Messages

Funny enough I did see Lorcan Quinn was playing a bit of soccer so was wondering whether that was with management blessing. Who is our back up keeper now?

Oisin O'Kane Loughmacrory. Although I would say the U20 keeper will join with the squad after Sunday

All-Ireland B semi final result. Winning score deep into added time.

Down 2-10 Mayo 0-15

Thank god for that. Don't know what the point of this competition is?

U20 is development, grade the more matches the better for players. And will be B and C grade competitions in the All Ireland series at U17/minor this year.

The whole tiered championship adds an unnecessary amount of extra more or less meaningless games into an already bloated calendar.

October I believe U20s panels commence training and for all the training in the world the players themselves wants more games. 

Ulster counties went to the Ulster council wanting less games at Minor and U20 and Ulster council went to national council who came back with more games, everything had to have a round robbing system and tiers. Make of that what you will. Dilutes the competitions, ruins crowd numbers and takes away from Club Scene as well.

[I remain unconvinced by Conor Cush, I am not sure if he is cut out for the top level.]

An Ulster University side backboned by Tyrone players have qualified for the Sigerson Cup final with a 1-13 to 0-11 victory over Maynooth tonight. Darragh and Ruairi Canavan, Ciaran Daly, Conor Cush, Peter Og McCartan, Oisin McCann and Steve Donaghy started for Ulster University while Dara Curran, Adam Donaghy, Eoin Montgomery, James Quinn, Harry Morgan and second-half sub Danny Fullerton were named on the bench.

Oisin McCann for me stood out. Surely worth a go on the County panel, has the physical size and is full of talent. If he got a run with the county I think he would turn into a top player.
I remain unconvinced by Conor Cush, I am not sure if he is cut out for the top level.

Best thing for Conor Cush would be to release him back and let him have a full season with Donaghmore. Was fast tracked too soon after the 2022 U20 win, has done him no favours longer term. Good season with his club would surely help.
Nathan McCarron another who would probably benefit from being released back to his club, two games this year and hooked at half time in both. Wouldn't be good for confidence.

Can now add Lorcan Quinn and Conor Cush to the list of players who have left the County Panel.

Crazy decision by the ccc last night to delay the leagues. The poor club player is getting shafted all the time

Only division 1 or division 2 also?

Division 1.
Complaints coming in about Eglish and Donaghmore being starred fixtures despite them having no county men anymore as McGleenan, Cush and Quinn have left the panel. Killyclogher also might become an issue if some of their U20s are called up after Sunday's final.

Fancy Tyrone to beat Donegal to top spot. Few weeks training will have them primed to turn over Donegal.

All-Ireland B semi final result. Winning score deep into added time.

Down 2-10 Mayo 0-15

Thank god for that. Don't know what the point of this competition is?

U20 is development, grade the more matches the better for players. And will be B and C grade competitions in the All Ireland series at U17/minor this year.

The whole tiered championship adds an unnecessary amount of extra more or less meaningless games into an already bloated calendar.

[You could see there being a 3A and 3B in the near future the way things are going, the gap between the junior contenders and the bottom is widening every year.]

Killyman beaten by Donaghmore Thirds which is the only game they won in 2023 (Donaghmore III lost every game last year).

Things must be getting really dicey for them lately, your heart would go out to anyone trying to keep the thing going with the amount of lads moving away at the minute. Must be trojan work.

Definite split in division 3 as many men have mentioned on here, Raymond Monteith mentioned it at county convention a few months ago. You could see there being a 3A and 3B in the near future the way things are going, the gap between the junior contenders and the bottom is widening every year.

This is passed and will come into effect in 2025. Will also encourage more development teams. A positive move for the club scene as Junior football as it stands is dying a death with the big difference top and bottom.

[EirGrid U20 FC: Tyrone reach decider]

EirGrid U20 FC: Tyrone reach decider

EirGrid All-Ireland U20 Football Championship Semi-Final
Tyrone 3-18 Roscommon 3-8

Yet again, the Eirgrid U-20 championship delivered a contest of the highest quality this evening at Kingspan Breffni, where Tyrone secured their place in next weekend's All-Ireland final at Roscommon's expense thanks to a sumptuous attacking display. The final margin of 10 points would suggest a one-sided contest, but this wasn't. Roscommon threw all that they had at the Ulster champions, and when they fired two goals in quick succession at start of the second half, the crowd was rocking at it looked like the upset might be on. Instead, Tyrone roared back into the game after steadying the ship with two long range dead ball scores from Conor McAneney, and once Eoin McElholm crowned his stylish all-round attacking display with a fantastic breakaway goal, the Red Hand man were in control again. Cormac Devlin fired a couple of points with substitutes Noah Grimes and Conor Owens also adding their names to the lengthy list of scorers, bringing that number up to 11. The only black mark from their perspective was a stoppage time skirmish that saw substitute Ruairí McHugh, as well as Senan Lambe and Ryan Dowling from Roscommon, pick up a straight red card, ruling him out of next weekend's All-Ireland final against Kerry.

The story of both halves was a story of Roscommon starting brightly, but Tyrone responding in the manner of Champions. Shane McGinley, who had been the star name in the Connacht champions' attack throughout the year, kicked off the contest with a wonderful goal in reply to Shea O'Hare's opening point. With six minutes gone there were six scores on the board, and Tyrone had drawn level after Ronan Cassidy and then a brace from Ruairí McCullagh cancelled out McGinley's goal. From the first throw in, Tyrone looked to push up and defend high up the pitch, and they got a lot of joy out of this approach. Midfielders Ronan Fox and Conor O'Neill were strong in the air, allowing Paul Devlin's side to really push up on kickouts, and this also brought wing backs Shea O'Hare and Ódhrán Brolly into the game. A scything run from Joey Clark set up O'Neill for Tyrone's first goal, and while Roscommon did undo some of that damage with the next two points, including a fine score on the run from Rob Heneghan, Tyrone hit another purple patch before half time, crowned by an excellent team goal that O'Hare slammed to the net.

