Sligo v Roscommon. June 20th

[magpie seanie]

Watched the game back last night and would agree with most of the comment on here. Saying we have a lot of room for improvement is not just cliché pre-final talk. While our commitment, workrate and attitude was first class along with our game plan - some of the execution left a lot to be desired. In honesty we should have won this game more comfortably and that's not being unkind I think. Roscommon never really got going at all but could easily have got a goal themselves and ended up taking things. Also, for the next day we will have to have other things up our sleeve because things we got away with or maybe overused on Saturday will cost us if repeated against Mayo. That's not negativity, just a bit of a grounding.

As I said earlier in the year I was delighted to eat humble pie over my calls for Carew et al to be ousted after the first 3 games. I never envisaged they would make the radical changes so badly needed but fair play to them, they did it and the results have been excellent. I wouldn't have had the vision to make some of the calls they did but you could immediately see they were working or had a chance of working. It would have been easy for Carew to stumble on like previous managers have done and just feed the old refrain - "we don't have the players" but he took a big chance and backed his judgement. I also know from meeting a few clubmates and hearing of other lads that the mindset of the players was perfect before the game.

On Sky's coverage - like many I was disappointed with Jimmy McGuinness' pre match comments. He should know enough about Sligo to be better clued in than that. At least he realised his mistake and put the hands up. I thought Sky's production was good but as a lover of stats would have liked to see more of their stats post match (can I access on their website???). Was anyone a little surprised at the MOTM award? I might sound ridiculous to some but I think there were a good few Sligo players more deserving. Aido kicked some fine scores but missed a few he should have got and he doesn't work near as hard as the other lads. Maybe I'm being a little unfair. 1-7 is a serious tally.

On the county board/club structures etc I would echo the posts of the Sligo lads on that. I lived away from Sligo for a time and when I got back I was heavily involved with my club. This entailed getting involved at CB level and after I short while I was shocked to realise that no-one saw it as the CB's function to help clubs, especially ones that were struggling. How naïve was I??!!! From my experience I would say there are loads of good people in Sligo GAA but there is a group that holds sway and things must be done to their liking. Otherwise you must be ready for a long, hard battle and in the end you will probably not beat them due to lack of backup. I also agree in theory with there being too few clubs/clubs with too big an area/population but in practical terms I don't see how this can be tackled. It would require iron will and lots of new volunteers and sadly I don't see much of either around.

Good luck to the minors next weekend. Going to be tough to get out of there with a win but hopefully we can do the business. Winning underage titles for a county of our playing population is very difficult but getting as much right as we can is not. It seems to be the case here so we can dare to hope.

[macdanger2]

Sligo have probably underperformed in terms of Connacht titles - current population is 65k compared with 31k for Leitrim and 65k for Roscommon.

The strength of soccer in Sligo town and the big interest in rallying probably explains some of it

That's completely the wrong way to look at it, we have 26 clubs, Leitrim have 28 and some of their clubs have 3 teams, add in the fact that of all the counties Sligo has by far and away the lowest population of gaa families which im convinced is a measurable factor that no one takes into account. You have to look at playing population rather then population imo. We have a serious chance under a very good manager like Carew to make hay, with our minors this year have serious players if we can just hold it together next few years. We do have I think the worst county board in Ireland which hits us with clubs and standard and structures within the county. Also the shocking bad choices of managers over the yrs has handicapped us at underage and senior and cost us titles but we got lucky with carew and he will maximise the potential of the seniors. Sligo has underachieved imo but our biggest issue is very good astute clubmen turning their back on gaa and absolute numpties thinking there great. The infighting at cb level was to blame for the post 2012 horror shows as walsh was kept on is a prime example, men in there power hungry and if there not involved they want Sligo to fail type stuff.

LOL at rallying btw

Odd that there's so few clubs, you'd expect it to be similar to other neighbouring counties.

