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#42
General discussion / Anyone fancy a fry?
February 23, 2010, 11:15:40 PMQuoteA CAFE is offering a gut-busting breakfast challenge — eat every last morsel of its fearsome full English and you can have it for free.
But be warned — this supersized meal is not for the faint of heart.
In fact, the owner of Mario's Cafe Bar, in Market Street, Westhoughton, asks any customer brave enough to take on the challenge to sign a disclaimer taking responsibility for their own health.
For £10.95, willing victims can "enjoy" 10 eggs, 10 sausages, 10 rashers of bacon, 10 slices of toast, five black pudding slices, tomatoes, mushrooms and baked beans.
Owner and head chef Mario Frappola gives customers just 20 minutes to wolf down his calorie-packed meal and does not even allow them a cup of tea.
The breakfast packs in 5,000 calories — nearly twice the recommended daily intake for an average man.
A spokesman for the British Heart Foundation said: "Eating this amount in one sitting is not a good idea."
But despite the obvious health risks, the 52-year-old chef insists it is all just a bit of fun.
He said: "I don't think anyone will ever eat the full breakfast. It started out as a joke, but now four people have tried it. No-one has come anywhere close yet, not even half way.
"I would be very happy if someone finished my breakfast but I don't think it will ever happen."
#43
General discussion / Bernard Dunne retires
February 19, 2010, 06:35:37 PMQuoteFormer WBA World Super-Bantamweight champion Bernard Dunne has announced his retirement from boxing.
Dunne confirmed his decision in an interview with RTÉ Sport's Joe Stack, claiming 'it is time to step on and face new challenges'.
The Neilstown man said: 'After a long thought-out process and speaking with my family I've decided to announce my retirement from boxing.
'I've achieved all my life dreams and ambitions in the sport and it is the right moment for me.
'I'm 30 years of age and it is time to step on and face new challenges.'
Dunne highlighted his victory over Ricardo Cordoba in front of a capacity crowd in Dublin's O2 Arena last March to win the WBA World Super-Bantamweight title as the highlight of his career.
The feat came on the same day as Ireland winning the Grand Slam in the Six Nations on what was one of the greatest days in the history of Irish sport.
'There have been so many highs in my career but to pick one out you'd have to pick the night against Cordoba.
'It is the stuff dreams are really made of. That night was, I suppose you could say, like a movie script.
#45
General discussion / Irish actors in awards controversy
December 22, 2009, 02:13:42 PMQuoteAwards list calls Irish stars British
Two Irish stars have been bizarrely nominated in the British acting categories for the London Film Critics' Circle Awards.
'The Lovely Bones' star Saoirse Ronan, born in New York and raised in Carlow, is shortlisted in the Young British Performer of the Year category.
The German-born and Kerry-raised actor Michael Fassbender is also nominated in the Best British Actor in a Supporting Role category for his performance in 'Fish Tank'.
Joining Ronan on the Young Performer shortlist are: Katie Jarvis ('Fish Tank'), Aaron Johnson ('Nowhere Boy' and 'Dummy'), George MacKay ('The Boys Are Back') and Bill Milner ('Is Anybody There?' and 'Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll').
Joining Fassbender on the Supporting Actor shortlist are: John Hurt ('44 Inch Chest'), Jason Isaacs ('Good'), Alfred Molina ('An Education') and Timothy Spall ('The Damned United').
There are no international categories for Young Performer of the Year or Supporting Actor at the awards.
The winners will be announced on 18 February 2010.
#46
General discussion / Your average Saturday night out in Cardiff
December 01, 2009, 07:32:43 PM
#47
GAA Discussion / 125 years, how was it for your county?
October 31, 2009, 01:43:36 PM
From de Indo.
Saturday October 31 2009
AS the GAA celebrates its 125th anniversary tomorrow it would be nice to think that the Association's title wealth has been shared out fairly evenly over the years but, unfortunately, that's far from being the case.
In fact, the spread is depressingly inequitable. The top six -- Cork, Kilkenny, Kerry, Tipperary, Dublin and Galway -- have taken 70pc of the senior, minor and U-21 All-Ireland titles in football and hurling; the top 12 have 86pc while the top 16 have won 93pc. The bottom 10 have won less than 1pc of the titles.
So what have the first 125 years been like for your county? Cork have won most titles in senior, minor and U-21 (86) followed by Kilkenny, Kerry, Tipp, Dublin and Galway. Seven counties have yet to win an All-Ireland title in any grade.
Cork (86)
Despite strikes and strife in recent years, Cork are by some distance the most successful county, having won 24 titles more than nearest challengers Kilkenny. Cork are three behind Kilkenny on the hurling side but score heavily in football.
Biggest achievements: Hurling four-in-a-row 1941-44; senior football-hurling double 1990.
What might have been: A poor performance against Tipperary in the 1945 Munster hurling semi-final wrecked Cork's All-Ireland five-in-a-row dream. Would Cork have won the six-in-a-row if it hadn't been for one bad day in Thurles?
Kilkenny (62)
Celebrate GAA 125 in record-breaking mode, having dominated the hurling decade like no other county before. Have won 14 of a possible 30 titles at senior, U-21 and minor level this decade. Clearly, their hurling systems are in perfect working order. Not so with football.
Biggest achievement: All-Ireland four-in-a-row this year.
What might have been: Had Noel Hickey been playing against Galway in the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final, it's unlikely Kilkenny would have conceded five goals (or lost). In fact, they might now be five-in-a-row holders.
Kerry (58)
Football's dominant force by a huge margin but it tends to be forgotten that they also won an All-Ireland SH title in 1891. One of only eight counties to have taken the big prize in both codes.
Biggest achievement: Eight All-Ireland titles in 1975-86, including the four-in-a-row in 1978-81.
What might have been: Why didn't they keep a closer eye on Seamus Darby in the closing minutes of the 1982 final?
Tipperary (56)
The only missing link across the six grades in both codes is U-21 football. Tipp have lost ground on Kilkenny and Cork on the senior hurling leaderboard, having been well clear in the mid-60s.
Biggest achievement: All-Ireland SH three-in-a-row in 1949-51.
What might have been: How was such a formidable forward line held to 0-8 by Waterford in the 1963 Munster SH final? Won the 1961-62-64-65 All-Irelands which makes it reasonable to assume the five-in-a-row should have been on.
Dublin (43)
Tick five of the six All-Ireland title boxes across the grades but are still missing out on U-21 hurling. Hold 28 SF and SH titles but 26 of them came pre-1978 and 20 pre-1940.
Biggest achievement: Three All-Ireland and six Leinster SF titles in 1974-79.
What might have been: If Lar Foley hadn't been sent off in the 1961 SH final would they have beaten Tipperary instead of a losing by a point in what was their last appearance in the final?
Galway (39)
They have won All-Irelands across all six codes but, in hurling in particular, there's a feeling that they should have won more than three titles over the past 30 years. In football, Galway have tended to peak in occasional bursts, followed by long periods of mediocrity.
Biggest achievement: All-Ireland SF three-in-a-row, 1964-65-66.
What might have been: Did New York wreck them twice? Would the three-in-a-row footballers have added to their haul if they hadn't had to face Mayo in the 1967 Connacht semi-final a few weeks after returning from a two-leg NFL final in New York? Would the hurlers have completed the treble in 1989 if Tony Keady hadn't been suspended for playing in New York?
Limerick (16)
It tends to be forgotten that Limerick have won both All-Ireland SF and SH titles but it's all very much in the past, especially for football who won both titles over 100 years ago.
Biggest achievement: The 1933-40 era which yielded three All-Ireland SH, five Munster and five NHL titles.
