Messages

Last year was a golden opportunity for both Kildare and Dublin and they both blew it in August.

We had a stronger panel and a wider range of scoring forwards and that's what got us through.Besides it's not pretty when you play a team that put's 14 men behind the ball.Kildare were on top in the first 10 minuted then Down got that goal and Kildare put in a storming last 10 minutes.But bewteen those moments throughout the match as a whole Down looked a better team.The all ireland will be between Cork,Kerry,Tyrone,Dublin and Kildare.Im not writing off Down though and Armagh could emerge as dark horses.

No doubting that Down thoroughly deserved their win that day but Kildare made several tactical errors. Flynn picked up a concussion in the opening minutes and was left on the field too long. Then when he was taken off he was replaced with Ronan Sweeney who is too similar to Hugh Lynch. We were too immoble and slow at midfield and McKernan and Fitzpatrick ran through the centre of Croke Park at will. I'm sure in hindsight, McGeeney will admit that leaving Brian Flanagan on Marty Clarke was a mistake. Gary White and Mick Foley were left on the bench and Rob Kelly probably should have been introduced earlier. Hopefully we'll get a chance to redeem ourselves this season but I think the All-Ireland will take more winning this year.

We might send another present up to ye.After all you gave us Larry Tompkins and Sea Fahy and we gave you Brian Murphy.

Last year was a golden opportunity for both Kildare and Dublin and they both blew it in August.

We had a stronger panel and a wider range of scoring forwards and that's what got us through.Besides it's not pretty when you play a team that put's 14 men behind the ball.Kildare were on top in the first 10 minuted then Down got that goal and Kildare put in a storming last 10 minutes.But bewteen those moments throughout the match as a whole Down looked a better team.The all ireland will be between Cork,Kerry,Tyrone,Dublin and Kildare.Im not writing off Down though and Armagh could emerge as dark horses.

[the fitest and strongest team in the country according to some people.]

Kildare are favorites, The Leinster championship is the holy grail for this Kildare team and mentally will be more up for it than the Dubs.

Kildare by 6 at least cosider the are the fitest and strongest team in the country according to some people.

Surely that's Dublin with all their compulsory a.m sessions...

What about Kildare who

- train every day
- train in martial arts
- have optional kicking sessions on weekday mornings

I'd say Kildare are well ahead of every team in Ireland fitness wise.

I've a good background in sports science myself and after watching Kildare yesterday live there is no doubt in my mind they have better athletes then even Cork.
If they had more naturally talented footballers I've no doubt they could beat either Kerry or Cork. Unfortunately they lack a bit of class to beat either. Maybe they'll get the required class off some of the underage sides who have been quite good recently.

Kildare are a serious outfit and this crew is a lot better then the 1998 outfit.

They are more then capable of beating Dublin and probably will in my view. However I'd back Dublin to have a better chance of beating Cork or Kerry if we keep our full forward line fit.

Overall unfortunately for both Dublin and Kildare I cant see either beating Cork this year who look utterly awesome. Too many 6ft 2 athletes who can actually play football.However if John Doyle is restored to the forwards- who knows. If Earley was fit they would be a good dark horse bet for the All-Ireland.

If Mossy Quinn,Diarmuid Connoly and Kevin McMenimen can step up to the plate Dublin won't be too far off.I think Kildare can win leinster though they tick all the right boxes except for forward play.If more lad's can support Johnny Doyle Kidare will give the all ireland an all mighty rattle.

Kerry have a lethal forward line but from 1-9 there not as strong as they were.I think we have a better balanced team and a stronger panel.All our forwards are well capable of taking there scores and we should be too strong for them in midfield.It will be a battle but im confident that we can get our first win in Killarney since 1995.Corcaigh Abu.

That post reminds me of our own county board down here.I don't agree with all this talk about Mayo being bottlers in 96 and 97 they would have won the all ireland if they had 1 free scoring forward while in 04 and 06 they just weren't good enough.People used to wrongly call us bottlers but that Cork team from 05-08 were a few top class players short of winning an all ireland.I would be hopefull that Mayo can win connacht and if they win a match in croke park it will be a great year for them.

Completely off-thread but I think the durty dubs are in the same situation now as Cork were a few years ago - a lot of people writing them off after losing a couple of matches they probably should have won. Will def win an AI in the next few years.

As you were.......

Dublin's first target will be to get to All Ireland final something they haven't done since 1995.

Dublin need more forwards to back up Bernard Brogan if they can do that they will be in with a shout.

I was so happy that Cork won that all Ireland last year . That team had been trying for so long.

