Messages

1. Dublin - I want to see the African-Irish take to Gaelic Football in a big way.
2. Kildare - Theyre a Leinster team with Dermot Earley
3. Down - They have a great history with Offaly from the 60's
4. Cork - Someone has to be last.

I always like to see the Ulster teams win, but some of the crap fropm Down fans on this site is making it hard, so failing Down then Kildare for geezer and Aiden O'Rourke.

not a big surprise, should have done a lot better with a v good armagh team. 1 A I, is a poor return. And anyone who takes k mcgeeney off with 10 mins to go in a all ireland semi when the game is in the balance, should never have been let near a team again. although as a tyrone man i was happy that he did.

Lotta truth there.

[ability to hold off opponents]

In response to a previous poster, the definition of the strongest county player has to be the ability to hold off opponents on the field.  The gym has nothing to do with it.

Tomas O'Se is a definite candidate,  I think Charlie Vernon is a few years off the pace just yet.

Geoffrey Mcgonigle agus Rory Woods 

In terms of gym work but theres very few beating Vernon.

Geoffrey and Rory workout in Supermac's

Correct RadioGaaGaa, although I would argue that for the vast majority of time the Ulster winners were simply of a lower standard than their Munster, Connacht and Leinster counterparts - hence so few Ulster All Ireland wins comparing to the rest of the country. In actual fact, I would not be surprised at all if Down had one of the highest semi final win percentages (top in Ireland. Like I said, the word 'bottling' was completely wrong.

Personally think the dropping of Colgan has made a world of difference. Unless he starts to sort out his positional sense to compensate for a severe lack of pace at inter-county level, he'll never start regularly. Don't rate McKernan too highly either, but at least he knows where to put himself and reads the game well - he's an improvement along our 40.

What I've enjoyed most is Wee James' attitude after the win over Kerry. Keeping us grounded, making sure we know we've achieved little and having the players realise that they have a huge job on their hands in a few weeks time.

If this is grounded i'd hate to see you losing the run of yourself!!

I'd rather see linfield win sam than Armagh or Tyrone. Any other Ulster team I may support.

Well that says it all about you. As a armagh and Ulster man I was supporting Down and Tyrone on Saturday.

I'd find it difficult to look past Cross in Armagh. Only lost one match in the League all year. The Ógs will struggle to get Ronan Clarke fit I would have thought. If so, you'd have to fancy the Rangers.

x2
Funny how the team that beat them is an intermediate side... says a lot about Armagh football!
I would expect the main challengers to be Pearse Og and Dromintee, and maybe yourselves as an outside bet. Very impressed with you're recent form.

Says more about the lack of fairness where Division 1 teams in Armagh can play intermediate.

I'm going to tip Down by 4 points, mainly because I'm a scud!!

All is not well in the Kildare camp.  A few of the players not getting on with Mc Geeney and are not happy with his methods.

Heard this at the start of the year and it is getting worse

Urban myth, you hear this about Tyrone/Armagh/Kerry all county teams, theres always someone disaffected.

It's not McGeeney that is over rated as a manager, its the team, like Mayo that are over rated. 
There was no bite in that Kildare team last night except for maybe one player who on one occasion gave the clenched fist and urged his mates to get stuck in, other than that they were like they were having a kick around on a training ground.

Mayo no doubt will be looking for the head of John O Mahoney and yet all that was proven last night was that you can't buy All-Irelands by hiring whizz kids, or in the case of Limerick hurling a few years ago, with €5 Million from JP McManus. We even tried it in Laois by hiring Micko at huge financial cost.

That is not to say McGeeney is at fault, there is a place for McGeeney because he has credentials. That place is in one of the conference centres in Croke Park along with Brian Cody and Micko where a full training course on team management is provided for every county.  Pay them, pay them well.  Then every county can get expert advice on training, psycology, diet etc, etc, etc - after which each county must have a manager from their own county instead of these hired heavy hitters that can give counties with most sponsorship/money an unfair advantage, until some plucky team like Louth come along and then all of a sudden it is the managers fault.

