Messages

1

GAA Discussion / Re: Ulster Championship 2019

« on: April 17, 2019, 11:34:37 AM »

Not as dead or as boring as Munster or Leinster.
Every year I met several Dubs who come up for the Ulster final as they see it as a great day out where it is usually a good game and the result is not a forgone conclusion.

I'm a bit fed up talking about the Dubs and so think Ulster still has a lot to provide in excitement and entertainment. I know most of my Dub mates USUALLY enjoy watching the Ulster championship early in the year as it's the only one with a bit of excitement and FIGHT. Mayo v Galway is usually a decent game but that's it and sure Cork have gone to hell altogether recently.

Will Armagh not be able to give it a rattle this year with a few new players breaking through and if Jamie Clarke and Soupie are given good fast ball they should take Down and could even surprise Monaghan or Cavan in the semi.

Will he be playing for Armagh this summer?  John McEntee's column in the Irish News stated that Clarke wasn't going to feature for Cross this year.

The most notable absentee from both Cross’s first two league games was Jamie Clarke.

Unfortunately for followers of the Rangers, Jamie has decided to withdraw from club activity again this year.

This is a huge blow to the club’s chances of retaining the Gerry Fegan Cup but if you were to review his club activity over the past seven years, this announcement comes as no surprise.

He played no club football in the 2016 or 2018 seasons, two league games and 30 minutes championship in 2017 and previously in 2015 and no club football in 2013. It was 2014 that he was last able to commit fully to the club.

While this picture makes for depressing reading, Jamie is not a lone wolf in the inter-county scene.

As recently as last year there were at least two inter-county players who opted not to play for their club but instead they journeyed to London on Saturdays to play matches and return home on the following day, slightly worse for wear but with fatter wallets.

2

General discussion / Re: Game of Thrones - Spoilers

« on: April 15, 2019, 03:47:29 PM »

What should have been two absolutely epic moments were ruined - Jon riding Rhaegal (named after his father) and learning the truth of his parentage.

The former was almost like comic relief and reminded me of Harry Potter's first broomstick flying lesson while the latter was ruined by Sam being a bumbling mess. "I'm sorry".

I'd certainly agree that the two going for a spin on the dragons didn't work at all.

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General discussion / Re: Game of Thrones - Spoilers

« on: April 15, 2019, 09:37:48 AM »

Load of nonsense so far. f**king do something!

**Spoilers**


Set the alarm and got up to watch it. Decent enough viewing.

The episode was always going to be scene setting and giving all the major players some screen time.  I think that everyone important appeared even if only for a few seconds.
Wasn't expecting too much action from the off.

I see Paddy Power are doing odds on 'Who will rule Westeros when Game of Thrones ends?', Noticed that Littlefinger was 12-1!!
There is a theory out there that it wasn't Littlefinger that Arya killed but one of the Faceless Men from Braavos!

On to points from the first episode:

Doesn't look like Jon was happy with the news.
The death of the Umber kid was very well done.
Great to see Bran and Jaime meeting again, and the Hound and Arya.

4

General discussion / Re: The Masters 2019

« on: April 11, 2019, 10:47:48 AM »

E/W

Hoffman 70/1
Rahm 16/1
Matasuyama 25/1

5

Derry / Re: Derry Club Football & Hurling

« on: April 07, 2019, 09:02:27 PM »

Both teams had a good half and a poor half in Watty Park. Screen scored one point in the first half, Glen scored two points in the second half. There was a breeze, but I didn't think it was a significant factor. Screen closed the gap to 3pts at one stage in the second half and kicked 2/3 very poor wides when there was other options available. If those had have gone over it might have been a different story.
 
Mulholland (?) from Glen was stretchered off. No one near him when it happened, looked like he was tracking back and something went, either knee or ankle, as he was running. Hopefully he hasn't done any serious damage.

Glen looked very slick in the first half, (11pts up at the break) but didn't kick on in the second. Screen looked rusty from the outset, but were a different team in the second half.

6

General discussion / Re: The OFFICIAL Liverpool FC thread

« on: March 14, 2019, 10:48:20 AM »

I think you're right. Or else we're just old farts. I could even remember Goss' goal. I was on work placement down in Killorglin and remember sitting in the living room watching it.

