Leitrim v Roscommon 31-05-09

[rossie mad]

Cant possibly see fylnn starting centre back.dont think he cuts it at this level.f cregg could start with mannion moving out towards the middle and higgins moving into the half back line.solid enough team and it all depends on how motivated and hungry fergie will have them.i personally have this one down as a draw with hopefully ros shading it in extra time.its promised to be very warm as well on sunday so this could have an effect in terms of fitness and dehydration especially if the temperture is around 25 degress which is promised.

i hear some rumblings that cathal cregg is back in training and may have some part to play in championship football this summer if we win sunday.that is some good news if it is true.

Prediction
full time 1-10 a piece
Extra time ros to shade it by two with donie shine knocking over a couple of 45's (avenging darcy in the hyde in 94)

[Tatler Jack]

Looks like they don't know whether Keenan's in or out - or maybe Fergie and da PRO so busy trying to build a smoke screen they've only managed to confuse themselves.  Rest of team is also v dubious with players out of position and other won't be starting at all.  - Throw out any oul team there lads to keep the punters quiet and the opposition confused - NOT ! ..............

From Eugene McGee in todays Indo "The published Leitrim line-out was changed all over the field when the ball was thrown in with about 10 players in positions that did not match the programme. It amazes me that so many managers still persist with this childish behaviour, much to the extreme annoyance of spectators who, yesterday, paid €3 for a programme."

Any comment Big John?

[Death Valley]

Gary Cox, Karl Mannion, Senan Kilbride & Mickey Finneran were our stars yday. Leitrim had no forwards that could take a score from distance, hence Roscommon won this game pulling up. Leitrim appeared to have gone back alot under M&M, however I wish them all the best in the qualifers and hope they win a game or two, their vocal supporters deserve something more than a morale victory. Did not get to see the Junior game, but a 5 point win over the rhubarbs is welcome anytime at any grade.

[BigJohnBrowne]

Looks like they don't know whether Keenan's in or out - or maybe Fergie and da PRO so busy trying to build a smoke screen they've only managed to confuse themselves.  Rest of team is also v dubious with players out of position and other won't be starting at all.  - Throw out any oul team there lads to keep the punters quiet and the opposition confused - NOT ! ..............

From Eugene McGee in todays Indo "The published Leitrim line-out was changed all over the field when the ball was thrown in with about 10 players in positions that did not match the programme. It amazes me that so many managers still persist with this childish behaviour, much to the extreme annoyance of spectators who, yesterday, paid €3 for a programme."

Any comment Big John..?

McGee is very inaccurate here.  There were only a few positional switches which was mainly a rotation around half and full fwds positions.  Other players played their positions and roamed occasionally.  He's usually very accurate but got this one wrong.

[moysider]

Looks like they don't know whether Keenan's in or out - or maybe Fergie and da PRO so busy trying to build a smoke screen they've only managed to confuse themselves.  Rest of team is also v dubious with players out of position and other won't be starting at all.  - Throw out any oul team there lads to keep the punters quiet and the opposition confused - NOT ! ..............

From Eugene McGee in todays Indo "The published Leitrim line-out was changed all over the field when the ball was thrown in with about 10 players in positions that did not match the programme. It amazes me that so many managers still persist with this childish behaviour, much to the extreme annoyance of spectators who, yesterday, paid €3 for a programme."

Any comment Big John..?

McGee is very inaccurate here.  There were only a few positional switches which was mainly a rotation around half and full fwds positions.  Other players played their positions and roamed occasionally.  He's usually very accurate but got this one wrong.

Could nt believe McGee had a grouse about that. His grumpiness is all fine and well but losing the grip is another thing. I m sure most Ros and Leitrim fans would know who s probably going to play where and probable switches. It s his own inconvenience he s moaning about. Sod him. These programmes are printed well in advance and management well entitled to change lineups late. Maybe its time to introduce squad no s. Its not like rugby where roles are clearly defined. I mean if in football if somebody needs numbers 1 to 15 in parade order to figure out who s playing where then they dont have much cop. Maybe management should nt be allowed switch during games either for fear of causing confusion among the fourth estate and the casual.