What might have been: Had they packed the goal line late in the 1994 All-Ireland final against Offaly, would they have prevented Johnny Dooley scoring a goal from a free which ignited a revival that turned into a victory?
Wexford (15)
They have 11 senior All-Ireland titles between hurling and football, 10 of which came pre-1970. Remain one of the few genuine dual counties but have difficulties balancing both codes which tends to have a negative impact overall.
Biggest achievement: Winning hurling two-in-a-row in 1955-56.
What might have been: If they weren't in the same province as Kilkenny would they have done much better over the last decade, in particular?
Tyrone (14)
Have zoomed up the football rankings this decade. Other than Kerry and Dublin, no other county won three senior All-Irelands in the same decade since Galway and Down in the 1960s.
Biggest achievement: Making the senior All-Ireland breakthrough in 2003.
What might have been: Had Eugene McKenna and John Lynch not got injured during the 1986 All-Ireland final would Sam Maguire have visited Tyrone 17 years earlier than he did?
Mayo (13)
They complete the 125th year with an ache in their hearts. Sam Maguire has refused to go that far west since 1951.
Biggest achievement: Winning the All-Ireland SF double in 1950-51.
What might have been: If they had cut out Colm Coyle's long-range kick, which hopped over the bar to draw Meath level late in the 1996 All-Ireland final, would Mayo have finally ended the famine?
Offaly (12)
Given their small population, they are the most successful county of all, having won All-Ireland titles in five of the six grades in hurling and football. All of their 12 titles were won since 1964.
Biggest achievement: All-Ireland SF double, 1971-72.
What might have been: If Anthony Daly's free hadn't hit the post allowing Eamonn Taaffe to score a goal for Clare late in the 1995 All-Ireland SH final would Offaly have completed the two-in-a-row?
Meath (11)
Didn't win their first All-Ireland SF title until 1949 but are now in fourth place on the honours table (seven titles), having enjoyed their best spell between ;87 and '99 when they won four finals.
Biggest achievement: The All-Ireland SF two-in-a row, 1987-88.
What might have been: If Colm O'Rourke had been fit to start the 1991 All-Ireland final, would they have beaten Down instead of losing by two points after staging a great comeback?
Down (10)
The first county to bring the Sam Maguire Cup across the border in 1960 which they followed up with a double a year later.
They have been left behind by Tyrone and Armagh in this decade.
Biggest achievement: The All-Ireland SF two-in-a row, 1960-61.
What might have been: Had their forwards not been so wasteful, would they have stopped Galway's three-in-a-row gallop in the 1965 semi-final and gone on to win their third title of the decade?
Roscommon (
Eight All-Ireland titles in the three main football grades is a whole lot better than several other counties of similar size.
Biggest achievement: The All-Ireland SF two-in-a-row, 1943-44.
What might have been: They led Kerry by five points early in the 1980 All-Ireland final but tied up from there on. It was a lost opportunity in a game which Kerry admit they were fortunate to win.
Cavan (7)
Their five senior and two minor All-Irelands had all been secured by 1952, making Cavan a power of the past with no sign of a return to the glory trail.
Biggest achievement: The All-Ireland SF two-in-a row, 1947-48.
What might have been: Level after 47 minutes against Kerry in the 1997 All-Ireland semi-final, ran out of momentum just when it looked like they would drive on.
Derry (7)
All seven titles have come since 1965. They would feel that Sam Maguire should have made more than one visit over the past 20 years.
Biggest achievement: Winning All-Ireland SF title for the first time in 1993.
What might have been: Would they have completed the All-Ireland double in 1994 had they beaten Down in an Ulster championship tie which is regarded as one of the real classics?
Clare (5)
All-Ireland hurling titles only in the Banner, with four of their five coming since 1995. Internal wrangling hasn't helped their cause in recent seasons.
Biggest achievement: Winning All-Ireland titles in 1995-97.
What might have been: Would they have made it a double in 1998 only for that early whistle in the All-Ireland semi-final against Offaly?
Kildare (5)
All four of their SF titles were won by 1928 so they really have been trapped in the desert for a very long time. Lack of success at underage level is a giveaway as to why it continues to happen.
Biggest achievement: Winning the All-Ireland SF double, 1927-28.
What might have been: If Larry Tompkins and Shea Fahy were playing with their native county rather than Cork, would Kildare have won an All-Ireland title in the Mick O'Dwyer era?
Louth (5)
Three senior and two minor All-Irelands by 1957. It's impossible to envisage any return to those heights.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1957 All-Ireland SF title.
What might have been: A late goal robbed them against Meath in the 2002 qualifiers. A win against the Royals would have been precious at that time.
Waterford (5)
Unlucky not to have won an All-Ireland SH title since re-emerging as Munster champions in 2002. Had Waterford been as good in the 1990s they would probably have made the breakthrough, there were years when the standard wasn't all that high.
Biggest achievement: Winning the All-Ireland SH finals in 1959 after beating Galway, Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny.
What might have been: If the 'back door' wasn't in place, would they have won the 2004 All-Ireland title? Cork and Kilkenny lost in the provinces but returned to contest the final.
Armagh (4)
Have ticked all three All-Ireland football boxes this decade, including winning a first senior title. Seven Ulster titles since 1999 is also a huge achievement.
Biggest achievement: First All-Ireland SF title in 2002.
What might have been: If Diarmuid Marsden hadn't been sent off (he was subsequently exonerated) in the 2003 final against Tyrone would Armagh have completed the double?
Laois (4)
A return to power at senior level in Leinster football in 2003 and three minor All-Irelands since 1996 was a big improvement on previous times. Still, there's a feeling that the senior team underachieved. Hurling has been disappointing for years but the seniors are getting better under Niall Rigney.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1915 All-Ireland SH title.
What might have been: The footballers could've done better in the Mick O'Dwyer era if they regarded the '03 Leinster win as a start rather than an end in itself.
Donegal (3)
Three All-Irelands in senior and U-21 since '82 represents a lot better than what went before.
Biggest achievement: Winning the senior All-Ireland for the first time in 1992.
What might have been: Did bad weather wreck their chances of retaining the title in 1993?
The monsoon conditions which ruined the Ulster final were totally unsuited to Donegal's game, allowing Derry to edge to a two-point win. Derry went on to win the All-Ireland.
Westmeath (2)
All-Irelands at minor and U-21 level and a senior Leinster in past 14 years makes it their best period in football.
Biggest achievement: Winning Leinster SF title for the first time in 2004.
What might have been: Underperformed against Derry in the 2004 All-Ireland quarter-final when they had a real chance of extending the great adventure.
Antrim (1)
They remain a genuine dual county, albeit without much success at the highest level. The GAA badly needs an Antrim surge in either code.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1969 All-Ireland U-21 football title.
What might have been: Came within two points of Meath in the 1951 All-Ireland SF semi-final. Close enough to leave them dreaming of a lost opportunity.
London (1)
Have done what so many counties have failed to do -- win an All-Ireland title.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1901 All-Ireland SH title.
What might have been: London ran Roscommon to a point in the 2005 Connacht championship as they chased their first championship win since 1977.
Carlow (0)
Little success but have always promoted both codes unlike some counties.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1944 Leinster SF title.
What might have been: Ran Kerry to two points in the 1944 semi-final.
Fermanagh (0)
Together with Wicklow, they are the only counties not to have won a senior provincial title. Have had a good decade and were very unlucky not to make the Ulster breakthrough in 2008.
Biggest achievement: Reaching the 2004 All-Ireland semi-final.
What might have been: Came so close to beating Mayo in the 2004 All-Ireland semi-final which they lost by two points in a replay.
Leitrim (0)
Can find only occasional escapes from the large traps set by Galway and Mayo.
