Queens withdraw from McKenna Cup

[NaomhBridAbú]

What a niave post that is about Brian Mc Ivor, who is with Mc Ivor that he might want to keep sweet. Answer on a stamp.

Does it make his philosophy wrong? It's a far more player orientated approach than others have chosen.

Tally is his coach. Thats the simple reason. He's not going to fall out with him.

I don't think he allowed them play with their colleges to appease Tally. That is doing McIvor a disservice, after all he has been involved at colleges level and has previously managed Donegal and never felt the need to co-erce the college players to play McKenna cup for their counties.

Its a common sense player orientated approach. These players main focus at the moment will be the upcoming Sigerson campaigns. Apart from the fact that its simply the county managers simply trying to show whos the boss (led by Mickey Harte, the rest have followed), logically if they allow their players to play for their colleges then  they will not only have their own squad of say 20 match day players but also those additional college players putting themselves on trial against county teams.

You can dress it up whatever way you want but its simply the county managers trying to lay down the law. The Ulster council need to grow a set or scrap the current format.

Agree 100% -if the Ulster Council really wanted the competition to work for Universities then they would make that happen but they are showing such an obvious lack of desire, or they don't want to go head to head with Mickey Harte. Eitehr way they are showing no balls whatsoever

[shawshank]

On one hand you have the uni crying about not getting access to players that the counties clubs develop. And on the other you have the the colleges governing body writing rules that prevent players from playing colleges football i.e. Mr Walsh. Ye couldn't make it up lol.

[Syferus]

Years of elligibility is a completely separate issue and one that needed to be addressed. You only need to look at other college sports around the world as to why it's better to ensure players can't take up residence on college teams. The number of players it effects is absolutely minuscule.

[yellowcard]

On one hand you have the uni crying about not getting access to players that the counties clubs develop. And on the other you have the the colleges governing body writing rules that prevent players from playing colleges football i.e. Mr Walsh. Ye couldn't make it up lol.

Thats an entirely unrelated situation and not relevant to the issue of whether universities should have first call on players for McKenna cup.

[ck]

Asked a college player from my club last night how this is dealt with in FbD and he said the college has first say on the first three players from any one county. After that the college and county negotiate. Pretty fair all round if you ask me. Ulster should do likewise or would Lord Mickey Harte not be happy with that? Mickey seems to rule the roost up there! Council afraid to stand up to him doesn't help situation

[rodney trotter]

Asked a college player from my club last night how this is dealt with in FbD and he said the college has first say on the first three players from any one county. After that the college and county negotiate. Pretty fair all round if you ask me. Ulster should do likewise or would Lord Mickey Harte not be happy with that? Mickey seems to rule the roost up there! Council afraid to stand up to him doesn't help situation

It's the same in every Province bar Ulster. Colleges had first call on County players, Cavan have a few county players in Dit,DcuU,Ucd, Sligo It. Won't have them for the McKenna Cup.

Jim McGuinness had a fall out with Niall Moyna from DCU over not releasing players so it not just Mickey Harte who is to blame. Never been any problem with Cavan releasing players.

[NaomhBridAbú]

these colleges treat the top players as elite athletes - they get the best coaching, training, facilities available ANYWHERE. Long term beneficiaries are the player, their club, and if they progress, their counties.

And all of this comes at a cost...after all the work they do with the players, its unfair that the colleges don't get first pick, especially if that's what the ulster council have set up as a 'rule'

two key men for St Marys this year will be Morgan and Clarke...will they be on the starting 15 for Tyrone? how much game time will they get thru the McKenna cup for tyrone v the game time they will get thru st marys?

Who benefits most and who has the most to loose? Thats maybe a moot point, but at the end of the day the Ulster council have had the chance YET AGAIN (WHAT HAVE THEY DONE SO FAR WITH KILCOO?)to do the right thing, yet take the path of absolutely no resistance.

there's more balls in the neighbours garden than in the ulster council

[Redhand Santa]

these colleges treat the top players as elite athletes - they get the best coaching, training, facilities available ANYWHERE. Long term beneficiaries are the player, their club, and if they progress, their counties.

And all of this comes at a cost...after all the work they do with the players, its unfair that the colleges don't get first pick, especially if that's what the ulster council have set up as a 'rule'

two key men for St Marys this year will be Morgan and Clarke...will they be on the starting 15 for Tyrone? how much game time will they get thru the McKenna cup for tyrone v the game time they will get thru st marys?

Who benefits most and who has the most to loose? Thats maybe a moot point, but at the end of the day the Ulster council have had the chance YET AGAIN (WHAT HAVE THEY DONE SO FAR WITH KILCOO?)to do the right thing, yet take the path of absolutely no resistance.

there's more balls in the neighbours garden than in the ulster council

I wouldn't try to guess where they'll get more time playing. Based on previous years there is a strong possibilty that Tyrone will get 5 games in the competition versus 3 of St Marys. If that's the case wouldn't be surprised if they end up playing 3 for Tyrone. Tyrone have used the McKenna Cup to set them up for the year ahead since Harte took over and it has delivered positive results.

[Syferus]

Almost all the 'elite' colleges players have been in their counties' development systems since ages 14 and up, nevermind their own clubs and secondary school teams. Colleges cherry-pick the best minor county players, it doesn't take rocket science to see how colleges scout their sports scholarships. To say the players owe all their knowledge or development, or even anything close to a majority of it, to their college is as big a fallacy as I've yet seen.

College level helps a player's development, but if one side or the other is a passenger it's most definitely college. There's a lot of dewy-eyed idealisation of college football going on in this thread.

