With Mayo doing what Ulster Champions Tyrone failed to do,giving Dublin a game today,and Derry Minors beaten out the gate by Kerry today,the outlook for Ulster Football is bleak to say the least.Are there any hints of blue skies on the horizon?
The outlook is bleak for everyone apart from Dublin and Kerry. Mayo currently have the greatest team never to win an AI and with the bad luck, referees and self harm they have had to face in the last two years they are surely going to fade away.
Tyrone are probably the only Ulster team likely to be competitive in the next while but with Harte there for another 3 years I can't see them getting close to sam. They remain one of the benchmarks when it comes to fundraising and organisation but they are still a long way away from the financial muscle of Dublin and Kerry.
I think it is particularly bleak in Ulster.Minor Champions beaten by over 20 points and the senior champions not at the races against Dublin in the AI semi final.
At leat you have a competitive provincial championship to look forward to most years, in Leinster there is no point to intercounty football after the league is over, pretty much the same case for the Munster teams lately too with Kerry's dominance.
Not this year.
Kerry have won the last four minor championships, however, they have failed to make a final in the u21 championship in the last three years. U21 really is the barometer for senior step ups. I wonder will Kerry throw young Clifford into their senior squad next year now that he will be eligible?
He will miss out on u20s if he plays for the seniors.
Quote from: T Fearon on September 17, 2017, 07:14:03 PM
I think it is particularly bleak in Ulster.Minor Champions beaten by over 20 points and the senior champions not at the races against Dublin in the AI semi final.
Tyrone U17s deserves a mention.
Quote from: T Fearon on September 17, 2017, 06:53:28 PM
Ulster Football,where to now?
Same place we were in the 80s.
Cuttin' sh!te out of each other in intense but very limited matches.
If Armagh redefined the game with their workrate and physique in the early 2000s, then Tyrone brought it on with a complete move away from conventional forward line the Dubs and Mayo have turned it upside down with utter focus on possession football and attacking through sharp interplay built on rugby-esque runs from deep through the "defensive line". Not to mention the ability to change the pace of the game*.
Its at the point now where they probably should go looking to Rugby League coaches for ideas on how to build attacking systems.
*it was that which surprised me most about Dubs vs Tyrone, the ability of the Dubs, while in possession, to slow the pace, then burst of acceleration and leave their marker for dead was jaw dropping. It was like seniors toying with a team of U-16s. Some serious conditioning and application of extremely well calculated sports sciences going on there - cos that Tyrone team were dominant in Ulster re. fitness.
You could say where now for 29 counties. Not just Ulster struggling.
Well each of the other three provinces has a competitive team for the business end of the All Ireland series
Amalgamate the Ulster Counties :D
West Ulster - Donegal Derry Tyrone Fermanagh Cavan.
East Ulster - the other 4.
Quote from: T Fearon on September 18, 2017, 01:35:33 PM
Well each of the other three provinces has a competitive team for the business end of the All Ireland series
Yeah the 3 everyone knows about.
If ulster can't be competitive with the defensive shyte, then how about taking the shackles off and play football.
I've said it before, Tyrone have a great team and it is sad to see them turned into robots...are ya listening Mickey...
Quote from: T Fearon on September 17, 2017, 07:14:03 PM
I think it is particularly bleak in Ulster.Minor Champions beaten by over 20 points and the senior champions not at the races against Dublin in the AI semi final.
I think you're being harsh on the minors. Ulster had 2 minor teams in the AI semi finals.
Yes Derry were well beat in the final but we were probably the second best team in the country, we beat the other 2 semi finalists.
Kerry minors being outstanding more so than Ulster being poor (Ulster teams beat the Leinster and Connacht champions).
Apart from Dublin a leinster team hasn't contested a semi final since 2010. Let's address that first.
In the irish Times today Ulster football was given as a bad example of the year as no Ulster team contested a league final.
Seems they are looking outside to find problems and point the finger rather than look at admit their own problems.