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GAA Discussion / Saturday July 22 Cork v Mayo, Gaelic Grounds, 5PM
« on: July 10, 2017, 03:23:15 PM »
I'm very surprised than none of the usual suspects has started a thread about this fixture yet so I decided to thrown in the ball...
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General discussion / Phonewatch Blues
« on: April 13, 2017, 06:35:44 PM »
Has anyone here had any dealings with Phonewatch, the domestic alarm company? I have had one of their systems installed over a year ago and I won’t be recommending their services to anyone else.
I had no problems with the installation and I had no reason to believe that anything about the transaction wasn’t what it seemed. I did say at the beginning that I felt that the monthly monitoring costs were a bit steep but I was told that I’d have to have the system monitored for a year. This was part of the contract I was told.
I thought no more about the matter until the first year had passed and I hadn’t heard from the company but I decided to wait another while before contacting them.
So I rang their customer support unit to find why I hadn’t been heard about a contract renewal although they had kept on debiting my account. The guy I spoke to told me that since I was using a credit account, it was standard practice to assume that the contract was being renewed for another year unless I had contacted them to make changes.
I wasn’t too happy at this and told him it was my clear understanding that I had signed up for one year only and would review the matter before signing any future contracts.I asked the agent to explain why I had received no notice of renewal of any sort. He put me on to his supervisor at this stage and she assured me that it was standard practice to inform a customer that the renewal date was approaching. I had been sent a letter and an email, sez she, advising me that the present contract was coming to an end. I told her I got neither.
She told me she had copies of both to hand so I asked her to send me copies of both items. So we left it at that.
But
the following morning I got a call from a gent to to arrange a convenient time to have the equipment de-installed and taken away. Furthermore, it would incur a cost and Phonewatch would not be held responsible for any repair work that might need to be done after the removal of their property. Of course I could also reconsider my position and continue renting their goods and services for another year.
I nearly blew a fuse at that stage
I told him I never agreed to a rental contract of any sort and I was led to believe all through the transaction that the €599 I had handed over was for the purchase of the equipment that had been installed. No I was told, that was merely a connection fee. Furthermore, I had signed a rental contract and I should have a copy of it as it was given to me when the system was installed.
I told him I had enough; I couldn’t locate a copy of an agreement that was never signed by me or sent to me.
I told him to direct any future correspondence to my solicitor unless I received a copy of the contract by return post as well as copies of the te email and letter that were supposedly sent to me
.
I got a phone call the next morning from a Phonewatch agent telling me that the company accepted that I hadn’t signed a rental contract. Apparently an administrative hiccup etc. etc.
I was offered a new yearly contract at a greatly reduced rate (33% off ) and I was
asked to accept sincere apologies for inconvenience caused and all that sort of stuff. Also, no doubts about the ownership of the gear that was installed. It was 100% mine.
Has anyone had a similar experience or indeed a positive one either?
I had no problems with the installation and I had no reason to believe that anything about the transaction wasn’t what it seemed. I did say at the beginning that I felt that the monthly monitoring costs were a bit steep but I was told that I’d have to have the system monitored for a year. This was part of the contract I was told.
I thought no more about the matter until the first year had passed and I hadn’t heard from the company but I decided to wait another while before contacting them.
So I rang their customer support unit to find why I hadn’t been heard about a contract renewal although they had kept on debiting my account. The guy I spoke to told me that since I was using a credit account, it was standard practice to assume that the contract was being renewed for another year unless I had contacted them to make changes.
I wasn’t too happy at this and told him it was my clear understanding that I had signed up for one year only and would review the matter before signing any future contracts.I asked the agent to explain why I had received no notice of renewal of any sort. He put me on to his supervisor at this stage and she assured me that it was standard practice to inform a customer that the renewal date was approaching. I had been sent a letter and an email, sez she, advising me that the present contract was coming to an end. I told her I got neither.
She told me she had copies of both to hand so I asked her to send me copies of both items. So we left it at that.
But
the following morning I got a call from a gent to to arrange a convenient time to have the equipment de-installed and taken away. Furthermore, it would incur a cost and Phonewatch would not be held responsible for any repair work that might need to be done after the removal of their property. Of course I could also reconsider my position and continue renting their goods and services for another year.
I nearly blew a fuse at that stage
I told him I never agreed to a rental contract of any sort and I was led to believe all through the transaction that the €599 I had handed over was for the purchase of the equipment that had been installed. No I was told, that was merely a connection fee. Furthermore, I had signed a rental contract and I should have a copy of it as it was given to me when the system was installed.
I told him I had enough; I couldn’t locate a copy of an agreement that was never signed by me or sent to me.
I told him to direct any future correspondence to my solicitor unless I received a copy of the contract by return post as well as copies of the te email and letter that were supposedly sent to me
.
I got a phone call the next morning from a Phonewatch agent telling me that the company accepted that I hadn’t signed a rental contract. Apparently an administrative hiccup etc. etc.
I was offered a new yearly contract at a greatly reduced rate (33% off ) and I was
asked to accept sincere apologies for inconvenience caused and all that sort of stuff. Also, no doubts about the ownership of the gear that was installed. It was 100% mine.
Has anyone had a similar experience or indeed a positive one either?
3
GAA Discussion / Intercounty apathy a worrying trend
« on: January 04, 2017, 03:24:24 PM »Last week Martin Brehony had another go at the Mayo footballers in the Indo. While his rantings are met with a predictable tsunami of indifference within the county, there was something else on the same page that should concern there GAA as an organisation.
In this short piece, headed “Intercounty apathy a worrying trend,” the Galway captain Gary Sice was interviewed, where he said that the Galway manager, Kevin Walsh, had invited over 50 players to trial for the county squad and they had refused to turn up.
(The total according to the manager was 56.)
By any standard that showed a shockingly low level of ambition among Galway’s senior footballers.
But other counties have been faced with the same problem and it seems the numbers of disaffected players is growing.
Longford’s manager said before the beginning of the championships last year that over 20 players in his county had refused to go for a trial, while the Tipp boss had more or less the same sad tale to relate.
