Roscommon V Sligo CSFC

[Mano]

Sligo manager Tommy Breheny is sweating on the fitness of talisman Eamonn O'Hara ahead of Sunday's Connacht SFC semi-final against Roscommon at Hyde Park.

The former All-Star's groin injury hasn't been responding to treatment and he is rated as a major doubt for the local derby clash. Sligo will definitely be without defender Tony Taylor who is ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap. Taylor sustained the injury in a club game just a few weeks before Sligo's first round win over New York on May 13.

Roscommon boss John Maughan has a full complement of players to pick from. The Rossies are just back from a training week in Portugal.


Does anyone know if this story is true or is it some pre match mind games?

If he doesn't play i don't think we have much chance. If he plays and not fully fit like against Donegal and Galway a few years ago we have even less chance.

[magpie seanie]

Mano - I'm worried that there might be something in it but hopeful its being overstated. Agree with your analysis - we really need a fit and firing O'Hara but if he's not fit he should be left out.

[Ryano]

Sligo manager Tommy Breheny is sweating on the fitness of talisman Eamonn O'Hara ahead of Sunday's Connacht SFC semi-final against Roscommon at Hyde Park.

Until the ball has actually left the refs hands for the throw in on Sunday and the starting 15 have lined up, i will not be passing any heed of that sort of statement. Just the usual silly mind games that go on with all counties before big games.

I think you would have to knee cap O'Hara to stop him from playing in this game and more importantly from having the chance of getting a few slaps in on Shaq O'Neill or any lad in a Ros shirt!

[baoithe]

Sligo manager Tommy Breheny is sweating on the fitness of talisman Eamonn O’Hara ahead of Sunday’s Connacht SFC semi-final against Roscommon at Hyde Park.

The former All-Star’s groin injury hasn’t been responding to treatment and he is rated as a major doubt for the local derby clash. Sligo will definitely be without defender Tony Taylor who is ruled out for the rest of the season after undergoing surgery to repair a dislocated kneecap. Taylor sustained the injury in a club game just a few weeks before Sligo’s first round win over New York on May 13.

Roscommon boss John Maughan has a full complement of players to pick from. The Rossies are just back from a training week in Portugal.


Does anyone know if this story is true or is it some pre match mind games?

If he doesn't play i don't think we have much chance. If he plays and not fully fit like against Donegal and Galway a few years ago we have even less chance.

It'd be foolish to believe everything that appears on hoganstand. I wonder is there anything about this in todays Weekender? The online version hasn't been uploaded yet.
I'd really fear for us without O'Hara but if he is carrying a groin injury there is no way he should lineout in a championship match.

[baoithe]

Just out of interest: were O'Hara to be injured and out for Sundays game, who would you guys bring in? I wonder would Quinn make it into Sligonians starting fifteen in such an eventuality?   

[SLIGONIAN]

As I said earlier post Quinn has to start because we dont have anything better with Taylor injured and doohan not fit too start so yes he would make it into my team.

As for specuulation on O Hara I guarntee he'll start but may be carrying an injury. Oneill ankle is fully healed for ros either i hear.

Sligo team to start sunday,

Greene, harrison, McGuire donovan, mcgovern, mcnamara, j davey, o hara, quinn, curran, brehony, s davey, kelly, gallagher, marren.

Wouldnt 100% agree and we all know the postional switches by now.

Roscommon 1-10 Sligo 0-15.FT.

[Rossfan]

As a neutral I feel that Sligo have a real chance of bringing off what most would see as a surprise win.  As regards the statement by Rossfan that they are All Ireland Champions, I thought the last time Roscommon won the Sam Maguire was in 1944!!!.

Ros won All Irelands - Senior 1943,1944.
                               Junior 1943,2000
                               U 21  1966,1978
                              Minor  1939,1941,1951, and 2006.
We are one of a small number of Counties who have won more than 1 All Ireland in all 4 Grades of Inter County Football. As far as I know Galway/Mayo/Cork/Kerry/Dublin/Meath and poss Tyrone being the others.   
As for a Sligo win being a surprise - No it wouldnt - it's anyone's game with two poor enough teams involved.
Indeed the best contest on the day could be the Best Tan competition between the Commandant and Captain Tantastic(O'Hara)

[magpie seanie]

Indeed the best contest on the day could be the Best Tan competition between the Commandant and Captain Tantastic(O'Hara)

That will be no contest. O'Hara will take that with ease, wait 'til you see.

