Messages

Amalgamations shouldn't be permitted for schools football at all.

Its a difficult one, I'm conflicted, on one hand I agree, on the other I can see an argument for it. However I can't agree with areas such as Belfast that have long established clubs being allowed to amalgamate. FFs get your finger out and put in the yards. St Brigids & St Galls are doing it. As for an amalgamation winning the Mac Rory, as in the Kerry championship, they should not be allowed to progress any further in the competition, the stand allow college should go forward, eg last yr you had St Pats and the Donegal amalgamation in the final, if the the Donegal team had of won, that was there season over and St Pats go forward.

https://x.com/McCoyNiall/status/1977687674904510799

Should have been a 2 pointer. As I say the ref needs to be absolutely sure it is, or is not. The evidence supports it should have a been a two pointer. The balance of probability is in S'neils favour here.

The ref doesn't even point what way the foul was on the infraction is given. That is such an incredible penalty for S'neil to have suffered. The ball broke, a s'neil player gets the break, the Newbridge player hits and the ball spills and the ref penalises s'neil, and as I said no hand signal to indicate his decision. The s'neil player who won the break concentration was on getting the ball. A brilliant example of such a terrible rule never mind the ref not signalling clearly

[Evidence is clear]

Evidence is clear, he is on the line and its a 2 pointer. If you do or don't award something as a ref, it needs to be clear cut. This is evidence that it was not. essentially the ref effected the result. Not saying this was deliberate, but it should have been 2 pts, lets face it its unambiguous.

Crystal.

Wasn't 100% sure re foot on the line or behind tbh:

"Two points are scored when the ball is played directly over the crossbar between the posts (whether from a free kick, Solo and Go, or from general play), having been kicked by a player who has at least one foot on or outside the 40m arc and without the ball having been touched by any other player"

a few good men     

Evidence is clear, he is on the line and its a 2 pointer. If you do or don't award something as a ref, it needs to be clear cut. This is evidence that it was not. essentially the ref effected the result. Not saying this was deliberate, but it should have been 2 pts, lets face it its unambiguous.

Lads S'neil were done by a poor decision

https://x.com/SmallerFishGAA/status/1977653413056848343

Does anyone know all the names of our Senior Football management and backroom team or has it not been finalised yet ?

Manager - Ciaran Meenagh
Selector - Martin Boyle
Coaches - Benny Heron & Chrissy McKaigue
S&C - Aaron Bradley
Logistics & Admin - Martin McConnell

more like the Loughmacrory management

Fair play to Castledawson, who played every game in the senior league, 15 infact and eventually got relegated, but took it on the chin. No emails to the CCC looking to get put into next seasons intermediate league & not finishing out their league games.

Your attack on Drumsurn is funny. Did one of their ex-Derry minor players or College stars get a turn at your ex-mrs one night?

College stars? Ex- Derry minor player. I think their ex Derry minor players are about 40 at this stage and can't recall any college stars.
Lets try and keep statements half true/ realistic.

Two things Ryan. They've had a few recently  and I haven't put a time frame on my query.

I'd be interested in hearing the names of the recent ones?

Embarrassing. Just like rawhides attack.

Its not embarrassing, if you can't see that they just quit, trough in the towel, all the things in life we tell people not to do when the going gets tough. Dig in, see it though. practice what coaches tell players all the time to do. That all this is about for me. Its a mentality I am glad I was never infected by and thankfully my gaa community hasn't either. We all have have had manys a bad day and manys a bad season but ffs don't be a quitter.

Fair play to Castledawson, who played every game in the senior league, 15 infact and eventually got relegated, but took it on the chin. No emails to the CCC looking to get put into next seasons intermediate league & not finishing out their league games.

Truely pathetic from Drumsurn, no ambition, embarrassing from them. The county board should insist on keeping the integrity of the compo and play the relegation playoffs, and heavy fines for Drumsurn if they do not field, threatening demotion to junior if they have that little ambition.

Ah come on now that's harsh, like has been said they haven't had a proper reserve team in years and they've been amalgamated at underage for over a decade now

They had 21 names in their squad for the senior championship tie, they only need 15 to play the remaining two games. Its got nothing to do with a res team or underage-nothing.

Drumsurn have requested playing in the IFC next year so that will probably be them games all off

Fair play to them as those games are overkill. Can't get my head around why the championship isn't based on who play in what league.

