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[PLAY FOR YOUR COUNTY]

I think the GPA should be ashamed of themselves they are undermining everything the GAA stands for.  What they are asking for is Pay for |Play dressed up in fancy clothes.

They are an elitist Organisation who are only concerned with themselves and I firmly believe its a case of a few leading the many.

Don't get me wrong i totally agree with players being treated well and looked after if they get injured but they are always looking for more and more.

Currently every season inter-county players in Derry get:

2 pairs of boots
2 full kits a season,
2 full sets of training gear. (1 wet and 1 normal)
1 rain jacket
1 zip up top
1 jumper
2 polo shirts
1 tracksuit
Home training Equipment
Free access to state of the art gym

All the above are official Derry gear from O neills with emblems and crests and this is only the gear I KNOW FOR CERTAIN they get!

Also they have access to a top class physio, team doctor dietician and heart screening facilities.

they receive meals after ALL games and on the way to away games

they get fed after every training

and they also get VERY GOOD rebates on their mileage expenses.

Again these are jut the things i KNOW FOR CERTAIN!!

for each national league game they receive 4 passes each allowing friends and family to gain admission to the games for FREE and the passes can be used for both hurling and football even if only involved in one code.

They receive at least 2 and sometimes more FREE tickets for ALL championship matches they are involved in

They receive 2 good tickets for the all Ireland final in their code (hurling or football) for FREE

Before the club championship begins they receive a pass allowing them to gain FREE entry to ALL championship matches within the county in EITHER code at ANY level
 
The above list was given to me when I asked a PRESENT COUNTY PLAYER from our club about conditions at inter-county level.

I don't think anyone would begrudge them these things as the gear and medical farcicalities are a MUST and so are the mileage expenses and the meals.

The other stuff are added perks and again I would say Just right they are training very hard and giving a big commitment to Our County.

Looking at the list I would say our county players are fairly well looked after wouldn't you? And this is just the example of our county alot of other counties like Armagh and Tyrone get even more gear and perks which again is fair enough.

But to ask for money and to make out that they are so hard done by and listening to some of their leaders you'd think some were hardly fit to feed themselves and on the way to financial ruin is an absolute myth and border line lie!!

What ever happened to being proud to play for your county and pride in the jersey? That used to be enough to make people play for their counties.

Has Pride and honour fallen of the radar of the GPA in their obsession with self-worth and self-gain.
If pride in the jersey and being honoured to represent your County plus the list i have supplied aren't enough to make individuals play for OUR county teams do we really want them to? The type of character who would undermine the very fabric of our great organisation to line his own pockets.   

I was also informed by the County player from my own Club that most county players don't want to strike but are being openly pressurised to do so. Is this Democracy?

Its also evident the GPA are so far removed from the grassroots GAA and the supporters that they haven't noticed that the vast majority are strongly against it, but why would they listen to us mere mortals?

Down Manager Ross Carr has the right idea:

If these prima donnas strike and refuse to play Each County should find a panel of players who will represent their counties for pride honour and the other perks i listed. There would be a stampede to trials and it would totally negate the strike and render their actions futile and meaningless.

We cannot let the elitist few hold the rest of us to ransom while they try to gain financially for doing what most TRUE Gaels consider an Honour and a privilege – PLAY FOR YOUR COUNTY  

I think i heard Alan was of to Button moon - apparently he followed Mr spoon.

Does anyone else remember that classic kids tv show - those were the days.

Seriously that would be tragic if Alan had to retire was a fine footballer and will be a loss to the GAA scene and more importantly wish him well and a speedy recovery.

Was at the cross game at the weekend and to be honest i was going for clontibret as it would be nice to see a new team coming through but i have to say the ref was very sore on Cross.

Donaldson deserved to go but the clontibret man should have gone to for hitting Mcentee - not to mention his constant fouling. From then on Cross had to work much harder for their frees and were sorely penalised on numerous occaisons. (i also think he may have fallen asleep he was on the ground for that long)

Even still Cross were desevedly winning by 3 points at full time with four mins of added time indicated. The ref played over 6 mins of added time and during this period Clontibret got 2 soft scores the ref did all he could for clontibret to get a draw but they simply werent good enough.

The incident at the end was instigated 100% by clontibret and not cross but cross did become involved and will prob be dealt with harshley.

I didnt see the attempted headbutt but i did see the push on the ref and a couple of the Clontibret men dishing out warm ears Aaron kernan seemed to get a bit of special attention.

I know the ref can extend the added time if there is a stoppage during the added time - but there wasnt!!

Clontibrets arguement that the ref is supposed to tell them it was the last kick of the game is just wrong.  The ref doesnt have to do this and anyway if you were a freetaker hitting a 45 deep into stoppage time in an Ulster Club Championship match (or any match) when you were behind by a point do you not think you would have the BRAINS to ask the ref how long left before you hit it?

