Messages

Thanks for replies folks. Would be a gang of lads. Hadn't thought of Derry, is it a good spot at night?

Reckon it will probably be Belfast (or Derry maybe) on the Friday night, will be coming from south via Dublin so Derry would be a longer trek.

And then Omagh on the Saturday night.

Would Belfast be good on a Friday night?

Potentially visiting with a gang for the relegation decider that will be Throne Kerry in Omagh on April 7th! Where would be the best place to stay in Omagh? Cheap kind of hotel would be what's required.

Would it be worth staying there on the Friday night or would be as well to head out in Belfast on the Friday and then Omagh on the Saturday night?

Kerry A (IMO):
                  Kealy
Marc    O'Mahony    Enright
Tomás  Brosnan     Young
Maher      Sheehan
Galvin      Darran Sull    James O'Donoghue
Gooch       Donaghy     Curtin
 
Kerry B (off the top of my head)
                     David Moloney
Pa Kilkenny   Mark Griffin   David Culhane
Jonathan Lyne  Peter Crowley Brian Maguire
Johnny Buckley   James Walsh
Brian Looney  Mike O'Donoghue  Kieran O'Leary
Paul Geaney Conor Cox  Barry John Keane

Probably a few ommisions there.

Declan O'Sullivan on A team, Fionn Fitzgerald on B team

I have an issue too with the sliding scale of the grant, which means that the likes of Kerry footballers or Kilkenny hurlers get twice as much (I think) as someone like the Leitrim or Carlow footballers. Surely the smaller county players need it more?

The grants are for elite sportspersons. When the negotiations happened for the grants initially, the Irish Sports Council wanted a much more tiered approach, with succeessful counties receiving more and the weaker counties receiving nothing. The GPA wanted every intercounty player to receive an equal amount. In the end a two tier system was agreed.

Goes against the GPA's socialist bent.

What are these photos from?

Interestingly, despite the recession, I have heard no talk at all about revisiting tax breaks for golfers, jockeys, rugby players, soccer players, athletes, boxers etc.

One step at a time with the current Government. A re-visit of this will, I'm sure, happen at some point.

[perhaps rising to twice during the summer]

The train collectively once a week during the league, perhaps rising to twice during the summer, and twice at weekends when they have no matches. Double sessions on a Saturday are commonplace.

Thanks, didn't realise this. Interesting, so they don't do much on the weekday nights collectively?

What's that got to do with the subject being debated?

Cross 1-10
Brigids 0-8

Crokes 2-12
Ballymun 1-8

I think I would agree to some extent with Kiernan, but not for the reasons he gave.

(He talked a lot of crap and too many of his arguments were subjective and nonsensical, 'I don't like Gah' 'Why do Carlow even bother playing football?' )

As Brolly pointed out previously, players may suffer to some extent financially in the short-term, but the GAA network means that in the long-term will get sorted out, often in positions they wouldn't have otherwise got. There's a couple of current and ex- Kerry players I can think of who wouldn't be in the jobs they're in were it not for their status as Kerry footballers.

Athletes don't enjoy this kind of status in Ireland (I'm sure Ronnie Delaney has spoken before about struggling financially for a few years when his running career was done.)

So for the lack of status and associated fringe benefits, I think the athletes are more deserving of the grant.

I have an issue too with the sliding scale of the grant, which means that the likes of Kerry footballers or Kilkenny hurlers get twice as much (I think) as someone like the Leitrim or Carlow footballers. Surely the smaller county players need it more?

At the same time, the demands of inter-county mean that players are gravitating towards a very narrow range of career in order to play football - teacher, sales rep, banker, public sector, guard.

A class of player which existed previously is being squeezed out. 

Don't think Gerry McEntee of Meath who was a doctor or indeed Brolly himself could now combine their careers and have played for Donegal under McGuinness say. Not a chance. McGuinness would have said - 'the job or Donegal'

This is a class of inter-county player I do have sympathy for.

So to summarise, I do agree with Kiernan, but not for the silly reasons he gave. 

Mine was.

Bet on
Chelsea -1
Monaghan
Dublin -1

Was nearly 6/1, pity. Next weekend I shall recoup the losses of these last two weekends!

Cork 2/5 ( back to full strength, need to get two points or they will be in a relegation battle)
Dublin 10/11 (weak Kerry forward line, hard to see them notching up a big score, the team is still missing Dec O'Sullivan, Galvin, Cooper, Donaghy, Brosnan. Enright will be a loss for Sunday, Barry John Keane is being messed around and should be picked on half forward line )
Monaghan 4/6

Treble is 3.4/1

Throw on 20 to win 68 

Come on - Behave. Monaghan, Armagh and Laois???

I said they were teams that could beat one of the 7 contenders, but not win it themselves.

Let's have a heated debate.

All teams in Division One bar Down are All Ireland contenders?

I do not think Mayo ( not enough marquee forwards) Cork ( set up gone stale, no competition for places) or Kildare ( missing a certain something) will win the All Ireland but can't rule them completely out either.

So in my head it's

Kerry, Donegal, Dublin and Tyrone as Top Grade Contenders

And Mayo, Cork and Kildare as Possible Winners But Would Be Surprised

Monaghan, Armagh and Laois likeliest to cause upset by upsetting one of the above.

[I'd rate him above O'Neill and take him above Brogan every time too]

10) Lee Keegan - Westport
11) Richie Feeney - Castlebar Mitchels

Have these boys ever played in the forwards in their lives?

Crazy stuff. Modern management eh?

Makes it easier for a weak Kerry half back line when they are marking Mayo half backs.

You do understand the concept of sweepers, right!?

Naming two half-backs and half-forwards is invariably about strengthening defense at the expense of offense.

Mayo do not have a marquee forward in the class of an O'Neill, Cooper or Bernard Brogan.

Playing with four recognised forwards instead of six and further reducing your scoring threat seems like shooting yourself in the foot somewhat.

They do when Andy Moran is fit. I'd rate him above O'Neill and take him above Brogan every time too . Brogan is a flair player but he's not a leader or someone with the vision of Moran, Moran makes everyone around him far better than Brogan does. Moran's ability to score himself has become pretty special in the last few years too - he just isn't as selfish as Brogan and plays others into the game far more. I should say that's not a huge slight on Brogan because most of the time he can be relied on to get the shots he takes, but anyone can tell you that plenty of times they're not the percentage options.

If you meant right now given his injury, sure, but in absolute terms Mayo have a forward every bit deserving of being part of that top-tier.

Andy Moran is a fine player no doubt. He's not better than O'Neill or Brogan though.

Feeney played well at centre forward, looks like he could have a role at centre forward. 

Keegan , I don't think so, although in his defence it is an easier transition from being a back to a central forward position ( Like CF or FF) than is to a wing or corner forward position.