NFL Division 2 2010

[Leo]

Not getting to the game was bad, I'm not a fan of the radio,

but Martin McHugh, such an illiterate man to be given responsibility on a radio station. Absolutely sick of him.

"down can defiantly won this game"
"Connor Laferty coming on for Down"

He cant even read off a page.


And as for his football knowledge. Idiot of the highest order.

I'm sure he's devestated to have annoyed you by not speaking the Queen's English properly.

What will all these boys do when McHugh packs in the punditry and they've no one else to cry and whinge about? Such sensitive souls.

If you're doing an english language broadcast you should have to good grace to speak correctly.

His lack of football knowledge was portrayed alongside a general lack of knowledge by the way he spoke. Can't believe BBC have the time of day for him.

Can't defend "defiantly", assuming that is what he actually said, but pronouncing "win" as "won", or in certain contexts, simply just replacing "win" with "won", is very common in Donegal, at least in the part I'm from, and presumably, based on McHugh's pronunciation, at least along the rest of the north coast of Donegal Bay (as is pronouncing "Sean" as "shan", the other pronunciation you northern lads seem to commonly get upset with McHugh about). Vernacular quirks are not usually considered to be a reflection of the collective intelligence level of a population, but maybe there's something to that.

As for football knowledge, well I'm sure McHugh's achievements as a player, player-manager and manager compares favourably enough with the average GAA board member. But perhaps he got lucky for all those years and his own knowledge and intelligence had f**k all to do with it.

Have to distance myself from those posters who criticise McHugh's prononciation - there is nothing wrong with regional or local accents or dialects and those who jumping up and down about it mightn't sound too clever on the radio themselves. But I agree that McHugh is one of those boys who constantly betrays a grudge against Down - probably too often a bad loser against them - Fermanagh's mcGinnity is anothetr, It is their problem, rest easy lads, let them have their lttle inward torment.

[J70]

Not getting to the game was bad, I'm not a fan of the radio,

but Martin McHugh, such an illiterate man to be given responsibility on a radio station. Absolutely sick of him.

"down can defiantly won this game"
"Connor Laferty coming on for Down"

He cant even read off a page.


And as for his football knowledge. Idiot of the highest order.

I'm sure he's devestated to have annoyed you by not speaking the Queen's English properly.

What will all these boys do when McHugh packs in the punditry and they've no one else to cry and whinge about? Such sensitive souls.

If you're doing an english language broadcast you should have to good grace to speak correctly.

His lack of football knowledge was portrayed alongside a general lack of knowledge by the way he spoke. Can't believe BBC have the time of day for him.

Can't defend "defiantly", assuming that is what he actually said, but pronouncing "win" as "won", or in certain contexts, simply just replacing "win" with "won", is very common in Donegal, at least in the part I'm from, and presumably, based on McHugh's pronunciation, at least along the rest of the north coast of Donegal Bay (as is pronouncing "Sean" as "shan", the other pronunciation you northern lads seem to commonly get upset with McHugh about). Vernacular quirks are not usually considered to be a reflection of the collective intelligence level of a population, but maybe there's something to that.

As for football knowledge, well I'm sure McHugh's achievements as a player, player-manager and manager compares favourably enough with the average GAA board member. But perhaps he got lucky for all those years and his own knowledge and intelligence had f**k all to do with it.

Have to distance myself from those posters who criticise McHugh's prononciation - there is nothing wrong with regional or local accents or dialects and those who jumping up and down about it mightn't sound too clever on the radio themselves. But I agree that McHugh is one of those boys who constantly betrays a grudge against Down - probably too often a bad loser against them - Fermanagh's mcGinnity is anothetr, It is their problem, rest easy lads, let them have their lttle inward torment.

