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6) Name the Longford intercounty footballer who scored 1-24 in this year's senior championship?

Brian Kavanagh

23) Monaghan club Sean McDermotts have their playing facilities in which village?

Threemilehouse

31) This Carlow club could be confused with a region of Germany?

Palatine

48) Name three Cavan clubs beginning with the letter M, who straddle the Meath-Cavan border?

Mountnugent, Munterconnacht, Maghera

54) The St. Marys club in Longford choose their players from which town in the county?

Granard

59) This man only scored four times yet finished fourth top scoring Munster player in the 2006 football championship. Who is he?

Eoin Brosnan

68) This Leitrim club has for GAA neighbours Aughavas, Fenagh, Mohill and Gortlettragh. Name them?

Cloone

98) During the 1980s and 1990s these players lined out with which county? Mickey O'Hara, John McCormack and Philip Kiernan?

Longford

99) The most southern GAA grounds in Monaghan is?

Magheracloone

A son of Harry Rogers.

Jaysus, where do the years go?  Will there be a new Rogers dynasty playing for the half-parish, or are all the clan living elsewhere - I know Donal married in Colmcille, so he obviously moved up in the world. 

Gary (Harry's younger son) might be on the County under-16s this year. A very good prospect in the forwards. Joe has only the one lad;  he's another good player, but he would only be in 2nd year in the Tech. Kieran and Dónal are living well outside the parish.

Who is the Rogers lad from the half-parish Laureleye?

A son of Harry Rogers. 18 and in Leaving Cert in Granard. Nice lad, very down to earth. Plays in goals for us. Very strong kickout.

[Provisional Under-21 Panel]

Provisional Under-21 Panel

(Some players may yet still be added)

Peter Foy, Gerard Dennigan, Aidan Rowan (Cashel), Colm Flynn (Ballymahon), Kevin Moran (Carrickedmond), John Murphy, Bernard McElvaney (Ballymore), Martin Flood, Jody Connolly, Derek Sheridan (Granard), James Hanley, Éamon Farrell (Rathcline), Patrick Rogers (Mullinalaghta), Seán McCormack, Joe McCormack, Cillian Burns, Eugene Clarke (Killoe), Enda Gallagher, Mark Duffy (Fr Manning Gaels), Diarmuid Masterson (Dromard), Paul Kelly, Colin Smith, Niall Mulligan (Longford Slashers), Pádraig Berry (Abbeylara), Brian Kavanagh (Ardagh), Thomas Gallagher (Mostrim), Shane Doyle (Kenagh), Bernard O'Connor (Grattan Óg)

Declan appears to have been selected at left half back - he never played there for the county, and he plays midfield or centre forward for the club.  I s'pose the main consolation is that it could have gone to the guy who plays LHB for the county. 

back to you! The person in question was unfortunate not to get a nomination in the Player of the Year category, but at least the team got recognised.

I wouldn't have said the selection panel were too fussy about positions.

Any sign of a new trainer yet?

Eh no, but maybe North Longford has something to say on this front.

Yis are too fussy. Sure poor Dessie Brady only lasted a week with yis and now he's moved onto a higher calling

Glad to see we got one 'prize' this year. Roll Eyes

He seems to have been selected in the position he played for on the county rather than for the club. At least we got a nomination for Player of the Year ahead of anyone from the losing county finalists.

I hear only 4 players turned up at the AGM - it's going from bad to worse.  Ardagh reckoned we were the worst team they'd played (anywhere) in five years.

Ah now, yis are just being hard on yourselves. Yis are hardly worse than Kenagh.

Any sign of a new trainer yet?

Longford Team of the Championship

Damien Sheridan (Dromard);
Dermot Brady (Longford Slashers), Dónal Ledwith (Abbeylara), Dermot O'Reilly (Abbeylara);
Declan Reilly (Colmcille); James McEntire (Abbeylara), Enda Ledwith (Abbeylara);
Arthur O'Connor (Abbeylara), Liam Keenan (Ardagh);
Padraig Berry (Abbeylara), Paul Barden (Clonguish), Jamesie Martin (Dromard);
Stephen Phillips (Longford Slashers), Niall Sheridan (Abbeylara), Brian Kavanagh (Ardagh).

