Connacht U-21 Championship 2009

[Sligoper]

Right im going to put my thoughts on the line here,

Firstly) I couldn't give a flying f**k about Parsons. It doesnt bother me whatsoever. The lad is from Mayo and while he lives in Sligo, he's a mayo man. His dad is a Sligo man but also a good parent and decided against uprooting Tom from schools because the lad is happy. Im sorry but if i had to pick between my childs happiness and my county i know which id pick. No one knew Tom would turn out to be as good as he was.

Secondly) It really is time for Sligonian to get over it, there is no point harping on about something you cant change. Ive already explained what players are in bellaghy and who they're playing for. You are like a jilted ex lover, someone who got duped and cant get over it. I dont like to see a 21 year old lad get slated and worse than that his Dad being slated too. Embarrassing.

Thirdly) If Tom Parsons lifts the cup on Saturday, it will mean nothing to me. Team sports are about competing with a group of lads all with the one aim, Parsons doesnt want to be from Sligo and so thats fine by me.

Best of luck to Sligo on Saturday, ill be there and i hope we do the business. More so because id hate to see the drivel on here f we lost..........

[magpie seanie]

I think for us to win on Saturday we will need to be at our very best which would represent a marked improvement on the Leitrim game. Still, I expect we will be better as the underdog tag will suit us. Mayo are good and have come through two tough encounters. Its possible they will be a little complacent after beating their big two rivals already. I hope we can do it. Would be a big boost to the county if we could pull it off whereas it would mean little to Mayo. A great chance if we perform to the limit of our abilities.

[Tubberman]

I think for us to win on Saturday we will need to be at our very best which would represent a marked improvement on the Leitrim game. Still, I expect we will be better as the underdog tag will suit us. Mayo are good and have come through two tough encounters. Its possible they will be a little complacent after beating their big two rivals already. I hope we can do it. Would be a big boost to the county if we could pull it off whereas it would mean little to Mayo. A great chance if we perform to the limit of our abilities.

I wouldn't agree with that at all Seanie. We're going for 4-in a row which is a big motivation in itself. While a Connacht title wouldn't be the limit of our hopes for this team, obviously it's all over if we lose, so this match means a lot to Mayo!
Complacency could be a concern but Holmes and Connelly seem to be able to get the mindset right for their teams so I'd be confident Mayo will head to Sligo fully focussed on giving it their all to win.

Now that Colman's are out of the colleges championship, does anyone know if Shane Nally will be joining the U-21 squad?

[AbbeySider]

... Sligonian ... You are like a jilted ex lover, someone who got duped and cant get over it.

   

Priceless stuff Sligoper !

Lets get real.
One man wouldnt have made a difference to Sligo this year or any other year.

[Mano]

Lets get real.
One man wouldnt have made a difference to Sligo this year or any other year.

Mayo arrogance beginning to appear (hope your players go in with that attitide) or is it another trap for Sligonian to fall into

[muppet]

... Sligonian ... You are like a jilted ex lover, someone who got duped and cant get over it.

   

Priceless stuff Sligoper !

Lets get real.
One man wouldnt have made a difference to Sligo this year or any other year.

Not sure about that.

Look at the difference an O'Hara or MacD or a PJoyce made on certain days.

[RedandGreenSniper]

I think for us to win on Saturday we will need to be at our very best which would represent a marked improvement on the Leitrim game. Still, I expect we will be better as the underdog tag will suit us. Mayo are good and have come through two tough encounters. Its possible they will be a little complacent after beating their big two rivals already. I hope we can do it. Would be a big boost to the county if we could pull it off whereas it would mean little to Mayo. A great chance if we perform to the limit of our abilities.

Perhaps Mayo will be complacent Seanie but I doubt it. They've had a key break of two weeks from the Roscommon game after playing Galway and Ros in seven days. Holmes and Connelly will make the most of that time and Connelly above all will ensure there is no complacency. Perhaps winning the Connacht will mean more to Sligo because Mayo are defending champions but to say it would mean little is off the mark. This Mayo team is driven and they'll be heartbroken if they lose. Four in a row is one target for Mayo while so too is the fact that the only players in this squad with Connacht minor medals are last year's minors so there's an element of unfinished business for the minors of 07 and 06. Sligo will give Mayo a right good test and I don't think victory will be straightforward but I think Mayo will win because they'll be up for it. If they're not, then that's a different matter.

[AbbeySider]

Not sure about that.

Look at the difference an O'Hara or MacD or a PJoyce made on certain days.

With decent players around them McD and Joyce often made a difference. The fact is that Parsons is a bit young to ever have played properly alongside O Hara.
Its hard to tell if even he would still be playing football if he was playing club football in Sligo. We will never know.

[moysider]

Throw-in is at 5 on Saturday evening. Cant see our lads being complacent at all. Many of them will be trying to win their first provincial medal on the field. Also they know if they win the have a good chance of going all the way. Having squandered comfortable positions in previous 2 matches I would expect them to be more clinical this time if they get into winning situation. On the other hand I remember a savage beating down there 10 years ago in McStays time.

[magpie seanie]

Throw-in is at 5 on Saturday evening. Cant see our lads being complacent at all. Many of them will be trying to win their first provincial medal on the field. Also they know if they win the have a good chance of going all the way. Having squandered comfortable positions in previous 2 matches I would expect them to be more clinical this time if they get into winning situation. On the other hand I remember a savage beating down there 10 years ago in McStays time.

So does McStay! He still isn't over it!

[moysider]

Throw-in is at 5 on Saturday evening. Cant see our lads being complacent at all. Many of them will be trying to win their first provincial medal on the field. Also they know if they win the have a good chance of going all the way. Having squandered comfortable positions in previous 2 matches I would expect them to be more clinical this time if they get into winning situation. On the other hand I remember a savage beating down there 10 years ago in McStays time.

So does McStay! He still isn't over it!

I know ye enjoyed that one. I remember Sligo fans laughing about us well before the end and giving McStay abuse when he crossed the line to shout encouragement to his flailing troops.

Correct me if I m wrong but did ye then go and lose the final to East Galway? That was careless of ye if that was the case?

[Lar Naparka]

Now that Sligonian seems to have gone off the boil somewhat, I thought I'd sneak in a question about another Bellaghy man who also played for Mayo.     
Can anyone here remember Billy Fitzmaurice?
His father, also Billy, had been a very popular figure in Bellaghy, where he ran a clothing and footwear store.
Some may remember that he died tragically when he was left tied up and unable to move after his premises were burgled. The poor man died of hypothermia as a result. That was about 10 years ago.
Reading comments here about Billy Fitzpatrick, put the other Billy Fitz in mind.

I cannot place him on the Mayo scene however. I know his career was a fairly short one and that he was a tidy comer forward and a ciotog to boot. I can't be sure he played championship football even but he certainly played for Mayo.
In any event, it was a good number of years ago, maybe thirty to thirty five so most here will not recall it personally but there may be some who just might.
Anyone else remember this Billy?

[RedandGreenSniper]

Was it not Eddie Fitzmaurice that was the poor man who was killed Lar?

[baoithe]

Don't know about Billy but fairly sure the poor auld fella that died went by the name of Eddie. Could be wrong though.

[baoithe]

You beat me to it R&GS.