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I didn't think it was a red. A yellow would have sufficed.  A iltimed flick for the ball.

The thing is the ref didn't blow for it straight away.  I think the ref was for playing on, then Whelan stopped and went down.

(BTW, I've saw a lot of this recently where the ref. doesn't think it's a free and the player, who thinks he's been fouled just stops, and the referee blows the whistle.  It's like the player is saying to the ref. , ref that's a free and puts pressure on the ref.)

The ref obviously saw the blood when the helmet came off and issued the red.  Harsh enough as it wasn't a wild pull/swing.  It killed the game for Antrim. Took the wind right out of Antrim's sails at the start of the second half. Galway's penalty was a bit dodgy too I think.

Coby was a big lose also I reckon. Especially as he was named. Must have good injured in the warm up?

Galway started well but Antrim came back into it in the second part of the first half. Walsh hit a monster free and followed it up with a 'Wexford' sideline. Mc Naughton was excellent also and Shefflin was rattled along the line in the latter part of the first half.  He was a frustrated figure along the line.  He wanted the ball delivered in quicker to Niland and Whelan. When Burke was switched on to Whelan he quitened him down a bit.  Burke is some operator.

All to play for V Carlow.

Davy and Lohan have a very unhealthy relationship. I expect it's the same for a good few of them. I don't know the full ins and outs but a lot of stuff there with his da etc.

If you ever get a chance there used to be a thread on Clare hurlers on how Brian Lohan got the job. He wasn't even interviewed for the job even though he'd expressed an interest in going for it and it was going to another (highly regarded coach all the same) lad known to be friendly with Davy and his Da only for a delegate to complain about how Brian was treated and then some other delegates rowed in behind and lo and behold he got appointed.

Some of the goings on in the Clare CB would take some beating, and in his first year Lohan had to put his hand into his own pocket for a lot of stuff for the panel of players before a separate organisation or supporters club got together to finance them and the centre of excellence...

Yeah, Lohan has to pay for a meal with his own credit/bank card.

Yeah, that's how it started.

Taking over the warm up area of another team...that had already been set up and ready to go, while the other college was in the changing room.

The men in the bushes!!

Clare were finding it easier to score a goal than a point in the second half. That poor shooting from easy chances for points nearly cost them the game.

Cork have really caught fire in the last 2 weeks. They look like all ireland winners on this form.

Still not sure what Cork will turn up. They had some following in Thurles today. Like a home match for them. Be interesting to see where they finish up this year. Last year, they weren't that far off- only beat by a point or two in a few games. So they have improved enough to get the wins.  They weren't hammered last year. You could see the progress.

On a big pitch, they have serious pace up top. Connolly is a real goal threat now. Straight for goal. The goal Cork got on half-time was a killer for Tipp. Half-time talk changes for both. Nobody put a tackle in.

Next goal was poor. Barret was down injured (hamstring I think) and then Hogan gives him the puck out. He fumbles and gets turned over...bang goal.  Hogan shouldn't have went short to him at that time....madness.

Tipp are in big bother I think. Be a few years before they're back. Big changing of the guard now you'd think - Mc Graths, Ronan Maher and Bonnar Maher etc.  Will Cahill be the man to oversee the change over?

Downey's at 3 and 6 are good. Improving with each game. Hard for Joyce to get back in again.  Kingston is some lad coming off the bench. 4 pts in a 15 mins spell. Only thing is that he's now nearly a sub because of this impact in recent games.

Big win for Wexford V Carlow.  For all their effort,it'll be a big battle for survival between Carlow and Antrim. They could find it hard to come back up again as Mc Donagh is tough.

Plenty to play for in the other 2 games in Leinster. Management will be tuned into the other game I'm sure.   

It looked like Waterford should have had a 65 at the very start, when Quilligan knocked it wide. Fine margins. Some of the umpiring was very poor today in both games

Yeah,that looked as if he put it iut for a 65 alright. Strange one.

Yeah, he was complaining about that. It was placed well over the line and by the time he lifts, moves and eventually strikes it, it about 6 yards closer.

In fairness, it shouldn't make much difference for a free-taker 70 yards out but the thing was Rogers wasnn't on the frees and it was a pressure shot for him as Mc Carthy was gone off.

Cork have serious pace up top.

Umpire got it right, not sure though by accident or design.

