Magpies' Marty Clarke heads home to Ireland

[tyssam5]

Would he not have been in line to get a contract making reasonable money soon? Presume he was on a rookie contract before? Has he been playing this year?

[Archie Mitchell]

Would he not have been in line to get a contract making reasonable money soon? Presume he was on a rookie contract before? Has he been playing this year?

Obviously money doesnt matter. He probably has made a good bit already and will be rather well off compared to other students when he goes to university.

[ziggysego]

http://www.youtube.com/v/VeC83-99f0w&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1

That tackle alone would be reason enough for me to go home!!

Said the same thing to myself as well       

[Trevor Hill]

Very nice of Collingwood to look after him for 3 years. Great to have him back. One of the greatest young players to play the game and can only be an asset to this Down team. James should build the team around him and bring in as many of the 2005 minor team as he feels necessary. Its time to get rid of some of the dead wood on the county panel and a new broom sweeps cleanest.

[RedandGreenSniper]

Great news for Down and it will be great for the GAA to have such a cerebral player back. I saw Clarke twice as a minor. In the final against Mayo he was far from brilliant - Tom Cunniffe actually did okay on him. BUt I had occasion to see him in their semi-final win over Offaly at Navan and he gave a masterclass that day. He will take a small while to adjust back to the round ball but he'll be alright.

I won't gloat about another guy leaving Australia. It lads like it, good luck to them. If they don't, it's good to see them back. Hopefully we'll know the full story about Pierce Hanley soon. He could be playing club championship this weekend 

[Gold]

Could the GAA actually be getting a good deal in these Aussies transfers. We are getting some of our best young players 2/3 years of top class conditioning and insight into a professional sport.

If like Clarke they come back now at 22 or even younger, they'll be primed for GAA and what they may take back in terms of attitude, ideas and motivation may rub off on other players at club and county level.

I hate to see the players leaving (don't blame them) but coming back will do the GAA the world of good.

players who regressed. You're getting carried away lads- 50/50 at best.

Nicholas Walsh - cavan
Kevin Devine- dublinbernie collins- cork
declan o mahoney- dublin
mc nicholl-derry


players who didn't

stynes- dublin
tohill- derry
buckley-kildare
Mc Manomon -mayo (don't know how good he was before he left so not sure here)
Kennelly- kerry

Jury out-

Clarke-down
murphy- carlow
shields-cork

is that Kev Devine from Clontarf? when/how long was he over there for and who with?

[wobbller]

  At the end of clip it looked as if he was getting up.

[JohnDenver]

  At the end of clip it looked as if he was getting up.

someone can correct me if i'm wrong , but i think he played on after the hit.  It was only after the game they realised he was concussed.

[Master Yoda]

Think he went off for some treatment and came back on and finished the game.

[blewuporstuffed]

Think he went off for some treatment and came back on and finished the game.

yeah, was at that game,came off looking dazed and concussed but came back on at the end for about 5 minutes.think they put him back on to prove a point that he wasnt gonna be bullied and was tougher than he looks!!

[Aerlik]

Would he not have been in line to get a contract making reasonable money soon? Presume he was on a rookie contract before? Has he been playing this year?

A mate in Melbourne, a 200% Collingwood fan, mentioned that the arrival of Nathan Buckley as the assistant coach and the eventual retirement of Mick Malthouse had implications for MC. 

Could the GAA actually be getting a good deal in these Aussies transfers. We are getting some of our best young players 2/3 years of top class conditioning and insight into a professional sport.

Derry used an Aussie Sports psychologist in 1993.

and McNicholl regressed???  FFS, dd you ever see him after Australia?  True he was a superstar at minor level, playing a MacRory final at either 13 or 14 and senior inter-county not long afterwards.  But he still had a bit of puff in the tank after coming back from Australia.

Wonder if he'll be shouting for St.Kilda tomorrow.

[heffo]

Could the GAA actually be getting a good deal in these Aussies transfers. We are getting some of our best young players 2/3 years of top class conditioning and insight into a professional sport.

If like Clarke they come back now at 22 or even younger, they'll be primed for GAA and what they may take back in terms of attitude, ideas and motivation may rub off on other players at club and county level.

I hate to see the players leaving (don't blame them) but coming back will do the GAA the world of good.

players who regressed. You're getting carried away lads- 50/50 at best.

Nicholas Walsh - cavan
Kevin Devine- dublinbernie collins- cork
declan o mahoney- dublin
mc nicholl-derry


players who didn't

stynes- dublin
tohill- derry
buckley-kildare
Mc Manomon -mayo (don't know how good he was before he left so not sure here)
Kennelly- kerry

Jury out-

Clarke-down
murphy- carlow
shields-cork

is that Kev Devine from Clontarf? when/how long was he over there for and who with?

That's the one - was with Melbourne for 18 months or so - got a bad injury half way through and didn't make the cut - pity as he was a very promising minor.

He was a sub on the Dublin 3rd/4th string v Wicklow in this years O'Byrne cup.

[ludermor]

When was Declan O Mahony there? Is it the same lad that was on the panel last year?

[heffo]

When was Declan O Mahony there? Is it the same lad that was on the panel last year?

He went after winning the U21 AI in 2003 - he got homesick/didn't settle at Christmas and never came back - afaik, they tried to persuade him to give it a go.

He featured in the O'Byrne cup this year same as Devine, but his real chance was blown in 2006/7-  he had plenty of chances over a 4/5 period but never really cut it at Senior level.

[ludermor]

When was Declan O Mahony there? Is it the same lad that was on the panel last year?

He went after winning the U21 AI in 2003 - he got homesick/didn't settle at Christmas and never came back - afaik, they tried to persuade him to give it a go.

He featured in the O'Byrne cup this year same as Devine, but his real chance was blown in 2006/7-  he had plenty of chances over a 4/5 period but never really cut it at Senior level.

Cheers for that, he was working for us last year when he was on the panel but seemed to get sent off every second game he played! never knew he went to Oz