Messages

I think the super 8 experiment has failed - I can't see any advantages over the old knockout quarter finals.
'Champions league style' groups stages just aren't appealing in my opinion - knockout games are what people want to see

Not working for me either.
Looks like its geoblocked - Access can be acquired in the 6 counties but you must connect from an NI / ROI IP address.
This is getting beyond a joke

I'd say the delay is in sorting something out for St Johns, they are due to play the hurling replay as well this weekend.

Has anybody in the North subscribed to this?
I can't find a number on their website that works.

Have to say i really enjoy listening to Parkinsons off the ball podcast - some very good discussion and he's an excellent interviewer.
I also enjoy listening to and reading Joe Brolly's articles.

Thats not to say i agree with what they are saying or every contribution they make is good.

Saw that table on facebook, some ridiculous comments on it as well.

The figure for Antrim was €551,973 over 9 years (07 - 15).
Thats slightly over €60k per year - might just about cover 2 full time coaches so while its a big number, it won't go very far.

And to add to my confusion Derry have been drawn at home to Waterford but must play away at Fraher Field.

If two teams are pulled out to play each other and one has played at home in the championship and one has played away then the team that hasn't played at home yet will be given home advantage for the qualifier game.

if both team have played at home/away - the team that was pulled out first will get home advantage.

Eg - Derry were pulled out first, then Waterford. However in their previous championship games Derry were at home to Tyrone and Waterford were away to Cork. Meaning Waterford now have home advantage.

And as a Derry man I now have 10hours of driving ahead of me to watch the match 

Thats not correct - the criteria is:
The first team drawn out will be given home advantage in most circumstances.

If the two teams met already in their province this year, the winner of that provincial championship game will have home advantage.

Also, if a county did not have a home game in the first round of the qualifier series in 2016 they will have a home tie this time around. If two such counties are drawn together the first team out of the bowl will play at home.

Waterford were away to Leitrim in the 1st round qualifiers last year, Derry were at home to Louth so its a home game for Waterford this year.

The BBC don't hold the rights to show whatever game they wish.
They can only show ulster championship matches that RTE are also showing.

http://irishpost.co.uk/gaa-announce-deal-sky-sports/

http://www.irishnews.com/news/2016/07/01/news/new-road-closure-powers-for-psni-in-casement-park-plans-586063/

Where there's a will there's a way.

"Existing legislation does not permit the PSNI to pre-plan to close roads to facilitate events in or on a public road. Therefore an event plan should not assume that this can occur."

Surely the PSNI close roads regularly to facilitate marches and things like that on a regular basis

I don't know an awful lot about most of them but I don't see any down side to voting them in.
They can't do any worse than the incumbents, and I don't mean that in a flippant way, they actually couldn't do ANY worse.

There is actually nothing left to go wrong - no money (and no idea where it goes), no pitches (Casement razed to the ground), county teams as low as they can go.

Well, what do you think of the Irish News antrim club all-star selection?


1. COLM O'REILLY (CARGIN)
O'Reilly was beaten just twice in the championship. He couldn't do much about Gareth Galwey's flick to the net for Lámh Dhearg's goal in the final and, in the semi-final, he had initially saved the Creggan penalty before David McGuckin put away the rebound. As is required of a modern-day 'keeper, his kick-outs were consistent and intelligent throughout.



2. CHRISTOPHER NOLAN (LÁMH DHEARG)
Nolan is one of the most consistent performers in the Hannahstown shirt and is a superb reader of the game. In the quarter-final against O'Donovan Rossa, Nolan displayed his man-marking qualities and he did a great job on curbing the influence of Michael Magill in the final. His stand-out performance, however, was against Portglenone in the quarter-final when he gave an exhibition of defending over the hour.



3. JAMES LAVERTY (CARGIN)
The Cargin defence were the meanest in the championship, conceding an average of nine points per game over their three matches. This was due in no small part to the leadership in the full back line from Laverty. He does the simple things well, is a tenacious tackler and always gives 100 per cent. His decision-making is also first class and he rarely takes the wrong option when moving the ball out of defence.



4. KEVIN O'BOYLE (CARGIN)
What more can be said about 'Kobo'? The former Antrim captain is one of the best defenders in Ulster and, no matter what the occasion or conditions, always looks assured and confident on the ball. He's one of those players who always seems to be in the right place at the right time and can break forward at pace when the situation demands. Solid throughout the championship.



5. PAUL CLOSE (O'DONOVAN ROSSA)
The O'Donovan Rossa stalwart turned back the clock in his side's two championship games this year. Still with a sharp turn of pace, Close was the dominant figure in the Rossa rearguard against Aldergrove in the quarter-final, setting up a number of scores from the half-back berth. He carried the same form into the semi-final against Lámh Dhearg when Rossa were a kick of the ball away from their first football championship final since 1991.



