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It's a fantastic listen. The McCloy and Donal mcanallen one was for me one of the best and there are some good ones.

I didn't enjoy the mcguigan one as much as some of the rest. Tbh niblock, who I do really like, seemed like he was pushing him to say he's an alcoholic and he wouldn't. Thought it strayed into uncomfortable.

Mcconville quite sometimes but I imagine it's possibly difficult for someone who's not really a media person to ask questions on very sensitive topics. You'd be very afraid of saying the wrong thing.

Started listening to the linker shearer Richards podcast the rest is football. It's not bad.

I like their Wednesday podcast. It's a q and a one. Get some good insight

Becoming more and more impressed with Niblock and Oisin's podcast, especially the midweek one. Listening to the one with Donal McAnallen and Kevin McCloy at the moment, following closely on from the Frank McGuigan one a week or two ago and some of the ones last year. He's a superb interviewer, Niblock, and gets all these prominent GAA personalities to really open up about their opinions and real lives.

Can't-miss listening for me.

In the midweek one, I sometimes wonder what the point of Oisin is?

Great result for St Killian's who beat Portumna CS today in the Paddy Buggy Cup semi-final. They'll play Blackwater CS of Waterford in the final.

[Derry]

Derry v Dublin
Mayo v Roscommon
Kerry v Tyrone
Monaghan v Galway

Fermanagh v Armagh
Cavan v Meath
Donegal v Louth
Cork v Kildare

Limerick v Clare
Antrim v Westmeath
Down v Sligo
Offaly v Wicklow

Carlow v Wexford
Laois v London
Tipperary v Waterford
Longford v Leitrim

Chris Nicholl, former Southampton and Northern Ireland Centre half

Was reading his Obituary, this bit caught my attention:

As old school as they came, Nicholl spoke to players in a language they understood. One of his players, Micky Adams, recalled Nicholl's assessment of their performances after a game. He'd go around the room and tell us, one by one: not bad,did all right,shit,w**ker. You'd sit sit there and think please don't give me a w**ker, a shit will do today because I know I've not played well.
 

Think I've heard Alan Shearer tell a similar story.

Who introduced the short hurls to the game? It seems to have happened between the 2020 all ireland and the 2021 final. Was it Limerick ?

2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qRfeHtqpxw

2021
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0rzgUeFv4Y

Marty Mallon in Down was playing with a 32" hurl in the 90's. Everyone else was hammering away with 36 and 37" hurls at that time.

I was watching a camogie match today. The curse of the rucks. There is no ground hurling any more. This has been replaced by rucks thanks to the short hurls.

I was at a school match last week and noticed some of the short hurls. Seriously reduces how far the lads can hit it but I suppose it's maybe better for control etc but on a heavy pitch it didn't really improve the quality of the game.

What is going on with the Royal Family?

Charles has cancer

There's been another Royal Death (Thomas Kingston)

But the big question is Where is Kate Middleton?

Some of the theories on Kate lol:
https://x.com/MadihaBlob/status/1762435851638747482?s=20

I do like a conspiracy theory. A few days ago William pulled out of some function due to personal reasons so that should keep the tin hat brigade busy.

Would have smashed them in Ballycastle.

[Mayo]

Rd 4 24/25 February

Tyrone v Mayo
Dublin v Kerry
Galway v Derry
Roscommon v Monaghan

Fermanagh v Cork
Louth v Cavan
Meath v Kildare
Armagh v Donegal

Down v Offaly
Clare v Wicklow
Sligo v Antrim
Westmeath v Limerick

Wexford v Waterford
Longford v London
Carlow v Leitrim
Tipperary v Laois

28 out of 29 and I'd say a fair chance that number 29 goes to school in belfast. Just feels a bit off.

28 out of 29 and I'd say a fair chance that number 29 goes to school in belfast. Just feels a bit off.

The panel that was named at the start of the year was the same set of girls so it hasn't changed.

It looked ridiculous at the time as well.

Moneyglass withdrew all their minors so that left a few spaces for more Belfast based players.

