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And the games were competitive and generated excitement because the League is graded.
Bring on the Senior, Inter and Junior Championships on a League basis.

rossfan, i thought kevin and liam hadn't a bit of heed on the league, so is promoting the league to the premier competition going to upset our 3 year plan?

€20 to see Sligo Leitrim in the qualifiers tomorrow evening, while you can get into terrace in breffni for Donegal Monaghan for €15. Where is the sense in this?

Looking for small bit of help and it wont cost you anything

our club are in contention for a grant through one of our members employers and we just need votes on facebook page, if you have a facebook page can you click on the link below and give Boyle GAA a Vote, Thanks.

ONLY TWO DAYS TO GO: Boyle GAA have a chance to win a grant of €1,000 to fund the purchase of a new set of jersies for the Under 12 Team. All we need you to do is to click on the attached link and VOTE FOR THE BOYLE GAA VIDEO in the Version 1 Community Trust Awards.

http://woobox.com/iu793c/vote/for/16277812

The last time the Roscommon senior team played at the Hyde was March 29th 2015 when we played Galway in the second last round of the league. Crazy to think an entire year has passed since a county last played at its home ground.

Ah sure poor oul Dublin haven't played at home in Parnell Pk in years

Last time Roscommon played Dublin in.Parnell Park they won. Correct me if wrong

You are wrong I am afraid, the last time in Parnell Park was in April 2008 when an already relegated Roscommon were trounced by Dublin in NFL 2 game, think Paul Earley may have been the caretaker manager as it was after the abrupt departure of John Maughan the previous week and the now infamous customer comments.

[Andy Glennon and John Mac]

Any views on the title of the thread Syfín seeing as the Final is tomorrow and let the Herrings get on with playingwho they like.
Two depleted teams tomorrow so God knows what will happen.
If as seems likely we'll be well bet at midfield then Galway should put us down.
Nice to be going to good oul Tuam again.

Just hope Mc-FOD use it as a chance to get a right look at lads like Patterson, Featherston (key position) and some of the lads finally available now their colleges are out of the pre-season competitions like Andy Glennon and John Mac. Wouldn't be bothered if we win or lose as long as no player comes out of it with an injury.

andy glennon and john mc have already played for other teams in this competition so are not eligible to play for roscommon tomorrow

worrying times for the rossies. Its only two weeks into the new year and already we have lost our beloved stolensheep website. We've no ground in the county capabale of hosting an FBD game that might attract around 3,000 people and the Westmeath landgrab is taking away 7,000 of our people including our two biggest clubs. Will we  be in existence at all by the end of 2016?

9 meetings in my lifetime 1981(S), 1982(R), 1987(S), 1989(R), 1997(S), 1998*2(R) 2004*2(R), 2007(S) and 2010(R).

Apart from a facile win for Roscommon in 1989, there's never anything in it, and of those 11 meetings its 5 ros 4 Sligo and 2 draws. Worryingly from a Roscommon point of view, its often the perceived underdog going into the game that comes out on top. Losing Ultan Harney and Kevin Higgins in an area where ros are struggling is a huge blow for Roscommon. And with home advantage no doubt the likes of breheny marren Kelly murphy know where the posts are. And i'm sure theres a few new names in Sligo we don't yet know about. It could be another uncomfortable sat evening for us in that venue in as many months.

Remember Rossies playing Down in a league game back in the early nineties too in Orchard park Elphin. Mickey Linden was in his pomp, and Derek Duggan similarly for us. Down were physically huge! Won on the day too as I remember.

was that the day president Mc aleese (with obvious strong allegiance to both counties) viewed the game in elphin in the luxurious surroundings of the back of a bertie glancy lorry.

As Dubh Driocht might recall, Down last played Roscommon at Croke Park 25 years ago this month. It was the semi final of the 1990 NFL, and Down won comfortably before losing to Meath in the final.

remember that game well, roscommon had come off the back of a high scoring extra win over Dublin in Portlaoise in QF and fancied their chances of getting to their first final in 9 years - but we lost on something like a scoreline of 4:10 to 0:10, mickey linden doing untold damage. that game signalled the arrival of that great Down team of early nineties while we went on to win two connachts in 90 and 91, and contested the 91 NFL  semi as well but were hammered by Dublin.

Sure would we have it any other way than riling the neighbours. If you're not doing that you're irrelevant.

Real swing game this weekend. A win for us puts us very close to promotion, a loss for Galway puts them in a very dangerous spot entering the last weekend. If we lose then the battle for second place will be a clusterfūck entering the last weekend and even Galway will be in that race.

wins for Westmeath, Meath Galway and Laois this weekend would I reckon leave 6 teams going into last day in which they could either get relegated, stay put or get promoted. only certainty so far is that Down cannot get relegated.