I’ve heard of defections in Carlow also. I don’t know the facts or figures there but I’m sure there are other counties when wearing the county colours is no longer considered worth the effort by many players.
What are the reasons for this lack of enthusiasm?
According to Brehony: “However, it’s understandable since players are required to devote so much time and energy to an intercounty programme that guarantees them only two games between early April and the end of the season.
How daft is that?”
Anyone care to comment?
4
GAA Discussion / “East Leinster Project” - Dublin’s Neighbours to get Enhanced Funding
« on: August 27, 2016, 09:06:42 PM »
This story has been around for a number of weeks. I’m surprised that no one on this board has picked it up before now.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/15m-gaa-funding-boost-for-east-leinster-project-34934104.html
So the gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to widen…
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/15m-gaa-funding-boost-for-east-leinster-project-34934104.html
So the gap between the haves and the have-nots continues to widen…
5
GAA Discussion / Another Fresh Start for Team Mayo
« on: December 30, 2015, 04:44:11 PM »
With the start of the FBD only a few days away, I think it's time to put the previous thread to bed as the search for a new manager ended weeks ago.
I think there is damn all use dwelling on what happened in the past and what might or might not have happened if events took a different turn. As far as I'm concerned all the doom merchants can go to hell; all the waffle about the team putting themselves under tremendous pressure by seeking a new manager is either a load of wishful thinking or a complete failure to understand the Mayo psyche.
This team owes nothing to anyone. They will put in 100% effort as they did over the past four years and won't be deflected by amadáns like Colm O'Rourke or Eugene McGee.Dunno how the year ahead is going to turn out but I'm quietly confident that this will be the year to break that bloody oul' priest's curse!
I think there is damn all use dwelling on what happened in the past and what might or might not have happened if events took a different turn. As far as I'm concerned all the doom merchants can go to hell; all the waffle about the team putting themselves under tremendous pressure by seeking a new manager is either a load of wishful thinking or a complete failure to understand the Mayo psyche.
This team owes nothing to anyone. They will put in 100% effort as they did over the past four years and won't be deflected by amadáns like Colm O'Rourke or Eugene McGee.Dunno how the year ahead is going to turn out but I'm quietly confident that this will be the year to break that bloody oul' priest's curse!
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General discussion / Sean Brady Steps Down
« on: September 08, 2014, 12:46:54 PM »
Sean Brady's resignation has been accepted by Pope Francis. (Sound Man, Francis!)
What, if anything, does his departure mean to you?
What, if anything, does his departure mean to you?
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General discussion / Cyclists urged to exercise caution following death of Louise Butler
« on: August 17, 2013, 10:45:45 PM »
This sad story headlined the Indo’s online edition this morning.
Like all fatalities, this accident will leave the poor girl’s parents and friends feeling devastated as long as they but life will go on as usual and nothing will be done to help prevent other cyclists meeting the same fate as Louise.
That’s why the well-meaning advice from Brian Farrell bugs me a little.
It’s one thing stating the obvious but doing anything about it is another matter.
Nothing will be done and I suppose with the economy in poor shape and the roads getting more and more congested by the day, it will be hard to see what can be done to makes our roads safer for cyclists.
I use my bike as often as I can to get around and it’s a bit rich to see Farrell asking cyclists to make sure their bikes are roadworthy without making any attempts to make the roads bikeworthy in return.
If Farrell’s association has its way, new regulations will be introduced and cyclists will face an on the spot fine of €50 if caught cycling on a footpath.
Sure, cyclists can be a nuisance for pedestrians but forcing them to use the road at all times greatly increases the chances of death or injury on the roads.
Any one got any views on this subject?
Cyclists urged to exercise caution following death of Louise Butler
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/cyclists-urged-to-exercise-caution-following-death-of-louise-butler-29503287.html
16 AUGUST 2013
CYCLISTS are being urged to exercise caution on the roads following the death of Louise Butler (28) in South Dublin.
A total of four cyclists have been killed on Irish roads so far this year.
In the 24 hour period yesterday, three people lost their lives on Irish roads.
Cyclist Louise was involved in a collision with an articulated lorry.
Last night, a woman in her fifties died after her moped collided with a car, while
There have been a total of 121 traffic fatalities so far this year which also includes pedestrians, drivers and motorcyclists with ten of the fatalities occurring this month.
Half of all cyclists are hit by private cars and 30 per cent are hit by heavy goods vehicles according to Communications Officer of the Road Safety Authority Brian Farrell.
Two out of five of cyclists are killed or seriously injured at an intersection.
‘‘Drivers need to take special care and understand that cyclists are entitled to road space as much as any other vehicle on the road. It’s important that drivers anticipate cyclists at blind spots and to give at least a 1.5m clearance when overtaking a cyclist,’’ he said.
‘‘At the same time, cyclists have a duty of care and must be aware that they are vulnerable road users. They must ensure that their bike is in good working order and they are mindful of other road users, particularly when cycling near parked cars and heavy vehicles,’’ he added.
Cyclists should always wear luminous clothing such as hi-vis vests, fluorscent armbands and reflective belts so that other vehicles can see the cyclist clearly.
Brakes should work properly and tyres should be inflated to the right pressure.
‘‘It’s also vital that cyclists give the proper signals, especially when they are in heavy traffic,’’ he said.
Those travelling on bikes should always keep to the left and look behind and give the proper signal before moving off, changing lanes or making a turn….
Like all fatalities, this accident will leave the poor girl’s parents and friends feeling devastated as long as they but life will go on as usual and nothing will be done to help prevent other cyclists meeting the same fate as Louise.
That’s why the well-meaning advice from Brian Farrell bugs me a little.
It’s one thing stating the obvious but doing anything about it is another matter.
Nothing will be done and I suppose with the economy in poor shape and the roads getting more and more congested by the day, it will be hard to see what can be done to makes our roads safer for cyclists.
I use my bike as often as I can to get around and it’s a bit rich to see Farrell asking cyclists to make sure their bikes are roadworthy without making any attempts to make the roads bikeworthy in return.