He also scored the last goal in front of the old Kop in 1994

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GAA Discussion / Re: NFL Division 2 2019

« on: March 02, 2019, 07:38:56 PM »

Donegal 0-2
Armagh 0-2

Morgan and McGee ent off with straight reds

From the clip I’ve seen on Twitter, Sheridan lucky not to be sent off for a sc**bag stamp.

8

General discussion / Re: American Sports Thread

« on: January 21, 2019, 10:38:49 AM »

Officiating wasn't spectacular in the second game either. Not sure there was enough to overturn the Edelman muffed punt call and Brady got one of the worst roughing the passer calls I've ever seen.

I thought there was enough on the punt. Looked clear to me there was no contact. The problem I have with the Roughing the passer call is two fold. One there was at least holding if not pass interference by the Chiefs against the receiver. Two whilst the swipe missed the helmet Brady then gets softly hit on the head by the defenders elbow. It’s a very small touch and shouldn’t be a foul but my understanding was that any contact to the head was a penalty. QB’s are too well protected in that regard.

Sky showed clips from the Vikings/Saints NFC Championship game 2010(?), and highlighted some of the hits that Favre received in that game, commenting that it seems so long ago that defences could legally hit the QB in such a manner.

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Derry / Re: Derry Club Football & Hurling

« on: January 03, 2019, 05:54:47 PM »

Off work for a few days over the Christmas Hols. I’ve followed Bellaghy’s journey and success through twitter and videos from Jerome Quinn.  I’ve also been reading a few articles recently about Gweedore and their underage success which has fed into the senior side.  As well as that Mal McMullan tweeted about Derry’s success in the Ulster Minor Club Comp. 

I decided to look further into the correlation between minor success and senior success. If we look at some of the Derry clubs that have also won the Ulster Minor Tournament, there is a clear correlation to triumph for the Senior teams.

Dungiven
Ulster Minor Champs: 1990 ; Ulster Senior Champs: 1997
County Champions: 1991 & 1997

Bellaghy
Ulster Minor Champs: 1991 & 1994 ; Ulster Senior Champs: 1994 (Finalists ’96, 98, 05)
County Champions: 1994, ’96, ’98, ’99, 00, ’05 (Finalists: ’95, ’01, ’03)

An Lub
Ulster Minor Champs: 1993 & 1995 ; Ulster Senior Champs: 2003 (Finalists ’09)
County Champions: 2003 & 2009 (Finalists: 2002, ’05, ’06)

Ballinderry
Ulster Minor Champ: ’96, ’97, ’01 & 08 ; Ulster Senior Champs: ’01 & ’13 (Finalists ’06, ’08)
County Champions: 1995, ’01, ’06, ’08, 2011-13 (Finalists: ’99,’00, ’03, ‘10, ‘14)

Slaughtneil
Ulster Minor Champ: ’98 ; Ulster Senior Champs: ’14, ’16, ’17
County Champions: 2004, ’14, ’15, ’16, ’17 (Finalists: ’08, ’12)

Kilrea
Ulster Minor Champs: 2007
County Finalists: 2011

Of the Derry winners in the St Paul’s tournament only Kilrea have yet to make the breakthrough at senior level.

Even looking at sides that have won the county minor title, an appearance in the Senior County final normally follows as well. Since the year 2000 the following teams have played in the county final:
Bellaghy (W2 L3), Ballinderry (W7 L4), An Lub (W2 L4), Slaughtneil (W5 L2), Glenullin (W1), Dungiven (L1), Coleraine (W2 L1), Kilrea (L1), Ballinascreen (L2), Lavey (L1)

Most of those teams have had victories in minor and u21 competitions prior to their appearance in the senior final. I believe only Glenullin and Coleraine didn’t win county titles at either those two age groups.

The sides that have won minor or u21 (recently) and haven't made an appearance (yet) in a senior county final are Magherafelt and Glen.

Which takes me on to another comparison. Between the two most recent winners of the Ulster U21 tournament. Gweedore and Glen.  Glen won the competition three consecutive years prior to Gweedore’s win.

There was a lot of emphasis on the age profile of the Gweedore side that won the senior championship and how that was the impetus for their senior side. Looking at Gweedore’s victory in the Ulster Club C’ship, would those in Glen not wonder why they haven’t reached a County Final (Yet) never mind a winning the Senior Ulster Club.