The interest in rallying might be an effect rather than a cause

[moysider]

Sligo have probably underperformed in terms of Connacht titles - current population is 65k compared with 31k for Leitrim and 65k for Roscommon.

The strength of soccer in Sligo town and the big interest in rallying probably explains some of it

That's completely the wrong way to look at it, we have 26 clubs, Leitrim have 28 and some of their clubs have 3 teams, add in the fact that of all the counties Sligo has by far and away the lowest population of gaa families which im convinced is a measurable factor that no one takes into account. You have to look at playing population rather then population imo. We have a serious chance under a very good manager like Carew to make hay, with our minors this year have serious players if we can just hold it together next few years. We do have I think the worst county board in Ireland which hits us with clubs and standard and structures within the county. Also the shocking bad choices of managers over the yrs has handicapped us at underage and senior and cost us titles but we got lucky with carew and he will maximise the potential of the seniors. Sligo has underachieved imo but our biggest issue is very good astute clubmen turning their back on gaa and absolute numpties thinking there great. The infighting at cb level was to blame for the post 2012 horror shows as walsh was kept on is a prime example, men in there power hungry and if there not involved they want Sligo to fail type stuff.

LOL at rallying btw

Look at the make up of the underage teams over the last few years and the current senior team. The majority of players are from the South and North divisions. What has happened to clubs who provided a lot of players in previous years the former strongholds of Shamrock Gaels, Eastern Harps, Easkey. GAA is a minority sport in some of our bigger towns Ballymote, Cooloney, Ballisodare, Enniscrone. What are the County Board doing to resurrect GAA in these areas?

Reason for our poor performance at under 21 level in recent years apart from 2014 is down to little or no preparation. The difference in players like C Brehony, Davey, McDonnell at u21 and senior level says it all. Players looked disinterested at the under 21 level as they knew they hadn't the preparation behind them. During the Walsh era he rarely gave the u21 management access to their players even forcing them to play a senior challenge a few days before the Connaught final. The County board allowed this to happen and seem to put all the focus on the senior team to the detriment of the under 21 team and the clubs.

The club scene is definitely a big problem in Sligo football. For a start, I feel we have clubs who have way too big of catchment areas. You look at the likes of Johns and all the underage successes they have enjoyed over the past 20 years or so, why has this never really transferred into senior, a lot of their best players for the underage teams never develop and many of them don't even play senior football. Johns and Marys must be two of the biggest clubs in terms of playing pick in the whole of Connacht but they have only shared one senior club championship between them in this millennium and this is despite them dominant A teams underage for the last 15 years. Harps are another side who have far too big of an area to pick from, there could easily be three clubs in that area and I think it's very damaging for the development of the game there which is why I feel they have fallen off so badly in recent years. It's not so long ago since their intermediate team were making Championship finals. I feel when clubs have such big areas to pick from they let young lads slip through their grasp much easier whereas this wouldn't be the case in normal circumstances.

Of course, soccer is a big factor but other than that you need a county board willing to put all its resources into areas where the game is dead. It's sad to see the way the GAA is in towns like Ballymote, Collooney and Ballisodare where it seems to have no interest at underage levels.

A bloke I work with is a mad soccer fan and into most sports. The other evening I got a text from him during the Ros/Sligo game. It was about Stan Bowles. I text him back that I was in Sligo at the game. He was a bit surprised by that. He himself was in Sligo town visiting his mother and it wouldn t enter his mind to go to see his county play. He s never been. Resents it I think. Is that usual for a Sligo townie? I can t understand it?
Then again I ve never been to a Sligo Rovers game and a few from around here go regular.

[Put Up That Flag]

Does anyone know if Roscommon wore the correct studs and whether they intend to wear them the next day out?

Ah yes, studgate, the reason the league game ended in a draw was because a couple of the galacticos were wearing the wrong studs, at least that was the official excuse line from Syferus, and lets face it he knows because he has a far superior level of knowledge on everything compared to mere mortals. If they have the correct studs in this time lads ye are fecked.