Everyone has their biases, but it is interesting that the representatives of other Ulster counties here also claim that he is biased towards them! And he never spares the criticism for Donegal either (wait till we play Armagh in a couple of weeks for both angles!). So personally I've never noticed a bias when he's commentating, beyond his obvious wish for Donegal to win. He's definitely one who focuses on the negative when it comes to standard of play, but that's just his style (or maybe its just the often poor levels of play we see in Donegal games!). I just don't understand why people get so upset over a pundit - he's there to give his opinion on a football match, usually involving his own county for his county's radio station, not give an dispassionate, objective presentation on some scientific issue.

[AFS]

Latest table (sorry about the formatting!)

1   Down           4   3   0   1   58   41   7
2   Armagh         4   3   1   0   63   39   6
3   Donegal        4   2   2   0   59   47   4
4   Kildare          4   2   2   0   53   51   4
5   Meath          4   2   2   0   47   51   4
6   Laois            4   2   2   0   57   64   4
7   Tipperary      4   1   2   1   48   60   3
8   Westmeath   4   0   4   0   48   80   0

Reckon two wins out of the last three games should be enough for Armagh to finish in the top two given our points difference. Even though it's the highest profile of the three, our game against Down is probably the least important in terms of promotion. It would be less damaging to lose ground to a team already ahead of us than to a team trying to catch us.

Can anyone clarify, when teams are level on points do head to heads ever come into it or is it just down to score difference?

[drici]

Scores difference.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Am I right in thinking that its closing in on two years since Westmeath played a league game and didn't lose it?

Yep  Last league game we won was against the Dubs in the league final in 2008...

Went down to Mullingar for my sins yesterday, brutal altogether, I don't know what corner Hackett was on about having turned but it wasn't a big one anyway. He should save that claptrap for the dressing room anyway and not be trying to appease supporters via the media. Westmeath were taken apart yesterday, you should always win a game you score 3 goals in and keep a clean sheet but in reality we were cleaned out, especially in the middle. There was no pressure on the ball coming in whatsoever and in the end we were well beat. Disgrace to conceed 24 points in any match, never mind in your own venue. The only positive from yesterday is that he didn't involve the U21s, hopefully they can extract some revenge for that mauling on Wed...

[thejuice]

Allianz National Football League Division 2
   Team         P   W   D   L   F   A   +/-   Pts
1   Down      5   4   1   0   2-68   2-44   24   9
2   Armagh      5   3   0   2   3-63   3-46   17   6
3   Donegal      5   3   0   2   6-53   3-49   13   6
4   Meath      5   3   0   2   3-51   4-51   -3   6
5   Kildare      4   2   0   2   2-47   2-45   2   4
6   Laois         5   2   0   3   2-63   7-56   -8   4
7   Tipperary      5   1   1   3   5-44   3-63   -13   3
8   Westmeath   4   0   0   4   5-33   4-68   -32   0



Well it looks like its getting interesting in the fight for 2nd place. Down setting the pace and are good money to win DIv 2 anyway but Armagh, Meath, Donegal and pending todays game Kildare all moving to 6 points. Meath have fared poorly in the scoring stakes as the forwards have wasted plenty of goal chances so far through the campaign just like last year.

Kildare haven't shown the form they are capable of yet but will leapfrog Meath with a win today. Donegal and Armagh have shown very similar strong scoring rates and lead the race for second place. but with 4 points still up for grabs (Westmeath and Kildare with 6 still to play for) no ones place on the table is guaranteed, however Westmeath Tipperary and Laois are out of the running for the top spot, with everyone else still with the possibility of 1st place, mathematically at least.

[Trevor Hill]

Tipperary lost by a point last night, I hope they can stay up. Westmeath look gone, so its probably between Laois and Tipp for the other relegation place.

[Trevor Hill]

Down have scored a total of 2-68 in their 5 games.