The Gweedore side that won the U21 title in Feb:

Gaoth Dobhair: Charles Doherty; Ciaran McHugh; Gary McFadden; Ryan Kelly; Conor McCafferty; Niall Friel; Neasán Mac Gíolla Bhride; Michael Carroll; Odhran McFadden-Ferry; Naoise Ó Baoill; Cian Mulligan; Daire Ó Baoill ; Seaghan Ferry; Gavin McBride; Eamonn Collum
Subs:
Conor Boyle

The Gweedore side that won the Seamus McFerran:
GAOTH DOBHAIR: Christopher Sweeney; Gary McFadden, Neil McGee, Christopher McFadden; Niall Friel, Eamonn McGee, Odhran McFadden-Ferry; Daire O Baoill, Odhran MacNiallais; Cian Mulligan, Naoise O Baoill, Daniel McBride; Eamonn Collum, Kevin Cassidy, Micheal Carroll
Subs: J Carroll, S Ferry, P McGee, J Boyle

I’m open to correction, but that’s 8 players that started both finals. And one that came off the bench in the Senior Final. That is some influx of young players into the senior side in one season. Which is some achievement for the club.  I’d say if you compared the U-21 winning sides from Glen with the team that played against Lavey in the senior semi-final this year, you’d find a similar scenario.

Glen’s underage trophy cabinet compares favourably with Gweedore’s, and those lads would be further down the line in terms of playing senior football.  Is there a reason why their underage success translated into senior success? (yet)

What other factors come into play?

I know that TFAL is all about tradition and history playing a part.  Teams that have a history of winning or have players that know how to win.  McEntee also alludes to that in his Irish News column today.  Its also been referenced on the main Ulster Minor Club thread.

The loss of talent (ie Conor Glass) can play a part too.  Whether that be to University, drinking in Belfast, losing interest, moving away, Job, marriage etc.  Are there other talented players from those successful sides that have been lost to any of the above?

Age profile of the team – “The right mix of players” The youth of the Gweedore team was talked about a lot, though having Cassidy, McGees, McNiallais in the side was more important. Any club in the county would gladly take those players and expect success.

Final thought on this long ramble: How many people on here would back Glen to win the John McLaughlin, before Bellaghy or Lavey?   (Using these two clubs as they’ve fit the profile of history/tradition, as well as having won underage titles recently)

(*This is not a takedown of Glen, this is just looking at the link between underage and senior success – plus I’m off work for a few days and very bored*)

10

Derry / Re: Derry Club Football & Hurling

« on: November 15, 2018, 03:18:00 PM »

Regarding the correct identity of the Paul Devlin who is part of Kilcoo's new management team along with Mickey Moran and Conleith Gilligan I presume it is their former star player and consummate freetaker, Paul Devlin, who is the man in question!!

A much more likely scenario!

Kilcoo's Paul Devlin would still be young enough, around 27 id imagine. Would he not still be playing?

Maybe this is a conversation for the Down GAA forum lol

Definitely 100% the Paul Devlin in question is a Screen man. The player Paul Devlin from Kilcoo is still a key player and only in his mid 20’s.....

Indeed, the reports in several media outlets state Paul Devlin is a Derry Native. So it’s not the Kilcoo version.

11

Derry / Re: Derry Club Football & Hurling

« on: October 20, 2018, 07:30:45 PM »

With the recent retirements I would like to see the following team starting against Tyrone in next year's championship.
                                 B McKinless
N Keenan                  B Rogers                K McKaigue
C McFaul                    C McKaigue            L McGoldrick
                     C McAtamney          P Cassidy
D Heavron                  E Bradley               N Toner
E Lynn                        Colm McGoldrick     N Loughlin

The article that announced the retirements also stated that Loughlin was heading back to Australia.

12

Derry / Re: Derry Club Football & Hurling

« on: October 08, 2018, 08:45:33 AM »

Didn’t see any of the Glen/Lavey game, but it doesn’t seem like Glen showed up.

As for the ‘Screen / Coleraine game, I thought it was in the balance until the goal. After that it was Coleraine’s game to lose. 

With a 4pt cushion at half time, they were always going to be tough to beat. We needed to get the first couple of points or an early goal, but neither happened.

When we didn’t push up, they held possession. When we did they played around us picking off scores.

We only started putting more pressure on them when we kicked the ball in with a target man at the edge of the square, and a couple of others around him. Maybe if we’d done that from the start of the second half we would have made them drop deeper and give us more space out the field.