Biggest achievement: 1994 Connacht SF title.
What might have been: Very unlucky in qualifier ties against Meath and Donegal this decade.
Longford (0)
The glory period of the 1960's when they won an NFL and a Leinster title showed what the county is capable of but it hasn't been replicated since.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1966 NFL and the 1968 Leinster SF titles.
What might have been: It took a great save from Johnny Culloty late on to steer Kerry to a two-point win over Longford in the 1968 All-Ireland semi.
Monaghan (0)
Hard to believe they don't have an All-Ireland title in any grade.
Biggest achievement: 1985 NFL title.
What might have been: Drew with the great Kerry team in the 1985 All-Ireland semi-final. Just one more point....
Sligo (0)
Like Leitrim, they find it very hard to shake off Galway and Mayo.
Biggest achievements: Winning the 1975 and 2007 Connacht SF titles.
What might have been: Ran the Galway three-in-a-row team to three points in 1964 and 65. Sligo would have won titles in less vintage times for Connacht.
Wicklow (0)
Still without a Leinster SF title but the quest gets more exciting all the time.
Biggest achievement: Winning four SF championship games this year.
What might have been: If they'd taken their goal chances against Kildare last July the fairytale would have continued into an All-Ireland quarter-final.
Saturday October 31 2009
AS the GAA celebrates its 125th anniversary tomorrow it would be nice to think that the Association's title wealth has been shared out fairly evenly over the years but, unfortunately, that's far from being the case.
In fact, the spread is depressingly inequitable. The top six -- Cork, Kilkenny, Kerry, Tipperary, Dublin and Galway -- have taken 70pc of the senior, minor and U-21 All-Ireland titles in football and hurling; the top 12 have 86pc while the top 16 have won 93pc. The bottom 10 have won less than 1pc of the titles.
So what have the first 125 years been like for your county? Cork have won most titles in senior, minor and U-21 (86) followed by Kilkenny, Kerry, Tipp, Dublin and Galway. Seven counties have yet to win an All-Ireland title in any grade.
Cork (86)
Despite strikes and strife in recent years, Cork are by some distance the most successful county, having won 24 titles more than nearest challengers Kilkenny. Cork are three behind Kilkenny on the hurling side but score heavily in football.
Biggest achievements: Hurling four-in-a-row 1941-44; senior football-hurling double 1990.
What might have been: A poor performance against Tipperary in the 1945 Munster hurling semi-final wrecked Cork's All-Ireland five-in-a-row dream. Would Cork have won the six-in-a-row if it hadn't been for one bad day in Thurles?
Kilkenny (62)
Celebrate GAA 125 in record-breaking mode, having dominated the hurling decade like no other county before. Have won 14 of a possible 30 titles at senior, U-21 and minor level this decade. Clearly, their hurling systems are in perfect working order. Not so with football.
Biggest achievement: All-Ireland four-in-a-row this year.
What might have been: Had Noel Hickey been playing against Galway in the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final, it's unlikely Kilkenny would have conceded five goals (or lost). In fact, they might now be five-in-a-row holders.
Kerry (58)
Football's dominant force by a huge margin but it tends to be forgotten that they also won an All-Ireland SH title in 1891. One of only eight counties to have taken the big prize in both codes.
Biggest achievement: Eight All-Ireland titles in 1975-86, including the four-in-a-row in 1978-81.
What might have been: Why didn't they keep a closer eye on Seamus Darby in the closing minutes of the 1982 final?
Tipperary (56)
The only missing link across the six grades in both codes is U-21 football. Tipp have lost ground on Kilkenny and Cork on the senior hurling leaderboard, having been well clear in the mid-60s.
Biggest achievement: All-Ireland SH three-in-a-row in 1949-51.
What might have been: How was such a formidable forward line held to 0-8 by Waterford in the 1963 Munster SH final? Won the 1961-62-64-65 All-Irelands which makes it reasonable to assume the five-in-a-row should have been on.
Dublin (43)
Tick five of the six All-Ireland title boxes across the grades but are still missing out on U-21 hurling. Hold 28 SF and SH titles but 26 of them came pre-1978 and 20 pre-1940.
Biggest achievement: Three All-Ireland and six Leinster SF titles in 1974-79.
What might have been: If Lar Foley hadn't been sent off in the 1961 SH final would they have beaten Tipperary instead of a losing by a point in what was their last appearance in the final?
Galway (39)
They have won All-Irelands across all six codes but, in hurling in particular, there's a feeling that they should have won more than three titles over the past 30 years. In football, Galway have tended to peak in occasional bursts, followed by long periods of mediocrity.
Biggest achievement: All-Ireland SF three-in-a-row, 1964-65-66.
What might have been: Did New York wreck them twice? Would the three-in-a-row footballers have added to their haul if they hadn't had to face Mayo in the 1967 Connacht semi-final a few weeks after returning from a two-leg NFL final in New York? Would the hurlers have completed the treble in 1989 if Tony Keady hadn't been suspended for playing in New York?
Limerick (16)
It tends to be forgotten that Limerick have won both All-Ireland SF and SH titles but it's all very much in the past, especially for football who won both titles over 100 years ago.
Biggest achievement: The 1933-40 era which yielded three All-Ireland SH, five Munster and five NHL titles.
What might have been: Had they packed the goal line late in the 1994 All-Ireland final against Offaly, would they have prevented Johnny Dooley scoring a goal from a free which ignited a revival that turned into a victory?
Wexford (15)
They have 11 senior All-Ireland titles between hurling and football, 10 of which came pre-1970. Remain one of the few genuine dual counties but have difficulties balancing both codes which tends to have a negative impact overall.
Biggest achievement: Winning hurling two-in-a-row in 1955-56.
What might have been: If they weren't in the same province as Kilkenny would they have done much better over the last decade, in particular?
Tyrone (14)
Have zoomed up the football rankings this decade. Other than Kerry and Dublin, no other county won three senior All-Irelands in the same decade since Galway and Down in the 1960s.
Biggest achievement: Making the senior All-Ireland breakthrough in 2003.
What might have been: Had Eugene McKenna and John Lynch not got injured during the 1986 All-Ireland final would Sam Maguire have visited Tyrone 17 years earlier than he did?
Mayo (13)
They complete the 125th year with an ache in their hearts. Sam Maguire has refused to go that far west since 1951.
Biggest achievement: Winning the All-Ireland SF double in 1950-51.
What might have been: If they had cut out Colm Coyle's long-range kick, which hopped over the bar to draw Meath level late in the 1996 All-Ireland final, would Mayo have finally ended the famine?
Offaly (12)
Given their small population, they are the most successful county of all, having won All-Ireland titles in five of the six grades in hurling and football. All of their 12 titles were won since 1964.
Biggest achievement: All-Ireland SF double, 1971-72.
What might have been: If Anthony Daly's free hadn't hit the post allowing Eamonn Taaffe to score a goal for Clare late in the 1995 All-Ireland SH final would Offaly have completed the two-in-a-row?
Meath (11)
Didn't win their first All-Ireland SF title until 1949 but are now in fourth place on the honours table (seven titles), having enjoyed their best spell between ;87 and '99 when they won four finals.
Biggest achievement: The All-Ireland SF two-in-a row, 1987-88.
What might have been: If Colm O'Rourke had been fit to start the 1991 All-Ireland final, would they have beaten Down instead of losing by two points after staging a great comeback?
Down (10)
The first county to bring the Sam Maguire Cup across the border in 1960 which they followed up with a double a year later.
They have been left behind by Tyrone and Armagh in this decade.
Biggest achievement: The All-Ireland SF two-in-a row, 1960-61.
What might have been: Had their forwards not been so wasteful, would they have stopped Galway's three-in-a-row gallop in the 1965 semi-final and gone on to win their third title of the decade?
