Leinster club final

[ross4life]

Bookies reckon it will be repeat of this years final But then again they thought it was going to be Kilmacud v Nemo final last Feb.

I never like this combination of words, particularly as it gets widely abused in this country. Bookies, proper ones anyway, rarely "reckon" that anything will or won't happen. They merely assign a probability to something and price it up accordingly. The current odds from Powers suggest a 61% chance of Brigids making the final and 39% Garrycastle. I'd be a bit closer to 65/35 myself, but there's no such thing as suggesting one side will or won't.

With a reply like that your sure to make a fine bookmaking career 

[Captain Obvious]

Semi finals dates,venues set. http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2011/1220/club.html

[GalwayBayBoy]

Some year for Anthony Cunnningham.

U-21 AI hurling with Galway
Westmeath and Leinster titles with Garrycastle

Hopefully he saves a bit for 2012.

[Milltown Row2]

Noticed Cross are 4/7 to beat Crokes. Thats a fair price and evens minus one

Would have went to the game but it's in Portlaois and bound to be on tv. Seen Crokes 3 times on tv this year and they only caught fire last day out (final) Cross have been consistant all year.

[Captain Obvious]

Noticed Cross are 4/7 to beat Crokes. Thats a fair price and evens minus one

Would have went to the game but it's in Portlaois and bound to be on tv. Seen Crokes 3 times on tv this year and they only caught fire last day out (final) Cross have been consistant all year.

Not so sure, both semi finals are on the same day with the same throw in time & the other semi final seems to capturing the media imagination more.

[Croí na hÉireann]

Noticed Cross are 4/7 to beat Crokes. Thats a fair price and evens minus one

Would have went to the game but it's in Portlaois and bound to be on tv. Seen Crokes 3 times on tv this year and they only caught fire last day out (final) Cross have been consistant all year.

Not so sure, both semi finals are on the same day with the same throw in time & the other semi final seems to capturing the media imagination more.

I'd imagine one of the semi finals will be live and the other one deferred on TG4. I'd say both semi finals will get the same coverage, both attractive in their own right, Crokes and Cross will be seen as the real final and then the strong local interest in the other one. There'll be some traffic heading to Longford from Athlone anyway on the 18th.

[Syferus]

Noticed Cross are 4/7 to beat Crokes. Thats a fair price and evens minus one

Would have went to the game but it's in Portlaois and bound to be on tv. Seen Crokes 3 times on tv this year and they only caught fire last day out (final) Cross have been consistant all year.

Not so sure, both semi finals are on the same day with the same throw in time & the other semi final seems to capturing the media imagination more.

I'd imagine one of the semi finals will be live and the other one deferred on TG4. I'd say both semi finals will get the same coverage, both attractive in their own right, Crokes and Cross will be seen as the real final and then the strong local interest in the other one. There'll be some traffic heading to Longford from Athlone anyway on the 18th.

Can't see anyone is writing off Brigid's this year, particularly after the nightmare Senan Kilbride gave to Cross in this year's final. All Brigid's needed to do was stop hauling him out to take drop in frees and used him more directly as a target man and they would have likely won the final; they're a better team this year for that experience and I can imagine that only ignorance would lead anyone in the country to think that either semi-final is "the real final".

[Milltown Row2]

Noticed Cross are 4/7 to beat Crokes. Thats a fair price and evens minus one

Would have went to the game but it's in Portlaois and bound to be on tv. Seen Crokes 3 times on tv this year and they only caught fire last day out (final) Cross have been consistant all year.

Not so sure, both semi finals are on the same day with the same throw in time & the other semi final seems to capturing the media imagination more.

I'd imagine one of the semi finals will be live and the other one deferred on TG4. I'd say both semi finals will get the same coverage, both attractive in their own right, Crokes and Cross will be seen as the real final and then the strong local interest in the other one. There'll be some traffic heading to Longford from Athlone anyway on the 18th.

Can't see anyone is writing off Brigid's this year, particularly after the nightmare Senan Kilbride gave to Cross in this year's final. All Brigid's needed to do was stop hauling him out to take drop in frees and used him more directly as a target man and they would have likely won the final; they're a better team this year for that experience and I can imagine that only ignorance would lead anyone in the country to think that either semi-final is "the real final".

The bookies don't seem to think so, their knowledge is what makes them rich  

As you said Brigids will be a better team for the experience but so will Cross and Crokes who have also played at Croke Park, and eventually lost to Cross.

[Syferus]

Noticed Cross are 4/7 to beat Crokes. Thats a fair price and evens minus one

Would have went to the game but it's in Portlaois and bound to be on tv. Seen Crokes 3 times on tv this year and they only caught fire last day out (final) Cross have been consistant all year.

Not so sure, both semi finals are on the same day with the same throw in time & the other semi final seems to capturing the media imagination more.

I'd imagine one of the semi finals will be live and the other one deferred on TG4. I'd say both semi finals will get the same coverage, both attractive in their own right, Crokes and Cross will be seen as the real final and then the strong local interest in the other one. There'll be some traffic heading to Longford from Athlone anyway on the 18th.

