2018 NFL Division 3

Started by LooseCannon, January 02, 2018, 10:17:47 PM

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Who'll win Division 3 of the NFL

Armagh
Derry
Fermanagh
Longford
Offaly
Sligo
Westmeath
Wexford

FermGael

Very similar pattern for Fermanagh today
Very good first half and then poor in the second half.
It's been the pattern all year

We lost Eoin Donnelly as he didn't come out for the second half and that was crucial.
He had been dominating around the middle and had been the hub for Fermanagh in the  first half.
With him gone nobody stepped up and we retreated defensively.
The red card for Cian McManus was also critical.
With the man advantage plus the wind Westmeath picked us off.
Heaslin is a class act but we have only ourselves to blame.
The last 4 points all came from defensive mistakes where we gave away possession or
conceded needless frees.
Massive game next weekend against Armagh.
Eoin Donnelly's needs to be playing . 

Wanted.  Forwards to take frees.
Not fussy.  Any sort of ability will be considered

The Insider

Longford's persistence with passing the ball backways and across the field should have cost them today. 5-1 up against the wind after 20 mins then allow Sligo 10 unanswered points to go 6 points down before they finally woke up again . Comical umpiring at the town end as a Longford effort which the goalie attempted to catch as it went over the bar was waved wide by the 2 clowns either side of the post . Thankfully the linesman put it right. After going a point up we reverted to try and play keep ball and gave it away allowing Sligo to deservedly equalize. A HUGE game awaits against Westmeath now . James Mc Givney is a huge loss . Would have got us a point or 2 today. Either the Sligo backs were brilliant not fouling or Longford's were woefull as we scored 2 from frees while Sligo got 8 . Cannot afford a repeat next Sunday with Heslin around .

magpie seanie

What a roller coaster. After being terribly annoyed and angry with our pathetic setup and play for the first 15-20 minutes the transformation was incredible. One of our players roared over to the dugout "can we push up, can we push up" and Sligo did and it totally changed the game. Our lads were allowed to play football and showed that they can. Far from faultless and the two goals came about far too easily but overall it was encouraging and a very committed display from our lads. At times Longford looked really good especially early on when they patiently recycled the ball before picking their moment and playing a neat ball to open up our 14 man defence. When we took them on though we were as good as them in the main and richly deserved a point. I really think our management need to get more clued in though.....some of the substitutions and messing with kickouts are hard to understand and really it's stuff management should have sorted by now.

Was pretty disappointed with the officials. As the previous poster mentioned there was a ridiculous delay over awarding a clear point to Longford and it summed a patchy game by the officials. I know we did get a lot of scoreable frees but there were two obvious ones in the second half not given that resulted in Longford points. I did think our backs were more disciplined in their tackling but I there were funny decisions all day. The red card was correct though.....can't meet a guy with the elbow like that (though it is often missed).

Massive game next week in Tullamore against a resurgent Offaly. A win and we're safe, lose and we're in awful trouble. I'm much more optimistic than before today but it's going to be a huge battle down there.

Patrick-Armagh

That was a great win for Armagh on Saturday night against a game Derry side. At this stage of the league, it's just about winning games and securing promotion. The depth of our panel is really being tested and guys who were on the periphery on the team are having to step up, which they did the other night. It's great to see McGeeney putting his faith in young players and them responding. It's taken a couple of years and a lot of frustration, but I think we are starting to see the results of McGeeney's persistence. Losing Ethan Rafferty is a real worry. He's got the main bulk of our scores to date, with Grugan and Murnin supporting him. Having lost Stefan Campbell and Jamie Clarke at the start of the season, we were always going to be light on scoring forwards and Rafferty had really stepped up to the plate to replace them. Without him in the team, other players will need to step forward and fill the void. It's vital that he's back for Championship.

Next weekend's game against Fermanagh could be a real gutting match. Win that and I think we will have secured promotion. With Fermanagh losing this weekend and with Armagh travelling to Enniskillen for their Championship encounter, they will want to lay down a marker. They are a good side and matches between the two sides over the last few years have been heated enough and I imagine the next one will be no different.

mackers

I felt that we were exceptionally poor in the first half on Saturday evening.  It was like a hangover from the second half in Tullamore.  There was a good turnaround in the second half with some good scores taken. 
The loss of Rafferty is massive.  We are now completely reliant on Grugan and Murnin.  It's dangerous to be so reliant on such an injury prone player as Murnin.  Grugan's form has been patchy also (evidenced by his poor attempt when one-on-one with the keeper) but there were signs of improvement in the second half.
I feel Niall Rowland has received some rough treatment by management.  He was one of our better players last year in the league and didn't get a run in the championship.  Why did he not start on Saturday evening?  He helped turn the game when he came on.
As Patrick says above Sunday will be a typical tetchy all Ulster affair.  When you have Ryan McMenamin and Rory Gallagher on the line you know what's coming.  This Armagh team have struggled to break down blanket defences and that's what they'll be facing on Sunday.  Rafferty's ability to take long range points will be sorely missed.

