Connacht senior,intermediate,junior club football championships 2013

[Rudi]

Duffy cost Brigids the match, he was poor beyond words. Castlebar are a useful side and could very well dominate Connacht for some time. Why on earth did Duffy reverse that side line ball when time was up? Brigids were hard done by yesterday.
In 2011 we got some decisions our way against Corofin, this time it was the other way round. Fair play to all players who took part yesterday, the effort that went in was massive. Good luck to Castlebar for the rest of the campaign. Duffy for the sake of the players, please call it a day.

[GalwayBayBoy]

Moran sending off was a yellow card at worse. (It was just like the Dublin challenge on the Mayo guy in the AIF which also got a yellow)

Re the penalty: when you spend the entire afternoon diving on the ground clutching your face looking for frees/get your man sent off, don't expect to get a chalk line call when the game is in the pot


Soft frees: just from what I saw on TV, Brigids got 2/3 very soft frees in the first half, all within scoring range

Brigids second point-into the Graveyard end-looked very borderline, maybe even wide.

Also, Senan Kilbride in full flow is a sight to behold. When he was getting good ball early on, he was unmarkable. And I don't recall him trying to get players booked or sent off. He plays the game the right way.

Maybe just me but I never feel he translates his club/winter form into intercounty form once the pitches harden and quicken up during the Summer. He is quite a big, skillful lad but not very quick. He just seems naturally suited to a slower track. Once the sod hardens I think his lack of pace becomes more apparent.

[Syferus]

Duffy cost Brigids the match, he was poor beyond words. Castlebar are a useful side and could very well dominate Connacht for some time. Why on earth did Duffy reverse that side line ball when time was up? Brigids were hard done by yesterday.
In 2011 we got some decisions our way against Corofin, this time it was the other way round. Fair play to all players who took part yesterday, the effort that went in was massive. Good luck to Castlebar for the rest of the campaign. Duffy for the sake of the players, please call it a day.

Don't buy Castlebar dominating Mayo, let alone Connacht. It won't be another 20 years until they win Mayo again but they're just in the mix with the likes of a fit Ballintubber, Ballagh and of course a growing Breaffy team. The likes of Charlestown still have plenty of bite left in them too. Way too early to be declaring dynasties.

Next year's Connacht championship should be very interesting. Lots of teams arond tge same level, and I can't imagine Brigids not coming back stronger next seadon. That said, it rarely isn't interesting!

[rodney trotter]

Duffy cost Brigids the match, he was poor beyond words. Castlebar are a useful side and could very well dominate Connacht for some time. Why on earth did Duffy reverse that side line ball when time was up? Brigids were hard done by yesterday.
In 2011 we got some decisions our way against Corofin, this time it was the other way round. Fair play to all players who took part yesterday, the effort that went in was massive. Good luck to Castlebar for the rest of the campaign. Duffy for the sake of the players, please call it a day.

Don't buy Castlebar dominating Mayo, let alone Connacht. It won't be another 20 years until they win Mayo again but they're just in the mix with the likes of a fit Ballintubber, Ballagh and of course a growing Breaffy team. The likes of Charlestown still have plenty of bite left in them too. Way too early to be declaring dynasties.

Next year's Connacht championship should be very interesting. Lots of teams arond tge same level, and I can't imagine Brigids not coming back stronger next seadon. That said, it rarely isn't interesting!

Would it not be good for Roscommon football if a new team emerges next year? Brigids are a quality side, but having the same team dominate the Club scene in  the County every year can't be good. Although I'm sure that's easier said then done.

[Captain Obvious]

Moran sending off was a yellow card at worse. (It was just like the Dublin challenge on the Mayo guy in the AIF which also got a yellow)

Re the penalty: when you spend the entire afternoon diving on the ground clutching your face looking for frees/get your man sent off, don't expect to get a chalk line call when the game is in the pot


Soft frees: just from what I saw on TV, Brigids got 2/3 very soft frees in the first half, all within scoring range

Brigids second point-into the Graveyard end-looked very borderline, maybe even wide.

Also, Senan Kilbride in full flow is a sight to behold. When he was getting good ball early on, he was unmarkable. And I don't recall him trying to get players booked or sent off. He plays the game the right way.

Maybe just me but I never feel he translates his club/winter form into intercounty form once the pitches harden and quicken up during the Summer. He is quite a big, skillful lad but not very quick. He just seems naturally suited to a slower track. Once the sod hardens I think his lack of pace becomes more apparent.

I think Senan Kilbride is a confidence player and to get the best out of him at county level he needs to be playing on confident team, one that wins more often than Roscommon.

[Syferus]

Duffy cost Brigids the match, he was poor beyond words. Castlebar are a useful side and could very well dominate Connacht for some time. Why on earth did Duffy reverse that side line ball when time was up? Brigids were hard done by yesterday.
In 2011 we got some decisions our way against Corofin, this time it was the other way round. Fair play to all players who took part yesterday, the effort that went in was massive. Good luck to Castlebar for the rest of the campaign. Duffy for the sake of the players, please call it a day.

Don't buy Castlebar dominating Mayo, let alone Connacht. It won't be another 20 years until they win Mayo again but they're just in the mix with the likes of a fit Ballintubber, Ballagh and of course a growing Breaffy team. The likes of Charlestown still have plenty of bite left in them too. Way too early to be declaring dynasties.

Next year's Connacht championship should be very interesting. Lots of teams arond tge same level, and I can't imagine Brigids not coming back stronger next seadon. That said, it rarely isn't interesting!

Would it not be good for Roscommon football if a new team emerges next year? Brigids are a quality side, but having the same team dominate the Club scene in  the County every year can't be good. Although I'm sure that's easier said then done.

