Messages

Starting shortly on TG4.

One of the true greats, hoping to see lots of replays of Gormley's block.

Would be a shock and big disappointment among Mayo supporters if their 2013 minor All Ireland winning team now fail to win a Connacht title. The Dubs look menacing at this level again.

The Dubs as ever look primed. Cork haven't been tested but have scored freely in Munster.
Most pundits say Armagh are the best in Ulster.

Usual story in Munster. Dubs with Basquel back are contenders. Nothing between Mayo and Ross in Connacht and in Ulster I'd disagree with you, despite a big win for Armagh I think Monaghan will beat them but it's Tyrones to loose.

I'd be surprised if Tyrone beat Donegal. We've lost 10 of our starting team from last year's final, including the starting 6 defenders and most of this year's side are underage again next year. We seem to be heavily reliant on McShane and Burns. Donegal have a more physical side that us and were minus a few important players due to injury against Derry, should they return I would expect them to beat us. Not too sure how good Armagh are, Down GAA is such a mess at the minute you can't read much into it. From what I understand they have some very good players but a lot of them are only in their first year at this grade and it will probably be down the line where they challenge for honours. Monaghan will be decent but I expect the winner to come from the Tyrone-Donegal semi and I expect Donegal to edge that one.

Team for tomorrow...

1.Matthew Flanagan (Balla)
2.Eddie Doran (Achill)
3.Seamus Cunniffe (Ballaghaderreen)
4.Ciaran Harrison (Aghamore)
5.David Kenny (Aghamore)
6.Michael Hall (Breaffy)
7.James Kelly (Belmullet)
8.Val Roughneen (Balla)
9. Stephen Coen (Hollymount/Carramore) Capt.
10. Fergal Boland (Aghamore)
11. Conor Loftus (Crossmolina)
12. Diarmuid O Connor (Ballintubber)
13. Michael Plunkett (Ballintubber)
14. Brian Reape (Moy Davitts)
15. Fionan Duffy (Crossmolina)

16. Scott Kilker (Belmullet)
17. Shairoze Akram (Ballaghaderreen)
18. T.J Byrne (Kiltimagh)
19. Barry Duffy (Balla)
20. James Lyons (Aghamore)
21. Eoin O Donoghue (Belmullet)
22. Colm Reape (Knockmore)
23. Matthew Ruane (Breaffy)
24. Mikey Murray (Ballina)

9 of the 2013 minors final team starting, is that right?
Irwin is injured AFAIK. Shairoze is some sub to have...

Interesting that Seamus Cunniffe makes the cut. None of the FF line from 2013 even in the 26 for Mayo. Along with Hanley they were the drivers of that team. It will be interesting to see how they can cope with all four. Leitrim had a few nippy minor teams the last few seasons so if they've got a canny management team they won't be a walkover this year.

Tommy Conroy is injured. Darragh Doherty RIP and Liam Irwin will be back for the Connacht final, there's your FF line from 2013. Hanley didn't play in the final.
Reape is a goal machine.

Hanley played very well in the crunch games in 2013, which were Galway and Roscommon. Westmeath and Monaghan were walkovers but Hanley was probably MotM in the semi-final. Tyrone were kept at arm's length in the final too.

The reason he didn't play the final was because a dirty shot by a Monaghan player broke his collarbone in the AISF. He suffered horrendous injuries in the AISFs in both 2013 and 2014.

Bizarre and contradictory logic toward your crunch game argument.

It's nice pundits are hailing us as soon sort of anachronistic success story in the face of impossible odds against financial benefits.

Roscommon have one of the biggest financial budgets in the game, they spent more on their teams last year than 5 of the last 8.

When the county hurlers win a final, footballers get promoted, U21s get to AI semi it tends to add up.
Roscommon don't have a training centre so they spend money on pitch hire and facilities.
Huge number of players outside the county to cover mileage for.

Most counties also have to pay huge mileage costs, Roscommon are not unique in this regard.

It's nice pundits are hailing us as soon sort of anachronistic success story in the face of impossible odds against financial benefits.

Roscommon have one of the biggest financial budgets in the game, they spent more on their teams last year than 5 of the last 8.

When the county hurlers win a final, footballers get promoted, U21s get to AI semi it tends to add up.
Roscommon don't have a training centre so they spend money on pitch hire and facilities.
Huge number of players outside the county to cover mileage for.

Only three other counties who only have teams compete in the All Ireland Senior Football Championship spent more on their teams last year than Roscommon. They were Armagh, Donegal and Kerry. Only Armagh exited the Championship before Roscommon. They spent near 200k more than Kildare, Fermanagh, Tyrone and Monaghan. They spent more than Mayo did in the last two years. You lads like to do a lot of poor mouthing but it doesn't add up with the facts. I'm not buying the hurling argument either, there is no substance to it, they operate at a very low level. Tyrone won the same competition the year before in hurling and it had no impact on their spending on county teams.

Keep saying it, the burden of favouritism just buries Connacht teams in big games for some reason.

Connacht is made up of 5 counties. Galway sides actually have a very good record in All-Ireland finals in general between all the age grades and including club. Just saying. Totted it up there a couple of years ago and it was quite ridiculous.

Brigids did it against impossible odds three years ago. Castlebar not doing it shouldn't be a stain on Connacht's record. The whole point of Connacht is to never admit defeat. Connacht teams have had to beat the odds for all of history. Unity is Connacht's strength.

Nice story. What has it got to do with the burden of favouritism though?

It's nice pundits are hailing us as soon sort of anachronistic success story in the face of impossible odds against financial benefits.

Roscommon have one of the biggest financial budgets in the game, they spent more on their teams last year than 5 of the last 8.

Would expect it all to come down between Tyrone, Kerry and Kildare in the final shake-up

outplayed the Tymoanies in the semi-final.

Incorrect.

Yous shit yourselves more like

Something like that, Tyrone upped the stakes in the final 20 mins of that game and Roscommon couldn't live with them, they had absolutely no answer to McKenna who tore them apart.

Would expect it all to come down between Tyrone, Kerry and Kildare in the final shake-up

outplayed the Tymoanies in the semi-final.

Incorrect.

Which club does the Bessbrook corner forward, Kerr, play for?

Looks a talent.

Hennelly also threw one into his net in the 08 AI minor final replay. He has a penchant for blowing up on the big day.

Is the 2 McMahons not on the squad (Joey the lips and Justy)

Yup.

Joe won't return to action until after the league though.

I'd imagine McGlone and Fox will be starting if fit.

Haven't saw our last 2 games so am wondering what is RoN doing differently now?
Is it that he's just scoring frees or is he moving the ball much faster?

I hope he reaches the levels we all hoped he would. He's still young lad isn't he.
He has great vision and is accurate but I often used to think he slowed the attack down too much.

On the basis of the Derry game, he seems to be much fitter and in better physical shape and willing to put in the work off the ball that he previously hadn't. Hopefully he can keep it up. Would be great if he can reach his potential.

Ronan o neill and conor myeler could be out for a while after picking up injuries in the second half along with ronan mcnamee in the first half. O Neills especially looked bad. The pitch in navan was like a beach with the amount of sand and looked really hard.

Hopefully O'Neill's isn't too bad as he finally seems to be getting into a run of form.