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Yeah, it should be an interesting Ulster championship. More entertaining than the other 3.

However, the thing is now progression further in the All Ireland series/TC. Teams, when knocked out will be looking at that.

All good to hae an Ulster title but teams will be looking at the bigger picture later in the year.

Yeah, there are no winners in this.

What he done was brutal. No doubt.

But there are flaws to every charcter but he went beyond everything. When he was in, it must have been that he couldn't stop.

There's a bit of Christainity (if that's the correct word these days) in us and I find it sad in a way too.

His downfall has been swift. But it's old news now and people move on.

Significant evidential developments would suggest evidence they are innocent would it not? 

When i was in Ballymena earlier there was a heavy police presence so i assume there were some concerns that it might kick off this evening. Because i would be in that area i would check a facebook page occasionally to make sure theres no protests organised and theres already a few quite threatening posts/comments.

The PPS should really be letting the public know what these significant developments are. Might help keep the knuckle draggers off the streets. The way they've left it theres a void for all the far right c***ts to say what they likez 

Fair point.

Just leaves it open for gossip and stories to develop.

Yeah, avoiding Donegal, Tyrone and Armagh is a good news story. Plus no prelim.

Derry should be confident now.

First league game in Dunloy against Clare.

With no Corrigan Park available the games will be spread out next year until Corrigan Park is back open.

What's happening with Corrigan Park?

Scathing column by Cahir O'Kane in the Irish News about Healy Park. He's not wrong it's a soulless kip anytime of the year and a pure marsh when there's a lick of rain. He does note that most Tyrone supporters don't like it.
Doesn't even have catchnets.
Hopefully county games and club finals will go back to Dungannon.

I think, in fairness, every county ground with a few thousand in it is souless.

In an ideal world, it'd be great if every county had a small 5, 000 or 6,000 seater stadium with covered stands etc. and a training pitch beside it.

Sean Duffin is one of them

Did he not play for Tyrone?

He did

Thought that. Did he still play for TNN at that time or was he with a club in Dungannon?

Sean Duffin is one of them

Did he not play for Tyrone?

Troy Parrott's ma. 

What happened?

Could Tyrone GAA not just now do a drainage job on the pitch?

Use Dungannon for the league games.

Plus how many times have I watched (on tv) matches in Omagh and the camera needs to be cleaned every 5 secs. WTF.

Can someone not build some sort of tv box or shelter? Or move it to the stand side?

It's a joke in 2025. 

[I think it's very hard though to say their physicality doesn't play a role in their game though.]

Sleacht Néill are without doubt one of the most technically skilful teams in Ulster- if not Ireland. Their touch, their striking, their decision making, their reading of the game; are all phenomenal. There's a great slowed down video going about at the moment of McKaigue taking a touch on the outside heel of the hurl and putting the sliotar over the bar, for example.

I don't think it's right to say that commentary on their physicality is lazy.

Perhaps some of it is. Perhaps some of it is people saying their dual status gives them 'double the results,' or something to that effect. But with any serious interest will know SN are where they are due to playing hurling very well.

I think it's very hard though to say their physicality doesn't play a role in their game though. At the end of the day, the ability to win ball over their opponents, to break tackles, and to shoot from almost anywhere on the field at times, have all played massive factors in their success.



It is not the reason for their success, but it is no doubt useful to them and has not been a bad thing. Part of the reason that SN have been so competitive with the likes of Ballygunner, Ballyhale, Na Piarsaigh, etc., is becuase they have the physical ability to live with them.

You are spot on though- their primary reason for success is due to the high quality hurling they play, followed by a series of very good managers.


Great year for St John's. Upset the odds time and time again this year. No reason they can't be competitive with Slaughtneil and Loughrea. We will see.

Some valid points but you seem to be agreeing and disagreeing about it.

Hurling is a physical game, moreso than football.

I never hear anybody stating that Na Fianna, Ballyhale or Ballygunnar etc. are physical teams. It's never mentioned.....ever. But always brought up about SN. As I say, it's lazy analysis.

