Queens withdraw from McKenna Cup

[theticklemister]

Mickey Harte talks some absolute shite!!

"the fact that Tyrone declared a strong desire to win every competition they entered is recognised by many as the catalyst which sparked a new interest on the competition"

More proof that football was indeed invented in 2003! 

I agree screenexile with the shite and mickey harte's mouth.

He stated in his piece (the first I have read in months becuase he wanted to clarify his stance I wanted to see what his reasons were for. Usually his pieces are terribly boring). He also went on to say that

'that county managers never interfere in the Ryan Cup campaign'.

Je Mickey that is big of ye not taking players away in the month of November and December.

[Redhand Santa]

Mickey Harte talks some absolute shite!!

"the fact that Tyrone declared a strong desire to win every competition they entered is recognised by many as the catalyst which sparked a new interest on the competition"

More proof that football was indeed invented in 2003! 

The change in the timing of the McKenna Cup to pre league in 2003 and the increased emphasis on it by Tyrone who have won 3 All Irelands in the peiod since certainly in my opinion had the biggest impact on making it a successful competition. The university games are the worst attended and in my opinion the only advantage they give is an extra run out for the players.

[onefaircounty]

Mickey Harte talks some absolute shite!!

"the fact that Tyrone declared a strong desire to win every competition they entered is recognised by many as the catalyst which sparked a new interest on the competition"

More proof that football was indeed invented in 2003! 

The university games are the worst attended and in my opinion the only advantage they give is an extra run out for the players.

There's arguments for and against what the colleges have brought.

But please. Yourself and, I think, O'Neill have both brought up the attendance thing of the universities. It's not relevant as it goes without saying they'll be the least attended as there is only one fanbase present.

[JUst retired]

T Fearon, you saw a photo of Mickey Harte in a Mc Kenna cup final in 1975. Did his Uni. play in that competion in 1975? I thought they only came in a couple of years ago.

[Redhand Santa]

Mickey Harte talks some absolute shite!!

"the fact that Tyrone declared a strong desire to win every competition they entered is recognised by many as the catalyst which sparked a new interest on the competition"

More proof that football was indeed invented in 2003! 

The university games are the worst attended and in my opinion the only advantage they give is an extra run out for the players.

There's arguments for and against what the colleges have brought.

But please. Yourself and, I think, O'Neill have both brought up the attendance thing of the universities. It's not relevant as it goes without saying they'll be the least attended as there is only one fanbase present.

I really doubt that at the average match that there is a huge away following. I know for in Tyrone that attendances at the uni games are significantly lower and its not just the away support. And surely a competition like this has to be judged on attendances anyway? In the gaa its the biggest reason for scrapping competitions. I'd say the following games are among the biggest attended games:
Tyrone Donegal 04 final - 12,000
Tyrone Armagh 06 semi - 20,000
Tyrone Fermanagh 2012 - 7,000
Tyrone/Ferm, Down Derry 2012 - 11,000+
Tyrone Donegal 2006 - 10,000+

Not a uni in sight and Tyrone involved in them all. Its no coincidence given the emphasis placed on the competition by Tyrone and in particular Mickey Harte. He's done more for the McKenna Cup than any other manager in Ulster in my opinion.

[Redhand Santa]

What's the largest attendance at a university game in the McKenna Cup? Even the year Queen's got to the final per the ulster gaa website there was just 2,000 at the final. The facts speak for themselves there is much lower crowds at their games and its not just down to only one county being involved. People aren't overly interested in going to the games involving the universities. All this talk about them saving the McKenna Cup etc is nonsense.

[ck]

What's the largest attendance at a university game in the McKenna Cup? Even the year Queen's got to the final per the ulster gaa website there was just 2,000 at the final. The facts speak for themselves there is much lower crowds at their games and its not just down to only one county being involved. People aren't overly interested in going to the games involving the universities. All this talk about them saving the McKenna Cup etc is nonsense.

Redhand no harm to you but your obsession with attendances on this issue is about as relevant as how green the grass was. The colleges play all their games away from home and they do not have a significant following. Their addition to the competition was such a success that we in Connaught copied the format and Leinster and Munster quickly followed. It has added a new demension and adds further passing interest even if you were not to attend a game. Even the most blinkered Tyrone fan would admit that, although some are so blinkered that they just get obssesed with attendances.

[INDIANA]

What's the largest attendance at a university game in the McKenna Cup? Even the year Queen's got to the final per the ulster gaa website there was just 2,000 at the final. The facts speak for themselves there is much lower crowds at their games and its not just down to only one county being involved. People aren't overly interested in going to the games involving the universities. All this talk about them saving the McKenna Cup etc is nonsense.

Couldn't agree more. I wouldn't bother my arse going to watch Dublin play a university team.

If I want to watch a university play I'll go and watch a Sigerson match.

If I want to go and watch Dublin play- I'll go and watch them playing a county side.

Fairly straightforward for me.