Keep your pecker hard and your powder dry and the world will turn.

illdecide

Mackers what is his injury...
I can swim a little but i can't fly an inch

ardchieftain

illdecide, it's reported to be a knee injury.

naka

Quote from: ardchieftain on March 12, 2018, 01:12:36 PM
illdecide, it's reported to be a knee injury.
it was a knee injury but the worry is that its a cartilage or other season ending injury, hopefully just a bang on the knee

mackers

Quote from: naka on March 12, 2018, 02:10:43 PM
Quote from: ardchieftain on March 12, 2018, 01:12:36 PM
illdecide, it's reported to be a knee injury.
it was a knee injury but the worry is that its a cartilage or other season ending injury, hopefully just a bang on the knee
I would expect it certainly to be the end of the league for him.  Fingers crossed for championship.
Keep your pecker hard and your powder dry and the world will turn.

Croí na hÉireann

Quote from: shark on March 11, 2018, 05:05:57 PM
Quote from: naka on March 11, 2018, 04:53:19 PM
Big result for West Meath if rte right
They must have reeled off some scores as last I checked they were 4 down

Was at it. Westmeath were very good in the second half. The goal looked like winning it for Fermanagh but Westmeath got 6 in a row to win by 2. Heslin moving from midfield (where outside of catching kickouts he was poor) to full forward changed the game.  Fermanagh very organised and well drilled, but struggled in the middle third in the second half. Also, on the rare occasion a Fermanagh back was left one on one, the Westmeath forward was able to expose far too easily.

One of the best league matches I've been to in years. Great support from the travelling Fermanagh contingent, loud and passionate but you never felt it was going to go somewhere it shouldn't like some visitors in recent years.

It was a tale of two different approaches in the first half, Fermanagh played with the heads up and their first option was to give the ball to the man in the better position. Ours was to take an unnecessary solo or two with the head down before looking to move it on or take it into contact. With the result the inside forwards received no ball in and we invariably were overturned on the 45. Footwear choice seemed poor on our side as well as numerous players lost their footing as opposed to Fermanagh. Heslin was as guilty on both of these points as all the others but his catches in that first half will be what he'll be remembered for. That catch in front of the stand where he rotated in midair and caught it falling backwards was the best catch I have seen in any code in any sphere. Never mind being up there with all the great Gaelic football catches. It's a crying shame RTE didn't have a camera there to capture it. Breath still not back

We addressed this to some degree in the second half and showed great heart to keep plugging away. The goal would have ripped the heart out of most teams but we kept chipping away and we got some reward in injury time. Heslin going inside offered us a serious threat in there and balls were sent his way that weren't sent inside in the first half. The sending off probably decided the game IMO, we seemed to get in and around them easier with a man less in their defensive zone. The last 10 minutes was worth the admission price alone and the early cheers from the terrace were quickly amplified in the stands. Been a while since there was such a passionate atmosphere in Cusack Park, great to hear.

FermGael, only saw your PM there, trust you got parked up ok and result not withstanding enjoyed your visit to Mullingar.
Westmeath - Home of the Christy Ring Cup...

seafoid

Derry have been very disappointing.
"f**k it, just score"- Donaghy   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbxG2WwVRjU

armaghniac

Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on March 12, 2018, 04:51:22 PM
Great support from the travelling Fermanagh contingent, loud and passionate but you never felt it was going to go somewhere it shouldn't like some visitors in recent years.

Arlene obviously didn't make it to this one then.
If at first you don't succeed, then goto Plan B

tonto1888

Quote from: armaghniac on March 12, 2018, 05:16:38 PM
Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on March 12, 2018, 04:51:22 PM
Great support from the travelling Fermanagh contingent, loud and passionate but you never felt it was going to go somewhere it shouldn't like some visitors in recent years.

Arlene obviously didn't make it to this one then.

I wonder if any Westmeath fans made it to their home game this time

FermGael

Quote from: armaghniac on March 12, 2018, 05:16:38 PM
Quote from: Croí na hÉireann on March 12, 2018, 04:51:22 PM
Great support from the travelling Fermanagh contingent, loud and passionate but you never felt it was going to go somewhere it shouldn't like some visitors in recent years.

Arlene obviously didn't make it to this one then.
Herself and Tom are due in on Sunday
Wanted.  Forwards to take frees.
Not fussy.  Any sort of ability will be considered

Wildweasel74

Derry disappoonting? Its literally the worst derry team from the mid 1960's! Theres at least 8-10 players of a better county standard who is either not playing; injured or not selected within the county@ Derry were 1 of the few teams to beat Dublin in the league in recent years but never recovered from the pasting against Dublin in a league final a few years bck