[Syferus]

Sligo have probably underperformed in terms of Connacht titles - current population is 65k compared with 31k for Leitrim and 65k for Roscommon.

The strength of soccer in Sligo town and the big interest in rallying probably explains some of it

That's completely the wrong way to look at it, we have 26 clubs, Leitrim have 28 and some of their clubs have 3 teams, add in the fact that of all the counties Sligo has by far and away the lowest population of gaa families which im convinced is a measurable factor that no one takes into account. You have to look at playing population rather then population imo. We have a serious chance under a very good manager like Carew to make hay, with our minors this year have serious players if we can just hold it together next few years. We do have I think the worst county board in Ireland which hits us with clubs and standard and structures within the county. Also the shocking bad choices of managers over the yrs has handicapped us at underage and senior and cost us titles but we got lucky with carew and he will maximise the potential of the seniors. Sligo has underachieved imo but our biggest issue is very good astute clubmen turning their back on gaa and absolute numpties thinking there great. The infighting at cb level was to blame for the post 2012 horror shows as walsh was kept on is a prime example, men in there power hungry and if there not involved they want Sligo to fail type stuff.

LOL at rallying btw

Look at the make up of the underage teams over the last few years and the current senior team. The majority of players are from the South and North divisions. What has happened to clubs who provided a lot of players in previous years the former strongholds of Shamrock Gaels, Eastern Harps, Easkey. GAA is a minority sport in some of our bigger towns Ballymote, Cooloney, Ballisodare, Enniscrone. What are the County Board doing to resurrect GAA in these areas?

Reason for our poor performance at under 21 level in recent years apart from 2014 is down to little or no preparation. The difference in players like C Brehony, Davey, McDonnell at u21 and senior level says it all. Players looked disinterested at the under 21 level as they knew they hadn't the preparation behind them. During the Walsh era he rarely gave the u21 management access to their players even forcing them to play a senior challenge a few days before the Connaught final. The County board allowed this to happen and seem to put all the focus on the senior team to the detriment of the under 21 team and the clubs.

The club scene is definitely a big problem in Sligo football. For a start, I feel we have clubs who have way too big of catchment areas. You look at the likes of Johns and all the underage successes they have enjoyed over the past 20 years or so, why has this never really transferred into senior, a lot of their best players for the underage teams never develop and many of them don't even play senior football. Johns and Marys must be two of the biggest clubs in terms of playing pick in the whole of Connacht but they have only shared one senior club championship between them in this millennium and this is despite them dominant A teams underage for the last 15 years. Harps are another side who have far too big of an area to pick from, there could easily be three clubs in that area and I think it's very damaging for the development of the game there which is why I feel they have fallen off so badly in recent years. It's not so long ago since their intermediate team were making Championship finals. I feel when clubs have such big areas to pick from they let young lads slip through their grasp much easier whereas this wouldn't be the case in normal circumstances.

Of course, soccer is a big factor but other than that you need a county board willing to put all its resources into areas where the game is dead. It's sad to see the way the GAA is in towns like Ballymote, Collooney and Ballisodare where it seems to have no interest at underage levels.

A bloke I work with is a mad soccer fan and into most sports. The other evening I got a text from him during the Ros/Sligo game. It was about Stan Bowles. I text him back that I was in Sligo at the game. He was a bit surprised by that. He himself was in Sligo town visiting his mother and it wouldn t enter his mind to go to see his county play. He s never been. Resents it I think. Is that usual for a Sligo townie? I can t understand it?
Then again I ve never been to a Sligo Rovers game and a few from around here go regular.

I live in the town. It's not hatred but indifference. People I know played for their club and schools up to minor then just moved on to other things. I don't know very many people from Sligo who actually actively go to games or support their county honestly. The GAA just isn't in the blood the same way it is in Mayo or Roscommon or even Leitrim.

On a side-note I've got to say it was touching how emotional the announcer was when talking about Michael Galvin before the match.