Lord god if we didn't win it last year i would have commited suicide. Hopefully if we can improve our goalscoring rate we might have a good chance of keeping sam here.Mayo are my hesitant tip to win connacht and it would be nice to see them win a match in croke park.Besides between losing to Longford last year and nearly losing to London Mayo must surely have run out of steps to fall down.Galway have the forwards to go on a championship run but they don't have a decent backline and that's what will cost them at the end of the day.

[Unlike draught Guinness, Connacht players should not lose their best qualities when they travel across water. Yet, most times they do no matter where the crossing occurs. I don't think players lose their talents when they venture outside Connacht but all too often they do lose their confidence and I put that down to the drop of expectations amongst their supporters. That's a generalisation I know but it does happen more often than not.]

Why do I read about Kildare every year?

Because you buy a newspaper on an annual basis?

Who wakes up screaming thinking of Kildare?

I do......

Fair play to you Hollow, you're a scholar and a gentleman. I should point out that I've been to games in Laois, Kildare and Monaghan and I found the welcome warm and the football tremendous. It just gets on my wick when people in West lie down and are then totally mystified when they get walked on.

I think, Iolar, that we tend to overlook theh fact that players and supporters live in each others' shadows.
Unlike professional soccer and rugby players, our GAA lads are very much part of their own communities and  therefore react to the vibes they pick up from those around them. If the fans are happy, the team plays well. If the fans think their neighbour's child is a total waste of space and couldn't kick snow off a rope, the poor lad's confidence is going to be sorely dented.
It's a two-way process; a form of synergy if you like.
Far too often, I have seen brilliant games in venues from Salthilll to Carrick and left those grounds knowing  that the winners would never reproduce their form when they crossed the Shannon. Unlike draught  Guinness, Connacht players should not lose their best qualities when they travel  across water.  Yet, most times they do no matter where the crossing occurs.
I don't think players lose their talents when they venture outside Connacht but all too often they do lose their confidence and I put that down to the drop of expectations amongst their supporters. That's a generalisation I know but it does happen more often than not.

If Galway fuballers have a good team they can go all the way and being from Connacht doesn't come into it. This year's under 21 was a good example. They were underdogs against Cork but they had no fear of them and won the semi final and then the final was a walk in the park.

Ros and Mayo are the ones that tend to suffer from stage fright . They both had good under 21 teams recently but nothing came of them.    It must be all in the head. The Galway hurlers have a similar affliction at senior level but can still churn out the goods under age.

I can't bear to look at how many all-Ireland finals Mayo have lost in the last 20 years.   

Galway had the players to beat the likes of Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath in recent years but they were'nt able to do it. Explain that?

Roscommon won the Connacht u-21s last year so there was obviously nothing wrong with their heads then. They also won connacht senior and it was lack of ability not confidence in Croker that had them lose to eventual AI winners Cork. They won the 06 minor AI beating Kerry in a replay so your "stage fright" theory doesnt hold up then either. In Connacht that year they beat an excellent Galway side in  a  turn up for the books. The reverse happened the year after when Galway went on to win the minor AI.

This year the Ross u-21 side wasnt within an asses roar of what turned out to be an excellent AI winning Galway side. Again there was no mental issues.... Ross were outclassed physically and skilfully.

Roscommon held their own at senior v the Dubs in 04 and kerry in 03 with both matches in Croker.  The  90/91 sides were beaten by Meath and Cork in Croker in very competitive matches.

Cant think  of any "stage fright" scenarios in Croker that you refer to. You'd be better looking at facts rather than trading on soundbites and stereotypes.  Galway definitely have the ability to go up and win silverware from time to time but thats due to having had class players like Joyce/Donnellan & Co that Connacht winning Rossie sides never had.  That being said 2001 is drifting in to the distance. Might be better to wait till after the Mayo match at least before condescendingly commenting on the neighbours mentality.

To be fair now i would hardly call Galway a football super power considering they have only won 2 all irelands since the 60's.They are the most successful connacht county but that's hardly a great achievement.If i were a Galway man i would be more worried about beating a non connacht team first.

Galway (9) - 1925, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1998, 2001.

Cork (7) - 1890, 1911, 1945, 1973, 1989, 1990, 2010.

Ahem Cork 120 All Irelands across all codes of the GAA Galway 47. You are the second biggest county in ireland and ye don't even have as many all irelands as we have. And we have only lost to Kerry in croke park in the championship since 04.Galway can't buy a win there for love nor money in recent years.

And I doubt we will get a win there either this year but sure our time will come again at some stage when we have a good enough team.  Anyway, its seems unusual for a Youghal man to be getting worked up about football.  Hurling would be the staple diet in that neck of the woods, no?