[SLIGONIAN]

I think some of the criticism is totally unfair, M&M were massively unlucky with injuries with Mulligan especially, according to the all the paper reports leitrimn lacked a free taker, as Glancy got injured after 20mins, with m foley and mulligan already out. Also Regan who is either retired or injured is a huge loss this yr. Acording to most paper reports tactics were good but just lacked that composure under pressure shooting. I said last week the rossies were blessed with mulligan getting injured simple as that and it was always going to cost leitrim the game no matter how great the ros think they are after yday.

In fairness to McGee its a bit selective taking the only negative out of his article which i thought was a good read. Also interesting how both reports on the game implied Leitrim blew it and were unlucky with a peno not given in 24min which they stated turned the 1st half. All the Leitrim folk and Fergie knew Maxwell and McKeon were going to start CHB and CHF but mcgee wouldnt be familiar with Leitrim before yday so maybe a bit research before would of curtailed his frustration. Not a big deal, but it only took up 3 lines of 40 line article so I doubt he was that bothered.

[Turlough O Carolan]

Don't think you could say Leitrim blew it; despite conceding a goal at the beginning of each half, Ros always had a 4 or 5 point margin and dominated possession. Kicked way more wides than Leitrim too. Under no illusions about Roscommon. This was a team that was lucky to stay in Division 3 against a team that did not get out of Division 4. Sure look at the hammering Sligo dished out to Leitrim in the league. It was a good game because of the local rivalry and Ros Leitrim always generates a great, colourful atmosphere in Carrick. I'd worry about the way Ros conceded those goals (which were two great goals from a Leitrim perspective). What kind of damage could a Div 1 team like Mayo do if a Div 4 team can waltz through like that. Despite what Dara O'Cinnede said Sunday night, I do not think that was a penalty. Both players were going for the ball and it had already spilled away from both of them when Nolan and the Leitrim forward fell. Some refs might have given it but this ref was not harsh on Leitrim. Did I read Morrison say he gave Ros easier frees. Do not know what planet he was on. Had he given Ros easy frees Shine would have knocked them over. Most of our scores were from play. It was a very good open game of football. I had been expecting a tight, dour game. It is good to see the 2006 minors play a leading role in the development of this team. Still a very young team and players like Donie Shine and Kevin Higgins who both kicked some sweet points on Sunday are U21 again next year. Before this season began most Roscommon supporters would have considered Cathal Cregg our best forward. I still think he is and as such he is a huge loss right now because his speed and vision can split a defence. However these young lads are well able to take their scores. They won't get the same space against Mayo, however. O'Donnell has a tonne of work to do in the next 3 weeks if we are going to be within an asses roar of Mayo. Realistically we'll do well to be within 5 or 6 points and Johno sitting there on Sunday is already plotting on how to topple Galway.

[Rossfan]

A good report there Turlough.
Once we hit back with a few points after Leitrim's second goal we never looked like losing but never got far enough ahead that one could relax.
I too believe the ref got it spot on with the penalty and the Nolan/Lm forward tumble. As for morrison ..eff off...Lm got 50% more frees than us if i remember the stats correctly.
Our defence wasnt wonderful yesterday but we stsrted with 3 men making thisr Championship debuts and Paul Gleeson made that 4 out of 6 from the 20th minute onwards.
Forwards took some good scores but were guilty of trying to do too much carrying in the first half especially.
Good to win a game at last and sure hopefully we'll keep the ball kicked out to Mayo.
By the way 13,857 was a fine crowd when you consider the 2 counties combined have under 90,000 people. Massive Lm turnout probably up to 9,000 or 30% of the population.
Well done but really did we need the "Easy Easy" chants after 5 minutes  or the "rather be a P**i than a Rossie" stuff from the behind the goal mob?

[ross matt]

Only saw it on the box so scrappy bits were left out but that aside Ross's point taking & Leitrim's goals were excellent. Fergie picked  a skillful forward line that know how to score and are comfortable on the ball. Physically they also looked fit and sharp.

