sligo stars return en masse

[sligoman2]

Very simple,

The new manager wanted them to turn professional and drop their day jobs.  They were smart enough to say no.  How much would that pay anyway??

[stephenite]

Has Dessie retired?

[Teeling Gael]

Sadly think Dessie has been forced to retire from intercounty football. Very few  players countrywide let alone from Sligo can have as high an average score in Croke Park as Dessie and I hope, but am slightly worried, that the importance of Dessie to the team of 2002 won't be forgotten.

In my mind the most significant returnees are Quinn and Naughton. Quinn is the only Sligo footballer big enough and good enough to anchor midfield. (O Hara, Egan ,Mc Namara or Davey are no more than 6ft ). Naughton has for the last few years been the standout club footballer in Sligo playing at centre half back. He has never been given a run there for Sligo and simply most spend the leaue there. Mc Namara is a fantastic addition to the panel but has to yet deliver at intercounty level. Afully fit and focused Mc Garty is a much better addition ( dont know if he is back either,Seanie ??). Fully agree with the spine of your team, Seanie. Possibly could argue that Mc Govern and O Neill are better than Curran ( though agree Curran is a back) and that Kelly has more to offer than McPartland( a centre half forward or nowhere in my opinion) but to be honest these are all so close that one can't quibble.

Finally delighted with Moyles appointment as Minor manager. Perhaps its the Christmas season but it makes me full of optimism for the summer.

Happy Christmas.

[magpie seanie]

Has Dessie retired?

Not sure if he has retired or not but I believe he intended last year to be his last in a county jersey. He was pretty effective with his club last season but old father time and a string of injuries is catching up on him. One of the best ever in a Sligo shirt in my view.

Finally delighted with Moyles appointment as Minor manager

This is a great move. I've heard from a few lads in his school (now he has been let train the lads) that he is first class. The big gripe with minor teams over the last few years in my view has been that they got the selection 75% right and then accomodated their own fellas. Should not be an issue this time.

[baoithe]

It's great to see the Sligo heads surfacing again on this forum. Of course, we must temper our new found enthusiasm somewhat but certainly we appear to have an interesting year ahead of us. The difference this year for Sligo is that it is imperative we hit the ground running from day one in the league - We all know the implications of a bad showing in the league. I wonder will this result in the team peaking a bit too soon? It seems to me that because the final league standings will have an impact on the avenues open to us in the championship players are under increased pressure to perform every week from february right through to the summer. What do you all think?

As for Flannery and O'Grady, I doubt they will be back although Flannery might when his injury clears up. Neither have really shown well when brought into the senior set-up and I would be inclined to think that hasn't changed. I dont think Michael McNamara is a great footballer but I hope he proves me wrong this year. As Seanie will know (from our scrapes on this board regarding Rovers) I follow Sligo Rovers too. McNamara was found wanting quite a few times this year and he seems to lose concentration or switch off during games. Also, the few championship games he played for Sligo I didn't think he stood out. Nevertheless, let me reiterate I hope he proves me wrong and I am also cognisant of the fact that Gaelic Football is a completely different game to Soccer. I'm sure I will get eaten for making that point!!!
Sigoman2 I would tend to disagree with you on your hypothetical placing of Quinn at full forward. I remember watching a league game or two with him in that position and he looked lost. He represents, for me, the most significant addition to the panel. I think he is a fantastic footballer and will be a huge addition to the centre-field unit. All-in-all, if the new additions can earn their places on the first fifteen, I think we will have a very physical half-forward/midfield and not bad footballers either. I would agree with teeling gaels as regards to Naughton - play him at centre back where he's at his best. As Sligoman2 pointed out, the tendency of Egan to forget to track back when he is at centre-back should be enough reason to leave him in the half-forward line. I thought our full back line was perfectly fine last year and the extra year will bring them on well. Davey, I feel, can be potentially a good full-forward and I think that is where he should be placed. At least some of his errors will not have detrimental consequences up there plus his strength and athletic ability will cause full-backs problems.

I dont know if I dreamt this but I was sure that Dessie had announced his retirement from inter-county football earlier in the year. Now that I think of it I may be confusing that with his withdrawal from the panel during the summer. Either way I would doubt that Dessie will return this year. Moreover, I hope I wasn't dreaming about Dessie Sloyan as this would mark a new, and worrying, departure.

