Ulster Colleges

[elk]

Must have been a great game to watch - all attack no defence? Haughey may have been in the Down minor panel last year put I don't remember him starting any games, he certainly seems to be on fire at the moment.

[naka]

Abbey/ dungannon match now on tomorrow night
Close one to call but think abbey might squeeze through.

[naka]

As I said close game which was a credit to colleges football
Game ended all square 2-13 each
Abbey looked dead and buried with 4 mins left but pulled a goal and a point against wind to equalise .
The dungannon firstgoal was a top class  effort from a Rory mc gloane( I think)
Classy player .
Poor conditions but two strong teams

[haranguerer]

Great goal, but what exactly is the craic with steps these days? Are you allowed as many as you want if you're about to pull the trigger?

[naka]

Fair comment but in real time it looked great

[haranguerer]

I can imagine, and I'd have been as pissed off as anyone else if the ref had blew...but with all the talk about enforcing rules, it's one that seems to be just left to any refs interpretation. Like if you were strolling out of defence with no one round you, you'd be blown for 4 and a half steps, but when you're going by men or bearing down on goal, you'll get away with 8. It's just strange

[SkillfulBill]

The refing in that game was seriously suspect. The Abbey can without doubt thank Higgins for keeping them in the competition. In the closing mins he allowed a 14 yard free to be retaken after been missed. Academy 4 pts up with 2 mins left on clock Academy played a long ball into Fintan McClure at fullforward. McClure was out in front and was clearly pushed in the back. Ref gives a free out for touching ball on ground not even the most partisan in the ground could understand it. Had the decision been made fairly Academy would have pointed and been 5 up game over. Instead ball goes down the other end goal. Ref calls 3 mins extra time. Abbey equalises in the 4 min of extra time. I dont often comment on ref'ing but i did find that display very questionable.It's not up to the man in the middle to have such an impact on the result.

[Man Marker]

That particular ref is the definition of a complete tube

[Any craic]

Video report from tonight's MacRory Cup draw, St Patrick's Academy Dungannon 2-13 Abbey CBS  2-13 http://www.ulstercollegesgaa.org

[BADONEY]

One has got to admire the comeback from Abbey even with the refs assistance , this draw and tomorrow nights postponement leaves the  fixtures body in a pickle , any word when the Colmans v Omagh is scheduled.

[SkillfulBill]

Can't fault the Abbey at all for sticking with it and making the most of a poor official. What concerns me is that i think he may be an inter county ref. I think he had one of Ballinderrys games in the ulster club did Kevin Collins do something to upset him ?

[Champion The Wonder Horse]

The refing in that game was seriously suspect. The Abbey can without doubt thank Higgins for keeping them in the competition. In the closing mins he allowed a 14 yard free to be retaken after been missed. Academy 4 pts up with 2 mins left on clock Academy played a long ball into Fintan McClure at fullforward. McClure was out in front and was clearly pushed in the back. Ref gives a free out for touching ball on ground not even the most partisan in the ground could understand it. Had the decision been made fairly Academy would have pointed and been 5 up game over. Instead ball goes down the other end goal. Ref calls 3 mins extra time. Abbey equalises in the 4 min of extra time. I dont often comment on ref'ing but i did find that display very questionable.It's not up to the man in the middle to have such an impact on the result.

Academy have only themselves to blame. With the exception of a fifteen minute spell before half-time, they were far and away the better side.

With regards to your points above, the free wasn't from 14 yards; it was closer to fifty yards and was moved forward for the second attempt due to some sort of skullduggery from the Academy players when the first attempt was being taken. In the incident involving McClure (assuming it was the same one), the ball had passed both players and McClure was blown for a push, clearly signalled by Higgins. I thought the 3 minutes injury time was skimpy enough, given a couple of quite long stoppages for injuries to Academy players. The Abbey goal was scored after 32 minutes and 20 seconds; they won the kickout and a free kick was correctly awarded during the ensuing attack. As a neutral I thought Higgins got all three calls spot on.

Not his fault the Academy, whatever an academy is, couldn't close the game out. they should win the replay relatively comfortably though.

[elk]

The refing in that game was seriously suspect. The Abbey can without doubt thank Higgins for keeping them in the competition. In the closing mins he allowed a 14 yard free to be retaken after been missed. Academy 4 pts up with 2 mins left on clock Academy played a long ball into Fintan McClure at fullforward. McClure was out in front and was clearly pushed in the back. Ref gives a free out for touching ball on ground not even the most partisan in the ground could understand it. Had the decision been made fairly Academy would have pointed and been 5 up game over. Instead ball goes down the other end goal. Ref calls 3 mins extra time. Abbey equalises in the 4 min of extra time. I dont often comment on ref'ing but i did find that display very questionable.It's not up to the man in the middle to have such an impact on the result.

I agree the ref got it right plus Academy did try to waste as much time as they could and have only themselves for not closing the game out. I thought if the Abbey had taken their chances in the 1st half the game would have been over, missed alot of frees. Can't see the Abbey playing as poorly again but Gromley needs to have a serious look at how he is lining his team out especailly in midfield and half back line. Number 8 for Acamemy had a great game, maybe a few too many steps for his goal but great to see a young lad playing football in such a positive manner.

[naka]

The refing in that game was seriously suspect. The Abbey can without doubt thank Higgins for keeping them in the competition. In the closing mins he allowed a 14 yard free to be retaken after been missed. Academy 4 pts up with 2 mins left on clock Academy played a long ball into Fintan McClure at fullforward. McClure was out in front and was clearly pushed in the back. Ref gives a free out for touching ball on ground not even the most partisan in the ground could understand it. Had the decision been made fairly Academy would have pointed and been 5 up game over. Instead ball goes down the other end goal. Ref calls 3 mins extra time. Abbey equalises in the 4 min of extra time. I dont often comment on ref'ing but i did find that display very questionable.It's not up to the man in the middle to have such an impact on the result.

Academy have only themselves to blame. With the exception of a fifteen minute spell before half-time, they were far and away the better side.

With regards to your points above, the free wasn't from 14 yards; it was closer to fifty yards and was moved forward for the second attempt due to some sort of skullduggery from the Academy players when the first attempt was being taken. In the incident involving McClure (assuming it was the same one), the ball had passed both players and McClure was blown for a push, clearly signalled by Higgins. I thought the 3 minutes injury time was skimpy enough, given a couple of quite long stoppages for injuries to Academy players. The Abbey goal was scored after 32 minutes and 20 seconds; they won the kickout and a free kick was correctly awarded during the ensuing attack. As a neutral I thought Higgins got all three calls spot on.

Not his fault the Academy, whatever an academy is, couldn't close the game out. they should win the replay relatively comfortably though.

still think this is a 50/50 game
abbey should have led by more at half time, referee was ok for both teams, I actually think it is easy a lot of the times to blame the ref but dungannon concede a poor goal in injury time when they had at least 4 guys between mc coy/ and the nets

[lenny]

I can imagine, and I'd have been as pissed off as anyone else if the ref had blew...but with all the talk about enforcing rules, it's one that seems to be just left to any refs interpretation. Like if you were strolling out of defence with no one round you, you'd be blown for 4 and a half steps, but when you're going by men or bearing down on goal, you'll get away with 8. It's just strange

Some forwards seem to get away with the steps rule. Sean cavanagh takes about 10 steps every time he does his dummy but i've never seen him blown for it. By the way its great to get highlights of these games on the ulster colleges website. Young haughey from colmans looks a great prospect. Two really good goals in last nights game also.