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Mayo hasn't got 25% of the non Unionist population.

So explain the lack of hurling success then.......

Mayo 's? 

Dublin were around Antrim's level at hurling from the mid 600 to this decade.
This decade they've won  Leinster, a NHL, we're in hard luck not to have made an AI Final and have won a scatter if Leinster Minor and U21s too.
Ido say that's a lot of success after 5 barren decades.
Of the 39,000 registered GAA players in Dublin how many would be primarily hurlers.

How many are eligible Dubs?

About 5 times more than the 6,400 registered players in those oarts of Roscommon who register with RCB.  ( - the Ballagh who register with the Rhubarbs )

10% of the entire Roscommon population? Wow.

Point proven, as a proportion of population, Dublin are actually at a disadvantage.

Mayo hasn't got 25% of the non Unionist population.

So explain the lack of hurling success then.......

Mayo 's? 

Dublin were around Antrim's level at hurling from the mid 600 to this decade.
This decade they've won  Leinster, a NHL, we're in hard luck not to have made an AI Final and have won a scatter if Leinster Minor and U21s too.
Ido say that's a lot of success after 5 barren decades.
Of the 39,000 registered GAA players in Dublin how many would be primarily hurlers.

How many are eligible Dubs?

You haven't said what the problem is.

The sport is rubbish to watch now.

Still a lot better than it's number 1 competitor here, soccer.

World Cup has been largely mindnumbingly boring. Bar Spain-Portugal, which was great and Mexico upsetting the Germans, which was interesting.

Yesterday was typical. Three 1-0 wins for the favourites. ~Yawn inducing

Is that what you actually think is happening in Russia or what you want to be happening in Russia?

To answer the question, stop tinkering.  It's all gone to shite since back doors and assorted money making nonsense were introduced

Biased or deluded if you think the only skills in underage rugby is catch and pass. You have your opinion that's fine, but in this short exchange I have a fair idea why your club is losing players to rugby.

The predominant requirement in rugby is raw power and brute force. Some positions such as outhalf and scrumhalf may have their own defined skillset but its mostly a game of physical force. If you don't have the physical size or strength you simply won't make the grade.

That's what soccer says about us

The ultimate issue here for the rugby set is that despite unprecedented success the game hadn't grown significantly. The relative lack of interest in the Melbourne game when soccer and Gaelic games were in full swing tells it's own tale. They are miles off soccers playing numbers, football's crowds and hurling cultural significance, and you can taste the hurt.

There seems to be an orchestrated campaign from the rugby heads to brand their game as the national/people's game. The harder they try, the sillier they look

You've enough to be worried about, without throwing your twopence worth in here!

What?

The ultimate issue here for the rugby set is that despite unprecedented success the game hadn't grown significantly. The relative lack of interest in the Melbourne game when soccer and Gaelic games were in full swing tells it's own tale. They are miles off soccers playing numbers, football's crowds and hurling cultural significance, and you can taste the hurt.

There seems to be an orchestrated campaign from the rugby heads to brand their game as the national/people's game. The harder they try, the sillier they look

I won't attach guilt to any individual, but rumours were circulated to that effect. That and he battered a kid. Might or might not be the same kid. And the Driver did get 20k.

The point being the comments could be interpreted many ways. Which is why they were so so scurrilous.

But you're making stuff up now. Kimmage was clearly trying to paint the Chairman in the worst possible light, but you've gone and doubled down on it, despite not being at the meeting!

From what I've heard from locals, it's not like the incident was plucked out of the air. It was something that was talked about at the time. People witnessed a man picking up crying child, who roared more when lifted, and wondered what was going on. It was talked about. Of course, the Driver did nothing wrong as the child's parent was right there.

And of course the Chairman was very wrong to say what he did and it's hard to understand how he's still in place. But clearly it wasn't as bad as you are suggesting, as €20k, including legal fees, would be a very meagre settlement in that case. Although I believe it's fair to say the Driver's motivation was never money.

Not my objective.

If you didn't know the back story, and lots of people didn't, what would you take the comment to mean?

[Low risk safe possession based football will often prevent you from getting embarrassed against better opposition]

The tactical blueprint for this ultra defensive low risk football began with Jimmy McGuinness and there have been subtle variations of this style of play ever since by clubs and counties all over the land, not just Ulster. At least McGuinness was a visionary with his own ideas and convictions even if it was often putrid stuff to watch.

There are far too many 'super coaches' with big egos who over estimate their own influence. Low risk safe possession based football will often prevent you from getting embarrassed against better opposition but ultimately it is players who will decide who wins matches.   

What's wrong with this?

It's horrible to watch, I thought that much was obvious. If I want to watch slow lateral build up play I'll watch the rugby super league but it's not a spectacle I enjoy.

