Messages

Big issue now is that there's so many games, and high level ones at that, on every week-end.

Used to be 2 games on a Sunday to focus on.  Now it usually 4 or 5 on a Saturday and the same on a Sunday.

The imbalance of a split season I suppose.

Great dignity shown by the Brown family for nearly 30 years. Going to Belfast courts and being foistered off each time by a drip drip approach.

Brits think time will ease the hunger for truth and justice.

So many questions arise from that excellent show.  Why was the main suspect tracked and then let go for a few hours, then tracked again the next day?

The Brits were up to their necks in it. Probably to the highest level. They'll never let the truth come out

That's what this Legacy Bill is all about. End of.

Great dignity shown by the Brown family for nearly 30 years. Going to Belfast courts and being foistered off each time by a drip drip approach.

Brits think time will ease the hunger for truth and justice.

So many questions arise from that excellent show.  Why was the main suspect tracked and then let go for a few hours, then tracked again the next day?

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-68835472

Great story for us Down gaels

Was reading that. Super story.

Great work by Donal.

On another matter, there seems to be, a few new posters on here past few weeks. On the messages, I get the impression they been on here before or jumping between a few names.

On the matter at hand watching the goals again, first was terrible, second Lynch actually scored it, it was going wide, forth lying in a heap in midfield embarrassing stuff.

I think this is the lesson for all teams with the  'fly keeper' nowadays.

I think Dublin were doing this to Derry in the NFL Final but didn't attack with much agression.

Donegal took it to a new level.  Derry press high with Lynch covering space way out the pitch and Patton kicks over the top.  It's 50/50 but if it breaks Donegal's way, they attack with serious pace and power from all angles and score the goals.

It got that bad that the last goal, the keeper actually kicked it deliberately (in my opinon) on top on Lynch, it broke and Donegal were in again for a really handy goal.

For me, when the press is on the kick-out, the only option is to go long. That's where the space is and Mc Guinness nd his management recognised this. The space is in the other half.

Patton is great at the long kicks butthe key is the strong pacey runners driving forward in support.

Now I'm sure Donegal's plan was to get a goal and a few points from this, thinking obviously, that Derry would recalibrate and stop this but for it to hppen time after time, Isure Mc Guinness couldn't believe it.

Now the thing is, the high press and keeper has been found out, will other teams be as brave to do it.

Mc Guinness and his management worked it well. Will it work again for them? 

Seamus McEnaney said this week that he thought Harte could be out before the AIF this year if Derry don't fulfil potential. That was after he called Derry CB spineless for sacking Gallagher over one Facebook post.

Banty is a dose!

Unreal Cup game...Celtic not at their best but you have to give credit to Aberdeen for hanging in and giving it a real go. Back post twice on Celtoc's LHS is an issue and teams know to target this area as it's the weak side.

Fair point but I'd be more worried about falling asleep and conceding goals in the last few minutes of recent games.

Are Donegal genuine all Ireland contenders?

Jimmy talking Donegal down after that match saying Ulster is their focus and even reaching a final will be progress. He reckons Derry will have say in the All Ireland series, harder route for them now as 3rd seed in the group.

Derry could end up in a group with Dublin and Donegal!

I think Derry would take Donegal again. They'll learn from that. 

A lot of football to be played yet. 

Donegal's day for sure. Were the better team on the evening.

But this day will soon be forgotten. Things move on. Derry will re-group and Donegal will move on. One game doesn't make a summer.

Derry will move on and are still a top team.

A school with 13 pupils, 3 teachers and 3 support staff.

Surely that can't continue.

I wonder how far away the next 'similiar' primary school is to each of them?

Is there not an enrolment figure in primary and once it dips below that, there needs to be an assessment down on it.

Politicians won't make good decisions - like hospitals etc.

By 13 pupils is very low. 

Clare will have Tony Kelly on the bench for the Limerick game. Without Kelly starting and a question mark as to whether he plays at all, Limerick will be favourites. The league means nothing.

Shane O'Donnell is also on the bench for Clare.

Clare bench very strong - too strong.

Maybe  lot of changes before the parade!