Are you serious, giving them credit   
Its not overkill, its a good championship structure. What you have is a club discrediting themselves

Truely pathetic from Drumsurn, no ambition, embarrassing from them. The county board should insist on keeping the integrity of the compo and play the relegation playoffs, and heavy fines for Drumsurn if they do not field, threatening demotion to junior if they have that little ambition.

The Ulster council have taken a serious financial hit this year to date, no McKenna cup which we know as well attended and off course the embarrassing attempt to take the Antrim/Armagh game away from Corrigan park to make extra money off the back of Armagh supporters. The only reason the game could move to Croke Park.

Just my thoughts from the game.

McNicholl was an obvious upgrade on Lynch out the field, looked much more comfortable on the ball. He wasn't as good off the tee and was likely under instruction to go long on kickouts. Don't think he could have done much about the goals bar his error on the last one. Worth persevering with.

Mark Doherty isn't a corner back. Too far off his man and whilst comfortable in possession isn't a good enough defender to play there.

Baker fisted a score but struggled at times defending and kicked possession away needlessly.

McEvoy was a mixed bag. Needed to be stronger on the penultimate goal but did some good things too. Our entire defense is too susceptible to a back door cut.

Conor Doherty very good in possession but a little lax defensively at times. Still had a good game.

Rogers was very good for second game in a row. Strong runner, a leader in the team and can chip in with a score.

Gilmore a mixed bag too. Can run all day and got his couple scores but kicked away possession too and doesn't look as comfortable on the ball as others.

Glass was very good bar losing his man once or twice in the first half. Like Rogers can kick a score and is an obvious leader in the team.

Tohill did pretty well. Thought the ref was a touch sore on him as thought Kerry fouled him quite a bit on kickouts. Worked hard up and down and kicked a lovely pass inside.

Ethan was a mixed bag too. Hit a couple bad wides in the first half that county players should be scoring. Should also have passed to McGuigan who was clean through one of the times he kicked a goal chance over. Did get his couple scores and assist for the goal McGuigan got and ran hard at the defense as always.

Paul Cassidy took the wrong options on a couple occasions. Sometimes needs to just turn and shoot. Did kick a nice score or two. Played inside a lot and has the ability to make runs and win the ball inside which we struggled with against Tyrone. Worth looking at inside again.

McCarron did alright. Kicked a good two pointer and won a fair share of breaking ball. Almost keeps it too safe at times and nearly seems to lack the guile of a forward. Bounced the ball into tackle in first half when he should have just turned and kicked a point. Does look to have the physicality for county football unlike some of our other fringe players.

Toner was fairly good. Took his frees well and jinked inside to create scoring chances a couple times as well as chipping in himself from play.

McGuigan was good. Always making himself available and kicked a few lovely scores. Made that same run he got his goal from at least 4 or 5 times before he got his reward. A leader in the team.

Murphy was decent. Won a great ball in the corner when McGuigan either felt he was fouled or lost the ball in the sun. Has something different the other forwards.

Subs didn't offer a lot maybe bar Murray who took a score well but dropped another well short.

Think we need to look at options in full back line. Possibly McGrogan once he returns to be an option there along with McCluskey.

Noticed Kerry practicing the palm into the net a lot before the game and they looked for it at every opportunity whereas we didn't and possibly left a goal or two out there.

Think your not far of the mark. Two corner backs not up to it. Baker was grand last year with a host of players in front of him, corner backs had to be equally comfortable scoring as defending but well protected. Now its proper fb play, mark your man and compete to win ball and tackle, he is poor at those basics. Doherty is young, and may develop, but no where near corner back county material yet. Can't see it long term either. Hope I'm wrong about that.

I would take Shane 10 out of 10. He delivers against all the teams in championship football at the highest level consistently. He is a team player who plays for the team and not himself. He would be a leader in game days and on the training pitch. He didn't have to generate a media campaign to try and get an All star, nor can I see him walk out on his team mates. Muldoon and Doherty had very similar qualities.

Jez the ref yesterday missed the most obvious black card in the first 5 minutes when an Errigal player dragged a Kilcoo player to the ground, a few minutes later stone wall square ball missed, then the very obvious aggressive and deliberate  block on a kilcoo plyers run in the second half, which again was a stone wall black card, all of those before the strike (not overly dangerous) by the same Kilcoo player whose was run was blocked, those are monumental mistakes for any ref to make in any championship game never mind an Ulster club final. Simply not good enough.