When I first heard that Michael Moyles was named the manager of the minor team I did have some reservations and I still do with regard to his experience on the line. However, I do recognise that is important that we rid ourselves of the favouritism which has been part and parcel of minor selection over the years in Sligo. Also, I know that the new man at the helm on Bórd na nÓg had stated his intentions to address this problem by bringing in an outside man. Of course, reality is that it would be difficult for Sligo to attract a proven outside manager for the minor position so I suppose, at the very least, this is a step in the right direction. I do wonder though would it have been possible to appoint a proven club manager from outside the county?

Thats, my lot. Nollaig Shona folks.

[stephenite]

One of the best ever in a Sligo shirt in my view.

Wouldn't be qualified to comment, but certainly one of the more important members of the 02 team for Sligo. Always was a great talent, he was in Muredeachs at a time when there were other fantastic footballers, when I think of the players of that era it annoys me still. With a bit of organisation and proper coaching there was a team there could have won all before them. Anyway, don't want to hijack the thread, all the best to ye for '06

[Owenmoresider]

Good to see all the Sligonians coming back on board, thought it was just going to be the long-standing trio in situ here for a while. Plenty of reasons for optimism for 2007, with the return of the numerous absentees, and also thanks to our friends down at the Showgrounds (there's something you won't hear too often!). We certainly need all available talent as the league will be tricky, Meath may be a home tie, but we do have trips to Cavan, Wexford and to the 'Easkey' of intercounty football venues, Aughrim. Top four is a must, but promotion can be achieved this time. A tilt at Connacht isn't beyond us either, it's only Roscommon in the semi-final anyway.

Here goes: Greene, Harrison, Maguire, Donovan, Curran, Naughton, Doohan, O'Hara, Quinn, McNamara, Egan, McPartland, J. Davey, S. Davey, Breheny. Subs: Martyn, O'Neill, McGovern, Phillips, McGarty (think he is back?), Kelly, Marren among others.

Can't find any real fault with Seanie's lineup there, Quinn and McNamara are huge additions, and having Naughton back fully fit also. As regards SM2's suggestions re Davey, I think we''ll put him somewhere where he can't be of any further benefit to the opposition, so FF looks like the only option left. Speaking of same, I notice he has the season's collected trophies on 'display' for passers-by, very wise idea that, especially in enemy territory! It's fair to say the bench doesn't look too bad in terms of options either, a contrast to recent years. It's all to look forward to.

[paddypastit]

Nice alright to be talking about Sligo football againfor a change. I'd prefeace any remarks on the merits of who should or should not be in the team by saying firstly that although I would have seen them up close and regularly up to 2003, I've seen very little of any of these lads in the flesh, and ceratinly not regularluy, in the past three years.  IMO, McNamara has the potentila to be a lethal FF, but it will take time.  He was first on the Sligo panel in '02 and went into it having been out for a year with a cruciate IIRC and his first ever game of gaelic football at senior level at any level was coming on as a sub in eithet the Tyrone or the drawn Armagh game.  He made a futrther 10 minute appearance in Navan before getting into the team in '03.  My point is that he is very raw despite not being so young and that we should not expect too much too soon but that the potential is enormous. 

Quinner is a MF pure and simple and a great head and presence. He's not enough of a footballer to be at FF.  For straight up mean minded defending I'd have Martyn before Harrison and it's saying a lot about the quality of competition when you can consider leaving McGovern off.  Agree Curran is best at HB, but would have a similar view of J Davey. Johhny McP ghas an interesting year ahead of him.  For me he was one of, if not the key man in '02 / '03 - remember the power running and the passing over long distances.  He's never since reached those heights.

If TB can get these motivated to do what they can, andf have nearly done before, the technicasl capability ois there.  Right now I'd far rather be where TB is than where J O'M is.

[SLIGONIAN]

I personally dont think QUINN is the saviour everyone thinks he is. He is so slow. I dont rate naughton that highly either. Average enough.

My starting 15 would be:

Greene
Donovan
Mcguire
Harrison
martyn
mcgovern
J Davey
O Hara
Doohan
Curran
Brehony
Egan
Kelly
Davey
Mcnanamra

Subs
mcpartland,quinn,phillips,naughton, marren, t taylor, o neill, sweeney,, gallagher,p taylor

Very optimistic about this year. Lets just worry about ourselves. Plenty of youth experience pace and talent. Best squad for years. We could win div 2. We have better team than Ros just will have the belief on the day. Will we leave our best football till qualifiers or we will for once do it in connaught.

[sligoman2]

Sligonian,

I can't wait for magpie's reaction to that lineup.

[magpie seanie]

I've mellowed over the years Sligoman2.

Welcome to the board Sligonian.