Can't see anyone is writing off Brigid's this year, particularly after the nightmare Senan Kilbride gave to Cross in this year's final. All Brigid's needed to do was stop hauling him out to take drop in frees and used him more directly as a target man and they would have likely won the final; they're a better team this year for that experience and I can imagine that only ignorance would lead anyone in the country to think that either semi-final is "the real final".

The bookies don't seem to think so, their knowledge is what makes them rich  

As you said Brigids will be a better team for the experience but so will Cross and Crokes who have also played at Croke Park, and eventually lost to Cross.

Betting odds, especially in a (relatively speaking) niche knowledge area like club football, are alot closer to X-Factor style popularity votes than the betters and bookies would have you believe. Let's look at the Paddy Power odds:

Crossmaglen 10/11
Dr Crokes 5/2
St Brigids 7/2
Garrycastle 7/1

Despite Dr. Crokes having a recent record in the competition that is inferior to St. Brigids, as well as playing the odds-on favorite in the semi-final, they've shorter odds than the Connacht champions. Who plays for Dr. Crokes? Only the most adored player (and rightly in my opinion) of his generation, Colm Cooper.

For me, even removing myself as much as I can from my bias, it's a toss up between Cross, Brigid's and Crokes (and in that order if I'm forced) for the All-Ireland with Garrycastle having the most to prove to be considered serious contenders.

[Milltown Row2]

Bronson also plays, they between them have 12 or so All Ireland medals. Not bad.

But dare to dream and you'll get good odds and you could win big money

You think "Paddy" Power don't have a niche knowledge of local football?

[Syferus]

Bronson also plays, they between them have 12 or so All Ireland medals. Not bad.

But dare to dream and you'll get good odds and you could win big money

You think "Paddy" Power don't have a niche knowledge of local football?

I don't think you read what I said correctly!

They're a Kerry senior club, hence the number of medals, but a raft All-Ireland medals don't count for very much at this level. Clubs from counties that are regard as lesser lights have ever abilitiy of being able to beat the Krry champions, the Cork champions or, as we saw last weekend, the Dublin champions. St. Gall's winning it, Galway clubs like Corofin reaching the final back-to-back while the inter-county team is in the doldrums, it's a different landscape and one where a sprinkling of inter-county stars is rarely, if ever, enough to elevate any team beyond reach.

Dr. Crokes are a fine team that's fully capable of wining the All-Ireland, but it's a fallacy to think that Brigids aren't every bit as good as Crokes, and indeed on recent form, perhaps a little better.

[armaghniac]

Can't see anyone is writing off Brigid's this year, particularly after the nightmare Senan Kilbride gave to Cross in this year's final.

Kilbride was indeed the best man on the pitch that day. However, if Brigid's come up against Cross' again then Cross will also have experience of dealing with him too.

Who plays for Dr. Crokes? Only the most adored player (and rightly in my opinion) of his generation, Colm Cooper.

Was there some talk of Cooper having an operation? Is this going to happen after Crokes are eliminated or is he using the Christmas period?

[Syferus]

Can't see anyone is writing off Brigid's this year, particularly after the nightmare Senan Kilbride gave to Cross in this year's final.

Kilbride was indeed the best man on the pitch that day. However, if Brigid's come up against Cross' again then Cross will also have experience of dealing with him too.

Who plays for Dr. Crokes? Only the most adored player (and rightly in my opinion) of his generation, Colm Cooper.

Was there some talk of Cooper having an operation? Is this going to happen after Crokes are eliminated or is he using the Christmas period?

Now you mention it I remember the talk of that operation too. He said he'd hold off on doing it until Crokes were out of the club championship, which does put him in a bind now as if he waits until February (or at 'worst' mid-March), he'll be laid up for at least the entire NFL and the first month of the championship as recovery is about three months, something that would put paid to trying to get it done before Christmas and being ready for Feb. 18th.

[brokencrossbar1]

All this talk about the Cross/Crokes game being the real final is some craic altogether. It is a toss up Syferus alright but it is a 4 sided coin that needs tossing. Crokes have a real point to prove against us so they have something to work on, Brigids were probably the best team in the country last year but lost the final on the line, Garrycastle are a very strong hard working side and in Dolan have the best forward bar Gooch left in the competition. They beat the Dublin champions through an effective game plan and an unreal capacity to work. To put it in perspective that Brigids team beat us a short while back. I for one see no weak teams left, each one with something worth playing for. 

[Captain Obvious]

All this talk about the Cross/Crokes game being the real final is some craic altogether. It is a toss up Syferus alright but it is a 4 sided coin that needs tossing. Crokes have a real point to prove against us so they have something to work on, Brigids were probably the best team in the country last year but lost the final on the line, Garrycastle are a very strong hard working side and in Dolan have the best forward bar Gooch left in the competition. They beat the Dublin champions through an effective game plan and an unreal capacity to work. To put it in perspective that Brigids team beat us a short while back. I for one see no weak teams left, each one with something worth playing for.

The break has come at a bad time for Cross on the form of the last few months they wouldn't be stopped in the quest for another All Ireland but now some of that momentum will be lost.