Messages

A hesitant vote for Galway - Johno will certainly have an article any of these days making them overwhelming favourites

.

He will just have to pull out a few old articles - change Mayo to Galway on the word processor and the job is done.

A convenient 3-4 week break. Munster now officially a hurling province

Munster was always a hurling province SDC. Time Kerry realised this and decide to take part. Opting for the soft football option cannot continue for ever. 

Limerick were the only team to take a point off Donegal. They play Cork in Cork - it was close enough in the recent league game up to about the last 10 mins when Cork pulled away - after Galvin went off injured. If Morgan picks a team with forwards who can score Cork should win. If he selects a team with forwards who are converted backs and midfielders then anything can happen. If Cork win the U21 AI it could have a knock on effect on the seniors and I would fancy them for Munster.

Peadar Gardiner must have let the occasion get to him as he was captain

Gardiner does not seem to perform on the big day. Was a big disappointment also last Sept

So its Cork v Laois in the final. Should be a good game. Was it 2 or 3 years ago they met at Minor level in Limerick and a few suspensions followed!! I expect it will be close again but Cork may just have the edge - if Laois win they will have beaten a good Cork team.

Donegal 3 pts up - minute or so left

Donegal leading 9 pts to 7 after 15 mins. Sounds dreadful

Cork 11pts Armagh 5 pts at half time. Cork score 10 from play

Judging from what I saw this evening neither side are going to be around come the business end of the championship.

Probable true SS but I always feel you write off Meath at your peril!! Felt they were unlucky last year against Laois. In the case of Roscommon they are very much building a team and promotion to Div 2 is progress – reaching the Div 2 final is a bonus. Game v Sligo in championship is very much 50/50 and winners are in Connacht final. That is as much as we can expect this year.

A week ago Division 4 looked more likely for Ros and Div 3 for Meath. A week is a long time in football!

Ros 2-10 Cavan 0-10 Cavan down to 14 players

Ros 1-0 Cavan 0-1 after about 5 mins

1-6 to 4 points after 28 mins

2-6 to 6 pts after 33 mins

Final Score: Meath 3-10 Monaghan 0-12

If Donegal take their chances they should win by 3 or 4 points - I think Mayo forwards will find the Donegal defence difficult to break down. However if Donegal waste chances as they did in the AI qtr final last year v Cork then its there for Mayo. While both teams will probably not want to admit it this is an important game as both have to prove they are capable of winning something. In fairness Mayo deserve a lot of credit for the way they have put last Septembers humiliation behind them - lesser teams would have gone into hiding.

If Cork play to their potential they will be hard to beat. Unlike the seniors this team play more direct football and have forwards that can score. Goold and O'Sullivan are a good midfireld pairing and the half back line is strong. Like Mayo they  have a lot of last years team that reached the final available and they were close enough to winning it. I have not seen Armagh play this year but if this Cork team play to their potential andGoold is fully recovered from injury I think they will win and go on to get revenge on Mayo in the final. Overall a good year for U21 with 4 good teams in the semis.