservative approach to games against good teams. Is that because

a he doesn't think Armagh are good enough to go toe to toe with a big team.

B Armagh are not good enough and he's trying to cover weaknesses

Or

C He lacks the ability to take Armagh to the next level.

For me the jury is still out. I would love to see us really go for teams with a fast flowing direct style of attack that we showed in some games over the last three years (Dublin at Croke Park for example). That way I think Armagh and Geezer could be fairly analysed.

I definitely agree with the last sentence. If we play that style of football and lose-  a la Roscommon in Laois a few years ago - I could take it. Its the likes of the Monaghan game last year and Donegal a couple weeks ago which really irritate me

Yeah 100%, been saying that for a while now.

#3

GAA Discussion / Re: Leinster Senior football c...

Last post by Captain Scarlet - Today at 04:35:00 PM

There is a lot of back and forth re Dublin who I think we should all admit would dominate any province. They are dominating the All-Ireland long enough so it's fair to say their depth would manage Ulster too.

But, that doesn't excuse Kildare and Meath especially. They should be up and around Div 1 or solid Div 2. I know lads are saying when we are waiting to be hammered in Leinster it breeds a bad vibe, but the league is something different and Kildare were annihilated by Cork and Derry last year. That is not excuseable.

There will be a reset and some fresh blood on the pitch and on the line next year, but the Dubs are going nowhere!

#4

GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Senior football cha...

Last post by tbrick18 - Today at 04:29:55 PM

This site is making the over projection of a Derry v Armagh final. I rather literally take it one game at a time, this Saturday could see us out on our ass very handy,

100%
I've been saying all along, Donegal could knock us out in the first round.
I'd love to see us win another Ulster - but if we get beaten on Saturday it wouldn't be a huge shock.
Donegal were in the final 2 years ago and we just beat them.

#5

General discussion / Re: The Official Golf Thread

Last post by Dag Dog - Today at 04:19:42 PM

It's a bit like the situation over whether McIlroy would represent Ireland or Britain in the Olympics!

#6

GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Senior football cha...

Last post by Mario - Today at 04:11:34 PM

This site is making the over projection of a Derry v Armagh final. I rather literally take it one game at a time, this Saturday could see us out on our ass very handy,

I was listening to Damian Cassidy on Highland Radio and he made the point that Derry are usually terrible in the Championship after winning the D1 league. Loads of examples of first round defeats, the last one being Fermanagh in 2008 after beating Kerry to win the league. Different era's and all, and we've never had a team as consistent as this one but food for thought.

#7

General discussion / Re: The Offical Glasgow Celtic...

Last post by illdecide - Today at 03:51:39 PM

Got my last 5 fixtures slightly wrong...

Sunday 28th April v Dundee (A)
Saturday 4th May v Hearts (H)
Saturday 11th May v Huns (H)
Wednesday 15th May v Kilmarnock (A)
Saturday 18th May v St Mirren (H)

#8

GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Senior football cha...

Last post by Armamike - Today at 03:50:16 PM

From Kieran taking over until the past 2 years Armagh struggled for years to get a win or two in the Ulster championship and that has been the most disappointing thing for me.  Not being able to beat teams they could/should have been beating over 6 or 7 years.  That's not all down to lack of underage success.  We have though improved markedly in terms of conditioning and tightened up a good bit at the back. Seem better organised these past 2 years but the question is still very much out on whether they can take the next step, i.e. get through tight games and win something or get further than a quarter final. 

#9

GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Senior football cha...

Last post by Wildweasel74 - Today at 03:48:04 PM

This site is making the over projection of a Derry v Armagh final. I rather literally take it one game at a time, this Saturday could see us out on our ass very handy,

#10

GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Senior football cha...

Last post by tonto1888 - Today at 03:46:24 PM

Is it really? Most counties have goals at the start of the year, get promoted, avoid relegation, beat neighbours etc. do they really need a coping mechanism of devaluing competitions, I seriously doubt it.  There are about 26 counties under the new system never going win Sam, Derry don't need another Ulster but will probably win it, any other county would relish it.

I believe JoG2 was referring the fans attempting to devalue a competition as a defense mechanism for if they don't win it. Armagh will have failed this year (again) if they do not win Ulster. How anyone can think different is beyond me.

Armagh will have failed agreed, Armagh will continue to fail until the County Board grows a set and get rid of McGeeney but they aren't devaluing it.  Who's these fans devaluing it two people on a discussion board, most counties would love to win Ulster, doubt Fermanagh, Antrim and Monaghan are sitting there thinking as sure it means nothing.

Would be a failure for Armagh not to reach the Ulster final. Derry will be strong favourites to win the final should they reach it.  Armagh comfortably bounced back to Div 1 and in 2025 will be their 4th year in the last 5 years to play in Div 1 and the last two years they reached the All Ireland quarter final only losing out on penalty shootouts.

Would another manager have got much more out of Armagh than McGeeney has? I highly doubt it when you consider Armagh haven't won U20/21 Ulster title since 2007 and U17/18 Ulster title since 2009 plus club football especially Crossmaglen hasn't been as strong as they use to be.

theres an opinion within Armagh that we have left behind an Ulster and at least one AISF in the last 2 years due to the negative tactics we have seen. So maybe another manager might, and I stress might, have achieved more than McGeeney. Or we could have got thumped in all those games

It's a tough one for me. I think Geezer deserves a lot of credit for building a strong squad with 23/24 players who I would consider all to be good inter county footballers albeit without too many superstars.

That said I think he also deserves criticism for an ultra conservative approach to games against good teams. Is that because

a he doesn't think Armagh are good enough to go toe to toe with a big team.

B Armagh are not good enough and he's trying to cover weaknesses

Or

C He lacks the ability to take Armagh to the next level.

For me the jury is still out. I would love to see us really go for teams with a fast flowing direct style of attack that we showed in some games over the last three years (Dublin at Croke Park for example). That way I think Armagh and Geezer could be fairly analysed.

I definitely agree with the last sentence. If we play that style of football and lose-  a la Roscommon in Laois a few years ago - I could take it. Its the likes of the Monaghan game last year and Donegal a couple weeks ago which really irritate me