That's right im from the very far end of the hurling part of Cork but i like all Cork teams.I was there in Croke Park when we lost to Fermanagh in 04.Now going back to the matter at hand i will give a hesitant nod to Mayo but i wouldn't be surprised if Galway pull it off.

Who would you like to see take over as CEO/County Secretary?

I think Ger Lane would be the man for the job.He's the one county board man who seems to be progressive and he's done a great job designing the new Cork County Board website.

Is there a timeline for the combover stepping down?

Either this year or next year i think although i won't believe he's gone untill he's gone.Croke Park will be having a say in the appointment so hopefully we might see some reform of the Cork County Board when the new man is in place.

Is their a rational reason why a Cork man is trying to wind up the Galway lads? or is this another reincarnation of PSTG??

Fair play they have more senior football all irelands than us but they don't have as many as us across all codes of the gaa.No winding up just stating facts.

Who would you like to see take over as CEO/County Secretary?

I think Ger Lane would be the man for the job.He's the one county board man who seems to be progressive and he's done a great job designing the new Cork County Board website.

The players are a lot to do with the problem at the moment.The strikes have had a big impact on a lot of the team.Until most of them are gone and we've a new group of players making a fresh star Liam won't be coming down Leeside too soon.

But as peace splintered and Kilkenny hopped on the train to immortality, Cork got weary and distracted and left behind.

What happened I feel had to happen, for the sake of Cork hurling it had to happen. But it took Cork's attention away from the hurling and while Kilkenny took the easy path, down the yellow brick road, we should have been walking beside them. Whether they should have been fighting alongside us is something they'll have to live with, they took the easy way out it's clearly worked and bettered them on the field.
We went the hard way

Genuine question now Reillers.

On mature reflection, was it the hard road they took or the wrong road?

Did the strike achieve anything in the end except deprive the Cork hurlers the chance to give KK a fair crack when Cork were still at their peak or not far past it?

I've always backed the players.They could hardly up with another 2 years of Gerald McCarthy.However it's up to the clubs to fight for reform of the county board there's only so much striking players can do.During the Donal O'Grady and John Allen years Cork had a very professional coaching set up.That was all taken apart by the county board to bring in Gerald McCarthy.Unfortunatley under Geralds watch instead of the goalies having there own specific training drills Gerald had them practising doubling on the ball overhead with the rest of the squad.Things got so bad with gerald that a facilitator had to be hired to ensure that Gerald and his squad could function together.

What was the annual cost of the Hurlers preparation costs in the O'Grady/Allen years do you know? Say as opposed to Walsh's first year?

Was it a case that the board couldn't afford the high costs involved anymore?

Id say it was part cost cutting measures and part reclaimig lost power.Billy Morgan was the man that had to persuade the county board to pay for the Cork footballers trip to la manga in 05.He also persuaded the board to invest in physical strength training for the team in ucd.When Billy left they tried to force Teddy Holland on the players.The players held firm and ended up with Conor Counihan who built on Billy Morgans good work.You can't achieve success by taking the cheap option.

[Unlike draught Guinness, Connacht players should not lose their best qualities when they travel across water. Yet, most times they do no matter where the crossing occurs. I don't think players lose their talents when they venture outside Connacht but all too often they do lose their confidence and I put that down to the drop of expectations amongst their supporters. That's a generalisation I know but it does happen more often than not.]

Why do I read about Kildare every year?

Because you buy a newspaper on an annual basis?

Who wakes up screaming thinking of Kildare?

I do......

Fair play to you Hollow, you're a scholar and a gentleman. I should point out that I've been to games in Laois, Kildare and Monaghan and I found the welcome warm and the football tremendous. It just gets on my wick when people in West lie down and are then totally mystified when they get walked on.

I think, Iolar, that we tend to overlook theh fact that players and supporters live in each others' shadows.
Unlike professional soccer and rugby players, our GAA lads are very much part of their own communities and  therefore react to the vibes they pick up from those around them. If the fans are happy, the team plays well. If the fans think their neighbour's child is a total waste of space and couldn't kick snow off a rope, the poor lad's confidence is going to be sorely dented.
It's a two-way process; a form of synergy if you like.
Far too often, I have seen brilliant games in venues from Salthilll to Carrick and left those grounds knowing  that the winners would never reproduce their form when they crossed the Shannon. Unlike draught  Guinness, Connacht players should not lose their best qualities when they travel  across water.  Yet, most times they do no matter where the crossing occurs.
I don't think players lose their talents when they venture outside Connacht but all too often they do lose their confidence and I put that down to the drop of expectations amongst their supporters. That's a generalisation I know but it does happen more often than not.