If Farrell’s association has its way, new regulations will be introduced and cyclists will face an on the spot fine of €50 if caught cycling on a footpath.
Sure, cyclists can be a nuisance for pedestrians but forcing them to use the road at all times greatly increases the chances of death or injury on the roads.
Any one got any views on this subject?
Cyclists urged to exercise caution following death of Louise Butler
http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/cyclists-urged-to-exercise-caution-following-death-of-louise-butler-29503287.html
16 AUGUST 2013
CYCLISTS are being urged to exercise caution on the roads following the death of Louise Butler (28) in South Dublin.
A total of four cyclists have been killed on Irish roads so far this year.
In the 24 hour period yesterday, three people lost their lives on Irish roads.
Cyclist Louise was involved in a collision with an articulated lorry.
Last night, a woman in her fifties died after her moped collided with a car, while
There have been a total of 121 traffic fatalities so far this year which also includes pedestrians, drivers and motorcyclists with ten of the fatalities occurring this month.
Half of all cyclists are hit by private cars and 30 per cent are hit by heavy goods vehicles according to Communications Officer of the Road Safety Authority Brian Farrell.
Two out of five of cyclists are killed or seriously injured at an intersection.
‘‘Drivers need to take special care and understand that cyclists are entitled to road space as much as any other vehicle on the road. It’s important that drivers anticipate cyclists at blind spots and to give at least a 1.5m clearance when overtaking a cyclist,’’ he said.
‘‘At the same time, cyclists have a duty of care and must be aware that they are vulnerable road users. They must ensure that their bike is in good working order and they are mindful of other road users, particularly when cycling near parked cars and heavy vehicles,’’ he added.
Cyclists should always wear luminous clothing such as hi-vis vests, fluorscent armbands and reflective belts so that other vehicles can see the cyclist clearly.
Brakes should work properly and tyres should be inflated to the right pressure.
‘‘It’s also vital that cyclists give the proper signals, especially when they are in heavy traffic,’’ he said.
Those travelling on bikes should always keep to the left and look behind and give the proper signal before moving off, changing lanes or making a turn….
8
GAA Discussion / The Provincial Championships
« on: July 24, 2013, 10:03:46 AM »
Here are Paraic Duffy's thoughts on the subject.
Discuss.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/gaa-chief-defends-provincial-system-and-claims-critics-just-dont-get-it-29443738.html
COLM KEYS – 24 JULY 2013
The GAA's director general Paraic Duffy has said that ardent critics of the provincial championships calling for change "don't really get it."
Speaking at the launch of the All-Ireland football championships in Glenswilly, home club of Donegal captain Michael Murphy, Duffy gave firm backing to the current structures after three successive weekends that collectively brought 94 years of famine to an end for three different counties in hurling and football.
He also acknowledged that pitch invasions remain a concern for the Association but are a bigger issue inCroke Park – because of crowd sizes – than anywhere else.
Monaghan-native Duffy was a delighted figure in the Gerry Arthurs Stand on Sunday as Monaghan celebrated a first Ulster title in 25 years, with fans spilling out on the pitch afterwards for the presentation.
"I've always felt that we should keep the provincial championship," he said. "For Monaghan players and supporters that was a huge goal itself, to win a provincial title. I was in Monaghan at the celebrations. People who say 'get rid of the championships' don't really get it.
"If you tell anyone in Monaghan or, say, in Limerick at the Munster hurling final last Sunday, that it doesn't matter... I don't think there is an awful lot wrong with the present system. If there is a better system, fine, but the qualifiers allowed us to retain the provincial championships and allowed us to have different pairings," he said.
He also pointed out that if there had been an 'A' and 'B' championship split evenly, as some suggested should happen, Cavan, Monaghan and London would not have made such progress this summer.
"Sport has to be about the romance, about the small guy having his day. Most counties get their day. The present system is the one which best suits the GAA," said Duffy.
"There are probably teams who aren't good enough to compete, but it's a very small number. Those counties want to be a part of it and want to compete in it. If you have another system, say with eight groups of four, you'd have far more mismatches than with the current system.
"I still believe that we should retain the provincial championships in tandem with the qualifier system."
Duffy admitted it was "something very special" to look down at the Monaghan supporters on Sunday.
"The reason for us saying no to pitch invasions is because it's a health and safety issue. Last Sunday in Clones you had 32,000 people, the week before in Limerick you had 40,000, but in Croke Park you have potential for 80,000 people to come onto the pitch," he said.
"It's a bigger issue in Croke Park than anywhere else. This isn't a GAA crusade. It was done in Croke Park on Garda advice. It is dangerous. It's great if it goes off well.
"The other problem in Croke Park is that when people come onto the pitch they all go out onto Jones' Road again. That's what brought it to a head, where people were coming out there and pushing in different directions."
Duffy said Croke Park must ultimately accept responsibility for any adverse reception referee Joe McQuillan got off the crowd in Newbridge after Saturday night's defeat to Tyrone.
"You can say that it was a Kildare venue, but it was a Central Council fixture, so the onus is on us to look at what happened and make sure it doesn't happen again," he said.
Discuss.
http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/gaa-chief-defends-provincial-system-and-claims-critics-just-dont-get-it-29443738.html
COLM KEYS – 24 JULY 2013
The GAA's director general Paraic Duffy has said that ardent critics of the provincial championships calling for change "don't really get it."
Speaking at the launch of the All-Ireland football championships in Glenswilly, home club of Donegal captain Michael Murphy, Duffy gave firm backing to the current structures after three successive weekends that collectively brought 94 years of famine to an end for three different counties in hurling and football.
He also acknowledged that pitch invasions remain a concern for the Association but are a bigger issue inCroke Park – because of crowd sizes – than anywhere else.
Monaghan-native Duffy was a delighted figure in the Gerry Arthurs Stand on Sunday as Monaghan celebrated a first Ulster title in 25 years, with fans spilling out on the pitch afterwards for the presentation.