Senior Player of the Year nominees:

Niall Sheridan (Abbeylara)
Paul Barden (Clonguish)
Enda Ledwith (Abbeylara)

Intermediate Player of the Year nominees:

Brian Kavanagh (Ardagh)
Liam Keenan (Ardagh)
Donal McElligott (Mullinalaghta)

Junior Player of the Year nominees:

Michael Gibson (Longford Slashers)
Barry Keegan (Forgney)
Tom Prunty (Moydow Harpers)

Ladies Player of the Year nominees:

Sharon Treacy (Killoe)
Yvonne Barden (Clonguish)
Marie Carrigy (Killoe)

Hurling Player of the Year nominees:

Brendan Burke (Clonguish)
Martin Coyle (Wolfe Tones/Mostrim)
Gareth Ghee (Longford Slashers)

If Mitchell was born in Carrickedmond, he should always have played with Longford.  What's he coming 'home' for now?  Our last experiment at 'buying' a fullback didn't work, so I can't see the logic in this either - and we shouldn't be stooping to the level of Cork/Kildare. 

We'll be charitable and assume that he was a wise man and fled Carrickedmond at an early age before he got eaten without salt

Four home games in the League - five wins should take us up, or do we just have to stay in top four to qualify for the new D3?

Top 2 would put us in next year's Division 2, third or fourth place would put us in Division 3, anything lower and it would be the new Division 4 and the Cooper Cup to boot. Not taking anything for granted at this stage.

[is]

I hope there is a strong link otherwise we are just doing a Cavan.
If he is originally from Longfrod then no problem........otherwise just no.

I still feel a bit dubious about it even if he is originally a Slieveen. As far as I'm concerned, once you have a club and county, you stick with them barring extraordinary circumstances.

Anyway...

NFL fixtures:

February 4th, 2.30:

Division 2A
Carlow v Clare
Leitrim v Offaly
Roscommon v Monaghan
Longford v London

February 11th, 2.30:

Division 2A
Offaly v Carlow
Clare v Leitrim
Monaghan v Longford
London v Roscommon

February 25th, 2.30:

Division 2A
Monaghan v Carlow
Roscommon v Clare
Longford v Offaly
London v Leitrim

March 11th, 2.30:

Division 2A
Longford v Leitrim
Clare v Monaghan
Offaly v London
Carlow v Roscommon

March 25th, 3.30:

Division 2A
Leitrim v Carlow
Offaly v Clare
London v Monaghan
Roscommon v Longford

April 1st, 3.30:

Division 2A
Monaghan v Offaly
Roscommon v Leitrim
Clare v London
Carlow v Longford

April 8th, 3.30:

Division 2A
London v Carlow
Longford v Clare
Leitrim v Monaghan
Offaly v Roscommon

Any truth in the story Damien Mitchell is returning to his home county??

Spotted something to that effect on the Westmeath Hoganstand messageboard yesterday, but I wouldn't have given it much credence. However, this is in today's Irish Times:

Mitchell set to team up with Longford

Gaelic Games Digest/WESTMEATH: One of the heroes of Westmeath's 2004 Leinster final triumph could be about to throw in his lot with neighbours Longford - and it could mean a clash with his former colleagues in next year's Leinster championship opener.

David Mitchell recently trained with Luke Dempsey's Longford and there is strong speculation he will be included in the panel for the National League.

Mitchell didn't line out with Westmeath in this year's championship. The news of his possible change of allegiance follows the departure of attacker PJ Ward to Offaly.

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/sport/2006/1128/1164403615863.html

He's from Dempsey's own club (Rochfortbridge) and he's a full back, which was the one serious weak spot on the team last year. Having said that, I'm not any keener on inter-county transfers where we're the beneficiary than I am on Mr. Gallagher's switch of alleigance to our northern neighbours.

Update: This from the Indo

Westmeath ace to join Longford

DAVID MITCHELL, one of the heroes of Westmeath's historic 2004 Leinster final triumph, is set to join neighbours Longford.

Mitchell has been training with Longford who are managed by his former Westmeath boss Luke Dempsey.

Mitchell, who didn't line out for Westmeath in the 2006 championship, was born in Carrickedmond, Co Longford, and it is believed this could qualify him to play for Longford without having to leave his current club, St Mary's of Rochfortbridge.

If he opts for Longford, it could mean a dramatic clash with his former colleagues in the first round of next year's Leinster championship. The news of Mitchell's possible move follows the departure of attacker PJ Ward to Offaly.

http://www.unison.ie/irish_independent/stories.php3?ca=95&si=1731800&issue_id=14938

I await Billy's musings on this development...

But will we ever have the situation where a defibrillator will be present at every game (and obviously with an operator on standby)?  I lost a close relative at a game and have seen 3 other spectators go the same way.  A defib may have saved them, but then who knows?  It certainly wouldn't do any harm - how much for one?