De Búrca's swinging hurl on ground tipped it out but very hard to see in real time.

I needed the replay to see it on tv so hard in real time.

Great game but Rogers had  handy effort to put Clare up by 4pts with a few minutes left but his effort was poor. The penalty for Waterford was harsh enough. He was going down before the hurl came in over the shoulder. Some penalty by Bennett though.

I thought Clare were going to throw it away. They were well in control but Waterford had a lot of possession and hit some great points via Mahony and Fitzgerald.

Clare were reliant on goals and created plenty of chances. Lohan will be happy with the win but plenty to work on.

It still feels this is going in the direction: after leaving no stone unturned, and engaging with some of the top managers in the world (not our fault they never returned our calls), we are happy with John's results as interim manager and we are delighted to offer him the job (please take it O'Shea, we're desperate now, and ignore Duff's sniping that we treated yourself and Brian disgracefully).

Duff is always complaining.

When you watch him on tv, he always seems an angry little man.  Plays up for the cameras, like Davy Fitz.

'The whole world is against me' type of attitude.

Boxing is strange in that nobody knows the score during the fight.  They have to wait to the end.

That lends itself to some 'dodgy' scores and results.

In all of sports, boxing, at all levels, seems to be plaqued by dodgy decisions etc. Moreso than any other sport.

Silly, but not unexpected behaviour from Mc Kinless.  Let his team mates down badly. Derry needed to start the game well and stay in the game but in reality, the game was over with the deserved red card.

Previous to that, Derry's shooting was brutal. How many did they kick into the keeper's hands? It's shocking at that level. Do they not do shooting at training? - doesn't look like it from today's show.

No Derry goals today and never really created any good chances. Derry scored goals for fun during league. That threat seems, for whatever reason, to be gone currently. 

Since the league final, Derry's momentum has tailed away significantly. After the long break, I'd expect them to be bursting the doors down to rectify the Donegal performance but I'd be really disappointed.  They looked very average and disjointed.

Obviously a few players were injured but lack of championship experience on the bench was telling. The panel must be very light. 

Why were so many let go and why were U20's brought in?

never in doubt...........

Not sure about that, season wise anyway.

I think Celtic made that title a lot harder than it should hsve been.  7 or 8 pts up at a stage and they let that slip instead of driving it home.  That Rangers team is a poor outfit in my opinion.  They'll have a massive clear out this summer.

About Scales, he's very average. Against better opposition, he's not great. He's a grafter and has improved.  CCV's form has dipped, whether that's through injury or whatever.

The key thing for the board now is to invest - buy 4 or 5 quality players e.g. keeper, centre-back and left back etc. Spend decent money on them and get quality in.

In the Champion's League again with that money guaranteed plus good chance O'Riley will go for big money in the summer. If J. Fringpong moves on, Celtic are due a big cut of that transfer fee.  All said, Celtic should have £100m in the bank.

Up to the muppets in the board now to invest wisely for the next 3 years and build a platform. Buying 'project players' like O'Riley is all well and good...if it works but they've bought too many 'project players' who are sitting in the reserves on decent wages.  On that, it's time to clear the duds out and tidy up the wage bill.  Move them on.  Quality over quantity.

Surely they should be doing their transfer business now - a good scout should have their homework done on target positions via video anlysis and profiles etc. Get the players in as early as possible.

Scottish Cup is the next thing up. Need to win that also.

Is it true that all money GAA brings in, 83% goes back out again to clubs etc.

Is that the start?

Anybody have the shot/score efficiency in the first and second halves and then overall?


Seemed to be very good, especially in the first half.


That's how you do it.  Practice the long range shooting under pressure.  Do it in training and it makes teams come out a bit if you can shoot, with accuracy, from well outside the 'D'.

Armagh do too many silky fist pumps.

Forker after the first score. You'd have thought it was the 72nd minute of the game.  Plus nearly every penalty there was a fist pump.

For that reason I was delighted Donegal won.

Donegal has been super this year under Mc Guinness. A team with a mission. Look at where they were at 1 year ago.
You'd love to be at a training session of his. It must be so high end and intense.

The game was excellent. The shooting, from way out by both teams, was quality. Some great scores.  The game had everything.

I like penalties. Probably in the minority but they are drama, if nothing else.

Be interesting to see how these two teams fair out in the group stages.