Seven down at half-time, Roscommon found another huge start to the second half and after the first two points were shared, quickfire goals from Conor Ryan and Bobby Nugent brought them right back into it. However, a couple of very scorable chances to surf the wave and get in front proved costly, and once Tyrone hit another rich vein of form, they never looked back. Goalkeeper Conor McAneney got Tyrone out of their mini-funk with a couple of excellent long range kicks, and almost in the blink of an eye, they were out of sight. A clinical fast break saw Conor O'Neill carry the ball out of defence and once the ball was worked into Eoin McElholm, the Loughmacrory attacker executed a slick turn and a perfect low finish to leave Roscommon in a deep hole once again – and this time, the Ulster county were in no mood to allow them to escape.

Scorers for Tyrone: Eoin McElholm 1-02, Conor O'Neill 1-01, Shea O'Hare 1-01, Ruairí McCullagh 0-03, Ronan Cassidy 0-03 (1f), Conor McAneney 0-02 (1f, 1 45), Cormac Devlin 0-02, Odhrán Brolly 0-01, Ronan Fox 0-01, Noah Grimes 0-01, Conor Owens 0-01f.
Scorers for Roscommon: Shane McGinley 1-05 (3fs), Bobby Nugent 1-01, Conor Ryan 1-00, Dan Hagney 0-01, Rob Heneghan 0-01.

Tyrone: Conor McAneney; Conor Devlin, Ben Hughes, Joey Clarke; Shea O'Hare, Michael Rafferty, Ódhrán Brolly; Ronan Fox, Conor O'Neill; Cormac Devlin, Callum Daly, Gavin Potter; Ronan Cassidy, Ruairí McCullagh, Eoin McElholm.
Subs: Fiachra Nelis for Brolly (half-time), Ruairí McHugh for Devlin (41), Paddy McCann for Fox (52), Noah Grimes for Cassidy (56), Conor Owens for McCullagh (58).
Roscommon: Seán Allen; Eoghan Carthy, James Connolly, Dan Casey; Senan Lambe, Eden Kerins, James McGreal; Conor Harley, Conor Ryan; Rob Heneghan, Rory Hester, Dan Hagney; Shane McGinley, Niall O'Donnell, Bobby Nugent.
Subs: Ryan Dowling for Heneghan (30), Cillian Campbell for Carthy (half-time), Ethan O'Reilly for Hester (half-time), Ryan Conlon for Hagney (45), Oisín O'Flaherty for McGreal (54).
Referee: Jonathan Hayes (Limerick).

[Few tighter calls this week.]

Few tighter calls this week.
Strabane vs Brocagh
Drumquin vs Castlederg
Tattyreagh vs Augher
Derrytresk vs Eskra
Bravkaville vs CNG (Draw)
Killeeshil vs Errigal III
Killyman vs Donaghmore III

Hard to know between Donaghmore thirds and Killyman and Brackaville against Clann Na Gael

[Strabane]

Strabane vs Brocagh
Drumquin vs Castlederg
Tattyreagh vs Augher
Derrytresk vs Eskra
Bravkaville vs CNG
Killeeshil vs Errigal III
Killyman vs Donaghmore III

What people's thoughts on the U20s going forward? Watched Roscommon in Connaught final. They look decent which you'd expect. Think it's Kerry vs Meath in other semi. We've had some talented players past few years. Hopefully they continue to make the breakthrough.

At this point we have to be eyeing up winning the All Ireland. Overcoming Derry in Ulster was always going to be the biggest test they were to face. As long as they keep their focus now they should be fit to overcome what is left, especially with the scoring potential in the team. In Potter, McElholm, Cassidy, McCullagh, Owens and Grimes they have enough firepower to get over the line even if the performance isn't quite there and if they were to really click and burst into life they could blow away whoever the opposition is.

Jaysus that's a bad oul beating for Killyman in the opening league game in Div3.

Opening round fixtures show the need for 3B. Be surprised to see shocks anywhere and the expected favourites all winning comfortably.

Retweet

Not sure what the issue is. I just assumed Ruairi McCullagh overtook him and he was dropped.

I think that is the case. Conor Owens and Noah Grimes no bad players to be springing from the bench for an impact. Paddy McCann also had a positive impact of the bench for them.
In a game that could have got away from them, especially the stage where the referee bizarrely penalized Daly and McHugh and led to two Derry scores, the character shown by the team was incredible. Fair play to them young men. Get them togged out in Ballybofey.

[Eskra]

Opening round fixtures show the need for 3B. Be surprised to see shocks anywhere and the expected favourites all winning comfortably.

Eskra vs Killyman
CNG vs Augher
Strabane vs Derrytesk
Urney vs Killeeshil
Glenelly vs Brackaville
Aghaloo vs Tattyreagh
Donaghmore III vs Brocagh
Errigal III vs Drumquin

[Eskra]

Junior league starting this weekend. What are we thinking this year? Killeeshil very hard to look past, expecting a big year from them. In terms of dark horses, I'd be looking at drumquin and glenelly. Two good young sides with plenty of quality.

Eskra vs Killyman
CNG vs Augher
Strabane vs Derrytesk
Urney vs Killeeshil
Glenelly vs Brackaville
Aghaloo vs Tattyreagh
Donaghmore III vs Brocagh
Errigal III vs Drumquin

Did Killeeshil get any men back that they were missing last year? Might not be as straight forward as you would think if they haven't. Strabane will have plenty to say about promotion this year now that the glory hunters are back on board.