Paul McComiskey 1-12 (9f)
Martin Clarke 0-14 (7f)
John Clarke 0-12 (1f)
Ambrose Rodgers 0-9 (1f)
Brendan Coulter 1-4
Conor Laverty 0-4
Daniel Hughes 0-3
Conor Maginn 0-3
Mark Poland 0-3 (2f)
Conor Garvey 0-1
Stephen Kearney 0-1
Peter Fitzpatrick 0-1
Kevin McKernan 0-1

[AFS]

Allianz National Football League Division 2
   Team         P   W   D   L   F   A   +/-   Pts
1   Down      5   4   1   0   2-68   2-44   24   9
2   Armagh      5   3   0   2   3-63   3-46   17   6
3   Donegal      5   3   0   2   6-53   3-49   13   6
4   Meath      5   3   0   2   3-51   4-51   -3   6
5   Kildare      4   2   0   2   2-47   2-45   2   4
6   Laois         5   2   0   3   2-63   7-56   -8   4
7   Tipperary      5   1   1   3   5-44   3-63   -13   3
8   Westmeath   4   0   0   4   5-33   4-68   -32   0

Despite last night's abomination, two wins should see Armagh up in second spot. Meath's score difference will count against them, as will Kildare's by the looks of things. Donegal have a similar total to us, but a victory there will knock them out of the equation. Would be great to right yesterday's wrong as soon as possible, and I'd like to think that the opportunity to do so in a league final will provide enough motivation for our final two games.

[J70]

Anybody have the remaining fixtures?

Donegal have two home games against Armagh and Meath. Both winnable, but both very losable as well, particularly given our patchy form so far in this league campaign (god help us if Michael Murphy gets injured!). Should be safe from the drop with six points, but another point is probably needed to make sure.

Not too optimistic about the last Sunday in May at this point, but low expectations are always helpful when it comes to Donegal. Plus, Down always seem to be talked up, only to disappoint (a bit like Derry), so I wouldn't be writing us off completely (I do remember certain Down board members telling us we'd no hope before the '06 meeting!).

[Carbery]

Remaining NFL – Div. Two Fixtures

Saturday 27 March (7.30)
Laois v Kildare (Portlaois) – Referee: Patrick Fox
Donegal v Meath (Ballybofey) – Referee: Martin Sludden
Sunday 28th March (2.30)
Armagh v Tipperary (Crossmaglen) – Referee: Martin Higgins
Westmeath v Down (Mullingar) – Referee: Gearoid Ó Conamha
Sunday 11 April (2.30)
Down v Laois (Newry) – Referee: TBA
Meath v Kildare (Navan) – Referee: TBA
Donegal v Armagh (Letterkenny) – Referee: TBA
Tipperary v Westmeath (Thurles) – Referee: TBA

[Jinxy]

Meath-Kildare and Donegal-Armagh on the last day will be interesting to say the least.
I think Laois can do us a favour in the next round but Armagh should beat Tipp in Cross.
Don't really fancy us to get anything from the trip to Donegal tbh.

[Trevor Hill]

Westmeath v Down (Mullingar) – Referee: Gearoid Ó Conamha

Oh FFS

[Onlooker]

Tipperary lost by a point last night, I hope they can stay up. Westmeath look gone, so its probably between Laois and Tipp for the other relegation place.

Thanks for the good wishes Trevor, but that 1st round defeat against Laois has really put us in a very tight spot.  Not gone yet, but depending on favours from Kildare and Down in their matches against Laois.  Whatever happens we have competed well in Div. 2 considering that 2 years ago we were playing i n Div. 4.  Maybe, promotion to Div. 2 came a year early, as judging on our form this year, I think we would have got promotion from Div. 3 at our ease this year and would have been better equipped for Div. 2 next year.  Good to see Down on their way to Div. 1.  Hopefully they will win their last 2 matches so that Tipp will be the only team to take a point from them!!.

[Dinny Breen]

Feck don't know what to make of Kildare, very sluggish, look disorganised and now we're heading towards an unsettled team. Very frustrating, should beat Laois but it's a derby so who knows and Meath games are always tight, won't win promotion this year.

At least Kevin O'Neill has found favour again.