If Galway fuballers have a good team they can go all the way and being from Connacht doesn't come into it. This year's under 21 was a good example. They were underdogs against Cork but they had no fear of them and won the semi final and then the final was a walk in the park.

Ros and Mayo are the ones that tend to suffer from stage fright . They both had good under 21 teams recently but nothing came of them.    It must be all in the head. The Galway hurlers have a similar affliction at senior level but can still churn out the goods under age.

I can't bear to look at how many all-Ireland finals Mayo have lost in the last 20 years.   

Galway had the players to beat the likes of Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath in recent years but they were'nt able to do it. Explain that?

Roscommon won the Connacht u-21s last year so there was obviously nothing wrong with their heads then. They also won connacht senior and it was lack of ability not confidence in Croker that had them lose to eventual AI winners Cork. They won the 06 minor AI beating Kerry in a replay so your "stage fright" theory doesnt hold up then either. In Connacht that year they beat an excellent Galway side in  a  turn up for the books. The reverse happened the year after when Galway went on to win the minor AI.

This year the Ross u-21 side wasnt within an asses roar of what turned out to be an excellent AI winning Galway side. Again there was no mental issues.... Ross were outclassed physically and skilfully.

Roscommon held their own at senior v the Dubs in 04 and kerry in 03 with both matches in Croker.  The  90/91 sides were beaten by Meath and Cork in Croker in very competitive matches.

Cant think  of any "stage fright" scenarios in Croker that you refer to. You'd be better looking at facts rather than trading on soundbites and stereotypes.  Galway definitely have the ability to go up and win silverware from time to time but thats due to having had class players like Joyce/Donnellan & Co that Connacht winning Rossie sides never had.  That being said 2001 is drifting in to the distance. Might be better to wait till after the Mayo match at least before condescendingly commenting on the neighbours mentality.

To be fair now i would hardly call Galway a football super power considering they have only won 2 all irelands since the 60's.They are the most successful connacht county but that's hardly a great achievement.If i were a Galway man i would be more worried about beating a non connacht team first.

Galway (9) - 1925, 1934, 1938, 1956, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1998, 2001.

Cork (7) - 1890, 1911, 1945, 1973, 1989, 1990, 2010.

Ahem Cork 120 All Irelands across all codes of the GAA Galway 47. You are the second biggest county in ireland and ye don't even have as many all irelands as we have. And we have only lost to Kerry in croke park in the championship since 04.Galway can't buy a win there for love nor money in recent years.

The players are a lot to do with the problem at the moment.The strikes have had a big impact on a lot of the team.Until most of them are gone and we've a new group of players making a fresh star Liam won't be coming down Leeside too soon.

But as peace splintered and Kilkenny hopped on the train to immortality, Cork got weary and distracted and left behind.

What happened I feel had to happen, for the sake of Cork hurling it had to happen. But it took Cork's attention away from the hurling and while Kilkenny took the easy path, down the yellow brick road, we should have been walking beside them. Whether they should have been fighting alongside us is something they'll have to live with, they took the easy way out it's clearly worked and bettered them on the field.
We went the hard way

Genuine question now Reillers.

On mature reflection, was it the hard road they took or the wrong road?

Did the strike achieve anything in the end except deprive the Cork hurlers the chance to give KK a fair crack when Cork were still at their peak or not far past it?

I've always backed the players.They could hardly up with another 2 years of Gerald McCarthy.However it's up to the clubs to fight for reform of the county board there's only so much striking players can do.During the Donal O'Grady and John Allen years Cork had a very professional coaching set up.That was all taken apart by the county board to bring in Gerald McCarthy.Unfortunatley under Geralds watch instead of the goalies having there own specific training drills Gerald had them practising doubling on the ball overhead with the rest of the squad.Things got so bad with gerald that a facilitator had to be hired to ensure that Gerald and his squad could function together.

[Unlike draught Guinness, Connacht players should not lose their best qualities when they travel across water. Yet, most times they do no matter where the crossing occurs. I don't think players lose their talents when they venture outside Connacht but all too often they do lose their confidence and I put that down to the drop of expectations amongst their supporters. That's a generalisation I know but it does happen more often than not.]

Why do I read about Kildare every year?

Because you buy a newspaper on an annual basis?

Who wakes up screaming thinking of Kildare?

I do......

Fair play to you Hollow, you're a scholar and a gentleman. I should point out that I've been to games in Laois, Kildare and Monaghan and I found the welcome warm and the football tremendous. It just gets on my wick when people in West lie down and are then totally mystified when they get walked on.