It's based on the fear of making a mistake when in possession and a 'don't give the ball away at all costs' mentality for fear of what might happen when the possession is turned over. It leads to players overplaying laterally and backwards just for the sake of keeping the ball, with absolutely no purpose or attacking intent.

The worst excesses of it lead to little or no kicking until inside the scoring zone and any player who kicks it away needlessly will be hauled in front of the video analysis committee the following Tuesday to be reprimanded by management. The game is ruled by stats and over analysis, just look at the GAA section of a newspaper after a match and witness the countless stats about no of possessions, no of attacks etc etc as an example of how rigid the game has become. It has become a whole industry in itself though and players do concern themselves with stats and ratings when analysing performance. All of this stuff is mind numbingly boring however and often creates robotic pre programmed players unable to think on their feet.

Whilst I agree there are a fair amount of bullshit merchants making a killing on blagging a defensive systems in club football, in intercounty football were resources are so unevenly spread amongst the counties then it's utter nonsense to suggest that the team with less resources at its disposal shouldn't avail of tactics to give them the best chance of being competitive. You seriously can't prefer to watch Kerry beat Clare by 30 odd points rather than Fermanagh utilising their gameplan to turn over Monaghan? If Fermanagh went toe to toe with Donegal in the Ulster final then they'd get done over by 20 points. They just don't have the resources to man mark McBreaty and Murphy or the fire power to out score them. So what would be your plan then to make them competitive if they don't go defensive, try to keep the game close and grab enough scores in a low scoring game to sneak it? I for one will find that much more intriguing than a 30 point wash out.

this. Carlow are getting it tight for their style. But it got them to a Leinster semi, which is a significant aachievement for them. To me the 6 county sides haven't progressed the tactics and kicked on, and with the players they have, they should. Donegal did, a bit, but the big boys figured it out.

I think the blanket is a spent tactic and we will see a change in the medium term away from it.

Jesus wept, 2nd time in a day.. So are you freestaters gonna run with the 6 counties now instead of Ulster?!

Because defensive football and the blanket is a 6 county invention that still dominates. Monaghan and Cavan didn't partake, so you can't state it's an Ulster thing.

I'm not having a pop. Just I expect more from Tyrone and Armagh than I do Carlow. The pioneers of this style should be evolving it, and they aren't. Someone referenced Catanaccio earlier. The Italian lock defence. It has been tweaked and improved for 60 years, and it always allowed  a basis for attacking flair. Donegal tried the 2.0, mixed results.

[Low risk safe possession based football will often prevent you from getting embarrassed against better opposition]

The tactical blueprint for this ultra defensive low risk football began with Jimmy McGuinness and there have been subtle variations of this style of play ever since by clubs and counties all over the land, not just Ulster. At least McGuinness was a visionary with his own ideas and convictions even if it was often putrid stuff to watch.

There are far too many 'super coaches' with big egos who over estimate their own influence. Low risk safe possession based football will often prevent you from getting embarrassed against better opposition but ultimately it is players who will decide who wins matches.   

What's wrong with this?

It's horrible to watch, I thought that much was obvious. If I want to watch slow lateral build up play I'll watch the rugby super league but it's not a spectacle I enjoy.

It's based on the fear of making a mistake when in possession and a 'don't give the ball away at all costs' mentality for fear of what might happen when the possession is turned over. It leads to players overplaying laterally and backwards just for the sake of keeping the ball, with absolutely no purpose or attacking intent.

The worst excesses of it lead to little or no kicking until inside the scoring zone and any player who kicks it away needlessly will be hauled in front of the video analysis committee the following Tuesday to be reprimanded by management. The game is ruled by stats and over analysis, just look at the GAA section of a newspaper after a match and witness the countless stats about no of possessions, no of attacks etc etc as an example of how rigid the game has become. It has become a whole industry in itself though and players do concern themselves with stats and ratings when analysing performance. All of this stuff is mind numbingly boring however and often creates robotic pre programmed players unable to think on their feet.

Whilst I agree there are a fair amount of bullshit merchants making a killing on blagging a defensive systems in club football, in intercounty football were resources are so unevenly spread amongst the counties then it's utter nonsense to suggest that the team with less resources at its disposal shouldn't avail of tactics to give them the best chance of being competitive. You seriously can't prefer to watch Kerry beat Clare by 30 odd points rather than Fermanagh utilising their gameplan to turn over Monaghan? If Fermanagh went toe to toe with Donegal in the Ulster final then they'd get done over by 20 points. They just don't have the resources to man mark McBreaty and Murphy or the fire power to out score them. So what would be your plan then to make them competitive if they don't go defensive, try to keep the game close and grab enough scores in a low scoring game to sneak it? I for one will find that much more intriguing than a 30 point wash out.

this. Carlow are getting it tight for their style. But it got them to a Leinster semi, which is a significant aachievement for them. To me the 6 county sides haven't progressed the tactics and kicked on, and with the players they have, they should. Donegal did, a bit, but the big boys figured it out.

