NFL Division 3 Thread

[haranguerer]

Yeah just Colin Brady, Andy McClean, Sean Burke, Aodhan Gallagher, Terry O'Neill and Kevin Niblock from last year. Sean Kelly and Conor McGourty to play this year too.

Very few to return to be honest.

Five of those you name were about at the start of last years championship run - my point is thats a lot less to be missing than you'd expect when looking down a Galls teamsheet and seeing so many names recognisable from having played ic for Antrim at some stage.

[haranguerer]

Interesting division.

Antrim - Fermanagh next up if I'm correct?

It's hard to know where it stands. If Fermanagh beat Antrim it's wide open again. We've not beat fermanagh in a while...

Wexford would have a lot of experience in their team for this level of football so I'd have to say I'd favour them for top.

I'd say yis'll not have long to wait unless theres a miraculous improvement in the Fermanagh side...

[imtommygunn]

Kelly and McGourty would walk onto the team though Haranguerer so you could be missing 7 starters although with the way certain players shaping up I'm not sure Burke will get back in though by all accounts he's been on fire for st galls.

I wouldn't write off fermanagh yet - they have some good players. Are Owens and McGrath playing yet?

I thought Louth would have beat Sliigo so surprised by that result. I notice someone mentioned Paddy Keenan went off injured and also noticed it said before Louth would be in trouble without him. Did that have a big bearing in the same?

Basically almost any team could take points of any other in this division. The jury would be out on whether roscommon would be in this bracket but they were cllose against fermanagh. I'm not sure about cavan either - another game would tell where they are.

[haranguerer]

Without a doubt! Kelly in particular is a class act. I know all those HS mentioned will be coming back this year. My point was though that Antrims run last year was with 5, and later 6 of those players. I'd imagine most people count 8/9, and thus think their loss, while obviously significant, is even greater than it actually is. I make Antrim promotion favourites - I think they're good enough to get up even without the galls lads, and obviously when they do come back, the potential is there to be very good indeed.

Talk was McGrath back for Antrim game, Owens wont play in the league (at least) as far as I know. Its not just their loss though, there are a lot of other players missing, and very inexperienced replacements  - Mark Little wont be about, Eamon Maguire isnt there, Shane McDermot has retired, a few others have left the panel/are only coming back. Fermanagh have been forced to blood too many players at the one time, and the inexperience (and lack of what it takes in some cases tbh) has really showed. Any less than about 5 changes to the team to face Antrim and I'll hold no hope at all.

[mattockranger]

Well well WELL....wasn't Sunday a most educational day for Louth GAA people



We learned we are not the team we think we are

The players are not what they think they are

We have a poor management.....stubborn, ignorant and clueless



As predicted we play a team of quality and purpose and we crumble....how we were so close at the end points to Sligo's failure to put us away and a dubious sending off...(I felt the ref was very whistle happy all afternoon)



Sligo won the game on a dominant half back line platform....a half forward line with purpose and as tricky a full forward line as you'll get....

Whereas alas Paddy Keenan went off and could be out for the rest of league....we are in big trouble I don't think we will win another game...and playing a strong DCU team next weekend will not be the tonic we need...Relegation is upon us.



First time at a game in Marciviecz park impressed by the layout and terracing but disappointed with the depth of the stand but all in all something to be proud of....

On a high point our U21's defeated Sligo's so maybe our futures better and had a great weekend in Sligo, well Saturday night, the one way system meant we did a couple of extra laps of Sligo town....but the Garravogue do great pies and shenanigans do a lovely pint of Guinness!! Watching the boxing and the Kerry game in there as well as all the talent Sligo ladies have to offer...and I must say aint too bad at all!

Sorry Sligonian and Seanie I wasn't near a computer till last night when I got home and I feel it will be a long time before we will be playing you guys in the league again.

[magpie seanie]

Glad you enjoyed Sligo, result aside. Markievicz Park has improved a good bit but I know what you mean about the stand. The problem with having a ground in a residential area. Rarely watch a match from the stand myself, nearly always behind the dugouts the far side.