I think, Iolar, that we tend to overlook theh fact that players and supporters live in each others' shadows.
Unlike professional soccer and rugby players, our GAA lads are very much part of their own communities and  therefore react to the vibes they pick up from those around them. If the fans are happy, the team plays well. If the fans think their neighbour's child is a total waste of space and couldn't kick snow off a rope, the poor lad's confidence is going to be sorely dented.
It's a two-way process; a form of synergy if you like.
Far too often, I have seen brilliant games in venues from Salthilll to Carrick and left those grounds knowing  that the winners would never reproduce their form when they crossed the Shannon. Unlike draught  Guinness, Connacht players should not lose their best qualities when they travel  across water.  Yet, most times they do no matter where the crossing occurs.
I don't think players lose their talents when they venture outside Connacht but all too often they do lose their confidence and I put that down to the drop of expectations amongst their supporters. That's a generalisation I know but it does happen more often than not.

If Galway fuballers have a good team they can go all the way and being from Connacht doesn't come into it. This year's under 21 was a good example. They were underdogs against Cork but they had no fear of them and won the semi final and then the final was a walk in the park.

Ros and Mayo are the ones that tend to suffer from stage fright . They both had good under 21 teams recently but nothing came of them.    It must be all in the head. The Galway hurlers have a similar affliction at senior level but can still churn out the goods under age.

I can't bear to look at how many all-Ireland finals Mayo have lost in the last 20 years.   

Galway had the players to beat the likes of Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath in recent years but they were'nt able to do it. Explain that?

Roscommon won the Connacht u-21s last year so there was obviously nothing wrong with their heads then. They also won connacht senior and it was lack of ability not confidence in Croker that had them lose to eventual AI winners Cork. They won the 06 minor AI beating Kerry in a replay so your "stage fright" theory doesnt hold up then either. In Connacht that year they beat an excellent Galway side in  a  turn up for the books. The reverse happened the year after when Galway went on to win the minor AI.

This year the Ross u-21 side wasnt within an asses roar of what turned out to be an excellent AI winning Galway side. Again there was no mental issues.... Ross were outclassed physically and skilfully.

Roscommon held their own at senior v the Dubs in 04 and kerry in 03 with both matches in Croker.  The  90/91 sides were beaten by Meath and Cork in Croker in very competitive matches.

Cant think  of any "stage fright" scenarios in Croker that you refer to. You'd be better looking at facts rather than trading on soundbites and stereotypes.  Galway definitely have the ability to go up and win silverware from time to time but thats due to having had class players like Joyce/Donnellan & Co that Connacht winning Rossie sides never had.  That being said 2001 is drifting in to the distance. Might be better to wait till after the Mayo match at least before condescendingly commenting on the neighbours mentality.

To be fair now i would hardly call Galway a football super power considering they have only won 2 all irelands since the 60's.They are the most successful connacht county but that's hardly a great achievement.If i were a Galway man i would be more worried about beating a non connacht team first.

[local]

But as peace splintered and Kilkenny hopped on the train to immortality, Cork got weary and distracted and left behind.

....Some of the stuff that went on wasnt pretty but thats gone now and we dont worry about it anymore. Were just happy to be back hurling. Im probably a bit stronger and a bit more single-minded than before. You learn a lot, but a lot of it doesnt really help your hurling career."

What happened I feel had to happen, for the sake of Cork hurling it had to happen. But it took Cork's attention away from the hurling and while Kilkenny took the easy path, down the yellow brick road, we should have been walking beside them. Whether they should have been fighting alongside us is something they'll have to live with, they took the easy way out it's clearly worked and bettered them on the field.
We went the hard way, it affected us on the pitch, it took a lot from the players, but it improved Cork in the long run off the field.

If we had it like Kilkenny had it, when all they had to worry about was hurling, who knows what would have happened. I genuinely feel we could have won more All Ireland's. But it didn't turn out like that.

What in the name of Christ has the situation in Cork got to do with the Kilkenny hurlers? I'm not the biggest fan of the KK County Board and their blatant disregard towards football but to suggest that KK should have rowed in behind the Cork hurlers in a local dispute is laughable. I'd say they'll live with concentrating on their own matters just fine. In case you need reminding, a KK team only ascending to their peak comfortably beat a Cork team with the heralded Ger Cunningham on board in the final in 2006. IMO, Cork wouldn't have got any closer in the following couple of years, even with Larry Reilly himself in charge.

To be fair in 08 when that Kilkenny team was it's peak Cork came the closest to beating them.Who know's what might have happened if the players and management were on the same page.