6. JUSTIN CROZIER (CARGIN)
The championship campaign began for Cargin on a wet and windy Friday night in August against St Gall's, when the 2010 All-Ireland champions were kept to nine points. Crozier's contribution that night was solid if not spectacular in what was a superb team performance. The same dependable qualities were on show against Lámh Dhearg in the final and he also showed he can take a score when the opportunity presents itself, slotting over a superb effort against Creggan in the semi-final from 45 metres out.



7. DECLAN LYNCH (LÁMH DHEARG)
Lynch started games with 5, 8 and 14 on his back, although he just about covered every blade of grass on all the venues he graced in this year's championship. A powerful, versatile player, he looks at his most dangerous driving at opposition defences from deep, but he also has a deft touch in front of the posts when required, as shown in the semi-final when firing to the bottom corner of the Rossa net for what proved to be the crucial score for his side.



8. MICHAEL McCANN (CARGIN)
The most difficult aspect of Michael McCann's inclusion on the Antrim SFC Allstar team is where to place the former county star, but he simply has to be included, such was his influence on the destination of the McNamee Cup. Named at full-forward in the quarter-final, McCann produced a man of the match display, driving forward from midfield. With 15 on his back in the semi-final and 8 in the final, McCann was given pretty much a free reign and relished the role. He dispatched two penalties to the net with aplomb in the final.



9. CONOR MURRAY (LÁMH DHEARG)
Murray has shown on the county stage this year that he can mix it at a higher level, and he was instrumental to Lámh Dhearg's four-game run to the final. He contributed two points in the win over Rossa, but it is for his strong running and, at times, spectacular fielding that he is best known. He is another player with great vision who seldom picks out the wrong pass.



10. MARK DOUGAN (CREGGAN)
With 0-8 to his credit from two games, Creggan's Mark Dougan deserves his place in the 2015 Antrim club Allstar selection. A superb placed-ball kicker, Dougan made light of difficult conditions in the quarter-final to raise seven white flags from all angles from play and frees. He didn't create quite as much space in the semi-final against Cargin, but was always a handful for a number of Cargin markers.



11. TOMÁS McCANN (CARGIN)
The youngest McCann brother gave an exhibition of free-taking in the opening win over St Gall's. In testing conditions, McCann kept the scoreboard ticking over, each score sapping a bit more belief from St Gall's, and he ended the match with a sublime effort from close to 60 metres out. His contribution is much more than that of free-taker, however. He has pace, two good feet and an eye for the posts. Ended the championship with 0-16.



12. COLM FLEMING (O'DONOVAN ROSSA)
Fleming was the go-to man in the Rossa forward line in the quarter-final win over Aldergrove. The 24-year-old's pace and power caused no end of problems for the St James' backs and, running at the defence, he looked dangerous every time he got the ball. He continued in the same vein against Lámh Dhearg and his style of play was no better summed up than by his driving run through the Hannahstown defence in first-half injury-time. However, his shot flashed just past the post.



13. PADDY CUNNINGHAM (LÁMH DHEARG)
The former county star finished the championship with a total of 1-24 from placed calls and play, comfortably the highest scorer. When backs were to the wall against St John's in the preliminary round, Lámh Dhearg needed some inspiration – and it was Cunningham who provided it. Trailing 1-2 to no score after seven minutes, they led by a point at the break, helped by a 1-2 contribution from Cunningham. A man of the match performance in the semi-final saw him slot points over from all angles  and he accounted for 0-5 of his side's 1-5 total in the final.



14. MICHAEL MAGILL (CARGIN)
Picked up an early injury in the final and didn't exert as great an influence on the game as in previous rounds, but Magill always has to be watched by the opposition defence. His effectiveness as a target man cannot be overstated and, as shown against Creggan, he still knows where the back of the net is.



15. CIARÁN CLOSE (CARGIN)
Recovering from injury this year, Close came on as sub in the opening round against St Gall's and was a late call-up to the starting 15 for the final. Manager John Brennan is, no doubt, delighted at the former county captain's return to fitness. Close was superb in the semi-final against Creggan and set the tone for the final when notching the first two points of the game by the fourth minute. He constantly has defenders wondering what he's going to do next.

It doesn't really matter if he made contact or not.
Striking or attempting to strike with the head is a category 4 offence

All of this stuff with the champions league formats is well and good but the issue is going to be finding dates/times and venues for all these games.
Davegaasportsdesk, how about posting potential dates for your fixtures for 2016?

How does it affect the other non senior football county competitions (minor/u21/sigerson/hurling) as well as club activity in all the counties.

I think the GAA stadium strategy should be for shared facilities in urban areas for big championship matches rather than white elephants in every county.
Each county would then have a smaller stadium for club matches/league games etc

Sure nobody has any clue how many were there or how much money was lifted.
No tickets or receipts at the gate as usual