"I've always felt that we should keep the provincial championship," he said. "For Monaghan players and supporters that was a huge goal itself, to win a provincial title. I was in Monaghan at the celebrations. People who say 'get rid of the championships' don't really get it.
"If you tell anyone in Monaghan or, say, in Limerick at the Munster hurling final last Sunday, that it doesn't matter... I don't think there is an awful lot wrong with the present system. If there is a better system, fine, but the qualifiers allowed us to retain the provincial championships and allowed us to have different pairings," he said.
He also pointed out that if there had been an 'A' and 'B' championship split evenly, as some suggested should happen, Cavan, Monaghan and London would not have made such progress this summer.
"Sport has to be about the romance, about the small guy having his day. Most counties get their day. The present system is the one which best suits the GAA," said Duffy.
"There are probably teams who aren't good enough to compete, but it's a very small number. Those counties want to be a part of it and want to compete in it. If you have another system, say with eight groups of four, you'd have far more mismatches than with the current system.
"I still believe that we should retain the provincial championships in tandem with the qualifier system."
Duffy admitted it was "something very special" to look down at the Monaghan supporters on Sunday.
"The reason for us saying no to pitch invasions is because it's a health and safety issue. Last Sunday in Clones you had 32,000 people, the week before in Limerick you had 40,000, but in Croke Park you have potential for 80,000 people to come onto the pitch," he said.
"It's a bigger issue in Croke Park than anywhere else. This isn't a GAA crusade. It was done in Croke Park on Garda advice. It is dangerous. It's great if it goes off well.
"The other problem in Croke Park is that when people come onto the pitch they all go out onto Jones' Road again. That's what brought it to a head, where people were coming out there and pushing in different directions."
Duffy said Croke Park must ultimately accept responsibility for any adverse reception referee Joe McQuillan got off the crowd in Newbridge after Saturday night's defeat to Tyrone.
"You can say that it was a Kildare venue, but it was a Central Council fixture, so the onus is on us to look at what happened and make sure it doesn't happen again," he said.
9
General discussion / Colourful Expressions (Maledictions/ Benedictions etc.)
« on: January 12, 2013, 01:50:44 PM »
Anyone got anything to offer?
I was in Kennedy’s pub in Drumcondra once when Kilkenny had destroyed Wexford in a Leinster final.
It was late on and the group beside me well getting well and truly steamed; three or four cats laying into a yallabelly. Yer man was getting some stick until, finally, he could take no more. He could be heard right around the shop as he roared,
”Well, we didn’t piss on our powder in ’98, did we?”
Dead, embarrassed, silence from the cats.
An old secondary school teacher once told my class that, “If the whole lot of ye were bet together with a shovel, ye wouldn’t amount to one half-dacent eejit!”
Lovely man; great craic but feck all use as a teacher.
Any of ye ever been told that he was as thick as two short planks or that he was a black-enamelled bollix?
Well, I heard them both many a time and I was often the target in question but I never found out the original meaning of either. Anyone able to oblige or better still, come up with some new ones?
I was in Kennedy’s pub in Drumcondra once when Kilkenny had destroyed Wexford in a Leinster final.
It was late on and the group beside me well getting well and truly steamed; three or four cats laying into a yallabelly. Yer man was getting some stick until, finally, he could take no more. He could be heard right around the shop as he roared,
”Well, we didn’t piss on our powder in ’98, did we?”
Dead, embarrassed, silence from the cats.
An old secondary school teacher once told my class that, “If the whole lot of ye were bet together with a shovel, ye wouldn’t amount to one half-dacent eejit!”
Lovely man; great craic but feck all use as a teacher.
Any of ye ever been told that he was as thick as two short planks or that he was a black-enamelled bollix?
Well, I heard them both many a time and I was often the target in question but I never found out the original meaning of either. Anyone able to oblige or better still, come up with some new ones?
10
General discussion / Crisis- Inside the Cowen Government
« on: November 07, 2011, 06:22:56 PM »
There’s a program going out tonight at 21.35 on RTE 1.
It purports to reveal what really went on the inside, as it were, during Brian Cowen’s time as Taoiseach.
If even half of what I heard is true it should be very interesting indeed……
I'll say no more.
It purports to reveal what really went on the inside, as it were, during Brian Cowen’s time as Taoiseach.
If even half of what I heard is true it should be very interesting indeed……
I'll say no more.
11
General discussion / Has Anyone Been to Madrid Lately?
« on: September 23, 2011, 03:33:34 PM »
My brother and his missus are going to Madrid early next month for a week’s vacation.
They know next to nothing about the place and are looking for general information of any sort. Places to go to; pubs and restaurants; transport systems etc. etc.
Very few of their friends, me included, have not been able to help them much in this regard.
If any posters here can help out, I’d be grateful.
They know next to nothing about the place and are looking for general information of any sort. Places to go to; pubs and restaurants; transport systems etc. etc.
Very few of their friends, me included, have not been able to help them much in this regard.
If any posters here can help out, I’d be grateful.
12
GAA Discussion / Championship Power Rankings
« on: August 24, 2011, 11:29:31 AM »
Ewan MacKenna was a sports writer with the Sunday Tribune.
He now writes for the Eircom Sports Hub.
(http://eircomsports.eircom.net/)
He has recently posted his list of counties in Championship pecking order.
I am posting his top ten here and the full list can be found at:
http://eircomsports.eircom.net/News/news/gaa/football/power-rankings-22-aug.aspx
Anyone care to comment?
1. Kerry (-)
Remember that 1997 All Ireland they captured by beating no more than Tipperary, Clare, Cavan and Mayo. Well this one is beginning to have that peaceful, easy feeling to it as well. The hardest part is yet to come but it says a lot about their route so far that they are in the last two and we still know so little about where they are at as a team, particularly down the spine of their defence where they look susceptible to being run at. In fact the only indication of their standing was a month ago, and even at that we suspected the Munster final was more shadow boxing than an all-out brawl.