My own club are involved in trying to get one at the moment. The prices we've been quoted are between €2,200 and €2,700 plus VAT.

Stephen Phillips

I was under the impression that there was a general (if not official) consensus that he was just too small/light for inter-county football.

Just how small do you have to be to be too small for the Longford team?

Padraig Murtagh(?),
In Australia for a few months so I'd say not involved at all.

I was wondering about that, which was why I had the question mark in. When the likes of Gilleran and Kevin Smyth were only on the trial panel, I wouldn't have expected him to be an automatic panel choice. I know Willie Murray of Slashers is abroad and unlikely to be back for this year. Don't know what the story is with Donnacha Corcoran.

Pity about Haniffy. Thought when the list had been published in the papers it meant these were guys that had agreed to go in.

I'd say it's just the ones they've asked. I can think of one name on that list (not from my own club) who'll be gone abroad by the New Year and is unlikely to be back any time soon, and I couldn't see him bothering to go in yesterday - he didn't bother with it last year.

Not sure what would have been learned in a trial game yesterday with the conditions. I'm sure there'l be more before a panel is announced.

The only obvious omission from that list that I can think of would be Stephen Phillips, who may still be injured. There are a few more possibilities on the under-21 panel that was announced.

[Ciarán MacEoin]

Full listing for the trials was ('06 panellists in bold):

Ciarán MacEoin (Seán Connollys), Conor Casey, Shane Carroll, Ronan Clyne, Derek Casserly (Rathcline), Paul O'Hara, Seán McCormack (Killoe), Peter Masterson, Francis McGee (Dromard), Francis Murphy (Ballymore), David Hannify, Padraic Davis (Fr. Manning Gaels), Enda Williams, Brendan Burke (Clonguish), David Sheridan, Michael Brady, Trevor Clendenning, Barry Gilleran, Tomás O'Rourke (Longford Slashers), Dónal Ledwith, Kevin Smyth, James McEntire, Damien O'Connor, Niall Sheridan (Abbeylara), Kevin Mulligan (Mullinalaghta), Michael Victory, Martin Coyle (Mostrim), Noel Farrell, Declan "not Cornadrung" Reilly, Declan Farrell (Colmcille), Stephen Lynch, James Hynes, Liam O'Rourke, David Blessington (Granard), Gerard Evans (Killashee), Danny Keenan (Ardagh), Gary Murphy (Kenagh), John J. Greene, Peter Foy (Cashel), Emmet Finn (Ballymahon), Tommy Cummins, Kevin Moran (Carrickedmond).

I believe David Hannify didn't show.

In addition, the following are presumably automatically on the panel (made it to Killarney and either played or were on the bench for that match):

Damien Sheridan, Cathal Conefrey, Diarmuid Masterson, Jamesie Martin (Dromard), Bernard McElvaney (Ballymore), Paul Barden, David Barden, Paddy Dowd (Clonguish), Dermot Brady (Longford Slashers), Enda Ledwith, Padraig Berry, Arthur O'Connor (Abbeylara), Shane Mulligan (Mullinalaghta), Padraig Murtagh(?), Declan "Cornadrung" Reilly (Colmcille), Liam Keenan, Brian Kavanagh (Ardagh), Trevor Smullen (Ballymahon).

As far as I know, because we're D4, if we lose we're in Disaster Cup situation alright, but I'd hope we'd be good enough for the neighbours, with home advantage.

We're only in Cooper Cup territory if we finish in the bottom 4 of Division 2A. Hopefully that won't occur. We'd have ended up there last year though because of scoring difference - the Donegal match was a killer on that front.

Hanniffy would be very good cover for midfield alright, but like Laureleye, I thought he'd lost interest completely.  I knew Podgie was over the worst of his injury, but I didn't think he'd be back.  I'm not sure what part Niall will play, with the running and passing game seeming to have replaced the aimless long-ball to targetman game - I'd have thought reverting to that would be very retrograde, but Eastlongford have never been able for him, in fairness.

I can't see it being reverted to based on what Dempsey said last summer, but I suppose him being there creates a bit of uncertainty in the minds of the opposition as to which strategy might be chosen. Confusion is good as long as it's not your own. Having to mind Sheridan AND Kavanagh AND the two Bardens would be a bit of a stretch. I'd expect him to be there as a sub rather than as a starter.

Anyone know what the list of League fixtures looks like?

Much the same as last year except with home/away reversed, I expect. That we have four home games this year is the one thing I'm certain of, because the County Chairman has told us so.