I saw Waterford's team also.  Be surprised if that's the starting 15. Leavey on bench and he was one of Waterford's best players in the league.

Davy asking for the Déise support to come out in numbers. Be a bad job if Cork outnumber them in the newly revamped Walsh Park.  Maybe he's building the 'everybody is against us' mentality.

It'll be a war in Ennis. I fancy Clare because, for once, I'm not sure what Limerick will turn up.  David Fitzerald will be a marked man after his league exploits and they'll need scores from Rogers and Calvin etc. from play.

I wouldn't worry about the numbers on Limerick's jerseys on Sunday. They'll be all over the place. O'Neill will chip in with a few, so too will Hayes. They're so inter-changeable and they do it so fluidly. Will Clare reveal a few more chinks in the armour?

A win for either Waterford or Cork will be a big boost for them. A Waterford win will shake things up a bit. A defeat and you're on the back foot in Munster straightaway.

Just a pity that there's a load of games on at the same time.   

I know there is a GPA scam thread but this is something different in fairness.

They are talking about all the pressures 3rd level players face and how it stops them with work and puts them under the kosh for study...

Now, one thing jumped out - 62% say county managers cause most pressure during college.

But, when you hear the GPA talking on this and since the beginning they will have a go at the Croke Park dinosaurs and all the admin lads, but rarely have a go at the biggest issue in GAA - highly paid county managers.

Jarlath Burns isn't ringing lads around the country to get them up at 6am for pre-work sessions! I'd argue that the split season has more to do with county managers than anything.

In Kildare Geezer got the boot from the clubs because he would never release players. There would be lads rotting on a bench and they still wouldn't be let go to play a match.

It really bothers me that they won't square the blame on the people who demand the most of the players, while also helping themselves to a fair few quid. It's all a big dance around it.

Panel players 20 onwards should get playing with their clubs in county league, if not starting with the county team in the recent match.

"It's not just the removal of the helmet though, it's if you've to stop the play to allow a physio on at all."

If I have to stop play.

Though if a physio comes on and can administer a spray while play continues I'm happy with that, should I have to blow the whistle and the player requires assistance they have to go off, now seeing as it was my first real go at it, I waved the player on rather than waiting for a break, he was genuinely hurt from a tackle from the other team, its a bit unfair surely to disadvantage them twice? 

But is that not wrong, going by them new rules?

Completely

Bitta common sense needs to be applied and while I'm not against following it to the letter, sometimes it's actually counterproductive and not serving the reason why it's introduced

The reason for the new rules is to prevent cynical playacting,  faking injuries to slow the game down like nicky quaid getting something in his eye last year.
If its genuine then it's harsh but if they're acting the bollox then I'd make them wait for the next break in play.

This rule was apparently amended during the week, to include the goalkeeper! Doesn't make much sense.

I said that a few weeks ago that to circumvent all this is for the keeper to go down. The rule didn't mention keepers.

I'd make it another player must stand i  goals and team down to 14 players until next break in play.

"It's not just the removal of the helmet though, it's if you've to stop the play to allow a physio on at all."

If I have to stop play.

Though if a physio comes on and can administer a spray while play continues I'm happy with that, should I have to blow the whistle and the player requires assistance they have to go off, now seeing as it was my first real go at it, I waved the player on rather than waiting for a break, he was genuinely hurt from a tackle from the other team, its a bit unfair surely to disadvantage them twice? 

But is that not wrong, going by them new rules?

Completely

Bitta common sense needs to be applied and while I'm not against following it to the letter, sometimes it's actually counterproductive and not serving the reason why it's introduced

No, I totally agree with you.

It'll be interesting to see what happens in big games during the summer.

"It's not just the removal of the helmet though, it's if you've to stop the play to allow a physio on at all."

If I have to stop play.

Though if a physio comes on and can administer a spray while play continues I'm happy with that, should I have to blow the whistle and the player requires assistance they have to go off, now seeing as it was my first real go at it, I waved the player on rather than waiting for a break, he was genuinely hurt from a tackle from the other team, its a bit unfair surely to disadvantage them twice? 

But is that not wrong, going by them new rules?