McKenna Cup 2024

[True Blue]

Firstly I feel the universities should have first choice on players as a general rule.

However. For me a university is firstly a place of learning. It is as important for the last to be given the same opportunity as the first. If they lose players to the counties I do not feel it is right to simply take their ball and go home. As much as the counties have a pool of players to choose from so do the universities. If Caolan Mooney is picked by Down for example does this not open up the opportunity for another student to take his place. Some will say that they will not be competitive. From the university point of view so what. The replacement has as much right to play as the first choice and will probably learn much more from the experience. By pulling out of the competition the university is telling its students that in times of adversity you run away. That winning is more important than trying. That one students rights are more important than another's. If I was a student on the bench or seconds for a university that pulled out under these circumstances I would feel cheated. For me it was wrong when Queen's pulled out and it is still wrong.

If we transfer it to the club scene. When Cross played Omagh this year they had Aaron and Stephen Kernan injured. McKenna, Cunningham and Franny Hanratty were not fit to start. Carragher went off after 5 minutes and they had 2 players sent off. But they still played on and lost narrowly. They will be stronger in future for it as young or unfancied players got a chance to learn. With Cross history has proved that.

Universities are places to learn. Winning is not always were you learn.

You are not looking at the big picture Throw Ball. If the Unis lose there county senior players they then have to go to there 2nds/3rds players to fulfill fixtures. This does not help their cause in preparing for sigerson. Now QUB & UUJ may have a source of riches in players they can pick but St Marys have a panel of 30ish. Out of the 30ish, 10 could be county panelists. if they are withdrawn then St Mary's are basically playing county temas with club players. Therefore looking at 3 defeats which does nothing for their preperations or counties either. Listen we can belittle the McKenna Cup as it means nothing to who will be winning Ulster or All Ireland Titles but as a pre-season tournament lets give the Unis their full panels and let county managers use the tournament as a chance to look at new palyers as well as look at county panelists playing for their Uni.

And before anyone retaliates, yes I'm an ex Rancher!!!

[ck]

Firstly I feel the universities should have first choice on players as a general rule.

However. For me a university is firstly a place of learning. It is as important for the last to be given the same opportunity as the first. If they lose players to the counties I do not feel it is right to simply take their ball and go home. As much as the counties have a pool of players to choose from so do the universities. If Caolan Mooney is picked by Down for example does this not open up the opportunity for another student to take his place. Some will say that they will not be competitive. From the university point of view so what. The replacement has as much right to play as the first choice and will probably learn much more from the experience. By pulling out of the competition the university is telling its students that in times of adversity you run away. That winning is more important than trying. That one students rights are more important than another's. If I was a student on the bench or seconds for a university that pulled out under these circumstances I would feel cheated. For me it was wrong when Queen's pulled out and it is still wrong.

If we transfer it to the club scene. When Cross played Omagh this year they had Aaron and Stephen Kernan injured. McKenna, Cunningham and Franny Hanratty were not fit to start. Carragher went off after 5 minutes and they had 2 players sent off. But they still played on and lost narrowly. They will be stronger in future for it as young or unfancied players got a chance to learn. With Cross history has proved that.

Universities are places to learn. Winning is not always were you learn.

Your comments are naive and ideological.  The lesson of running away as soon as adversity hits could easily be viewed as standing up for what you believe in ie: Fairplay, honesty and integrity. None of these terms have been in operation over the past few years with the Ulster councils treatment of the colleges in fairness.

IT Sligo play in the FBD and all I know is that if counties pulled our players then we'd have to ask what is the point given we are trying to prepare for the Sigerson. We play 3 FBD games in January and these are vitally important for our Sigerson preparation.

Unless the Ulster council can get off their useless arses and enforce the rules of the competition then they should chuck the colleges out ta hell.

[JoG2]

Maybe just ride it out this year and hopefully the new Tyrone manager will see sense in 2016

[NaomhBridAbú]

Maybe just ride it out this year and hopefully the new Tyrone manager will see sense in 2016

LOL

[trueblue1234]

Firstly I feel the universities should have first choice on players as a general rule.

However. For me a university is firstly a place of learning. It is as important for the last to be given the same opportunity as the first. If they lose players to the counties I do not feel it is right to simply take their ball and go home. As much as the counties have a pool of players to choose from so do the universities. If Caolan Mooney is picked by Down for example does this not open up the opportunity for another student to take his place. Some will say that they will not be competitive. From the university point of view so what. The replacement has as much right to play as the first choice and will probably learn much more from the experience. By pulling out of the competition the university is telling its students that in times of adversity you run away. That winning is more important than trying. That one students rights are more important than another's. If I was a student on the bench or seconds for a university that pulled out under these circumstances I would feel cheated. For me it was wrong when Queen's pulled out and it is still wrong.

If we transfer it to the club scene. When Cross played Omagh this year they had Aaron and Stephen Kernan injured. McKenna, Cunningham and Franny Hanratty were not fit to start. Carragher went off after 5 minutes and they had 2 players sent off. But they still played on and lost narrowly. They will be stronger in future for it as young or unfancied players got a chance to learn. With Cross history has proved that.

Universities are places to learn. Winning is not always were you learn.

Your comments are naive and ideological.  The lesson of running away as soon as adversity hits could easily be viewed as standing up for what you believe in ie: Fairplay, honesty and integrity. None of these terms have been in operation over the past few years with the Ulster councils treatment of the colleges in fairness.