They have fantastic hurlers and this has been proven year after year. I think people need to give them more credit for their hurling ability, moreso than their S&C and strength etc.

Tyrone should just stick to junior football.

Hearing back from club that mark doran asked for club chairs and managers to meet at dunsilly during the week, good to see a county manager trying to communicate imo. Told there was talk of the league structure largely remaining the same

I'd say he couldn't care less about Antrim club football.

How many GAA clubs are there in north Belfast?

4 Us, Kickhams, Woletones and PP

Sorry for my ignorance but is Naomh Éanna considered a north Belfast club?

I presume them other 3 clubs are not senior.

On the way into Belfast at Glengormley (on motorway) I think there's ball catchers over to the right. I presume it GAA and council pitches?

There's also a lot of new builds over in behind that - would that be 'gaa type' people in them new developments?

Disappointed for Portaferry.

Came down to the wire. I think it really could have gone either way, and was in the  melting pot up until Slaughtneil's goal in the last ten minutes.

It wasn't as spectacular a game as we have seen in recent years, but that's the nature of these types of battles.

McGrattan obviously a huge loss. Coleman was very impressive.

Portaferry may feel certain decisions went against them, but the fact of the matter is the Ports had chances and unfortunately, they weren't able to capitalise at the right times.

SN are a serious side. The physicality they bring is very, very difficult to live with. Their ability to win ball goes a long way in helping their game. That is before even commenting on the quality hurling they play.

Portaferry will be disappointed. But I do think it is important to take a step back and look at how they have come on in recent years.

In 2022, Portaferry were put out of Ulster in the semi finals by SN- losing by almost 20 points. 3 years later and they have clearly shown they have caught up with the Derry men. It is massive progress in a short period of time.

I know that won't be much comfort to them over the winter, but it is well worth noting.

Portaferry are still very much the team to beat in Down and no doubt there's more to come from this team.

Best of luck to Slaughtneil now in Ulster. I'd say they should win the Ulster Final, but I do think it would be great to see St John's get over the line. Setentna weren't absolutely blown away in the other semi final, so hopefully they stick up in the Senior Championship for next year. Great to have more teams and more games.

Hard luck also to Clonduff camogs. Game was far closer than final score line might suggest (they lost by 7, but were a point or 2 behind Loughguile for the majority of the game). It is great to see them competing with teams like Loughguile, and hopefully there is more to come.

Portaferry are a serious outfit and will win Ulster in the next year or 2. hard luck to them at the weekend but they need a bit more off the bench going forward.

You need 20 plus hurlers capable of coming on and making a difference and there's no doubting Tom McGrattan is one they will need next year, but their need is further down the field and I don't see who that is coming from their bench and I've seen plenty of their juveniles and seconds the last several years.

They're still hot favourites to come out of Down as our needs are far greater than theirs.

Anyone I've spoken to reckons SN will beat St Johns with something to spare. I can't see how it can be so though, as it wasn't as if they got an easy route out of Antrim and I wouldn't bet against them, but SN's physicality and fitness is something to behold.

There are plenty of good backs in Portaferry, but I don't think they have a real marquee name the outside of one or two more established players, and they don't seem to have an obvious solution coming.

That is unless someone focused on developing as a real man marking defender, but I don't know how feasible that would really be.

I think SN should win Ulster now, but anyone thinking St John's won't put it up to them would do well to look back over their record up until now. They'll give Slaughtneil their fill of it, but SN's physicality and experience should see them over the line.

The key thing about SN is that they're seriously good skillful hurlers with a very good manager.

I think the football/physiciality thing is overplayed. It's lazy analysis really.

A great year for St. John's who have overcome the odds and have come through in tight games. I actually thought their chance had gone as they were so near this past 4 or 5 years but couldn't get over the line. They've regrouped well.

Hearing back from club that mark doran asked for club chairs and managers to meet at dunsilly during the week, good to see a county manager trying to communicate imo. Told there was talk of the league structure largely remaining the same

I'd say he couldn't care less about Antrim club football.

How many GAA clubs are there in north Belfast?