It was encapsulated in the O Byrne Cup Final last year when Kildare juniors played DCU in the final

[Redhand Santa]

What's the largest attendance at a university game in the McKenna Cup? Even the year Queen's got to the final per the ulster gaa website there was just 2,000 at the final. The facts speak for themselves there is much lower crowds at their games and its not just down to only one county being involved. People aren't overly interested in going to the games involving the universities. All this talk about them saving the McKenna Cup etc is nonsense.

Redhand no harm to you but your obsession with attendances on this issue is about as relevant as how green the grass was. The colleges play all their games away from home and they do not have a significant following. Their addition to the competition was such a success that we in Connaught copied the format and Leinster and Munster quickly followed. It has added a new demension and adds further passing interest even if you were not to attend a game. Even the most blinkered Tyrone fan would admit that, although some are so blinkered that they just get obssesed with attendances.

People have been arguing that the universities saved the McKenna Cup without any facts to back it up. I'm just making a factual argument as to why I believe that they aren't key to its success. I think attendances are as good a way as any in determining the interest in the games.

[imtommygunn]

No universities= knockout competition = max one guaranteed game.

The big plus about the mckenna cup this last 8 or 9 years has been that every team is guaranteed a number of games to blood players and pick their league squad.

If you lose the guarantee of a number of games then managers less likely to experiment and give less of a blooding ground.

I don't understand it... University players playing for universities will be playing county teams so the standard will be the same. Why not just send scouts. The team in the mckenna cup will be vastly different - irrespective of personnell. The same players will have completely different fitness levels, scores not so easy to come by on soft ground, the same ground won't be covered etc. etc.

The league is the place to build continuity in the team with the university players. Mainly they play key roles for universities and fringe roles for counties anyway.

[theticklemister]

Mickey Hartes a ballbag.

[Syferus]

Most of you must be expecting your counties to bomb out of the u21 championship if you think the national league is when a senior team really gets their hands on 'university' players.

[Redhand Santa]

No universities= knockout competition = max one guaranteed game.

The big plus about the mckenna cup this last 8 or 9 years has been that every team is guaranteed a number of games to blood players and pick their league squad.

If you lose the guarantee of a number of games then managers less likely to experiment and give less of a blooding ground.

I don't understand it... University players playing for universities will be playing county teams so the standard will be the same. Why not just send scouts. The team in the mckenna cup will be vastly different - irrespective of personnell. The same players will have completely different fitness levels, scores not so easy to come by on soft ground, the same ground won't be covered etc. etc.

The league is the place to build continuity in the team with the university players. Mainly they play key roles for universities and fringe roles for counties anyway.

It doesn't have to be knockout if there's no university teams. They could play 3 groups of 3 and have semi finals. So teams are guarenteed 2 matches and the possibility of 4. They could have 2 groups of 5 and 4 but the might be too hard to get the games played in the 5 group.

The McKenna Cup is the only competition that you can truly experiment with new players and see how they fit into the line up and whether they can carry out the instructions of the manager. Division one is a tough enough place without having to do serious experimenting. The players get their chance during the McKenna cup and if they take it will get further opportunities in the league.

[stronghold]

Queens have let their players down

By John Fogarty




The GAA’s higher education committee chairman, Ray O’Brien, claims Queens University were wrong to pull out of this month’s McKenna Cup.


O’Brien also said the decision, based on player unavailability, has not been fair on the majority of players in the Belfast college panel.

"It’s disappointing that Queens pulled out," said O’Brien. "It was only five players [who were made unavailable due to county commitments] which might have dented a chance of winning the competition but they have a panel of 30 to 35 and a very strong intermediate team.

"I don’t know whether they were trying to force the situation but it seems to have backfired on them.

"Whoever took the decision, I think it was wrong and they should have thought of the entire group. For the sake of five, they’ve let another 30 or so lads down."

O’Brien feels the issue has come to a head in recent seasons because of the pressure on inter-county managers.

"I don’t think other colleges will follow suit. If they don’t play in the early season tournaments the counties will come looking for challenges with them anyway.

"For colleges, it’s preparation for their [Sigerson] championship and not their be-all and end-all. I know counties get frustrated that some colleges have had success purely and they feel they need to win in order for managers to mind their positions.

"But I can’t see managers being judged on a McGrath or an O’Byrne Cup. It’s taken on such significance because they’re under pressure.

"We would always advocate that colleges should play in competitions because it work well both ways. For the counties, the competitions provide more meaningful games to inter-county players and there is more media coverage for the colleges.

"There is no issue with Connacht, Munster or Leinster who all seem to work it out. In regards to Ulster, I was told there was a discussion between colleges and county board about player welfare in general and there seemed to be some sort of a verbal agreement that there wouldn’t be any issues.

"One county seemed to have called a halt to that and they’ve been at it for a couple of years. There’s not a whole lot we can do. We’re at the whim of the provinces in these tournaments."

[TheCops]

Come on Tommy Joe, you're getting silly now and doesn't reflect well that you always seem preoccupied by what your neighbours do.

Who let who down out at the poly? You had a squad and management who wanted to pull out of the McKenna Cup, but weren't allowed, take a ten point beating from an experimental Derry team today. Makes you wonder about motives...