Roscommon (
Eight All-Ireland titles in the three main football grades is a whole lot better than several other counties of similar size.
Biggest achievement: The All-Ireland SF two-in-a-row, 1943-44.
What might have been: They led Kerry by five points early in the 1980 All-Ireland final but tied up from there on. It was a lost opportunity in a game which Kerry admit they were fortunate to win.
Cavan (7)
Their five senior and two minor All-Irelands had all been secured by 1952, making Cavan a power of the past with no sign of a return to the glory trail.
Biggest achievement: The All-Ireland SF two-in-a row, 1947-48.
What might have been: Level after 47 minutes against Kerry in the 1997 All-Ireland semi-final, ran out of momentum just when it looked like they would drive on.
Derry (7)
All seven titles have come since 1965. They would feel that Sam Maguire should have made more than one visit over the past 20 years.
Biggest achievement: Winning All-Ireland SF title for the first time in 1993.
What might have been: Would they have completed the All-Ireland double in 1994 had they beaten Down in an Ulster championship tie which is regarded as one of the real classics?
Clare (5)
All-Ireland hurling titles only in the Banner, with four of their five coming since 1995. Internal wrangling hasn't helped their cause in recent seasons.
Biggest achievement: Winning All-Ireland titles in 1995-97.
What might have been: Would they have made it a double in 1998 only for that early whistle in the All-Ireland semi-final against Offaly?
Kildare (5)
All four of their SF titles were won by 1928 so they really have been trapped in the desert for a very long time. Lack of success at underage level is a giveaway as to why it continues to happen.
Biggest achievement: Winning the All-Ireland SF double, 1927-28.
What might have been: If Larry Tompkins and Shea Fahy were playing with their native county rather than Cork, would Kildare have won an All-Ireland title in the Mick O'Dwyer era?
Louth (5)
Three senior and two minor All-Irelands by 1957. It's impossible to envisage any return to those heights.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1957 All-Ireland SF title.
What might have been: A late goal robbed them against Meath in the 2002 qualifiers. A win against the Royals would have been precious at that time.
Waterford (5)
Unlucky not to have won an All-Ireland SH title since re-emerging as Munster champions in 2002. Had Waterford been as good in the 1990s they would probably have made the breakthrough, there were years when the standard wasn't all that high.
Biggest achievement: Winning the All-Ireland SH finals in 1959 after beating Galway, Tipperary, Cork and Kilkenny.
What might have been: If the 'back door' wasn't in place, would they have won the 2004 All-Ireland title? Cork and Kilkenny lost in the provinces but returned to contest the final.
Armagh (4)
Have ticked all three All-Ireland football boxes this decade, including winning a first senior title. Seven Ulster titles since 1999 is also a huge achievement.
Biggest achievement: First All-Ireland SF title in 2002.
What might have been: If Diarmuid Marsden hadn't been sent off (he was subsequently exonerated) in the 2003 final against Tyrone would Armagh have completed the double?
Laois (4)
A return to power at senior level in Leinster football in 2003 and three minor All-Irelands since 1996 was a big improvement on previous times. Still, there's a feeling that the senior team underachieved. Hurling has been disappointing for years but the seniors are getting better under Niall Rigney.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1915 All-Ireland SH title.
What might have been: The footballers could've done better in the Mick O'Dwyer era if they regarded the '03 Leinster win as a start rather than an end in itself.
Donegal (3)
Three All-Irelands in senior and U-21 since '82 represents a lot better than what went before.
Biggest achievement: Winning the senior All-Ireland for the first time in 1992.
What might have been: Did bad weather wreck their chances of retaining the title in 1993?
The monsoon conditions which ruined the Ulster final were totally unsuited to Donegal's game, allowing Derry to edge to a two-point win. Derry went on to win the All-Ireland.
Westmeath (2)
All-Irelands at minor and U-21 level and a senior Leinster in past 14 years makes it their best period in football.
Biggest achievement: Winning Leinster SF title for the first time in 2004.
What might have been: Underperformed against Derry in the 2004 All-Ireland quarter-final when they had a real chance of extending the great adventure.
Antrim (1)
They remain a genuine dual county, albeit without much success at the highest level. The GAA badly needs an Antrim surge in either code.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1969 All-Ireland U-21 football title.
What might have been: Came within two points of Meath in the 1951 All-Ireland SF semi-final. Close enough to leave them dreaming of a lost opportunity.
London (1)
Have done what so many counties have failed to do -- win an All-Ireland title.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1901 All-Ireland SH title.
What might have been: London ran Roscommon to a point in the 2005 Connacht championship as they chased their first championship win since 1977.
Carlow (0)
Little success but have always promoted both codes unlike some counties.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1944 Leinster SF title.
What might have been: Ran Kerry to two points in the 1944 semi-final.
Fermanagh (0)
Together with Wicklow, they are the only counties not to have won a senior provincial title. Have had a good decade and were very unlucky not to make the Ulster breakthrough in 2008.
Biggest achievement: Reaching the 2004 All-Ireland semi-final.
What might have been: Came so close to beating Mayo in the 2004 All-Ireland semi-final which they lost by two points in a replay.
Leitrim (0)
Can find only occasional escapes from the large traps set by Galway and Mayo.
Biggest achievement: 1994 Connacht SF title.
What might have been: Very unlucky in qualifier ties against Meath and Donegal this decade.
Longford (0)
The glory period of the 1960's when they won an NFL and a Leinster title showed what the county is capable of but it hasn't been replicated since.
Biggest achievement: Winning the 1966 NFL and the 1968 Leinster SF titles.
What might have been: It took a great save from Johnny Culloty late on to steer Kerry to a two-point win over Longford in the 1968 All-Ireland semi.
Monaghan (0)
Hard to believe they don't have an All-Ireland title in any grade.
Biggest achievement: 1985 NFL title.
What might have been: Drew with the great Kerry team in the 1985 All-Ireland semi-final. Just one more point....
Sligo (0)
Like Leitrim, they find it very hard to shake off Galway and Mayo.
Biggest achievements: Winning the 1975 and 2007 Connacht SF titles.
What might have been: Ran the Galway three-in-a-row team to three points in 1964 and 65. Sligo would have won titles in less vintage times for Connacht.
Wicklow (0)
Still without a Leinster SF title but the quest gets more exciting all the time.
Biggest achievement: Winning four SF championship games this year.
What might have been: If they'd taken their goal chances against Kildare last July the fairytale would have continued into an All-Ireland quarter-final.
#48
GAA Discussion / Joe Kernan names selectors
September 30, 2009, 01:08:42 PMQuoteO Domhnaill and Naughton are new Galway selectors
Sean O Domhaill and Tom Naughton will be confirmed as Galway's new football selectors in the coming days.
The pair will link up with Joe Kernan, who was appointed manager earlier this month. O Domhnaill was midfield on the Galway team that won the 1998 All-Ireland title, and picked up a second winners' medal in 2001. Naughton has also represented Galway at the highest level and won an All-Star award in 1974 after starring for the Tribesmen in their run to that year's All-Ireland final
Alan Mulholland tipped for it but seems like he's taking over the U-21's. Same bunch he led to the minor All-Ireland in 2007.
#49
Hurling Discussion / Hurling's top 12
September 09, 2009, 02:05:23 PM
According to de Indo.
We rate them on performances in 2009.
1 Kilkenny
Undisputed champions and No 1 seeds for the fourth successive year, this season surely acclaims Kilkenny as the greatest team of all time.
Opponents are learning to survive in their company that bit better and that's why such challenges have been thrown down to them all season.