[Farrandeelin]

Once again we've failed miserably in Championship football against a team playing a bit of clued in focused intense football.
We seem to be stuck in League mindset and type of loose less intense stuff.
Met Strokestown man Saturday. "Never does anything in Summer" was his view on certain player(s).

He'd be fairly forthright in his opinion from listening to him on the bus! He wouldn't give a damn who heard him either.

[magpie seanie]

Sligo have probably underperformed in terms of Connacht titles - current population is 65k compared with 31k for Leitrim and 65k for Roscommon.

The strength of soccer in Sligo town and the big interest in rallying probably explains some of it

That's completely the wrong way to look at it, we have 26 clubs, Leitrim have 28 and some of their clubs have 3 teams, add in the fact that of all the counties Sligo has by far and away the lowest population of gaa families which im convinced is a measurable factor that no one takes into account. You have to look at playing population rather then population imo. We have a serious chance under a very good manager like Carew to make hay, with our minors this year have serious players if we can just hold it together next few years. We do have I think the worst county board in Ireland which hits us with clubs and standard and structures within the county. Also the shocking bad choices of managers over the yrs has handicapped us at underage and senior and cost us titles but we got lucky with carew and he will maximise the potential of the seniors. Sligo has underachieved imo but our biggest issue is very good astute clubmen turning their back on gaa and absolute numpties thinking there great. The infighting at cb level was to blame for the post 2012 horror shows as walsh was kept on is a prime example, men in there power hungry and if there not involved they want Sligo to fail type stuff.

LOL at rallying btw

Look at the make up of the underage teams over the last few years and the current senior team. The majority of players are from the South and North divisions. What has happened to clubs who provided a lot of players in previous years the former strongholds of Shamrock Gaels, Eastern Harps, Easkey. GAA is a minority sport in some of our bigger towns Ballymote, Cooloney, Ballisodare, Enniscrone. What are the County Board doing to resurrect GAA in these areas?

Reason for our poor performance at under 21 level in recent years apart from 2014 is down to little or no preparation. The difference in players like C Brehony, Davey, McDonnell at u21 and senior level says it all. Players looked disinterested at the under 21 level as they knew they hadn't the preparation behind them. During the Walsh era he rarely gave the u21 management access to their players even forcing them to play a senior challenge a few days before the Connaught final. The County board allowed this to happen and seem to put all the focus on the senior team to the detriment of the under 21 team and the clubs.

The club scene is definitely a big problem in Sligo football. For a start, I feel we have clubs who have way too big of catchment areas. You look at the likes of Johns and all the underage successes they have enjoyed over the past 20 years or so, why has this never really transferred into senior, a lot of their best players for the underage teams never develop and many of them don't even play senior football. Johns and Marys must be two of the biggest clubs in terms of playing pick in the whole of Connacht but they have only shared one senior club championship between them in this millennium and this is despite them dominant A teams underage for the last 15 years. Harps are another side who have far too big of an area to pick from, there could easily be three clubs in that area and I think it's very damaging for the development of the game there which is why I feel they have fallen off so badly in recent years. It's not so long ago since their intermediate team were making Championship finals. I feel when clubs have such big areas to pick from they let young lads slip through their grasp much easier whereas this wouldn't be the case in normal circumstances.

Of course, soccer is a big factor but other than that you need a county board willing to put all its resources into areas where the game is dead. It's sad to see the way the GAA is in towns like Ballymote, Collooney and Ballisodare where it seems to have no interest at underage levels.

A bloke I work with is a mad soccer fan and into most sports. The other evening I got a text from him during the Ros/Sligo game. It was about Stan Bowles. I text him back that I was in Sligo at the game. He was a bit surprised by that. He himself was in Sligo town visiting his mother and it wouldn t enter his mind to go to see his county play. He s never been. Resents it I think. Is that usual for a Sligo townie? I can t understand it?
Then again I ve never been to a Sligo Rovers game and a few from around here go regular.

That type of attitude would be widespread in Sligo town.