The downsides were how McKeon sailed through for that goal. Parsons & Trevor Mort will have noted that with interest. Also we got time on the ball to land nice long distance points... time we wont get in Castlebar.

Surely Leitrim should have had Maxwell in on the edge of the square? He has done damage there versus Finian Hanley so it's safe to say he would have caused the Ross full forwardline serious problems.

McGee's article was inconsistent. Praised the high skill and commitment from both sides but his criticism of Leitrim's positional alterations were off the mark and when he said we relish playing Mayo in Castlebar its obvious he's not that well up Connacht rivalry.

[Tatler Jack]

He's usually very accurate but got this one wrong.

Like yourself John with your original comment

[IolarCoisCuain]

McGee's article was inconsistent. Praised the high skill and commitment from both sides but his criticism of Leitrim's positional alterations were off the mark and when he said we relish playing Mayo in Castlebar its obvious he's not that well up Connacht rivalry.

I'd say McGee is plenty well up Matt. It's just that he's always been fond of the Ross and is giving them a bit of a boost. Same with the media reports on that game in Carrick. Leitrim were down to their fourth choice free-taker in that game. Not many counties could take that disadvantage.

I've also thought for a long time that McGee doesn't rate Mayo. He just doesn't fancy them. Keith Duggan has a good story in House of Pain from JP Kean's time at UCD when McGee was coach there. Kean was the up and coming Mayo star in the seventies, and he thought he was cool as. There he was at training, lovely set of locks, tricks and flicks on the ball, the works. McGee took one look at him, said "another ****ing Mayo footballer," and stomped off.

Well. You have to laugh.

[spectator]

Well. You have to laugh.

I think the angle the media coverage of the game has adapted is somewhat patronising to Leitrim, tbh. Leitrim played their hearts out & threw the kitchen sink at us, as they always do, but the better team won on the day. I doubt the result would have been any different had JG stayed on or the dubious penno been awarded. I've seen better Leitrim teams come up against Ros & that's no disrespect to Sunday's team. Their goals at the start of each half were really what made a game of it though, if ye know what I mean. Kilbride was blatantly hauled down for Ros' penno, but i genuinely didn't think at the time that Nolan's challenge warranted a Leitrim penno & interestingly, even the Dromahair man stood beside me deemed it "a 50/50 at best" which just about summed it up. I thought Ros lost out on a lot of frees, especially when SK was being constantly fouled in the second half. Leitrim got the majority of the frees throughout the game & while it was tough luck that they lost their free-taker so early on, they didn't have the forwards who were capable of providing the damage on the scoreboard from play when all was said and done. Their three wides after Ros' second goal were killers imo. I think in the hot conditions they tired in the second half & became loose. Still, it was good to see the younger Ros players playing on the front foot & to the fore throughout the game. The defence is a big worry though. As a London cabbie might put it... "you'd get a bus frew there, no bover." Hopefully Mayo won't, but I seriously doubt it. It may turn out to be a game where Johnno could find out a thing or two about his team of 2009, but realistically, they shouldn't be over-extended against this Ros side which is in the very early stages of its development.

[ross matt]

McGee's article was inconsistent. Praised the high skill and commitment from both sides but his criticism of Leitrim's positional alterations were off the mark and when he said we relish playing Mayo in Castlebar its obvious he's not that well up Connacht rivalry.

I'd say McGee is plenty well up Matt. It's just that he's always been fond of the Ross and is giving them a bit of a boost. Same with the media reports on that game in Carrick. Leitrim were down to their fourth choice free-taker in that game. Not many counties could take that disadvantage.

I've also thought for a long time that McGee doesn't rate Mayo. He just doesn't fancy them. Keith Duggan has a good story in House of Pain from JP Kean's time at UCD when McGee was coach there. Kean was the up and coming Mayo star in the seventies, and he thought he was cool as. There he was at training, lovely set of locks, tricks and flicks on the ball, the works. McGee took one look at him, said "another ****ing Mayo footballer," and stomped off.

Well. You have to laugh.

That's the prob Iorla - McGee always rates us too highly! Remember his "pin up boys of gaelic football" article a few years back and then what came after?