Waterford toppled them in the league, but their response was to win their next four games against Galway, Tipperary, Clare and Cork by a cumulative total of 68 points.
Their destruction of Tipperary, by 17 points and Cork by 27 points in particular, before a thrilled Nowlan Park was arguably the apex of their graph as a team to match the peak of the 2008 All-Ireland final.
Living up to those standards subsequently was difficult, but it ignited another side to them __ their ability to win dogfights.
If anything, this is the real measure of Kilkenny's greatness as every championship day produced a different hero.
When last Sunday's All-Ireland final was there to be won, they went and won it.
2 Tipperary
Tipperary have leaped over everyone else and look to have create d quite a gap between themselves and the next best.
That gap could conceivably take time to bridge on the basis of last Sunday.
They lost three league/ championship games, each time to Kilkenny, but introduction of players like Padraic and Brendan Maher and the prodigious talent of Noel McGrath (above ) gives them endless scope for the future.
Back-to-back Munster titles for the first time since 1988 (Tipp won a third Munster title in '89 ) is a significant achievement in a competitive province.
They'll rue their missed chance last Sunday and, as time passes, it may dawn on them that Kilkenny will set themselves up just as ferociously in 2010. Finding two to three players to bolster their bench is a priority.
3 Waterford
The individual performances of Michael 'Brick' Walsh and John Mullane, which will surely yield All Stars, provide some solace as does the development of Noel Connors and Richie Foley among others.
This season was all about recovery and Waterford have achieved that, putting the bed the misery of their 2008 All-Ireland final humiliation by getting to within five points of them in the All-Ireland semi final. As the only team to beat Kilkenny in 2009, they are entitled to third place in a tight call just ahead of Galway.
They're not an old team, but they have suffered more than their quota of heartbreak, which is why more personnel change is required.
4 Galway
The temptation is to place them third, but a chink in their mental armoury clearly still exists after the way they allowed the All-Ireland quarter-final against Waterford to slip away. Pushed Kilkenny almost as hard as Tipperary when they met in Tullamore last June, a game that should really benefit them long term.
At one point during the league they looked to be heading nowhere, but gathered themselves together well. Being over-dependent on Joe Canning is not the issue, serving him properly is a far greater concern.
5 Cork
For a squad that only got together in March and suffered their worst defeat for years in Nowlan Park, their second-half performance against Tipperary in the Munster quarter-final defied the odds.
Lost Joe Deane and Diarmuid O'Sullivan along the way and look set for a period of some sustained transition.
Defeat to Galway suggests they have gone backwards as much as Galway have progressed, but after being two out of the last three years out of the loop their desire to redress that will be high.
6 Limerick
Lacked organisation and fitness in their All-Ireland semi-final implosion to Tipperary and will find it hard to immediately recover from such a humiliation.
Reached the semi-final courtesy of a benign draw that saw them pitted against Wexford, Laois and Dublin along the way. They didn't impress in any of those encounters.
Gavin O'Mahony (above ) looks a prospect despite his inadequacies in the semi-final.
Mark Foley and Ollie Moran may call it a day and, if they do, they may lose ground to Dublin and Clare next season. Then again, they may be persuaded to give it one more season for the cause.
7 Dublin
It's hard to know which achievement Dublin will draw more satisfaction from __ reaching the Leinster final for the first time in 18 years or a league run that yielded seven points from a possible 14.
Emotionally the Leinster final appearance wins hands down, but in pure hurling terms they probably achieved more in the league, beating a dishevelled Cork team, Galway and Waterford, drawing with Clare and losing narrowly to Limerick, Tipperary and Kilkenny.
The graph is rising, though the failure to beat Limerick was a little disconcerting for them.
8 Clare
Played 10 matches and won just one, a relegation play off against Wexford that, in the end didn't matter. They also drew with Dublin in the league, a result that cost them their Division 1 status.
From the progress of 2008, when they reached a Munster final on the back of wins over Waterford and Limerick, 2009 was an 'annus horribilis' by comparison. Mike McNamara pleads a dearth of quality players and he's right.
But, really, Clare should have punched above their weight this season. Their All-Ireland U-21 appearance on Sunday will give them impetus.
9 Wexford
Finally lost their No 2 status to Dublin in Leinster and on the evidence of what they did in 2009, it will be some time before they ever reclaim that. Suffered a setback when losing the Division 2 league final to Offaly in Thurles, a defeat that cost them badly-needed Division 1 status in 2010.
10 Offaly
Won't recall 2009 with any great fondness apart from their Division 2 NHL triumph over Wexford that gives them cherished top-flight status again. Championship losses to Wexford and Cork put their perceived progress into perspective. Have to get back to the drawing board again.
11 Laois
Turning over Antrim against the odds and giving Limerick plenty of food for thought in a qualifier game was about as much as they could draw from the season. Some day, some time they'll catch a break.
12 Antrim
After all the talk what value did Antrim really get from their journey into Leinster? Put it up to Dublin for a while, but not nearly for long enough. The attitude to the qualifiers was poor, inadvertently triggering the chaos over relegation.
Laois turned them over against the odds, but their cause wasn't helped by the decision of some Antrim players to head away at a crucial time.
We rate them on performances in 2009.
1 Kilkenny
Undisputed champions and No 1 seeds for the fourth successive year, this season surely acclaims Kilkenny as the greatest team of all time.
Opponents are learning to survive in their company that bit better and that's why such challenges have been thrown down to them all season.
Waterford toppled them in the league, but their response was to win their next four games against Galway, Tipperary, Clare and Cork by a cumulative total of 68 points.
Their destruction of Tipperary, by 17 points and Cork by 27 points in particular, before a thrilled Nowlan Park was arguably the apex of their graph as a team to match the peak of the 2008 All-Ireland final.
Living up to those standards subsequently was difficult, but it ignited another side to them __ their ability to win dogfights.
If anything, this is the real measure of Kilkenny's greatness as every championship day produced a different hero.
When last Sunday's All-Ireland final was there to be won, they went and won it.
2 Tipperary
Tipperary have leaped over everyone else and look to have create d quite a gap between themselves and the next best.
That gap could conceivably take time to bridge on the basis of last Sunday.
They lost three league/ championship games, each time to Kilkenny, but introduction of players like Padraic and Brendan Maher and the prodigious talent of Noel McGrath (above ) gives them endless scope for the future.
Back-to-back Munster titles for the first time since 1988 (Tipp won a third Munster title in '89 ) is a significant achievement in a competitive province.
They'll rue their missed chance last Sunday and, as time passes, it may dawn on them that Kilkenny will set themselves up just as ferociously in 2010. Finding two to three players to bolster their bench is a priority.
3 Waterford
The individual performances of Michael 'Brick' Walsh and John Mullane, which will surely yield All Stars, provide some solace as does the development of Noel Connors and Richie Foley among others.
This season was all about recovery and Waterford have achieved that, putting the bed the misery of their 2008 All-Ireland final humiliation by getting to within five points of them in the All-Ireland semi final. As the only team to beat Kilkenny in 2009, they are entitled to third place in a tight call just ahead of Galway.
They're not an old team, but they have suffered more than their quota of heartbreak, which is why more personnel change is required.
4 Galway
The temptation is to place them third, but a chink in their mental armoury clearly still exists after the way they allowed the All-Ireland quarter-final against Waterford to slip away. Pushed Kilkenny almost as hard as Tipperary when they met in Tullamore last June, a game that should really benefit them long term.
At one point during the league they looked to be heading nowhere, but gathered themselves together well. Being over-dependent on Joe Canning is not the issue, serving him properly is a far greater concern.
5 Cork
For a squad that only got together in March and suffered their worst defeat for years in Nowlan Park, their second-half performance against Tipperary in the Munster quarter-final defied the odds.