[Mano]

Indeed the best contest on the day could be the Best Tan competition between the Commandant and Captain Tantastic(O'Hara)

Sean Davey has quite a good tan also which proved costly against Westmeath last year when the clowns Hughes and McGovern counldn't tell them apart. Hopefully they have been staying out of the sun

[Ryano]

Indeed the best contest on the day could be the Best Tan competition between the Commandant and Captain Tantastic(O'Hara)

That will be no contest. O'Hara will take that with ease, wait 'til you see.

Maybe, but i think Maughans lady boy legs (which will no doubt be on display in short shorts) will pull the rug from under him. He has had a week in Portugal to get them looking there best.....

[Mano]

ROSCOMMON (SF v Sligo) - G Claffey; S McDermott, A McDermott, P O'Connor; S Daly, D Casey, R Dooner; S O'Neill, M Finneran; J Tiernan, G Cox, C Cregg; D Connellan, K Mannion, G Heneghan.

Ross team has been named above. Looks a very solid lineout-may be a few question marks over the full back line. David Casey will be a big addition in centre half back. Derek Connellan is back in. I've seen him playing a few times including marking him in a challenge game against Kilmore a few years ago and he has never impressed me. What do the Ross guys think of the lineup?

[heineken_on_tap]

First of all I think Ros will win this one by a point or two. If o'hara plays it will be interesting to see who gets sent off first - him or o'neill. Anyway neither of these teams is going to have a major say in this years championship. My main worry about Ros is real lack of leadership when things are not going well - Mannion is captain but is not a natural leader as he is a confidence player himself, perhaps casey will take on that role if he is back to the form he had a year or two ago......looking at the team Ros have out I would give them the hesitant vote

[SLIGONIAN]

No big deal...I expect all the nuetrals and pundits to go with a Ross win. They are at home which doesnt bother me but outside sligo everyone will see that as a advantage.  We beat Down, Leitirm and lost to westmeath with 12 men LAST YR and I think we have better squad this yr so I expect us to improve on last year.

There is always a suprise team every year and I can see it being Sligo. Starting with this Sunday.

[Ryano]

ROSCOMMON (SF v Sligo) - G Claffey; S McDermott, A McDermott, P O'Connor; S Daly, D Casey, R Dooner; S O'Neill, M Finneran; J Tiernan, G Cox, C Cregg; D Connellan, K Mannion, G Heneghan.

Would not be surprised if this changes come Sunday. Casey has played 1 game this year as he has been plagued by injury so he cannot be match fit or maybe even fully fit after all he has gone through. Big surprise is that John Nolan-Western Gaels (there are 2 John Nolan on the panel) was dropped for Casey. He has had an excellent league campaign at CHB so i find it hard to understand why he would be dropped now unless he is injured. It would make more sense to most Rossies to leave Nolan at CHB and play Casey at FB instead of A McDermott who has been shakey enough during some of the league.

Strange also that Connellan gets the nod ahead of Enda Kenny. Kenny had a difficult day against Meath but there again Darren Fay was marking him and who has ever played well against him? Apart from that he has played well in most games.

Karl Mannion is lucky to have the No. 14 shirt too. He has the look of a lad who is burnt out. Its been non stop for him over the last 18/24 months with St Brigids in the Club AI and then Roscommon. He has not been playing well at all in the Ros shirt thus far. I think he needs a seriously long break from all football to regain some hunger and passion for the game.

Apart from these the team pretty much picks itself. Shaq and Finneran have had a solid year at midfield so far while Dooner and Daly and Seanie Mac (Sligo lads will know him from the SIT team of the last 3/4 years) in the defense have all been good more or less up to now. Cregg and Heneghan in the forwards will do damage if the Sligo defense is anyways slack and John Tiernan has had an excellent run with Brigids and should cause trouble too. Gary Cox is a confidence player. When on his game he can absolutely dazzle but has the tendency to kick silly wides or get himself into trouble with the ball. If he gets a few early scores to settle himself then he should have a good game.

Its going to be tight and could well be a draw. Looking forward to it all the same, we tend to have real ding dong battles when we meet and Sunday should be no different.

[Ryano]

Looks like i am wrong. This will actually be the starting line up on Sunday according to a Ros panel member. Not sure if i am too happy with it. Will have to wait and see how we fair out...