Bud he has playing credentials not managerial credentials. There is a difference. A big difference.
The management don't like smaller players it seems in Kildare and have gone for the Armagh 2002 model which is outdated now.

Can't agree with you there, Armagh fans would love their team to be where Kildare are, they play good football.

[That would lead me to believe that ref/umpire were second guessing what he did which shouldn't happen.]

NAG - he got retrospectively done for the Tipperary incident the last time though.

Apples he should have walked no doubt. However he struck which is a red card offense and not a yellow offense. That would lead me to believe that ref/umpire were second guessing what he did which shouldn't happen. Based on that he was unlucky to get booked. As I said before I am not defending his actions.

Johnney - Shields hasn't seemed fit the last few games and has struggled fitness wise. McManus would be the ideal CHB but we're so short in the forwards we have to play him there. McKeegan the same. Campbell is good but like you say wing back material.

That's the point. None of the officials actually seemed to see what happened. Did Donal óg maybe influence the ref or did the ref maybe glance at the big screen before he booked him. Was a bad stroke but we've all seen plenty worse which hasn't received the same attention. Ref seemed to book another couple of Antrim boys early on when you wouldn't have expected it. Surely the likes of Antrim teams shouldn't be hindered in trying to get to the intensity of the Corks and Kilkennys.

Did anybody notice Canning swiping 3 or four times at Curran while running out from FF toward the hoganstand side 45 in the first half? Curran must have been holding but Joe's reaction was as bad if not worse than winker's in terms of intent to mame. He was swinging full pelt one handed round his ankles but for some reason he missed at close quarters every time and the officials failed to spot it.

Now don't get me wrong.... if a man is holding or throws the first dig with intent I think he deserves all he gets in response to make him think twice the next time but the rules don't allow it. This happens all the time in the big games with the big teams....the southern lads know not to go above the shoulders though and time their "challenges" better.

Could I go out on a limb and say that jabbing (as apposed to driving) a stick and hitting a steel cage is less dangerous than doing the same thing into a mans ribs/kidneys. Very few seem to recognise that since the compulsory helmet rule has came in.

Surely the likes of Antrim teams shouldn't be hindered in trying to get to the intensity of the Corks and Kilkennys.

We have been shafted for years by southern refs dowling. The referee in the Carlow game had to be seen to be believed. We got one free in the first 33 minutes. Remembering back to our last good performance in a quarter final against Wexford we were shafted by Padraig Horan that day and during the 90s when we were more competitive against the southern teams I have lost count of the number of league games where refs were booed off. This isn't nordy paranoia either to be honest. How can you explain one free in 33 minutes of hurling fro example?

You Antrim guys aren't too fond of nordy refs either, i've seen a few boo'ed out of casement in my time!

Was that a typo error? Booted no? 

I meant booed

Babs is always entertaining. If he was English he would be a national treasure along the lines of Des Lynam or Bobby Robson by now

Also his phrases are priceless.

Des Lynam is from County Clare!!

but BRITISH nonetheless.

Why is Clare in de Nort'?

Surely the likes of Antrim teams shouldn't be hindered in trying to get to the intensity of the Corks and Kilkennys.

We have been shafted for years by southern refs dowling. The referee in the Carlow game had to be seen to be believed. We got one free in the first 33 minutes. Remembering back to our last good performance in a quarter final against Wexford we were shafted by Padraig Horan that day and during the 90s when we were more competitive against the southern teams I have lost count of the number of league games where refs were booed off. This isn't nordy paranoia either to be honest. How can you explain one free in 33 minutes of hurling fro example?

You Antrim guys aren't too fond of nordy refs either, i've seen a few boo'ed out of casement in my time!

Gota hand it to you that was a bit of a sellout. At least there's no London in Armagh!!

Babs is always entertaining. If he was English he would be a national treasure along the lines of Des Lynam or Bobby Robson by now

Also his phrases are priceless.

Des Lynam is from County Clare!!

Irrespective of the provocation Watson struck Cadogan on the head and should have walked. You won't see Killkenny being that stupid, Cadogan will be sorted fairly and squarely if he tries off the ball stuff.