Clontibret were beaten by a much better team that was down to 14 men for over 45 mins, when the ref gave them every opportunity to rescue something from the game they werent smart enough to take it.  In hindsight im Glad their out as nobody likes a bad loser!!!!

blow me!!!

[Mayo]

The Mayo midfield

What do you call two turkeys with a football???

Mayo deserve to have won an all ireland from their exploits over the last 10 years but they havent.
i also think they will have to wait another while as the players dont seem to be there.
I feel for Brady, nallen ETC who have been giving everything with no return to speak of thus far.


PS. tell your manager to be a manager or a politician as the two dont mix firstly due to time restraints and secondly because of the very definition of the two.
Good Politician = someone who embraces democracy (trying to please the people)
Good Manager = a Dictatorship (one boss who has final word full stop) 

One possible solution and i admit its a little left field   is to plant a load of drugs in their changing room and report it to the police getting them all lifted thus being unable to field therefore out of the championship!!!



i know theres a few smaller issues to iron out but i think you will agree if this were the movies or even a cartoon it would be a cerified brainstormer.


what do you think?

there is a posh part of armagh??

what have they got -  a toilet and electricity!!! LOL

results dear pints where are the results?  12 years is a long time!!!

Any thoughts on the semis??

Can any of the other three beat cross?

surely they are bound to have one big game in there somewhere between the 3 of them.

Its just so bad a team dominating to such an extent for such a period of time

[A McAlynn]

He will love Slaughneil then!!! (LOL)

Constantly encouraging the referee and telling him how well hes doing, Telling him how they knew his parents before he was born and that they were of fine upstanding moral fibre. if he is really good the 'Slaughtneil' gentlemen and 'ladies' might even offer to do some dentist work for him or Drop him of at A&E should the need arise. Maybe even offering to meet up with the referee after the match to discuss the finer poiints of the GAA and if the referee is busy after the match a work visit will surely be arranged to the availability of all. No finer sight than a Slaughneil crowd rushing on to the pitch after a match to embrace the Referee, tel him how wel hes done and give him a few slaps on the back to show their gratitude for the time he took out to referee for them.  Im sure that the Derry referee A McAlynn has very fond memories of the thanks he got from there wonderful fans.

Such a lovely bunch those Slaughneil folk from Deliverence Hill !!!!!

Apart from stealing players, intimidating referees/linesmen/umpires/officials/county board members, favourtism from the county board and playing finals at their own pitch can anyone offer any other reason why Cross are so far in front of everyone else in Armagh?  the reasons i have listed mostly have some truth as their basis but they do tend to sound alot like whinging!!! also they dont include the main and real reason Cross are going for 12 in a row---------------- the rest of the county are just woeful watch any senior div1 game not involving cross and it could easily be mistaken for a reserve game so low is the quality and dont even get me started on that rubbish that goes on in div 2, 3, 4.  No wonder we have problems coming thru at county level now half the club players cant kick pass the ball more than 20 yds.  Clubs need to look at themselves for answers not pass the buck.  efforts and resources have to be put into players at an early age and backed up throughout underage to bring young talent through to senior!!!

Any predictions for semis.

Cross to beat the Cruppen by 3 points

Maghery to beat Ogs by 2 points

 Still, it's hard to see anything other than a victory for the Orcs.
[/quote]

i know the ogs boys arent a pretty bunch but calling them Orcs is a bit harsh!!!

cant see the B nab getting close myself was talking to a couple not so long ago and when i asked how they thought they would do:
Nabman 1 "We havent a f***ing hope!"

Nabman 2 "We are gonna get f***ing Hammered Boy!"

says it all really and thats not counting the fact they have struggled against intermediate championship teams all year in Div 2

as for the arguement about missing players cause they are travelling.....tough shit

every club has this problem at some stage or another and you get on with it. Your only as good as
the 15 who take the field not the 4 or five who went to see a bit of this rock we call home.

whats your predictions for the monaghan and derry games lads do ulster have a hope???

By the way are any of you armagh men going to see your county team on sat it is an all ireland final and the hurlers first time EVER playing in croker surely they deserv your support!!

where does the future of the gaa lie in down? with the hurling and foofball teams both being so very poor this year. is it lack of talent lack of investment or just lack of interest? what happened to the teams of the 90s where two allireland football titles and 3 ulster hurling titles were won.  these men should be coaching throughout the underage system in the county to try and alleviate the pain of the long suffering fans of a once proud county that has descended into near oblivion on the success front.  Any thoughts?

whats the feeling in armagh about the nicky rackard final?? hope it goes your way will def be cheering yous on come saturday. but they shouldve fixed the game before one of the big hurling games instead of making sure as many knackers as possible could watch the dubs. they done the same last year

i personally think the nab will get trounced and im very comfortable with that as they have some heads on them after winning an intermediate title for the first time youd think they won an all ireland club. I reckon

B,Nab 1: 8

OGS   4:18