Lost Joe Deane and Diarmuid O'Sullivan along the way and look set for a period of some sustained transition.
Defeat to Galway suggests they have gone backwards as much as Galway have progressed, but after being two out of the last three years out of the loop their desire to redress that will be high.
6 Limerick
Lacked organisation and fitness in their All-Ireland semi-final implosion to Tipperary and will find it hard to immediately recover from such a humiliation.
Reached the semi-final courtesy of a benign draw that saw them pitted against Wexford, Laois and Dublin along the way. They didn't impress in any of those encounters.
Gavin O'Mahony (above ) looks a prospect despite his inadequacies in the semi-final.
Mark Foley and Ollie Moran may call it a day and, if they do, they may lose ground to Dublin and Clare next season. Then again, they may be persuaded to give it one more season for the cause.
7 Dublin
It's hard to know which achievement Dublin will draw more satisfaction from __ reaching the Leinster final for the first time in 18 years or a league run that yielded seven points from a possible 14.
Emotionally the Leinster final appearance wins hands down, but in pure hurling terms they probably achieved more in the league, beating a dishevelled Cork team, Galway and Waterford, drawing with Clare and losing narrowly to Limerick, Tipperary and Kilkenny.
The graph is rising, though the failure to beat Limerick was a little disconcerting for them.
8 Clare
Played 10 matches and won just one, a relegation play off against Wexford that, in the end didn't matter. They also drew with Dublin in the league, a result that cost them their Division 1 status.
From the progress of 2008, when they reached a Munster final on the back of wins over Waterford and Limerick, 2009 was an 'annus horribilis' by comparison. Mike McNamara pleads a dearth of quality players and he's right.
But, really, Clare should have punched above their weight this season. Their All-Ireland U-21 appearance on Sunday will give them impetus.
9 Wexford
Finally lost their No 2 status to Dublin in Leinster and on the evidence of what they did in 2009, it will be some time before they ever reclaim that. Suffered a setback when losing the Division 2 league final to Offaly in Thurles, a defeat that cost them badly-needed Division 1 status in 2010.
10 Offaly
Won't recall 2009 with any great fondness apart from their Division 2 NHL triumph over Wexford that gives them cherished top-flight status again. Championship losses to Wexford and Cork put their perceived progress into perspective. Have to get back to the drawing board again.
11 Laois
Turning over Antrim against the odds and giving Limerick plenty of food for thought in a qualifier game was about as much as they could draw from the season. Some day, some time they'll catch a break.
12 Antrim
After all the talk what value did Antrim really get from their journey into Leinster? Put it up to Dublin for a while, but not nearly for long enough. The attitude to the qualifiers was poor, inadvertently triggering the chaos over relegation.
Laois turned them over against the odds, but their cause wasn't helped by the decision of some Antrim players to head away at a crucial time.
#50
Hurling Discussion / Joe Canning to ignore medical advice
August 19, 2009, 01:51:21 PM
Was on another thread here but probably worth one on it's own. Not the wisest move by young Joe. Maybe he should seriously reconsider this one.
QuoteJoe Canning has been told by doctors that he needs to take a year-long break from hurling, but is refusing to listen to them.
The Portumna scoring sensation, whose busy season continues when Galway take on Clare in Saturday's Bord Gais Energy All-Ireland U21 HC semi-final at Thurles, continues to be hampered by a stomach muscle problem that requires him taking a year off in order for it to fully heal.
But he insisted yesterday that a spell on the sidelines is "not an option" as he seeks to maximise his senior inter-county career.
"I need a year off basically to sort it out and unless I get dropped or something, that's not going to happen," the 20-year-old said.
"You only have a couple of years and you don't know what's around the corner.
"The injury is to my pubic symphysis. The muscle just came off the pubic bone. It's a muscle thing that just hampers me turning, taking off and sprinting and that kind of stuff. Any guy that had it before has taken six, eight or 12 months away and it would seem to be okay.
"But I don't know, it's not an option in my book. I want to play as much as I can. It's not threatening my career at this stage. Unless it does threaten my career as in, you won't be able to hurl next year, then maybe. But it's okay, I'm able to get by. I play a match and a few days after I'd be sore.
"It's not enough to affect my performance or anything and I wouldn't use it as an excuse. I'm lucky enough to be able to play."
Canning admitted he is still struggling to get over the disappointment of Galway's agonising All-Ireland quarter-final defeat to Waterford, when he missed a late chance to force a replay.
"We were four points up with three minutes to go and to lose it was unthinkable. I didn't watch the match yet and I'm still sickened by it. It's hard to take, we were leading so well and we basically threw it away. I was very frustrated with the point I missed at the end. I had the chance to level it and just fluffed it. I know it was a difficult angle but I'd expect myself to get it."
He added: "We've improved in leaps and bounds since last year but we've to start back again. It's a big disappointment that we won nothing. People were saying it was a good season for Galway but at the end of the day, we've no silverware or anything. It's a failure in my book."
The current All-Star also insists that older brother Ollie still has plenty to offer at the highest level.
"He is still hurting about the loss. He's 33 now and it's hard to know. I haven't talked to him about it but, hopefully he will come back. We need his experience and he is vital to us in Galway. I think a lot of the younger guys look up to him. He held John Mullane, which any other defender didn't do. Hopefully he'll commit for another year or two."
#51
General discussion / Jeffrey Donaldson movie buff
July 07, 2009, 07:18:59 PM
DUP MP Jeffrey Donaldson has repaid £555 to the House of Commons' fees office after charging dozens of pay-to-view movies to the tax payer.
The former junior minister made claims for 68 pay-to-view movies at London hotels where he stayed in 2004 and 2005, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Under the rules, he was allowed to use his second home allowance to pay for items "wholly, exclusively and necessarily" relating to parliamentary duties.
The claims were paid by the fees office, which has come under fire after a series of damaging disclosures in the Daily Telegraph for meeting MPs' often unlikely and expensive claims.
He is now to repay costs relating to room service, mini-bars and entertainment from hotel stays, amounting to £678.90.
Details of Mr Donaldson's claims were published in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday.
The newspaper quoted sources in the hotels who said the movies watched by Mr Donaldson were in the highest price category, made up of recent box office smashes and adult movies.
In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Donaldson said he had not watched anything adult or pornographic. "Such material was not viewed on the date alleged, or at all," he said.
His hotel bills made reference to "room service 2". Asked by the Daily Telegraph what the reference meant, John McBurney, Mr Donaldson's solicitor, said: "Clearly, it is impossible to be precise in relation to each and every item.
"However, it would have been common practice to have used pay TV, including internet access and other media services."
First Minister Peter Robinson said: "Mr Donaldson has been asked to pay back any expenses which have not been properly incurred and I understand that he intends to do so.
"In the light of his categorical denials, Mr Donaldson is clearly entitled to a presumption of innocence."
Film prices ranged from £7.50 at the Marriot, County Hall, to £14.95 at the Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow Airport.
He was also billed for 30 films at £7.95 each during stays at the Jolly Hotel St Ermine near Westminster and claimed on four occasions for £9.95, the cost of watching a film at Hilton Hotels.
In 2004 and 2005, the MP stayed in London for two or three nights a week. In 2005, he bought a flat in south London with fellow DUP MP Sammy Wilson, and the hotel claims ceased.
The MP denied watching any content of an adult or pornographic nature.
The former junior minister made claims for 68 pay-to-view movies at London hotels where he stayed in 2004 and 2005, according to the Daily Telegraph.
Under the rules, he was allowed to use his second home allowance to pay for items "wholly, exclusively and necessarily" relating to parliamentary duties.