Wasn't in Sligo Saturday night as it turns out but if you're over our way again give me a shout.

[SambaSaffron]

Interesting division.

Antrim - Fermanagh next up if I'm correct?

It's hard to know where it stands. If Fermanagh beat Antrim it's wide open again. We've not beat fermanagh in a while...

Wexford would have a lot of experience in their team for this level of football so I'd have to say I'd favour them for top.

When was the last time we played Fermanagh though? The only meeting I can think of was the Championship one where Kevin McGourty was sent off.

Last one I remember before that was the All-Ireland B in 1999, which we won.

[SambaSaffron]

We should have beaten them that day in Enniskillen too. By fcuk it rained.

Kicked ourselves out of it. And yes, it rained. Hard.

[imtommygunn]

Well to be honest I can remember...

- the championship the other year
- all ireland b
- clones years ago in a league play-off
- a league game in the nineties where it was effectively a game to see who was the worst in ulster. everyone thought fermanagh were until they spanked us

I think fermanagh and antrim have even avoided each other in the mckenna cup for years.

Fermanagh have 3 out of 4 but that's over nearly a 20 year period...

[Gold]

My jeans are still on the radiator from that day at Brewster--how many 13 yard frees did we miss that day? Although the minors won by a point

We got beat by a point in the championship around 91 in Irvinestown --1-9 to 1-8 i think

Also got bate in a Hastings Cup semi a few years ago by them.

Have missed each other and also Monaghan on the whole since.

[rossie mad]

After leaving brewster park saturday evening in the most depressing mood ive finally got the will to post.
First of all and out of the way the ref was pants plain and simple.
How a forward collects a pass in his chest and then immediately gets pushed to the ground and is awarded a free against him defies any law known to man.Blaming refs is not in my nature as it wasnt his fault ross lost but he definitily didnt help.

Anyway on the match itself thought ross were very good in terms of heart and determination and driving forward but they lacked that bit of composure to see out the game.
Fermanagh were woeful especially in the second half and i cant emphasise that enough.

They fell asleep after getting the first goal and their passing was as close to junior b as you will get.
Thats why i was so sick we lost.We were by far the better team in terms of overall play and anyone who was at the game and says ross were bad didnt watch the game.
Ross were good nothing spectacular but were good and a 110% improvement on the cavan game.
our problem is inexperience the two defenders who let the pass in for the killer goal were two young lads.An older head wouldnt have let him down the line in the first place to pass the ball across the square.No experience head to say your not getting in.
However the young lads of ogara shine (what a performance) domnican and ormsby was most gratifying and young connaughton when he came on as well.

On another point the welcome we got in brewster park was exceptional.
I think ulster people go out of their way to be accomadating to visiting fans and i had some very enjoyable chats with good characters.

[Denn Forever]

Every feckin county is tipping themselves for relegation.

Its a trick they've learned from you HS. 

[A Quinn Martin Production]

My jeans are still on the radiator from that day at Brewster--how many 13 yard frees did we miss that day? Although the minors won by a point

We got beat by a point in the championship around 91 in Irvinestown --1-9 to 1-8 i think

Also got bate in a Hastings Cup semi a few years ago by them.

Have missed each other and also Monaghan on the whole since.

Think that might have been 92??  In 91 we were hammered in Casement by Fermangh despite a first minute goal (from Chris Murphy I think)..think Fermanagh ran up about 3-12 that day...a couple of goals from Mark Gallagher of Devenish??

[ross4life]

can someone explain the fixture structure for me?

first we have 2 games in two weeks

then a 3 week break 

finish off with 5 games in 5 weeks

[Celt_Man]

can someone explain the fixture structure for me?

first we have 2 games in two weeks

then a 3 week break 

finish off with 5 games in 5 weeks

Well it's the Sigerson weekend this weekend so that's why there's none but after that I have no idea