At least that day, and on Sunday, they hinted at answers to the many questions surrounding them, particularly at midfield where Bryan Sheehan and Anthony Maher have been sensational, while they are still blessed with the best group of forwards in the country, what with Paul Galvin back to fitness and with a lot of people on his back, Declan O’Sullivan and Kieran Donaghy with so much room for improvement, Gooch slowly coming to boil at the right time of the year as he’s done so many times before and Darran O’Sullivan having a career-defining season capped by that most remarkable of goals against Limerick.
There have been better Kerry teams over the last decade that didn't win All Irelands. But that won't bother this group if and when they take that final step.
2. Dublin (-)
How much of that quarter-final was down to Dublin’s brilliance and how much was down to Tyrone’s dire display would give an indication of their capability of winning it all. That the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle keeps them at number two, but so many of the doubts have been dispelled. Their hunger and physicality was huge, their pace phenomenal, their distribution excellent and their finishing, for points at least, awesome. Tactically Pat Gilroy got it right against a slow side on their last legs but he needed a lot of players to stand up to make it work. So many players did just that.
The defence was packed tight, Michael Dara MacAuley was imposing, Diarmuid Connolly couldn’t miss, Alan Brogan remains Dublin’s best attacker when taking the championship as a whole, Bernard Brogan showed glimpses of his best, even if he’s not there yet, and Paul Flynn’s distribution was that of an All Star. But maybe most impressive of all was the way they forgot so many disappoints at this stage in previous seasons, forgot all the pressure and hype, and got on with beating a team they are far superior too with little fuss.
There’s two ways it can go now. There can be the boom and bust scenario where everything that went right could go wrong next day, or a performance like that could inspire enough confidence to continue playing with such a swagger. If it’s the latter they’ll be on Kerry’s tails not just here and now, but right up to the final whistle in late September.
3. Cork (-)
That they went down without much fighting was the most disappointing aspect of their exit but there are valid excuses, not least a myriad of missed goal chances against Mayo, and a thin squad of forwards, unable to recover from the loss of Ciarán Sheehan, Colm O’Neill and Daniel Goulding. But perhaps the greatest blow to this group of players was the removal of all that desperation to succeed that came along with so many near misses over the years. In the end when they came across a team that wanted it more, they couldn’t respond or match their hunger and that was their downfall.
As much as being All Ireland champions improved them, it also raised a question and a nagging doubt that a league title and facile wins over Clare, Waterford and Down just couldn’t answer. The pain of losing initially brought Noel O’Leary and Michael Shields to Rylane Boxing Club in winter and last season the whole side danced on the canvas. But without pain, we wondered how they would react. Now we know and we wonder if that pain will return next season because they are still a serious side and watching someone else win a relatively easy All Ireland that should have been theirs is bound to hurt.
4. Donegal (+1)
Despite reaching the last four against all odds, we still aren’t sure if they are a very good team or simply a solid team. They’ve a system that is so hard to beat and that might even take them to an All Ireland final and in Neil McGee, Karl Lacey and Michael Murphy they have All Stars. But then what? There will come a day when they are actually called up for some really cynical off-the-ball hitting and their midfield can’t keep losing out as they did against Kildare. This is not a shot at Donegal, rather an honest assessment because while it’s not pretty, it’s plenty effective and they are there to win, not to entertain.
Under Jimmy McGuinness the county has its most dedicated team in an age and their hassling and harrying at the back shows as much. That they gave up their pre-championship night out, instead taking in the Scottish League Cup final back in March is another example of the unity and organisation in the group. Question now is do they have a Plan B, because if a side start kicking scores from distance, do Donegal know how to play less negatively and go toe-to-toe in a shootout with a top-class county? On Sunday we’ll find out.
5. Mayo (-1)
Another hammering by Kerry that could have been similar to those which went before had Darran O’Sullivan goaled a couple of times in the early stages. Their midfield just wasn’t mobile enough to compete with Kerry and while the defence kept tabs on some of the opposition forward line, they couldn’t contain them all. But there is no shame in that and the real story here is not the fact they lost the semi-final heavily, it was the fact that they made it that far while turning Andy Moran into an All Star and turning Cillian O’Connor into an All Star nominee. They are easily the best team in Connacht and while they are nowhere near good enough to make it to the top in a countywide sense, they are at least back as a force and moving rapidly in the right direction.
While their ultimate exit will come to mind initially when we think of their 2011, the Cork win shouldn’t be forgotten. For a while we’ve said James Horan was the right person to resurrect Mayo football but we didn’t think it would happen so soon. Year one of his time in charge has been spectacular, now for that difficult second album.
6. Kildare (-)
What now? Four years in and after Kieran McGeeney gave himself and his great footballing mind as well as everything the players needed to succeed, this is where Kildare end up. What’s most irritating is that they are losing to teams they should be beating at a stage they should be getting past. In short they are underachieving and as much as they talk about decisions going against them (how can a referee 40 yards away tell an umpire waving a green flag that it was a square ball?), they still should have won the quarter-final and won well. They showed guts to get to extra-time against Donegal but then they needed to show ruthlessness and with a three-point lead and Daryl Flynn dominating in the middle, they froze and then melted in the most horrific of mental collapses.
They do need McGeeney to stay though because while he and everyone else must be questioning the players' ability to get over the line, without him they won’t even see that line. The only positive is considering how long it took McGeeney himself to become a champion but judging by this latest collapse, that Armagh side had far more mental strength than this group.
7. Tyrone (-)
That’s all folks. The end of an era as there won’t, and should not, be any coming back from this for a lot of the panel. There were rightly many nice things written about so many players that thrilled us for the last decade but to look at the Dublin game on its own, that was simply pathetic from all concerned. Yes, the opposition were bigger, stronger and faster and it would have taken a miracle to beat that, but all it needed was hunger and some tactics to make it a lot more respectable.
On several occasions Dublin won ball in their own defence where they had five men to spare, and kicked it long to where they were in a three-on-three situation. Tyrone’s extra bodies were floating around the middle throughout as the ball went way over their heads and towards their full-back line which just couldn’t compete with basic man-marking. Dublin were good, but they weren’t that good. Tyrone meanwhile were that bad. The end of an era. Time for the next generation to step up and begin to blossom.