13

Derry / Re: Derry Club Football & Hurling

« on: October 04, 2018, 08:01:42 AM »

So that is two referees that Players/Management/Supporters (delete as appropriate) have gone for in recent weeks. Two referees that according to some shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a GAA pitch again.

Two referees that have barely warranted a comment on here over the last few years are now after one game, not fit for purpose.

Social media reaction is some craic as well. With comments like “corrupt” and “power hungry.” Some calling for Slaughtneil players not to tog our for the county.

Hopefully we get through last 3 C’ship games without any such incidents or we’ll end up with no referee’s that should be near a GAA pitch for next season.

14

GAA Discussion / Re: Similar colours

« on: October 01, 2018, 09:51:38 AM »

I remember a mcRory Cup final with both teams in almost identical blue kits. Maghera or Magherafelt involved. My head was sore watching it.

Wexford Galway camogs have played a couple AI finals too with the same problem.

aye the 03 mcrory in casement. was a sunny day too and brutal to tell the diffference. st marys in light blue against st pats in a darker blue. Remember it well because we were up at the half and didnt score once in the second half, might have missed a penalty too.

Yeah, 2003 MacRory Final. From memory, the schools weren’t at fault. Maghera would normally have played in white jerseys when in MacRory finals. I believe the problem came from the sponsors who were supplying the kits for the final teams. They just looked at the school colours for each team and went with those. But it was a mess.

15

Derry / Re: Derry Club Football & Hurling

« on: September 22, 2018, 08:37:46 PM »

I would agree with what SE has said about the game.  ‘Screen should/could have been out of sight at half time.  We intercepted at least 3/4 short kickouts in the first half but didn’t turn them all into goals or points, and conspired to give the ball away in excellent positions.  Some bads wides in that first half as well.  But it was comfortable.  The only worry was McBride going off injured at the end of the half.

We went 6pts up shortly after half time, but again hit some bad wides from poor positions when other options were available.  The sending off probably worked in Greenlough’s favour, as they upped the effort and we didn’t.  The Greenlough player tried to do damage to the door as he headed straight for the changing rooms.  The goal was from a long ball/shot that the Screen defence thought was dropping wide, but was flicked to the net.  Screen responded with two points. And Lynn finished out the scoring.

But it didn’t end there…

As soon as Harkin blew the final whistle there was a couple of lads from the bench who sprinted on to get to him.  There was a bit of jostling, but there was no sensible heads on the Greenlough head in to calm things down. And pull lads away from it. Some of the squad were in giving him manners.  Tom O’Kane was knocked to the ground,(although, there seemed to be some sort of confrontation between the two) then the eejit from the crowd got involved running at and shouldering Harkin.  The Greenlough players took the ‘supporter’ with them into the changing room to get him out of the way.

When that calmed down, it kicked off about 5mins later at the changing rooms. Not sure who was involved in that mess.

The Greenlough GAC social media accounts weren’t happy
From Twitter:
“Disgraceful officals and bias shown today as Greenlough exit championship”
“Though frustrations wouldn’t boil over if everyone was given a fair chance from the officials. So don’t judge the outcome without judging the cause.”

Though I think the above tweets have disappeared.

From Facebook:
“When you see one of the supposed neutral umpires attacking our club chairman you have to question how neutral a decision he could make when telling the ref to send off one of our players.”

As for the Ref’s performance, overall I thought he was grand – not consistent on certain things.  For example the high arm tackle around shoulder height, Philly Bradley got a yellow card for one such challenge and rightly so, it happened shortly after the other way and the ref raised his arm for advantage and play on. A couple of handy frees either way as well. Didn't see the sending off offence, so was surprised by that.  The umpires at the same end missed the clash that ended with McShane on the ground within the 1st 5mins.  The linesman on the stand side also communicated to the ref of another misdemeanour involving a Greenlough player, but the ref didn't want to know.

I’d say the annoyance from the Greenlough side comes from the last couple of plays.  ‘Screen stripped possession in free scoring range and I think everyone thought the ref was gonna give a free in for the draw, he allowed play to continue.  Greenlough won it back around their own 21yrd line and were about to counter and the ref blows the final whistle.

I’ve seen a lot more incompetent refereeing displays than todays, and no matter how bad it is, it doesn’t warrant that nonsense.

I see the videos of the incident have made it to Colm Parkinson and Twitter.

Already looking forward to the stories on SportsJoe this week...