IT Sligo play in the FBD and all I know is that if counties pulled our players then we'd have to ask what is the point given we are trying to prepare for the Sigerson. We play 3 FBD games in January and these are vitally important for our Sigerson preparation.

Unless the Ulster council can get off their useless arses and enforce the rules of the competition then they should chuck the colleges out ta hell.

The same could be said about County teams and preparing for the NL.

[BennyHarp]

Firstly I feel the universities should have first choice on players as a general rule.

However. For me a university is firstly a place of learning. It is as important for the last to be given the same opportunity as the first. If they lose players to the counties I do not feel it is right to simply take their ball and go home. As much as the counties have a pool of players to choose from so do the universities. If Caolan Mooney is picked by Down for example does this not open up the opportunity for another student to take his place. Some will say that they will not be competitive. From the university point of view so what. The replacement has as much right to play as the first choice and will probably learn much more from the experience. By pulling out of the competition the university is telling its students that in times of adversity you run away. That winning is more important than trying. That one students rights are more important than another's. If I was a student on the bench or seconds for a university that pulled out under these circumstances I would feel cheated. For me it was wrong when Queen's pulled out and it is still wrong.

If we transfer it to the club scene. When Cross played Omagh this year they had Aaron and Stephen Kernan injured. McKenna, Cunningham and Franny Hanratty were not fit to start. Carragher went off after 5 minutes and they had 2 players sent off. But they still played on and lost narrowly. They will be stronger in future for it as young or unfancied players got a chance to learn. With Cross history has proved that.

Universities are places to learn. Winning is not always were you learn.

Your comments are naive and ideological.  The lesson of running away as soon as adversity hits could easily be viewed as standing up for what you believe in ie: Fairplay, honesty and integrity. None of these terms have been in operation over the past few years with the Ulster councils treatment of the colleges in fairness.

IT Sligo play in the FBD and all I know is that if counties pulled our players then we'd have to ask what is the point given we are trying to prepare for the Sigerson. We play 3 FBD games in January and these are vitally important for our Sigerson preparation.

Unless the Ulster council can get off their useless arses and enforce the rules of the competition then they should chuck the colleges out ta hell.

The same could be said about County teams and preparing for the NL.

Do the universities not have a senior league prior to the Sigerson Cup in order to prepare? The counties go straight into the NFL after the McKenna cup etc and county managers (and it wasn't just Mickey Harte who called on his players over the past few years) are entitled to fight their corner regarding having everyone available to them. It's up to the Ulster council to make a decision and stick to it.  It was worth the experiment but it has failed and it's time to move on, competitions where players are eligible for two teams just doesn't work.

[our_fella]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/2014/12/bank-of-ireland-dr-mckenna-cup-ready-to-throw-in-for-2015/

12 teams involved.

4 showed up for press release. 2/4 wearing tops of their respective teams. I didnt know Ulster had a team in comp?

[rrhf]

I'd question the need for the universities there at all. Keep causing rows.

[never kickt a ball]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/2014/12/bank-of-ireland-dr-mckenna-cup-ready-to-throw-in-for-2015/

12 teams involved.

4 showed up for press release. 2/4 wearing tops of their respective teams. I didnt know Ulster had a team in comp?

Ulster we're going to enter but the Universities took all their players

[never kickt a ball]

Bank of Ireland Dr. McKenna Cup 2015 Fixtures
All Sunday games at 2.00pm All midweek games at 7.30pm.
(Extra time to be played in Semi finals & Final)

Group A: Ulster University, Down, Cavan & Monaghan
Group B: QUB, Fermanagh, Donegal & Derry
Group C: St Marys, Armagh, Antrim & Tyrone

Sunday 4th January: Round 1
Group A
Monaghan v Ulster University at Clones
Down v Cavan at Pairc Esler
Group B
Fermanagh v QUB at Brewster Park
Derry v Donegal at Celtic Park
Group C
Armagh v Tyrone at Athletic Grounds
Antrim v St Marys at Creggan

Saturday 10th January: Round 2
Group A
Cavan v Ulster University at Kingspan Breffni Park (7.30pm)

Sunday 11th January: Round 2:
Group A
Monaghan v Down at Clones
Group B
Donegal v QUB at Pairc MacCumhaill
Fermanagh v Derry at Brewster Park
Group C
Antrim v Armagh at Creggan
Tyrone v St Marys at Healy Park

Wednesday 14th January: Round 3:
Group A
Down v Ulster University at Pairc Esler
Cavan v Monaghan at Kingspan Breffni Park
Group B
Derry v QUB at Celtic Park
Donegal v Fermanagh at Pairc MacCumhaill
Group C
Tyrone v Antrim at Healy Park
Armagh v St Marys at Athletic Grounds

Sunday 18th January: Semi Finals:
(1) Group A Winner v Group B Winner
(2) Group C Winner v Best Runner Up

Saturday 24th January: Final

[rrhf]

C ya on the 24th... should be a cracker.

[Throw ball]

http://ulster.gaa.ie/2014/12/bank-of-ireland-dr-mckenna-cup-ready-to-throw-in-for-2015/

12 teams involved.

4 showed up for press release. 2/4 wearing tops of their respective teams. I didnt know Ulster had a team in comp?

Good to see St. Mary's represented - and by an Armagh county player too.

[our_fella]

And there to represent the Ranch, whilst wearing an Armagh top. Laughable

[rrhf]

I'm glad mc keever has made the Armagh squad.

[illdecide]

I'm glad mc keever has made the Armagh squad.

I'm glad that your glad