I think the blanket is a spent tactic and we will see a change in the medium term away from it.

I won't attach guilt to any individual, but rumours were circulated to that effect. That and he battered a kid. Might or might not be the same kid. And the Driver did get 20k.

The point being the comments could be interpreted many ways. Which is why they were so so scurrilous.

[I still maintain that the question of a third party settling legal fee's to the tune of €20k is the only item of any interest. T]

If indeed Kimmage was the parent then it does call into question his impartiality and also his motives for making this case known nationally. I still maintain that the question of a third party settling legal fee's to the tune of €20k is the only item of any interest. The rest of it is just local squabbling he said she said stuff that happens in plenty of clubs up and down the country.

Kimmage is a fine journalist but he should really be concentrating on cycling, athletics and other international sport rather than reduce himself to these petty local squabbles.

Calling a lifelong volunteer a paedophile in a public forum is a tad more than a petty local squabble. As the courts agreed.

I'm not privy to the ins and outs of this case and to be honest when you don't know the personnel involved it is easy to forget the jist of the original allegation made in Kimmage's article. I take your point completely that if the court found him guilty of making false allegations of paedophilia against a fellow member then it is a lot more serious than a squabble which I originally stated. You obviously have the inside track, most people on here are just going on hearsay.

I'm not having a pop at you, I genuinely can see why you would think that.

But to those talking about kimmage this and kimmage that, does it matter who broke the story? Be honest, how would you react if this was your club? Fall in line knowing it's wrong and have faith lessons were learned? Try and have people removed in the middle of a property deal that will make or break the club? Jack it in and go elsewhere? Its an appalling situation and the club is split over it.

[I still maintain that the question of a third party settling legal fee's to the tune of €20k is the only item of any interest. T]

If indeed Kimmage was the parent then it does call into question his impartiality and also his motives for making this case known nationally. I still maintain that the question of a third party settling legal fee's to the tune of €20k is the only item of any interest. The rest of it is just local squabbling he said she said stuff that happens in plenty of clubs up and down the country.

Kimmage is a fine journalist but he should really be concentrating on cycling, athletics and other international sport rather than reduce himself to these petty local squabbles.

Calling a lifelong volunteer a paedophile in a public forum is a tad more than a petty local squabble. As the courts agreed.

If indeed Kimmage was the parent then it does call into question his impartiality and also his motives for making this case known nationally. I still maintain that the question of a third party settling legal fee's to the tune of €20k is the only item of any interest. The rest of it is just local squabbling he said she said stuff that happens in plenty of clubs up and down the country.

Kimmage is a fine journalist but he should really be concentrating on cycling, athletics and other international sport rather than reduce himself to these petty local squabbles.

Nothing he said she said about announcing to all in sundry at a parent committee meeting that the previous coach was dismissed by the committee because he inappropriately laid his hands on a child. Now with all the implications and connotations that accusation invokes I don't believe there's a man here who wouldn't take the actions the coach had to take. If that's the kind of leadership the chairman is setting God knows what's going on in the rest of the club. I know if I lived in Balbriggan I'd be delighted to see this in the Sunday paper.

and then told the matter is closed on legal advice, no discussion, no accountability.

As a local involved in the club people seem to be missing two points.

1. The GAA, in the absence of any censure are perceived to be backing the club and Liam Howley.

2. Howley is destroying the club. And the club was struggling long before this incident.

The Driver is a committed Gael and refused to take money from the club. He is entirely the wronged party. His treatment is disgusting and the ordinary members have been cut off at the knees. Refusing to allow the kids on that team play, punishing them to get at the Driver, is a disgrace. We aren't losing kids to other clubs, we are losing them to the far better run soccer and rugby clubs in the area. Better facilities, none of this messing.

I can only assume the DCB and Croke Park are backing him because of the property play with Fingal CC to move up the road in a land swap. And they are having to do that because the facilities are a shambles.

I have serious fears for the club and efforts to get answers, let alone accountability have been stonewalled.

To the best of your knowledge,
a) Was Paul Kimmage in attendance at the AGM?
b) Was he 'The Parent', whose actions were described in the article?

A. No.

B. I wasn't at the meeting with the parents. I would like to think I would have heard of a journalist being removed, and I haven't.

Kimmage is not really the story here. This was always hitting the press.

Baile Brigín - when is the club AGM?

end of the year usually. As early as late November, as late as mid Jan.