8. Down (-)
Not really a crash landing because their season never took off. On the surface Cork may have knocked them out of the championship, but their 2011 was effectively ended by Armagh all those weeks ago. They had to show this year they could win an Ulster title and go from there but lost their confidence that day and never recovered. But strangely, despite the scoreline against Cork, they showed for long spells of the first half they still have the ability to be the best in their province and one of the better sides in the country. However the likes of Kevin McKernan, Peter Fitzpatrick, Danny Hughes, Kalum King and Mark Poland never reached last season’s highs while Marty Clarke looked a shadow of his former self. There’s something to work with going forward, sure, but they need to start next summer on the right foot and get off the ground early.
9. Meath (-)
Better. Much better. They may have beaten Louth and Galway but their loss to Kildare strangely was the greatest cause for optimism. They stuck with a very good team all night in Navan, Kevin Reilly and the half-back line were superb, Joe Sheridan dictated a lot of play from deep and Shane O’Rourke was decent in a midfield role. There are a couple of problems though. Firstly, the forwards should be scoring more, and Graham Reilly should be in the half-forward line. Secondly, there was no sense of responsibility during their exit because with the game on the line they lacked leaders and a real will to win, something most un-Meath. But hey, they did enough to make sure Banty is around next season to try and rectify those situations, although we aren't sure how many of their followers will be pleased by that.
10. Derry (-)
So often with Derry we’ve seen sunshine followed rapidly by rain. Against Armagh it was all sunshine as their midfield cleaned up, Eoin Bradley was unmarkable with the supply of ball that was aimed at him and the defence was crowded and chaotic. In essence, John Brennan got every little thing right that day. But completely outclassed by Donegal and Kildare and while any side would struggle without the Bradley brothers, it was the way they dissipated in the qualifiers that was most disappointing. Their long-ball gameplan was flawed and predictable and their actions when the game got away from them were sour. They hit late consistently in the second-half in Croke Park, were cynical and dirty and gave an awful impression of a side that had looked so good just weeks before.
He now writes for the Eircom Sports Hub.
(http://eircomsports.eircom.net/)
He has recently posted his list of counties in Championship pecking order.
I am posting his top ten here and the full list can be found at:
http://eircomsports.eircom.net/News/news/gaa/football/power-rankings-22-aug.aspx
Anyone care to comment?
1. Kerry (-)
Remember that 1997 All Ireland they captured by beating no more than Tipperary, Clare, Cavan and Mayo. Well this one is beginning to have that peaceful, easy feeling to it as well. The hardest part is yet to come but it says a lot about their route so far that they are in the last two and we still know so little about where they are at as a team, particularly down the spine of their defence where they look susceptible to being run at. In fact the only indication of their standing was a month ago, and even at that we suspected the Munster final was more shadow boxing than an all-out brawl.
At least that day, and on Sunday, they hinted at answers to the many questions surrounding them, particularly at midfield where Bryan Sheehan and Anthony Maher have been sensational, while they are still blessed with the best group of forwards in the country, what with Paul Galvin back to fitness and with a lot of people on his back, Declan O’Sullivan and Kieran Donaghy with so much room for improvement, Gooch slowly coming to boil at the right time of the year as he’s done so many times before and Darran O’Sullivan having a career-defining season capped by that most remarkable of goals against Limerick.
There have been better Kerry teams over the last decade that didn't win All Irelands. But that won't bother this group if and when they take that final step.
2. Dublin (-)
How much of that quarter-final was down to Dublin’s brilliance and how much was down to Tyrone’s dire display would give an indication of their capability of winning it all. That the answer probably lies somewhere in the middle keeps them at number two, but so many of the doubts have been dispelled. Their hunger and physicality was huge, their pace phenomenal, their distribution excellent and their finishing, for points at least, awesome. Tactically Pat Gilroy got it right against a slow side on their last legs but he needed a lot of players to stand up to make it work. So many players did just that.
The defence was packed tight, Michael Dara MacAuley was imposing, Diarmuid Connolly couldn’t miss, Alan Brogan remains Dublin’s best attacker when taking the championship as a whole, Bernard Brogan showed glimpses of his best, even if he’s not there yet, and Paul Flynn’s distribution was that of an All Star. But maybe most impressive of all was the way they forgot so many disappoints at this stage in previous seasons, forgot all the pressure and hype, and got on with beating a team they are far superior too with little fuss.
There’s two ways it can go now. There can be the boom and bust scenario where everything that went right could go wrong next day, or a performance like that could inspire enough confidence to continue playing with such a swagger. If it’s the latter they’ll be on Kerry’s tails not just here and now, but right up to the final whistle in late September.
3. Cork (-)
That they went down without much fighting was the most disappointing aspect of their exit but there are valid excuses, not least a myriad of missed goal chances against Mayo, and a thin squad of forwards, unable to recover from the loss of Ciarán Sheehan, Colm O’Neill and Daniel Goulding. But perhaps the greatest blow to this group of players was the removal of all that desperation to succeed that came along with so many near misses over the years. In the end when they came across a team that wanted it more, they couldn’t respond or match their hunger and that was their downfall.
As much as being All Ireland champions improved them, it also raised a question and a nagging doubt that a league title and facile wins over Clare, Waterford and Down just couldn’t answer. The pain of losing initially brought Noel O’Leary and Michael Shields to Rylane Boxing Club in winter and last season the whole side danced on the canvas. But without pain, we wondered how they would react. Now we know and we wonder if that pain will return next season because they are still a serious side and watching someone else win a relatively easy All Ireland that should have been theirs is bound to hurt.
4. Donegal (+1)
Despite reaching the last four against all odds, we still aren’t sure if they are a very good team or simply a solid team. They’ve a system that is so hard to beat and that might even take them to an All Ireland final and in Neil McGee, Karl Lacey and Michael Murphy they have All Stars. But then what? There will come a day when they are actually called up for some really cynical off-the-ball hitting and their midfield can’t keep losing out as they did against Kildare. This is not a shot at Donegal, rather an honest assessment because while it’s not pretty, it’s plenty effective and they are there to win, not to entertain.