The claims were paid by the fees office, which has come under fire after a series of damaging disclosures in the Daily Telegraph for meeting MPs' often unlikely and expensive claims.
He is now to repay costs relating to room service, mini-bars and entertainment from hotel stays, amounting to £678.90.
Details of Mr Donaldson's claims were published in the Daily Telegraph on Saturday.
The newspaper quoted sources in the hotels who said the movies watched by Mr Donaldson were in the highest price category, made up of recent box office smashes and adult movies.
In a statement to the Daily Telegraph, Mr Donaldson said he had not watched anything adult or pornographic. "Such material was not viewed on the date alleged, or at all," he said.
His hotel bills made reference to "room service 2". Asked by the Daily Telegraph what the reference meant, John McBurney, Mr Donaldson's solicitor, said: "Clearly, it is impossible to be precise in relation to each and every item.
"However, it would have been common practice to have used pay TV, including internet access and other media services."
First Minister Peter Robinson said: "Mr Donaldson has been asked to pay back any expenses which have not been properly incurred and I understand that he intends to do so.
"In the light of his categorical denials, Mr Donaldson is clearly entitled to a presumption of innocence."
Film prices ranged from £7.50 at the Marriot, County Hall, to £14.95 at the Renaissance Hotel, Heathrow Airport.
He was also billed for 30 films at £7.95 each during stays at the Jolly Hotel St Ermine near Westminster and claimed on four occasions for £9.95, the cost of watching a film at Hilton Hotels.
In 2004 and 2005, the MP stayed in London for two or three nights a week. In 2005, he bought a flat in south London with fellow DUP MP Sammy Wilson, and the hotel claims ceased.
The MP denied watching any content of an adult or pornographic nature.
#53
General discussion / Black widow woman who drugged, raped ten men
June 24, 2009, 04:24:38 PM
Black widow woman who drugged, raped ten men
Article from: The Daily Telegraph
June 19, 2009 07:55am
A YOUNG Russian woman, a devoted collector of horror films and spiders, is on trial for sedating and raping 10 men.
The police were shocked that 32-year-old Valeria K., a quiet good-looking woman from the city of Tambov, was the mysterious rapist who abused 10 local men after poisoning them with clonidine, Life.ru reports.
Valeria, who has already been nicknamed the Black Widow for her love of spiders, would get acquainted with men and invite them to her place.
She gave them drinks with clonidine, which almost immediately sent them to sleep for almost 24 hours.
After that, she undressed her victims and raped them, tightening a rope on their male organs to keep them erect.
Waking up in hospital with clonidine poisoning and penis trauma, all the victims could remember was a friendly brunette who gave them drinks.
Finally, local police identified the offender and arrested her.
At present, the police know about ten of Valeria's victims, although one of them refused to file a complaint against her.
"It was great," the unnamed man said.
"I like hot women. I only wish she hadn't use the clonidine on me."
Article from: The Daily Telegraph
June 19, 2009 07:55am
A YOUNG Russian woman, a devoted collector of horror films and spiders, is on trial for sedating and raping 10 men.
The police were shocked that 32-year-old Valeria K., a quiet good-looking woman from the city of Tambov, was the mysterious rapist who abused 10 local men after poisoning them with clonidine, Life.ru reports.
Valeria, who has already been nicknamed the Black Widow for her love of spiders, would get acquainted with men and invite them to her place.
She gave them drinks with clonidine, which almost immediately sent them to sleep for almost 24 hours.
After that, she undressed her victims and raped them, tightening a rope on their male organs to keep them erect.
Waking up in hospital with clonidine poisoning and penis trauma, all the victims could remember was a friendly brunette who gave them drinks.
Finally, local police identified the offender and arrested her.
At present, the police know about ten of Valeria's victims, although one of them refused to file a complaint against her.
"It was great," the unnamed man said.
"I like hot women. I only wish she hadn't use the clonidine on me."
#54
Hurling Discussion / Hurling qualifier draw
June 21, 2009, 06:15:08 PM
Offaly v Cork
Laois v Antrim
Wexford v Limerick
Clare v Galway
Laois v Antrim
Wexford v Limerick
Clare v Galway
#55
Hurling Discussion / Galway v Kilkenny
June 16, 2009, 04:18:18 PM
Might as well start a thread on this one.
THE much-anticipated showdown between Galway's star forward Joe Canning and teak-tough Kilkenny defender Noel Hickey is in severe jeopardy with both players rated as major injury doubts ahead of next Saturday's Leinster SHC semi-final.
Canning suffered a recurrence of a stomach/groin injury during a training camp last week and team management will wait until later this week before making a final decision the Portumna star's availability for the Tullamore clash.
Hickey, meanwhile, sustained a knee injury in training last Saturday and although early reports of medial knee ligament damage have been played down, the All Star full-back looks set to miss out on this occasion.
Midfielders James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick and Derek Lyng are also rated as doubtful starters but defender Michael Kavanagh and forward Richie Power are expected to line out after recovering from hamstring damage.
Power did not train on Saturday but is expected to take part in this evening's session at Nowlan Park.
casualty
Brian Hogan is Kilkenny's long-term injury casualty with a broken collarbone while Galway are without cruciate ligament victims Ciaran O'Donovan and Iarla Tannian.
Last year's goalkeeper James Skehill is also ruled out with a broken finger and Kevin Hayes is suspended for the Tribesmen.
Andy Smith is also a doubtful starter after the shin injury he sustained against Laois turned septic while Alan Kerins is struggling with an ankle injury. On the plus side for Galway, former All Star defender Ollie Canning is fit.
THE much-anticipated showdown between Galway's star forward Joe Canning and teak-tough Kilkenny defender Noel Hickey is in severe jeopardy with both players rated as major injury doubts ahead of next Saturday's Leinster SHC semi-final.
Canning suffered a recurrence of a stomach/groin injury during a training camp last week and team management will wait until later this week before making a final decision the Portumna star's availability for the Tullamore clash.
Hickey, meanwhile, sustained a knee injury in training last Saturday and although early reports of medial knee ligament damage have been played down, the All Star full-back looks set to miss out on this occasion.
Midfielders James 'Cha' Fitzpatrick and Derek Lyng are also rated as doubtful starters but defender Michael Kavanagh and forward Richie Power are expected to line out after recovering from hamstring damage.
Power did not train on Saturday but is expected to take part in this evening's session at Nowlan Park.
casualty
Brian Hogan is Kilkenny's long-term injury casualty with a broken collarbone while Galway are without cruciate ligament victims Ciaran O'Donovan and Iarla Tannian.
Last year's goalkeeper James Skehill is also ruled out with a broken finger and Kevin Hayes is suspended for the Tribesmen.
Andy Smith is also a doubtful starter after the shin injury he sustained against Laois turned septic while Alan Kerins is struggling with an ankle injury. On the plus side for Galway, former All Star defender Ollie Canning is fit.
#56
Hurling Discussion / Leinster semi-final draw
June 07, 2009, 06:54:50 PM
Kilkenny v Galway
Wexford v Dublin
Wexford v Dublin
#57
GAA Discussion / Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta 2009
June 01, 2009, 04:17:25 AM
For those looking for more football on a bank holiday Monday.
QuoteTomorrow's Junior final will be an all Galway affair between favourites Oileain Arainn and hosts Na Piarsaigh, Ros Muc. Arainn had a 24 point win in the quarter final against Baile an Chaiseal and beat Graham Geraghty's Clann na nGael by 3 points in today's semi. Ros Muc got a bye in the quarters and beat Laochra Loch Laoi from Belfast in today's semi thanks to a last minute penalty. Sure to be thousands in attendance for that final tomorrow.
