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So the county scene kicks off again this week. I think we can be optimistic, the vibes are good, positive results in challenge games, clearly the Portugal trip went very well. Be good to see the fellas putting it up to Monaghan midweek before Fermanagh at home

Who have they played in challenge games?

Clarke confirmed to stay with Glenn (to clear up any question marks above).

Mitchells and Ballykinlar both definitely not fielding this season then? 

If Darragh Cross do go down to Div 4, the leagues are looking decided already.

Imagine Darragh Cross should win Div 4 no bother.
Imagine Glenn should win Div 3 no bother.
Imagine Bryansford (if they get their house in order) should win Div 2.

Bryansford has significantly regressed in recent years, therefore I don't think they will stroll this division. Since they have been lingering in mid-table for several years, I anticipate that Saul will want to start to challenge and Liatroim and the RGU will also push for promotion. Rostrevor's new manager will likely see them bounce, although they are similar to Bryansford in that all of their finest players are beyond thirty. Division 2 will be the most keenly contested.

Who is Rostrevors new managaer?

Agree with this. Most outside club managers I have come across are good men who care deeply about the team they coach. They usually bring a level of expertise that doesnt exist within the club. Also, players demand the best and they'll not settle for the man they had at underage who they just don't have faith in.

There may well be "mercenaries" in the game but usually this is just peddled by disgruntled high profile commentators who yearn for a return to 1995. It's not happening.

I expect Jarlath Burns to look at this issue and perhaps bring some transparency to it. I think the only way to control it is to standardise it ie: make payments legal and bring them out into the open. Then put conditions and caps on them.

419 pages on the Brolly thread, probably filled by most who dislike him for having an opinion ( which most on here, have ) that he throws up in social media..

Some people are easily triggered

But ya see it's not his opinion that annoys people. It's the hypocrisy, lies and BS he comes off with.
Most are on to him by now though.

Mark Poland, Jerome Johnston, Steven Poacher, Cathal Murray, Donal O'Hare, Shorty Trainor

What clubs are these lads with?

Two peas from the same pod. Loud and egotistical. So glad Brolly is off the TV now. He's a self obsessed bore.

There's 110 miles between Drumcliff and Kilcoo.

Surely this has to be a record distance for a voluntary club manager to travel?

"voluntary club manager" 

are all management teams now in place ?

Kilcoo?
Burren?
Warrenpoint?
Rostrevor?
Saval?

Did Lacey get the sack?

Think hes with Jim in Donegal setup next year

McGuinness interviewed over weekend and said Lacey will not be part of his backroom team.
So has he been sacked from Kilcoo or what?

are all management teams now in place ?

Kilcoo?
Burren?
Warrenpoint?
Rostrevor?
Saval?

Did Lacey get the sack?

League football has been gloried friendlies this past few years. There are a few teams going full pelt at it and then there are others who are literally playing about 3 players who will start on their championship team. Not sure what the answer is.

Tyrone system would work well. Let the league run on longer. Have a 1A and 1B with 8 teams each with 2 way league of 14 games ranging from March to end of July even August then have a knockout championship. All matches are meaningful. Even if clubs have to do without county men for max 4 league games. 1 up and 1 down. New proposals are ludicrous but hardly surprising...

What are the proposals?

No promotion or relegation in the league for the next 3 years. Can only get promoted or relegated through championship. Round robin championship and bottom team in the 4 groups go into a relegation round robin and either one or two relegated into intermediate and div 2. Similar structure in Intermediate/Div2 and Junior/Div3.

Apparently it has a lot of backing.

A league with no relegation or promotion is not a league, it's a series of organised challenge matches.

All not well in the camp pre game set the tone for a poor performance. Kilcoo physio who Lacey brought into the set up decided to go to the Naomh Conaill game and it did not go down well with Laverty and Choc. Lacey 100% heading back to Donegal and word is he struggled to deal with a few big egos over the last few weeks.

Maybe they heard they money Lacey was on? 

Kilcoo were poor. They sat back after the penalty and invited Scotstown on to them. Deserved to loose. Credit to Scotstown, they looked good and have big game players. They'll take some stopping.

Not sure why glenullin are such overwhelming favourites against Glenravel
People get blinded when clubs go to ulster
They assume its county v county so obviously derry are favourites
Makes no sense
Same in seniors
6-1 for cargin - madness I tbink

Odds are accurate IMO. Glenravel will do ok but won't win. How Glenullin are still in Intermediate is beyond me.

Good luck to Cargin. I'm hopeful but not expectant.

Belfast Live have an article online today about Antrim calling up one of the former Lavey Downey lads. Notably hes probably the only one of them that has zero chance of being called up by Derry. This must where we are at, which is fine.

So how does that work, will some of them play for Derry and now this lad is in with Antrim?

Glen it is then, 9 point winners after a poor first half

Can Cargin beat them?