[NaomhBridAbú]

these colleges treat the top players as elite athletes - they get the best coaching, training, facilities available ANYWHERE. Long term beneficiaries are the player, their club, and if they progress, their counties.

And all of this comes at a cost...after all the work they do with the players, its unfair that the colleges don't get first pick, especially if that's what the ulster council have set up as a 'rule'

two key men for St Marys this year will be Morgan and Clarke...will they be on the starting 15 for Tyrone? how much game time will they get thru the McKenna cup for tyrone v the game time they will get thru st marys?

Who benefits most and who has the most to loose? Thats maybe a moot point, but at the end of the day the Ulster council have had the chance YET AGAIN (WHAT HAVE THEY DONE SO FAR WITH KILCOO?)to do the right thing, yet take the path of absolutely no resistance.

there's more balls in the neighbours garden than in the ulster council

I wouldn't try to guess where they'll get more time playing. Based on previous years there is a strong possibilty that Tyrone will get 5 games in the competition versus 3 of St Marys. If that's the case wouldn't be surprised if they end up playing 3 for Tyrone. Tyrone have used the McKenna Cup to set them up for the year ahead since Harte took over and it has delivered positive results.

Niall McKenna didnt get too much ball time last year with tyrone....but i take your point...will be interesting to see how much morgan and clarke get with tyrone

[Redhand Santa]

these colleges treat the top players as elite athletes - they get the best coaching, training, facilities available ANYWHERE. Long term beneficiaries are the player, their club, and if they progress, their counties.

And all of this comes at a cost...after all the work they do with the players, its unfair that the colleges don't get first pick, especially if that's what the ulster council have set up as a 'rule'

two key men for St Marys this year will be Morgan and Clarke...will they be on the starting 15 for Tyrone? how much game time will they get thru the McKenna cup for tyrone v the game time they will get thru st marys?

Who benefits most and who has the most to loose? Thats maybe a moot point, but at the end of the day the Ulster council have had the chance YET AGAIN (WHAT HAVE THEY DONE SO FAR WITH KILCOO?)to do the right thing, yet take the path of absolutely no resistance.

there's more balls in the neighbours garden than in the ulster council

I wouldn't try to guess where they'll get more time playing. Based on previous years there is a strong possibilty that Tyrone will get 5 games in the competition versus 3 of St Marys. If that's the case wouldn't be surprised if they end up playing 3 for Tyrone. Tyrone have used the McKenna Cup to set them up for the year ahead since Harte took over and it has delivered positive results.

Niall McKenna didnt get too much ball time last year with tyrone....but i take your point...will be interesting to see how much morgan and clarke get with tyrone

Quickly checked this out cause had a feeling he played a good bit. He started full forward versus Antrim, midfield against Fermanagh in the semi final and also came on against Queens. Not sure if appeared in the final.

[Orchardman]

Colleges should have the players, very simple as they were the rules set down before lord micky started messing. Have to laugh at all this 'important for getting ready for the national league'! National league is a dud too.

Mckenna cup gets ready for national league.
National league gets ready for provincial championship.
provincial championship gets ready for the qualifer/ or last 8 when the GAA season finally really starts.
Even worse than this counties want to train in november so they can get ready for the dud that is the mckenna cup.

Colleges on the other hand have the sigerson in february which is their highlight of the year.

[rodney trotter]

Colleges should have the players, very simple as they were the rules set down before lord micky started messing. Have to laugh at all this 'important for getting ready for the national league'! National league is a dud too.

Mckenna cup gets ready for national league.
National league gets ready for provincial championship.
provincial championship gets ready for the qualifer/ or last 8 when the GAA season finally really starts.
Even worse than this counties want to train in november so they can get ready for the dud that is the mckenna cup.

Colleges on the other hand have the sigerson in february which is their highlight of the year.

DIT beat St Marys in the Ryan Cup final 2 weeks. Harldy a lifetime ago. Its the same thing as the league ending in April and Championship starting in May. Sigerson starts at the end of Januray.

Challenge games are meant for a season. Or maybe Queens,UUJ,ST Marys should appaly for the FBD League, too late now but maybe for next year or the O Byrne cup although it has lots of teams as it is

[Syferus]

Colleges should have the players, very simple as they were the rules set down before lord micky started messing. Have to laugh at all this 'important for getting ready for the national league'! National league is a dud too.

Mckenna cup gets ready for national league.
National league gets ready for provincial championship.
provincial championship gets ready for the qualifer/ or last 8 when the GAA season finally really starts.
Even worse than this counties want to train in november so they can get ready for the dud that is the mckenna cup.

Colleges on the other hand have the sigerson in february which is their highlight of the year.

You've swallowed all the media hype in one go there. For the majority of counties their number one aim is promotion or progress in the league, it's only the five or so teams with a snowball's chance of winning the All-Ireland that think the real business begins in any sense at all in August.

[Rossfan]

Colleges should have the players, very simple as they were the rules set down before lord micky started messing. Have to laugh at all this 'important for getting ready for the national league'! National league is a dud too.

Mckenna cup gets ready for national league.
National league gets ready for provincial championship.
provincial championship gets ready for the qualifer/ or last 8 when the GAA season finally really starts.
Even worse than this counties want to train in november so they can get ready for the dud that is the mckenna cup.

Colleges on the other hand have the sigerson in february which is their highlight of the year.

You've swallowed all the media hype in one go there. For the majority of counties their number one aim is promotion or progress in the league, it's only the five or so teams with a snowball's chance of winning the All-Ireland that think the real business begins in any sense at all in August.

Arrah Syfín I thought you might have got some biteen of sense of late but you're off again embarrassing us Ros lads