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Congratulations to the Dublin U21 Ladies who beat Cork in the All Ireland Final today.

Very sad news today regarding the death of Dave Billings.

Dave was a great stalwart of Gaelic games in Dublin over many years and he will be very much missed.

RIP

http://www.dublingaa.ie/news/dublin-gaa-statement-dave-billings-rip

I'm appealing to all GAA Board members living in Britain or the North to tune in to the final of The Voice on BBC One on Saturday next and vote for Lucy O'Byrne the beautiful young Irish singer. She is a neighbour's child and has done brilliantly to reach the final considering that viewers in the Republic are not able to vote.

Please vote for Lucy O'Byrne on Saturday next.

St. Vincent's held on tonight to beat Oliver Plunkett's by one point - 0-14 to 1-10

http://www.thescore.ie/st-vincents-st-oliver-plunketts-1749036-Oct2014/

For anyone who hasn't seen it, here's yet another classic goal from Diarmuid Connolly  - Footballer of the Year.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N3scnP7Ojbk

Best of luck for the future Alan.

You were a powerful warrior for the Dubs

A great footballer from a great footballing family.


http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2014/0901/640578-brogan-calls-time-on-dublin-career/

Dubs team to meet Wexford

DUBLIN (SFC v Wexford)

1 Stephen Cluxton (Parnell's)
2 Philly McMahon (Ballymun Kickhams)
3 Rory O'Carroll (Kilmacud Crokes)
4 Jonny Cooper (Na Fianna)
5 James McCarthy (Ballymun Kickhams)
6 Nicky Devereux (Ballinteer St John's)
7 Kevin Nolan (Kilmacud Crokes)
8 Michael Darragh Macauley (Ballyboden St Enda's)
9 Cian O'Sullivan (Kilmacud Crokes)
10 Paul Flynn (Fingallians)
11 Paddy Andrews (St Brigid's)
12 Diarmuid Connolly (St Vincent's)
13 Alan Brogan (St Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh)
14 Dean Rock (Ballymun Kickhams)
15 Kevin McManamon (St Jude's)

I just thought I'd get a thread going on the National League Final.

Any thoughts on the likely starting teams?

Will Jim Gavin have any of the walking wounded available – Cian O'Sullivan, Ger Brennan, Dean Rock, etc.

I expect he'll rest the guys from the U21s.

Any thoughts from the Derry lads on how their team will line out and how they might approach the game. 

As I said after the Tyrone game if you want to put down the Dubs you're going to have to ambush them at midnight at a crossroads and put a large stake through their heart.

Well done lads – a phenomenal performance.

A big blow for the lad - and a serious dent in the prospects of the Dublin senior and U21 footballers this year.

Best of luck to the lad.

Any thoughts from the Kildare lads on Saturday's game.

Reports from the Dubs camp suggest that Paul Flynn, Rory O'Carroll and Alan Brogan will be available – whether or not they play is another thing. 

Bernard Brogan, Denis Bastick and Dean Rock are still not fit.

One way or another it has the makings of a good game.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2014/0221/505816-jim-stynes/

Ciaran Kilkenny has a big decision to make shortly – football or hurling in 2014. Which way will he go? Personally I'd like to see him stay with football because I think he has the potential to become a footballing legend.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2014/0102/495579-gavin-rules-out-kilkenny-dual-role/

Half time at the Dublin County Final

Cynical fouling is alive and well in Dublin!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xiN7TIb8RE

Gutsy Dubs Deserve Better

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/eamonn-sweeney-gutsy-dubs-deserve-better-29618498.html

Good man Paul Flynn 

http://www.livegaelic.com/news/paul-flynn-shows-class/

Any thoughts on Dublin's starting line-up for their championship opener?

Here's my stab at it.

Cluxton
O'Brien
O'Carroll
Daly
McCarthy
Brennan
McCaffrey
Macauley
O'Sullivan
Flynn
Connolly
Kilkenny
Mannion
Rock
B. Brogan

I notice that the leader of the devolved assembly in Scotland has criticised David Cameron for his bull-headed performance at the EU leaders meeting believing that it will be against Scotland's best interests. However, it is interesting to note that the only dissenting voice in Northern Ireland has been that of Alex Attwood of the SDLP. Not a word from Martin McGuinness. Sinn Fein's new best friends are the Tory Eurosceptics. The leaders of the 1916 rising referred to "gallant allies in Europe" Will Sinn Fein now be talking about "gallant allies in Westminster"? Ironic or what? 

[The Boys of Kilmichael]

The Boys of Kilmichael

Whilst we honour in song and in story
The memory of Pearse and MacBride,
Whose names are illumined in glory
With martyrs who long since have died.
Forget not the boys of Kilmichael
Those brave lads so gallant and true
Who fought 'neath the green flag of Erin
And conquered the Red, White and Blue.

Chorus:
Then here's to the boys of Kilmichael
Who feared not the might of the foe.
The day that they marched into battle
They laid all the Black-and-Tans low.

On the twenty-eighth day of November
The Tans left the town of Macroom,
They were seated in two Crossley tenders
Which led them right into their doom;
They were on the road to Kilmichael
And never expected to stall,
They there met the boys of the column
Who made a clear sweep of them all.

Chorus:

The sun in the west it was sinking,
'Twas the eve of a cold winter's day;
When the Tans we were eagerly waiting
Sailed into the spot where we lay;
And over the hills went the echo
The peal of the rifle and gun;
And the flames from their lorries gave tidings
That the boys of the column had won.

Chorus:

The lorries were ours before twilight,
And high over Dunmanway town
Our banners in triumph were waving
To show that the Tans had gone down.
We gathered out rifles and bayonets,
And soon left the glens so obscure,
And never drew rein 'til we halted
At the faraway camp of Granure.

I'm surprised that Cavanagh seems to be a unanimous choice at midfield without a mention of Ciarán Whelan – despite the fact that Whelan has come out on top on most of the occasions that they came up against each other.

I hate to say I told you so lads ..... 

See my post above from July on the topic of "best XV in the country"