Under Jimmy McGuinness the county has its most dedicated team in an age and their hassling and harrying at the back shows as much. That they gave up their pre-championship night out, instead taking in the Scottish League Cup final back in March is another example of the unity and organisation in the group. Question now is do they have a Plan B, because if a side start kicking scores from distance, do Donegal know how to play less negatively and go toe-to-toe in a shootout with a top-class county? On Sunday we’ll find out.
5. Mayo (-1)
Another hammering by Kerry that could have been similar to those which went before had Darran O’Sullivan goaled a couple of times in the early stages. Their midfield just wasn’t mobile enough to compete with Kerry and while the defence kept tabs on some of the opposition forward line, they couldn’t contain them all. But there is no shame in that and the real story here is not the fact they lost the semi-final heavily, it was the fact that they made it that far while turning Andy Moran into an All Star and turning Cillian O’Connor into an All Star nominee. They are easily the best team in Connacht and while they are nowhere near good enough to make it to the top in a countywide sense, they are at least back as a force and moving rapidly in the right direction.
While their ultimate exit will come to mind initially when we think of their 2011, the Cork win shouldn’t be forgotten. For a while we’ve said James Horan was the right person to resurrect Mayo football but we didn’t think it would happen so soon. Year one of his time in charge has been spectacular, now for that difficult second album.
6. Kildare (-)
What now? Four years in and after Kieran McGeeney gave himself and his great footballing mind as well as everything the players needed to succeed, this is where Kildare end up. What’s most irritating is that they are losing to teams they should be beating at a stage they should be getting past. In short they are underachieving and as much as they talk about decisions going against them (how can a referee 40 yards away tell an umpire waving a green flag that it was a square ball?), they still should have won the quarter-final and won well. They showed guts to get to extra-time against Donegal but then they needed to show ruthlessness and with a three-point lead and Daryl Flynn dominating in the middle, they froze and then melted in the most horrific of mental collapses.
They do need McGeeney to stay though because while he and everyone else must be questioning the players' ability to get over the line, without him they won’t even see that line. The only positive is considering how long it took McGeeney himself to become a champion but judging by this latest collapse, that Armagh side had far more mental strength than this group.
7. Tyrone (-)
That’s all folks. The end of an era as there won’t, and should not, be any coming back from this for a lot of the panel. There were rightly many nice things written about so many players that thrilled us for the last decade but to look at the Dublin game on its own, that was simply pathetic from all concerned. Yes, the opposition were bigger, stronger and faster and it would have taken a miracle to beat that, but all it needed was hunger and some tactics to make it a lot more respectable.
On several occasions Dublin won ball in their own defence where they had five men to spare, and kicked it long to where they were in a three-on-three situation. Tyrone’s extra bodies were floating around the middle throughout as the ball went way over their heads and towards their full-back line which just couldn’t compete with basic man-marking. Dublin were good, but they weren’t that good. Tyrone meanwhile were that bad. The end of an era. Time for the next generation to step up and begin to blossom.
8. Down (-)
Not really a crash landing because their season never took off. On the surface Cork may have knocked them out of the championship, but their 2011 was effectively ended by Armagh all those weeks ago. They had to show this year they could win an Ulster title and go from there but lost their confidence that day and never recovered. But strangely, despite the scoreline against Cork, they showed for long spells of the first half they still have the ability to be the best in their province and one of the better sides in the country. However the likes of Kevin McKernan, Peter Fitzpatrick, Danny Hughes, Kalum King and Mark Poland never reached last season’s highs while Marty Clarke looked a shadow of his former self. There’s something to work with going forward, sure, but they need to start next summer on the right foot and get off the ground early.
9. Meath (-)
Better. Much better. They may have beaten Louth and Galway but their loss to Kildare strangely was the greatest cause for optimism. They stuck with a very good team all night in Navan, Kevin Reilly and the half-back line were superb, Joe Sheridan dictated a lot of play from deep and Shane O’Rourke was decent in a midfield role. There are a couple of problems though. Firstly, the forwards should be scoring more, and Graham Reilly should be in the half-forward line. Secondly, there was no sense of responsibility during their exit because with the game on the line they lacked leaders and a real will to win, something most un-Meath. But hey, they did enough to make sure Banty is around next season to try and rectify those situations, although we aren't sure how many of their followers will be pleased by that.
10. Derry (-)
So often with Derry we’ve seen sunshine followed rapidly by rain. Against Armagh it was all sunshine as their midfield cleaned up, Eoin Bradley was unmarkable with the supply of ball that was aimed at him and the defence was crowded and chaotic. In essence, John Brennan got every little thing right that day. But completely outclassed by Donegal and Kildare and while any side would struggle without the Bradley brothers, it was the way they dissipated in the qualifiers that was most disappointing. Their long-ball gameplan was flawed and predictable and their actions when the game got away from them were sour. They hit late consistently in the second-half in Croke Park, were cynical and dirty and gave an awful impression of a side that had looked so good just weeks before.
13
General discussion / Knock, Knock: Who was there?
« on: August 16, 2011, 02:03:15 AM »
Next Sunday marks the 132nd. anniversary of the Apparition at Knock.
According to eye witness accounts, Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the south gable of Knock Parish Church. The apparition was witnessed by fifteen people, young and old.
Controversy has raged ever since; two Church commissions were set up to investigate the accounts; one a few weeks later and the other in 1936. Both bodies found the witness accounts to be accurate and truthful and concluded that a miracle had taken place.
One of the last surviving witnesses, Mary Byrne (or Beirne) told the 1936 commission ‘I am clear about everything I have said and I make this statement knowing I am going before my God’. She died six weeks later.
On the debit side, sociologists have noted that social and economic conditions were ripe for a ‘visitation’ to take place. Some have put it down to mass hysteria brought on by the desire of the witnesses to believe that the Holy Family was aware of their plight and had appeared to bring them comfort and hope.