Leitrim referee, Seamus Prior, disgracefully sent off Roscommon substitute, Jason Neary, in the 1998 Connacht Final against Galway in Tuam. He was only on a few minutes (if even that), when he hit Ja Fallon with a good shoulder and got his marching orders. Other decisions against us made it the worst performance of so called refereeing i've ever seen.

Where in roscommon was he from, went to school with a Jason neary , this lad was balinameen if I remember rightly.

yes that's the same man alright - went on to win an all ireland junior medal with Roscommon in 2000, I don't think he ever played senior again though.

Junior final will be in Tuam I believe.

are both the junior and intermediate finals down for 16 November. As far as I know the croans killanin game is in tuam, is it a double header I wonder?

two future internationals Gavin Duffy (rugby) and Damien Delaney (soccer) marked each other in the 1999 minor semi final cork v mayo.

[Like all previous Roscommon Armagh clashes this is a 50/50 game.Brings back nostalgic memories of 1977 for us oldies!]

Game on Sky. Big challenge is for Armagh to string two good performances together, something that hasn't happened too often in recent years.Like all previous Roscommon Armagh clashes this is a 50/50 game.Brings back nostalgic memories of 1977 for us oldies!

• McDermott says All-Ireland semi-final(s) with Armagh unfairly overshadowed by Dublin/Kerry
  
  
  The 1977 All-Ireland semi-final between Roscommon and Armagh was a repeat of a semi-final meeting in 1953 which Armagh won by a point. While Roscommon had won a number of Connacht titles in the interim, it was Armagh's first Ulster title since 1953. Many people reckon that the other 1977 football semi-final – between Dublin and Kerry – was one of the greatest games ever played, but in the hype surrounding that encounter, two marvellous matches between Roscommon and Armagh were almost totally forgotten about. The first game in particular was a footballing classic between two excellent attacking teams. Ultimately Roscommon lost out in the replay by a single point. One of the stars of those games, Roscommon midfielder Marty McDermott (later to become a very successful Roscommon team manager), recalls those two classic games.
  
  
  
  
  1977 All-Ireland SFC semi-final
  
  Roscommon     2-12
  
  Armagh             3-9
  
  
  
  
  This game was played on a fine sunny day in Croke Park on the 14th August, 1977 and the 32,601 crowd was treated to a classic high-scoring game of  football played by two teams who thrilled the spectators with their high energy and attacking style of play.
  
    This drawn game saw John O'Gara play what was probably his greatest game in the primrose and blue jersey. He and his partner Marty McDermott lorded the exchanges in the middle of the field against the much-vaunted pairing of Joe Kernan and Colm McKinstry. O'Gara repeatedly cut a swathe through the Armagh defence with his excellent running and beautiful skill.
  
    I remember travelling to the game on the train. It was packed with Rossies and we all stood together  on the Canal End that day but the Roscommon support was dwarfed by the massive number who travelled from the north to support Armagh in their first All-Ireland semi-final in 24 years. There was a sea of tangerine and white in Croke Park.
  
    The action was fast and furious from the throw-in. Tony McManus scored a Roscommon point inside 30 seconds but Armagh responded well and their most potent attacker, Jimmy Smith, scored a fine goal in the 8th minute.
  
    With O'Gara and McDermott in command at midfield Roscommon began to dominate. A great move involving Mickey Menton and Patsy Cox released Eamonn McManus who rattled the Armagh net with a super goal in the 17th minute.
  
    A minute later Mickey Menton's thunderbolt crashed against the post but three minutes later a brilliant solo run from O'Gara – which brought him past several Armagh players – led to a great Roscommon goal by Dermot Earley. Roscommon went in at half-time leading by 2-7 to 1-4.
  
    Armagh came out battling after the break and they grabbed a second goal (from Trainor) after 10 minutes. However points from Mickey Freyne and three Dermot Earley frees left Roscommon seemingly coasting and ahead by seven points with only 13 minutes to go.
  
    Armagh were edging back into the game and with 10 minutes left they were awarded a penalty that was converted by Paddy Moriarty and then three great points from the ever-dangerous Jimmy Smith levelled the scores with two minutes to go.
  
    In the final minute, a Roscommon 'goal' from Mickey Freyne was disallowed for a 'square ball'  and then almost immediately a Tony McManus shot was blocked out for a '50. It was the final kick of the game and as Dermot Earley stood to take it, an Armagh official ran across his path and said something. It is not certain to this day whether the Armagh official put Earley off his kick – or what was said – but the result was that he missed the kick and the game ended in a draw.
  
    It was a magnificent, breathless game but Roscommon had thrown away a big lead and a chance to get to an All-Ireland Final. Still, they had  lived to fight another day.
  