[moysider]

That's a huge slice of the population not involved. If you took Ballina and Castlebar out of Mayo football history it would leave some hole. The towns have produced some of the greats.

Many townies play with Sligo down the years? Is Barry O Mahoney involved this year. He's a townie, isn t he? Looked good when I saw him as a youngster a few years ago.

[Owenmoresider]

That's a huge slice of the population not involved. If you took Ballina and Castlebar out of Mayo football history it would leave some hole. The towns have produced some of the greats.

Many townies play with Sligo down the years? Is Barry O Mahoney involved this year. He's a townie, isn t he? Looked good when I saw him as a youngster a few years ago.

Oh dear...

*holds Seanie back*

[magpie seanie]

That's a huge slice of the population not involved. If you took Ballina and Castlebar out of Mayo football history it would leave some hole. The towns have produced some of the greats.

Many townies play with Sligo down the years? Is Barry O Mahoney involved this year. He's a townie, isn t he? Looked good when I saw him as a youngster a few years ago.

He's not on the panel this year (dropped at the end of FBD I think and was not pleased at all about it) and not a townie. He's a clubmate of mine from Strandhill (about 5/6 miles from the town). He played a lot of LOI soccer with various clubs including Sligo Rovers for a while and had genuine aspirations of going across the water meaning his gaelic football development was a little stunted. Very strong and pacy.

To be fair there have been some very good players from the town but just nowhere near enough. Close to 50% of the population of the county is in the town.

[magpie seanie]

That's a huge slice of the population not involved. If you took Ballina and Castlebar out of Mayo football history it would leave some hole. The towns have produced some of the greats.

Many townies play with Sligo down the years? Is Barry O Mahoney involved this year. He's a townie, isn t he? Looked good when I saw him as a youngster a few years ago.

Oh dear...

*holds Seanie back*

Hahaha!

For those not in the know....in our club we (well definitely me) get touchy at being called townies. We most certainly are not but sometimes (perhaps mischieviously??) lads from other parts of the county tar us with that brush.

[moysider]

Oh Ok. Didn t realise he was from Strandhill. Though he was town. Yeah I knew he was playing a lot of soccer. Powerful young fella. Looked older than he was.

[weareros]

I see David Brady had a pop at Cake and Ros too. All these ex county lads on "the Twitter" could make an interesting sideshow to the championship. No doubt when Sligo and Mayo fall flat on their faces the social media knifes will sharpen on the banks of the Suck.

Your another one of those daft basturds that's on here now and again. Go and get yourself a pool cue.

Have been a regular reader since the hypermart and Usenet days in the late 90s. I might be a daft bastard but no need for the personal abuse. But good one on the pool cue.  You didn't see wit like that back in the old days. I'd say there's a few bus jokes in you too.

[weareros]

That's a huge slice of the population not involved. If you took Ballina and Castlebar out of Mayo football history it would leave some hole. The towns have produced some of the greats.

Many townies play with Sligo down the years? Is Barry O Mahoney involved this year. He's a townie, isn t he? Looked good when I saw him as a youngster a few years ago.

Oh dear...

*holds Seanie back*

Hahaha!

For those not in the know....in our club we (well definitely me) get touchy at being called townies. We most certainly are not but sometimes (perhaps mischieviously??) lads from other parts of the county tar us with that brush.

Lovely part of the world. Is there a finer sight in Ireland than to stand at the top of Knocknarea, commune with the Goddess Maeve, down then to Strandhill for an ice-cream at Mammy Johnstons, across the street for a bite to eat and a pint at The Strand, a seaweed bath and a bit of surfing. Good luck against Mayo.

[Hardy]

Sligo have probably underperformed in terms of Connacht titles - current population is 65k compared with 31k for Leitrim and 65k for Roscommon.

The strength of soccer in Sligo town and the big interest in rallying probably explains some of it

Rallying!? Would you really see a lad giving up football to concentrate on his rallying?

"If I had me way, I'd puncture every wheel in the county."