For believers and non-believers alike, some facts are irrefutable: one and a half million people visited the shrine last year and untold millions have made pilgrimages there since 1879. Many ‘cures’ have been reported which, if true, defy medical explanation.
But were the ‘cures’ manifestations of divine intervention or instances of mind over matter, inspired by simple faith?
Anyone care to discuss?
According to eye witness accounts, Our Lady, St. Joseph and St. John the Evangelist appeared at the south gable of Knock Parish Church. The apparition was witnessed by fifteen people, young and old.
Controversy has raged ever since; two Church commissions were set up to investigate the accounts; one a few weeks later and the other in 1936. Both bodies found the witness accounts to be accurate and truthful and concluded that a miracle had taken place.
One of the last surviving witnesses, Mary Byrne (or Beirne) told the 1936 commission ‘I am clear about everything I have said and I make this statement knowing I am going before my God’. She died six weeks later.
On the debit side, sociologists have noted that social and economic conditions were ripe for a ‘visitation’ to take place. Some have put it down to mass hysteria brought on by the desire of the witnesses to believe that the Holy Family was aware of their plight and had appeared to bring them comfort and hope.
For believers and non-believers alike, some facts are irrefutable: one and a half million people visited the shrine last year and untold millions have made pilgrimages there since 1879. Many ‘cures’ have been reported which, if true, defy medical explanation.
But were the ‘cures’ manifestations of divine intervention or instances of mind over matter, inspired by simple faith?
Anyone care to discuss?
14
General discussion / Is the end of the Union in sight? (It may well be but then again…)
« on: April 30, 2011, 03:11:27 PM »
More as a penitential exercise than anything else, I‘ve looked at the results of all NI elections throughout the noughties. (My source is: http://www.ark.ac.uk/elections/)
The purpose of the exercise was to see if it were possible to come up with a forecast of the outcome of a UI referendum. This could be any time in the near to medium term future based on those results.
I wonder if others on the board would also care to consider the stats and let the rest of us know what they think of them.
Points to keep in mind.
First, a public health warning…
I’m no statistician and I’ve often been told that I could clear Croke Park in double quick time when I start meddling with stats!
Second, I’ve omitted the results I don’t consider to be relevant to the discussion eg numbers of seats won.
Third, I would consider such a poll to be a classic Orange vs. Green confrontation, where no local issues etc. come into the reckoning. Because of this I added the DUP/UUP totals and put them on the Orange side to begin with. Likewise, the Stoops and Shinners can be napped to belong almost exclusively to the Green side
.
Fourth, I added a Shift feature to the original presentation of stats.
Here, I took the results of the more recent election and recorded the change from the one prior to that.
By way of example, the Orange vote in the Westminster elections dropped by 11.2% between elections and the Alliance votes increased by 2.4%.
Here goes…..
The purpose of the exercise was to see if it were possible to come up with a forecast of the outcome of a UI referendum. This could be any time in the near to medium term future based on those results.
I wonder if others on the board would also care to consider the stats and let the rest of us know what they think of them.
Points to keep in mind.
First, a public health warning…
I’m no statistician and I’ve often been told that I could clear Croke Park in double quick time when I start meddling with stats!
Second, I’ve omitted the results I don’t consider to be relevant to the discussion eg numbers of seats won.
Third, I would consider such a poll to be a classic Orange vs. Green confrontation, where no local issues etc. come into the reckoning. Because of this I added the DUP/UUP totals and put them on the Orange side to begin with. Likewise, the Stoops and Shinners can be napped to belong almost exclusively to the Green side
.
Fourth, I added a Shift feature to the original presentation of stats.
Here, I took the results of the more recent election and recorded the change from the one prior to that.
By way of example, the Orange vote in the Westminster elections dropped by 11.2% between elections and the Alliance votes increased by 2.4%.
Here goes…..
15
GAA Discussion / “Will John Galavin (sic) never win a Munster medal?”
« on: January 04, 2011, 05:38:12 PM »
When Limerick and Cork met in the SFC last July, I had to depend on updates from Newstalk 106 to follow the game. The reception was poor and so was the commentator and the analyst beside him was a voluble Kerryman. I think it was Mick O’Dwyer but I couldn’t be certain because of the crackling on the radio and the yapping of the commentator.
However I did catch one comment from Micko, or his sound-alike, that has given me plenty of food for thought since then.
“Will John Galavin never win a Munster medal? If there’s a God in Heaven above, he should and an All Ireland too.”
This came in the closing stages when it was obvious that Limerick, and Galvin, were going out of the championships once again.
He had an absolute stormer against Kerry in the Munster final and an equally good one against Cork in this qualifier game and has been one of the country’s best players for years and yet he will probably never get a championship medal of any sort.
The same can be said of lots of other fine players around the country- both present and past.
I know the Parish Rule and all it entails has been the cornerstone of the GAA since its foundation but it does ensure that many deserving players will never win even a county club medal, let alone a provincial or an All Ireland one.
There can’t be wholesale switching of clubs and counties but the present system denies the likes of Galvin any chance of a tangible reward while many others of lesser ability come by such medals by an accident of birth.
Any opinions?
However I did catch one comment from Micko, or his sound-alike, that has given me plenty of food for thought since then.
“Will John Galavin never win a Munster medal? If there’s a God in Heaven above, he should and an All Ireland too.”
This came in the closing stages when it was obvious that Limerick, and Galvin, were going out of the championships once again.
He had an absolute stormer against Kerry in the Munster final and an equally good one against Cork in this qualifier game and has been one of the country’s best players for years and yet he will probably never get a championship medal of any sort.
The same can be said of lots of other fine players around the country- both present and past.
I know the Parish Rule and all it entails has been the cornerstone of the GAA since its foundation but it does ensure that many deserving players will never win even a county club medal, let alone a provincial or an All Ireland one.
There can’t be wholesale switching of clubs and counties but the present system denies the likes of Galvin any chance of a tangible reward while many others of lesser ability come by such medals by an accident of birth.
Any opinions?
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