  Roscommon: Gerry O'Dowd; Harry Keegan, Pat Lindsay, Tom Heneghan; Tom Donnellan, Richard O'Beirne, Danny Murray; John O'Gara (0-1), Marty McDermott; Dermot Earley (1-5), Mickey Freyne (0-1), Eamonn McManus (1-1); Tony McManus (0-1), Patsy Cox (0-2), Mickey Menton (0-1). Subs: J O'Connor for E McManus, G Beirne for Menton, E McManus for O'Gara.
  
  Armagh: B McAlinden; D Stevenson, J Finnegan, J McKerr; K Rafferty, T McCreesh, J Donnelly; J Kernan, C McKinstry; L Kearns, J Smith (1-5), N Marley (0-1); P Loughran (0-2), P Moriarty (1-0), P Trainor (1-0). Subs: S Devlin (0-1) for McCreesh, T McCreesh for Finnegan, F Toman for Rafferty.
  
  Referee: Paddy Collins (Westmeath).
  
  
  
  
  1977 All-Ireland SFC semi-final replay
  
  Armagh                   0-15
  
  Roscommon           0-14
  
  
  
  
  This game was just as exciting as the drawn match and was played before a crowd of 43,322 at Croke Park on the 28th August, 1977. The exchanges were tough and hard and the scores were level several times throughout the game.
  
    I stood with the Roscommon supporters on Hill 16. We thought that if we changed ends we would have better luck – however it was not to be! Thankfully there were far more Roscommon supporters at the replay than on the first day.
  
    Armagh started the better and led by 0-3 to 0-0 after nine minutes. John O'Gara was having another great game in the middle of the field for Roscommon and the Connacht champions came roaring back into the game. Points from Dermot Earley, Tony McManus and Patsy Cox saw the sides level and then in the 16th minute Roscommon were denied a goal by the woodwork when Mickey Menton's shot cannoned off the Armagh crossbar and was cleared.
  
    It was nip and tuck all the way through but Roscommon were dealt a cruel blow after 22 minutes when brilliant corner-back Harry Keegan had to go off injured. There was only a point in it at half-time, Armagh 0-8 Roscommon 0-7.
  
    It was a titanic struggle until the 25th minute of the second half when Armagh began to pull away and with Peter Loughran and Jimmy Smith scoring good points, the Orchard County led by three points with five minutes remaining. But  Roscommon points from Dermot Earley and sub Michael Finneran left only one in it right on the call of full-time and the Roscommon crowd were on their feet.
  
    Sadly though Roscommon ran out of time and there was much anger directed at referee Paddy Collins as he played almost no injury-time despite claims that he should have played at least three or four minutes.
  
    However Roscommon were beaten by a point and Armagh went through to the All-Ireland Final to play Dublin. It was a heroic effort by the Connacht champions who woud rue losing that seven-point lead in the drawn game.
  
  Roscommon: John McDermott; Harry Keegan, Pat Linsday, Tom Heneghan; Tom Donnellan, Mike Keegan, Danny Murray; John O'Gara, Marty McDermott: Dermot Earley (0-7), Mickey Freyne (0-1), Eamonn McManus (0-2); Tony McManus (0-2), Patsy Cox (0-1), Mickey Menton. Subs: M White for  H Keegan, J O'Connor for Menton, M Finneran (0-1) for White.
  
  Armagh scorers: J Smith (0-5), P Loughran (0-5), S Devlin (0-2), P Trainor (0-2), L Kerins (0-1).
  
  
  
  
  Roscommon midfielder Marty McDermott recalls those two great games between Roscommon and Armagh very well.
  
    "They were two brilliant games and although everyone talks about the Kerry/Dublin game in 1977 as being such a classic, the two games between Roscommon and Armagh were super games played between two skillful and very committed teams" he told me.
  
    "The football was top class in both games and I remember that any tactical plan we had went out the window after about 10 minutes the first day because it was real helter-skelter football with the ball travelling from one end of the field to the other at an almighty pace.
  
    "We had a big lead the first day but we did not hold on to it and sadly we paid a heavy price for that. The one thing I remember from the second day was that the second half seemed to go so quickly. When you are playing in a game you get absorbed in it and you haven't a clue about the time but in the replay when the final whistle blew I was sure we had at least ten minutes left to go so it was a bitter blow to lose the game by a point" he said.
  
    With regard to the controversy involving the Armagh official running across Dermot Earley's path as he prepared to take that fateful 50-yard kick at the end of the first game, Marty says: "I don't know what that Armagh official said to Dermot and Dermot has never revealed it to this day. Maybe he will one of these days but we reckon that the incident definitely put him (Earley) off.
  
    "However they were two great games and to be a part of them was a great honour. It was great to be on a such a good skillful Roscommon team at that time. There were wonderful players on it. They are memories that I will treasure" he concluded.

Is there any particular reason why Roscommon v Armagh and Clare v Kildare are fixed for home venues while Galway v Tipp and Cork v Sligo will be played at neutral venues?

they're at different stages, pot A is at round 4, pot B at round 3. Round 4, or last 12 games, are always nuetral