For Roscommon football, sure, but I don't see it in 2014 from all that I've seen with regards that Brigids team and how they'll react to losing, and in that manner. Their belief was on display yesterday when the game swung by ten points (up five at HT, down five with about 12 minutes left) and Brigids still came back and put themselves up by two going into injury time. They have a belief that you can only earn with time and consistency.

They'll get to rest properly for the first time in three or four years too, which can only benefit them - lads like Cathal McHugh snd Darren Dolan have been perennially playing with knocks and if they were fully fit it only increases Brigids quality.

Brigids got plenty of scares in Roscommon this year - Westies in their group game, and in the first half of the county final, Fhailes and Clann ran them to a point and Pearses were within a kick of the ball of Brigids for most of last year's county final. Teams like Roscommon Gaels, Clann, Strokestown and Boyle have been the underage powerhouses driving our county teams so they're all on the rise too.

It's going to take more time than some expect to unseat Brigids, and even when it does happen you can write Brigids in for the county title again the next year. They've built a machine in Kiltoom/Cam and with younger players emerging his year and a very good crop of county U16s this year too there's every reason to believe Brigids will spend plenty of Novembers playing championship football even when the likes of Frankie and Mango hang up their boots.

Moran sending off was a yellow card at worse. (It was just like the Dublin challenge on the Mayo guy in the AIF which also got a yellow)

Re the penalty: when you spend the entire afternoon diving on the ground clutching your face looking for frees/get your man sent off, don't expect to get a chalk line call when the game is in the pot


Soft frees: just from what I saw on TV, Brigids got 2/3 very soft frees in the first half, all within scoring range

Brigids second point-into the Graveyard end-looked very borderline, maybe even wide.

Also, Senan Kilbride in full flow is a sight to behold. When he was getting good ball early on, he was unmarkable. And I don't recall him trying to get players booked or sent off. He plays the game the right way.

Maybe just me but I never feel he translates his club/winter form into intercounty form once the pitches harden and quicken up during the Summer. He is quite a big, skillful lad but not very quick. He just seems naturally suited to a slower track. Once the sod hardens I think his lack of pace becomes more apparent.

I think Senan Kilbride is a confidence player and to get the best out of him at county level he needs to be playing on confident team, one that wins more often than Roscommon.

Which is nonsense. Senan played averagely this year until the Connacht final.

I'd agree with you, GBB, sometimes he caught for pace in the summer. Despite not having the greatest season at club I think he looks fitter than ever now and given he'll get to focus on county properly for the first time in forever I'm hopefully he can recapture his 2011 county form in 2014.

[Jinxy]

Any update on Cakes injury?

[ballinaman]

Any update on Cakes injury?

[Syferus]

Any update on Cakes injury?

Haven't heard anything or even watched that part of the match but I assume it's just his dodgy quads/hamstrings acting up again? Looked a bit gimpy going back to goal after his last mid-field solo run.

[neilthemac]

He's 42 lads. Lighten up on poor Cake.
Doesn't owe anything to anyone.
How many around here will be playing senior club football at that age??
or doing anything sporting wise, for that matter.

[Syferus]

Bitches always be hatin'.

[brokencrossbar1]

So Crokes are the only team left from last years provincial winners, Brigid's are an excellent team but they can't make the step up to greatness just yet.  Back to back is exceptionally hard to do and I am sure that they would have liked to have left that mark on the championship.  Alas they didn't and I don't think they will win it again, the AI that is, as I think that as Frankie starts slipping off into the night they will find it extremely hard tor replace him..

[Syferus]

So Crokes are the only team left from last years provincial winners, Brigid's are an excellent team but they can't make the step up to greatness just yet.  Back to back is exceptionally hard to do and I am sure that they would have liked to have left that mark on the championship.  Alas they didn't and I don't think they will win it again, the AI that is, as I think that as Frankie starts slipping off into the night they will find it extremely hard tor replace him..

No tougher than Cross will find it to replace Osin.

You can't rely on mould-breaking brilliance but you can rely on good structures and the best teams, the Crossmaglens, the Corofins, the Brigids or even though they're in a slumber, the Nemos, use their time on top to build facilities and coaching structures that will maintain a level of quality that will allow future teams to prosper.

[Lone Shark]

So Crokes are the only team left from last years provincial winners, Brigid's are an excellent team but they can't make the step up to greatness just yet.  Back to back is exceptionally hard to do and I am sure that they would have liked to have left that mark on the championship.  Alas they didn't and I don't think they will win it again, the AI that is, as I think that as Frankie starts slipping off into the night they will find it extremely hard tor replace him..

No tougher than Cross will find it to replace Osin.

You can't rely on mould-breaking brilliance but you can rely on good structures and the best teams, the Crossmaglens, the Corofins, the Brigids or even though they're in a slumber, the Nemos, use their time on top to build facilities and coaching structures that will maintain a level of quality that will allow future teams to prosper.

I wouldn't go equating Corofin or Brigids with clubs like Nemo or Cross just yet, in fairness. There are a handful of clubs in the country that have produced consistently successful  teams across a sustained period of time, and by that I mean successful in an All Ireland context. You have Nemo, Cross, and then Ballyhale, Birr and Athenry in hurling - Corofin or Brigids have a lot to do yet to move into that bracket.

[Syferus]

Not questioning they have more titles but all those teams (and a few others) have invested in building their clubs from the grassroots rather than just playing at it. A visit to Kiltoom and anyone can tell Brigid's have invested in both coaching and infrastructure to a level only a few clubs in the country have.