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mistifying......

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/dooher-comes-off-bench-to-spark-red-hand-revival-2228170.html

You have to wonder if these people watch the games at all.

It's the ''Dooher off bench replacing injured O'Neill'' blunder I'm getting at by the way

Just in case you were living under a rock and missed the relentless media bombast about this tournament - it started today!

Not a preview, not a supplement, not a thread, not a thing!

A photoshoot looks about the extent the GAA media has gone to promote one of the best competitions in the sport.

Rant over.

3 games this afternoon anyway.

Ulster Bank HE Sigerson Cup First Round: (Games at 2.0 unless stated):

UCC v DIT, Mardyke;

UL v IT Carlow, Limerick;

St Mary's Belfast v MICL, St Loman's, Mullingar.

Any thoughts on these minor games? Kerry doubtless have a decent side with the Sceilge lads there...


From Hogan Stand

A busy Wednesday evening in the GAA sees the Munster Minor Championship get underway as well as the final of the U21 Ulster Championship and Ladbrokes have odds available on all four games this evening.

Tipperary football is enjoying something of a purple patch at the moment and they have the chance to take the greatest scalp of all at Semple Stadium this evening when the young prodigies of Kerry come to town. The Kerry side boasts members of the Colaiste na Sceilge team which recorded a dramatic victory over St Mary's Edenderry in the Colleges All Ireland Final at the weekend. Ladbrokes have installed the Kingdom as 8/15 favourites here with the Premier available at 7/4 to send Kerry in the direction of the provincial backdoor.

Cork are a warm order at 1/3 as they host 11/4 chances Limerick at Pairc Ui Chaoimh, while the bookie has also gone a short price on Clare at 1/4 to beat Waterford who have been priced at 3/1.

Casement Park is the venue for the Ulster Under 21 Final where young stars such as Paul McComiskey and Stephen Forker will be in action as Down take on Armagh. Down are 4/5 favourites to contest Saturday's All Ireland semi final against Mayo, while Armagh are 5/4.

Munster Minor Football C'ship Match betting
Tipperary     7/4
Draw     15/2
Kerry     8/15

Waterford     3/1
Draw     10/1
Clare     1/4

Cork     1/3
Draw     15/2
Limerick     11/4


Ulster U21 Football Final Match betting
Down     4/5
Draw     15/2
Armagh     5/4


2009 All Ireland U21 Football Championship Tournament Winner
Cork     15/8
Mayo     5/2
Dublin     10/3
Down     5/1
Armagh     13/2

[Longford v Wicklow]

Starts this weekend:

1. Longford v Wicklow     08.02.2009     Longford

2. 1 v Laois    01.03.2009    Longford/Aughrim

3. Wexford v Kildare    08.02.2009    Wexford

4. 3 v Carlow    01.03.2009    Wexford/Newbridge

5. Louth v Dublin    08.02.2009    Drogheda

6. 5 v Meath    01.03.2009    Drogheda/Parnell Park

7. Offaly v Westmeath    07.02.2009    Tullamore

8. 7 v Kilkenny    28.02.2009    Kilkenny

9. 2 v 4    17.03.2009    Home Venue 2

10. 6 v 8    17.03.2009    Home Venue 9

FINAL: 9 v 10
   
05.04.2009
   
Home Venue 9


Any thoughts?
Know of any Senior players turning out for the 21s?
Good minor sides moving up the ages?

I've read that these were released earlier this week. Has anyone got them or a link to them as gaa.ie seems to have neglected to publish them.

I never got round to buying this and it doesnt seem to be available online anywhere.

Does anybody want to sell me their copy as there's a hole in my collection now  

There have been a number of games this season, and I suppose every season where one team is in the ascendancy at the interval but is then completely over run in the second half.

This of course leads to much predictable insight from analysts and commentators along the lines of "Whatever was said in that dressing room at half time certainly worked..." and so forth. Postmatch, the pitchside reporter invariably quizzes a member of the winning team or the manager himself as to ''what was said''. The replies are so predictable that any one postmatch interview could replace another without anyone even noticing.

Now if we're all to believe how hard inter county teams are grafting in training, and the supreme levels of motivation and drive that they have, one has to ask just how effective it is that a manager bangs a few tables and chairs and says ''it's just not good enough''.....or even does the inches speech from Any Given Sunday. We're talking about grown men, athletes at a near professional level, I find it hard to believe that a few strong words at the interval can alter the performance of a team to such a magnitude.

That being said, I've never played at any appreciable level of the game. I'm sure many here have. So what's the deal? For the most recent example did Conor Counihan do something special to inspire a team that played like a bewildered and shapeless junior side in the first half to turn them in to All-Ireland contenders in the second?

Surely players don't need to be told what's on the line in these games. And if there are problems on the pitch, surely the players recognize this and react to it - they don't need to be told by management to get tighter to someone who's just scored 3 from play in 10 minutes? They don't need to be told to stop hitting hail mary balls in to the full forward if he's getting cleaned out by the full back?

Anyone got any theories or practical experience in this regard?   

AAARRGHH! What is this crap supposed to mean? It's so annoying.

I'll say one thing for the Brits, they never let any irritating advertising on to their national broadcasters. Pity RTE wouldnt do the same.

Is it just the increased media coverage with more live matches or are the O'Byrne /McKenna Cups etc more competitive now than they have been at any other time? Also are the National League games played with more intensity in the last 2 or 3 years than previously? If so is this down to a general increase in the speed and physicality of the sport as a whole or are the counties just taking these games more seriously.

Personally I think the 'ah sure it's just a league game' attitude has been on the wane over the last 3 years or so.

Can anyone give me the Kilkenny, Waterford and New York senior football managers names please?