In the Senior final, Carna-Caiseal from Galway will play Ard an Rátha from Donegal. Carna beat Túr Mhic Éide in the semi and Ard an Rátha beat Léitir Mór earlier on today. It has so far been a great weekend with thousands of people attending games, thanks to the weather and the great facilities put in place by all those involved in Ros Muc and it promises to be a great night tonight and tomorrow.
I'm not sure how much coverage you want, IF people want to know about it, they'll find it on terrestrial radio (RnaG) and both finals are broadcast live on TG4 tomorrow starting at 2pm.
#58
GAA Discussion / Chiarraí v Gaillimh
April 09, 2009, 09:59:04 PM
Galway Team to play Kerry
Date : 09/04/2009 21:54
The team shows two changes from the Mayo game Niall Coleman replaces Barry Cullinane at midfield and Fiachra Breathnach comes in at no 12 for the injured Damien Dunleavy
Adrian Faherty
Niall Coyne
Finian Hanley
Damien Burke
Gareth Bradshaw
Diarmuid Blake
David Reilly
Joe Bergin
Niall Coleman
Sean Armstrong
Padraig Joyce
Fiachra Breathnach
Paul Conroy
Michael Meehan
Matthew Clancy
Don't have the subs bench but no sign of Cormac Bane or Darren Mullahy or Nicky Joyce. Think Bane and Mullahy are available. Nicky might still be injured.
Date : 09/04/2009 21:54
The team shows two changes from the Mayo game Niall Coleman replaces Barry Cullinane at midfield and Fiachra Breathnach comes in at no 12 for the injured Damien Dunleavy
Adrian Faherty
Niall Coyne
Finian Hanley
Damien Burke
Gareth Bradshaw
Diarmuid Blake
David Reilly
Joe Bergin
Niall Coleman
Sean Armstrong
Padraig Joyce
Fiachra Breathnach
Paul Conroy
Michael Meehan
Matthew Clancy
Don't have the subs bench but no sign of Cormac Bane or Darren Mullahy or Nicky Joyce. Think Bane and Mullahy are available. Nicky might still be injured.
#59
GAA Discussion / Gaillimh v Dhún na nGall
March 12, 2009, 09:36:57 PM
Galway Team to Play Donegal
Paul Doherty
Niall Coyne
Finian Hanley
Damien Burke
Gareth Bradshaw
Diarmuid Blake
Darren Mullahy
Joe Bergin
Mark Lydon
Sean Armstrong
Padraig Joyce
Cormac Bane
Damien Dunleavy
Michael Meehan
Nicky Joyce
Paul Doherty
Niall Coyne
Finian Hanley
Damien Burke
Gareth Bradshaw
Diarmuid Blake
Darren Mullahy
Joe Bergin
Mark Lydon
Sean Armstrong
Padraig Joyce
Cormac Bane
Damien Dunleavy
Michael Meehan
Nicky Joyce
#60
General discussion / Financial downturn - blame her indoors!
February 27, 2009, 01:41:52 PM
Irish Times
NEWTON EMERSON
NEWTON'S OPTIC: THE ANSWER to all our problems is staring us in the face. It may even be quite literally staring at you, right now, across the breakfast table.
So put the paper down, stare back and ask yourself a selfless question.
Does the woman in your life really need a job?
Admittedly, this is not a fashionable question. From Iceland to Australia, men are blamed for causing the credit crunch, while a more feminine approach to finance is proposed as the solution.
Of course there will always be a place in the world of business for exceptional women. Women also have an important role to play in jobs that are too demeaning for men, like teaching. But the general employment of women is another matter. Indeed, working women almost certainly caused the credit crunch by bringing a second income into the average household, pushing property prices up to unsustainable levels.
Whether working women actually caused the credit crunch is now a moot point. The point is that removing women from the workforce would mitigate its effects.
Consider the issue of unemployment. There were 221,301 men on the live register last month and just under one million women in work.
Surely at least half these women have a partner who is earning? Surely at least half would be happier at home? One half of one half is a quarter and one quarter of a million is roughly 221,301. I think we can all see where this argument is going.
It would be ludicrous to suggest that women should be sacked purely to give men their jobs. In many cases, their jobs should be abolished as well.
Women are twice as likely as men to work in the public sector. They account for two-thirds of the Civil Service and three- quarters of all public employees.
Yet they are barely represented in the useful public services of firefighting and arresting people. Encouraging women to leave the workforce would go a long way towards addressing the budget deficit without any downside whatsoever.
Further benefits of sacking women have been uncovered by the Central Gender Mainstreaming Unit at the Department of Justice. According to its research, twice as many woman as men travel to work by bus and train, potentially halving the impact of cutbacks in public transport. However, it is probable that three-quarters of the Central Gender Mainstreaming Unit's staff are women, so these figures should be taken with a pinch of salt.
While the economic case for fewer women in the workforce is irrefutable, we should also acknowledge the social advantages. Women make the majority of spending decisions in Irish households and make almost all of the purchases. They are far more likely than men to regard shopping as a leisure activity, far less likely to make savings and investments, and were even almost twice as likely to spend their SSIAs.
In short, women were the driving force behind the greed, consumerism and materialism of the Celtic Tiger years and it was female employment that funded their oestrogen-crazed acquisitiveness.
The time has come to build a more sustainable, equitable and progressive society. Why not make a start by telling your other half to quit her job? She can ask you for the housekeeping on Friday.
NEWTON EMERSON
NEWTON'S OPTIC: THE ANSWER to all our problems is staring us in the face. It may even be quite literally staring at you, right now, across the breakfast table.
So put the paper down, stare back and ask yourself a selfless question.
Does the woman in your life really need a job?
Admittedly, this is not a fashionable question. From Iceland to Australia, men are blamed for causing the credit crunch, while a more feminine approach to finance is proposed as the solution.
Of course there will always be a place in the world of business for exceptional women. Women also have an important role to play in jobs that are too demeaning for men, like teaching. But the general employment of women is another matter. Indeed, working women almost certainly caused the credit crunch by bringing a second income into the average household, pushing property prices up to unsustainable levels.
Whether working women actually caused the credit crunch is now a moot point. The point is that removing women from the workforce would mitigate its effects.
Consider the issue of unemployment. There were 221,301 men on the live register last month and just under one million women in work.
Surely at least half these women have a partner who is earning? Surely at least half would be happier at home? One half of one half is a quarter and one quarter of a million is roughly 221,301. I think we can all see where this argument is going.
It would be ludicrous to suggest that women should be sacked purely to give men their jobs. In many cases, their jobs should be abolished as well.
Women are twice as likely as men to work in the public sector. They account for two-thirds of the Civil Service and three- quarters of all public employees.
Yet they are barely represented in the useful public services of firefighting and arresting people. Encouraging women to leave the workforce would go a long way towards addressing the budget deficit without any downside whatsoever.
Further benefits of sacking women have been uncovered by the Central Gender Mainstreaming Unit at the Department of Justice. According to its research, twice as many woman as men travel to work by bus and train, potentially halving the impact of cutbacks in public transport. However, it is probable that three-quarters of the Central Gender Mainstreaming Unit's staff are women, so these figures should be taken with a pinch of salt.
While the economic case for fewer women in the workforce is irrefutable, we should also acknowledge the social advantages. Women make the majority of spending decisions in Irish households and make almost all of the purchases. They are far more likely than men to regard shopping as a leisure activity, far less likely to make savings and investments, and were even almost twice as likely to spend their SSIAs.
In short, women were the driving force behind the greed, consumerism and materialism of the Celtic Tiger years and it was female employment that funded their oestrogen-crazed acquisitiveness.
The time has come to build a more sustainable, equitable and progressive society. Why not make a start by telling your other half to quit her job? She can ask you for the housekeeping on Friday.