Messages

Vinny is Joe Brolly's cousin!

No one think there might be a bit of value in cavanagh at 20-1? Third highest last year I think.

Doubt he'll get near it again with O'Neill back and Mulligan fit.

[Wicklow]

Longford v Wicklow    Wicklow +2.5   Wicklow
Derry v Monaghan     Monaghan +2.5 Monaghan bonus
London v Galway     London +14.5  Galway
Tipperary v Limerick     Limerick +0.5  Limerick bonus
Waterford v Cork     Waterford +13.5 Cork
Kildare v Offaly     Offaly +3.5  Kildare

Woods would probably drop out to the half-forward line leaving the two small men inside, would McCloy follow or would it be one of the corner-backs?

And here's Boylesports odds:

Meehan, Micheal    6/1
O'Neill, Stephen    7/1
Cooper, Colm    8/1
Mortimer, Conor    10/1
Goulding, Daniel    10/1
Bradley, Paddy    12/1
O'Connor, Donn   12/1
Doyle, John    12/1
Cavanagh, Sean    16/1
Mcdonnell, Steven25/1
Ward, Cian            25/1
Carr, Aidan            33/1
Mcfadden, Colm    33/1
Freeman, Tommy 33/1
Sheehan, Bryan    33/1
Ryan, Ian            33/1
Brogan, Alan    33/1
Vaughan, Mark    33/1
Tierney, Mj            33/1
Mcnamee, Niall    33/1
Forde, Matt    33/1
Dolan, Dessie    33/1
Clarke, Ronan    50/1
Coulter, Benny    50/1
Finlay, Paul            50/1
Johnston, Sean    66/1
Breheny, Mark    66/1
Heneghan, Ger    66/1

Maybe it's just my Monaghan bias but Tommy Freeman at 33-1 looks quite good to me! He was only 7 points off the top in 2007 and we only got to a quarter final, if we had a bit of a run he could rack up a bit.

Ladbrokes:

Colm Cooper   8.00
Michael Meehan   8.00
Paddy Bradley   9.00
Daniel Goulding   11.00
John Doyle           11.00
Stephen O'Neill   11.00
Tomas Freeman   13.00
Conor Mortimer   15.00
Donnacha O'Connor  15.00
MJ Tierney           17.00
Mattie Forde   17.00
Steven McDonnell  17.00
Barry Grogan   21.00
Cian Ward           21.00
Sean Cavanagh   21.00
Brian Sheehan   26.00
Conal Keaney   26.00
Seanie Johnston   26.00
Colm McFadden   29.00
Ian Ryan           29.00
Benny Coulter   34.00
Paddy Cunningham 34.00
Ronan Clarke   34.00
Bernard Brogan   41.00
Ciaran Lyng           41.00
Niall McNamee   41.00
Paul Finlay           41.00
Colm McCullagh   51.00
Eoin Bradley   51.00
Mark Vaughan   51.00
Stephen Kernan   51.00
Padraig Joyce   67.00
Stephen Griffin   67.00
James Kielt           81.00
Nicky Joyce           81.00
Tomas Quinn   81.00

O'Shea's been great all season and fully deserves his start in the Champions League final. He does nothing flashy but does a solid job, he gives away the ball the very odd time and gets awful abuse for it from some but he's been one of our best performers this year. Rafael is a great prospect, but is very young and inexperienced. He is good going forward but nowhere near as reliable as O'Shea in defence just yet, he can't hold his position. An example I remember was in the 5-2 game against Spurs, Modric never would have scored had O'Shea started ahead of Rafael imo. Look at where Rafael was when Modric finished, had he been where he was supposed to Modric wouldn't have had the time to score.

As for the team next week I think Park is a certainty to start after not being in the squad last year, and we need his energy against Barca's midfield. Also think Anderson is a cert, taking Fletcher's spot. Only big call I can think of is whether Fergie starts with a crowded midfield with Giggs/Scholes starting aswell(can't see both, maybe Giggs more likely as he didn't start last year), or one of Berbatov/Tevez starting with Ronaldo and Rooney flanking him and Carrick/Park/Anderson in the midfield.

You forgot to name "Biddy" on the square bandit! 

The problem for Monaghan is he's running out of time for the 24th

He'll come good in a year or two, we're not exactly counting on him for the Derry game.

Considering the ball Paddy Bradley and Eoin Bradley won last year in Clones it didn't matter which of the Moens were on them.

What are you on about "which" of the Mones, I only mentioned Dessie. JP may not be fit for this one anyway.

Hanratty seems to be a bit of an enigma. Anytime I've seen him play its all c**k and no spunk.

He's got potential but that's worth nothing if he can't build on it. He's got great speed but most of the time now he overplays the ball while going past a defender and a free out is given, teams know just how to deal with it. He still hasn't lived up to his performance against Down in '07 where he scored 2-2 and was across all the papers in the country afterwards, even now some people base their opinion of him on that game.

skinner - needs to be careful hes not drwan into any shit with that mone hoor

Dessie sure pisses people off! He'll not even be on him I wouldn't say. I'd imagine Vinny may be on Eoin Bradley given Dessie's record on Paddy, but sure you don't know what way it'll pan out.

okane - on hanratty but if monaghan play 2 inside this is the man to go out the field or sweep

Hanratty might come on as a sub, I don't think he'll start given his form but again Banty may see this as a good game for him, who knows.

I'd love it if Kielt played midfield!

[Rory]

Woods hasn't scored as much during the league as normal, but he knocked over 3 points v Donegal in a Man of the Match performance in last summer's qualifier. He also put over 3 points in the league game against Wexford and has also scored against Kildare and Armagh (there may be others - i can't recall).

I think we will need a big game from Rory in order to tip the scales our way

Hope he does better than the first round game last year though! He usually saves his best for later in the summer(MOTM Kerry 07, Donegal 08), but we really need him in this game as you say MS.

Interviewer: Have United been the better team this season?

Rafa: They have more points.

No Shit Rafa   

Sorry EC, but could you please provide a source as to where you got that exact quote from?

I don't doubt your credibility, obviously, but I just like to see these things for myself.

He said it live on Sky Sports anyway, haven't seen it in print.

None of Carson's frees were overly hard or in any way spectacular, but had he been playing last year Fermanagh would've won Ulster, all they needed was a decent free-taker.

Poor game in brutal conditions by two average enough teams, but as said before Fermanagh have a great opportunity of another Ulster final. Still think Donegal will get to the final though.