Still a surprise that the likes of Cargin or Glenariffe don't have any representation as they were strong at U16 last year, but then again, neither would have a coach on the panel so there you go.

The U16s are not much better, with 21 Belfast and 9 elsewhere.

Re Glenariffe: I don't think any of the girls attended trials to be honest. The bulk of that U-16 team last year was girls playing up from U-14 and they are now U-15. The one girl who played county last year at U-14 is hoping to give it a go again next year at U-16. There's actually about 5-6 of that team playing county but with the small ball.

Loughgiel or Cargin might be some you could add to your list.

Second and is it 8 wins in a row now ? Not too shabby

Saints still have a game in hand but we're going well. That was a tough game today. I'm not sorry to see the last of Plymouth for this year. 4 tight games.

I no issue paying for club activities but draw the line of financing a 10k mercenary management team who float from club to club every couple of years. If they spend that money training up their own.

It's something I've seen first hand. Some people who would walk over hot coals to learn and become coaches while others within the club just refer to them as cone lifters as though there is no potential in them.

Agree with the Corrigan point. If the invested money was afforded to another club with larger grounds they could've developed a better facility.

Agree with the Corrigan point. If the invested money was afforded to another club with larger grounds they could've developed a better facility.

This was discussed at length at the time and I think everyone was in agreement that there could have been better and more central facilities that could have been invested in.

But we are where we are and going over old ground will not make the builders go in and lift the stands at Corrigan and move them to Randalstown or Antrim

Unfortunately with Antrim there has been plenty of if's and everyone is an expert looking in. We'd only, at this point been without Casement had we just kept it open and played there till when the builders came in.

Good point, the money should have been given to Tir na nOg 

I'd say you are one of the clubs with the best facilities in Antrim as it is. There's a ton of land around it to potentially expand (depending on who actually owns that land). TNN, Antrim or Ballymena would have been perfect IMO but I suppose there's no point crying over spilt milk.

From a selfish point of view, I'd love Casement to be built to have that proper home for Antrim GAA although if I'm honest it probably is a waste of money. How many times have Antrim even filled Corrigan for a county match?

If Casement doesn't happen if the Euros pulls the plug on the money is there a case to build something smaller elsewhere? 

Ballymenas new pitch wouldve been a decent one to develop. Plenty of room

But we are where we are and going over old ground will not make the builders go in and lift the stands at Corrigan and move them to Randalstown or Antrim

Unfortunately with Antrim there has been plenty of if's and everyone is an expert looking in. We'd only, at this point been without Casement had we just kept it open and played there till when the builders came in.

Good point, the money should have been given to Tir na nOg 

I'd say you are one of the clubs with the best facilities in Antrim as it is. There's a ton of land around it to potentially expand (depending on who actually owns that land). TNN, Antrim or Ballymena would have been perfect IMO but I suppose there's no point crying over spilt milk.

From a selfish point of view, I'd love Casement to be built to have that proper home for Antrim GAA although if I'm honest it probably is a waste of money. How many times have Antrim even filled Corrigan for a county match?

If Casement doesn't happen if the Euros pulls the plug on the money is there a case to build something smaller elsewhere? 

Ballymenas new pitch wouldve been a decent one to develop. Plenty of room

Ballymena would have been excellent. I was at the Camogie final there 2 years ago and you have the parking at the pitch and they had 2 or 3 of those big car parks at the factories on the Woodside Road open as well for cars. Not sure what All Saints own but there's loads of room around it if they could buy some of that land for potential expansions. Obviously, it looks like Casement might happen but if it doesn't I think the time might be to look at other options.

The champions league which was once a great competition has lost its appeal over last few years with traditional powers like Barcalona not being what once where and the Italian league dropping in standard.competition will only get worse with the new format coming.

Inter and Roma both made the champions league and europa league finals last year? This year two of the premier league teams have been an embarrassment in the competition.

Don't forget when English teams do rubbish in Europe that is just evidence that it's because the Premier League is so hard.