Ciaran Whelan's Return.

[An Gaeilgoir]

I read today in the Indo. that Ciaran is due to return to the Dublin squad for the next round of the league. Was he injured?...the reason i was wondering is that he was as "in good shape" in the chipper in raheny the night of the French rugby match in Croker. His buddy was going round telling everyone"thats Ciaran Whelan,he plays for the Dubs!" It was very funny.But i thought that these kind of nights wouldnt be allowed at this stage of the year? Even our club players at home are off the beer since the start of Feb.

[criostlinn]

Did he not come on as a sub against Donegal last week ??

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Did he not come on as a sub against Donegal last week ??

Yes, he did, but might as well not have! 

[Gold]

he was shite and hit a big hoofed shot well wide

same old

[An Laoch]

and picked up a booking for a nasty tackle after only a few mins on the pitch.

[tayto]

I thin it's a bit rich asking players to be off the drink all year, the dubs have started back late this year and Caffery seems to have given the more experienced players a bit of a break. This off the drink for 8 months of the year is exactly the sort of stuff that has certain people looking for pay for play.

[An Gaeilgoir]

Maybe so Tayto,but Ciaran Whelan is one of the highest profile players in the country. If he cant find it in him to lead his team by example well what about the younger members of the team. How many Kerry,Tyrone,Mayo or any other counties are still drinking at this stage of the season. The Dubs have been out of the championship since August...plenty of time between then and now. i.m.o.
Its doesnt bode well for the Dubs me thinks!

[DUBSFORSAM1]

This lark of giving up the booze for 7/8 months is a ridiculous thing to expect from AMATEUR players...

It doesn't appear to have a detrimental effect on Rugby, Soccer, AFL players etc....as long as its not a continuous session....

[tayto]

Maybe so Tayto,but Ciaran Whelan is one of the highest profile players in the country. If he cant find it in him to lead his team by example well what about the younger members of the team. How many Kerry,Tyrone,Mayo or any other counties are still drinking at this stage of the season. The Dubs have been out of the championship since August...plenty of time between then and now. i.m.o.
Its doesnt bode well for the Dubs me thinks!

I'd worry more about our footballing ability then commitment to be honest. Professional rugby and football players go on the lash from time to time during the season, plus anecdotal evidence that someone friend saw a player in the pub doesn't mean said player was actually hammered.

[Hound]

and picked up a booking for a nasty tackle after only a few mins on the pitch.

a "nasty tackle"? Just have to laugh at some of the shíte some people are prepared to type.

It was a shoulder into some lads chest after he'd released the ball. It didnt knock him down, but did stop him from going for any return ball. Definitely a bookable offence but its rare that anyone gets booked for it as play usually continues and the ref very rarely goes back.

To call it nasty is just stupid. Its a tactic introduced to the nation by Armagh, quickly copied by Tyrone, and now most teams use it, unfortunately (you'd be mad not to use it given how few times you get pulled up for it). The more that get booked for it the better.

I see absolutely nothing wrong with a fella having drinks two weeks before the next intercounty match.

Because of taking time off and then picking up two injuries, Whelan has done very little training with the Dubs, although by the Cork match he'll have at least a good month under his belt.

[magpie seanie]

It was a shoulder into some lads chest after he'd released the ball. It didnt knock him down, but did stop him from going for any return ball. Definitely a bookable offence but its rare that anyone gets booked for it as play usually continues and the ref very rarely goes back

From what I can tell they seem to be clamping down on this sort of thing this year (so far anyway). O'Hara got a second yellow for the exact smae thing v. Waterford. Is it really a yellow card offence? We could end up with 11 v. 11 if this is implemented.

[charlie linkbox]

Is it really a yellow card offence? We could end up with 11 v. 11 if this is implemented.

Ah it is. Better to stamp it out than turn a blind eye. It'd get out of hand otherwise.

[lynchbhoy]

It was a shoulder into some lads chest after he'd released the ball. It didnt knock him down, but did stop him from going for any return ball. Definitely a bookable offence but its rare that anyone gets booked for it as play usually continues and the ref very rarely goes back

From what I can tell they seem to be clamping down on this sort of thing this year (so far anyway). O'Hara got a second yellow for the exact smae thing v. Waterford. Is it really a yellow card offence? We could end up with 11 v. 11 if this is implemented.

third man tackle like that is a free, and if deemed a personal foul - can get a yellow card alright, discration of the ref though

It was said that ref's were meant to be giving yellow cards out in an effort to stop this tactic a couple o years ago, butit didnt really happen.
Maybe this is the case this year...

[magpie seanie]

I just thought that it was funny seeing O'Hara getting the line for it when over the years he'd have been more sinned against than sinning in this area.

[stephenite]

I just thought that it was funny seeing O'Hara getting the line for it when over the years he'd have been more sinned against than sinning in this area.

Too true,the amount of times he was taken out on one of his runs was ridiculous - every time he seemed to let go of the ball there'd be someone waiting to hit him. Always thought it was something mentioned before a match in the dressing room as about the only way of stopping him some days