Sigerson 2017

[Syferus]

Murphy isn't in UUJ. He was going to that course but didn't pursue with it.



UUJ will not have Donegal ace Michael Murphy available to them for their upcoming Sigerson Cup campaign.

The big Glenswilly man is understood to have registered for a masters in psychology at the Jordanstown campus, but has now opted not to pursue it and is now focused on getting himself fully fit for the Tir Chonaill men's 2017 campaign, according to manager Rory Gallagher.

"We're obviously delighted that we'll have Michael based full-time in Donegal," Gallagher is quoted saying in The Irish News.

"It's obviously better than if he was spending a couple of days a week in Belfast. Michael had an interest in the course but, when he weighed it up against the commitments to his shop and to ourselves, he decided not to pursue it."

Murphy, who runs his own business in Letterkenny, helped Donegal reach this year's Ulster SFC final before picking up a knee injury in an All County League game and returning to inspire his native club to the Donegal SFC title.

It says something terrible about an amateur sport that it was the deciding factor in a lad furthering his education. Murphy isn't going to be able kick leather over the bar all his life.

Did you miss the part about him running his sports shop? Perhaps THAT was the main motivating factor?

Plus, if ever a player needed a break from football, its him.

Do you really honestly think IC concerns didn't come into it? The shop is the constant, the IC stuff is supposed to be a pastime.. why would a pastime come into the decision-making about furthering yourself? Because it's only amateur in terms of the pay cheque..

[J70]

Murphy isn't in UUJ. He was going to that course but didn't pursue with it.



UUJ will not have Donegal ace Michael Murphy available to them for their upcoming Sigerson Cup campaign.

The big Glenswilly man is understood to have registered for a masters in psychology at the Jordanstown campus, but has now opted not to pursue it and is now focused on getting himself fully fit for the Tir Chonaill men's 2017 campaign, according to manager Rory Gallagher.

"We're obviously delighted that we'll have Michael based full-time in Donegal," Gallagher is quoted saying in The Irish News.

"It's obviously better than if he was spending a couple of days a week in Belfast. Michael had an interest in the course but, when he weighed it up against the commitments to his shop and to ourselves, he decided not to pursue it."

Murphy, who runs his own business in Letterkenny, helped Donegal reach this year's Ulster SFC final before picking up a knee injury in an All County League game and returning to inspire his native club to the Donegal SFC title.

It says something terrible about an amateur sport that it was the deciding factor in a lad furthering his education. Murphy isn't going to be able kick leather over the bar all his life.

Did you miss the part about him running his sports shop? Perhaps THAT was the main motivating factor?

Plus, if ever a player needed a break from football, its him.

Do you really honestly think IC concerns didn't come into it? The shop is the constant, the IC stuff is supposed to be a pastime.. why would a pastime come into the decision-making about furthering yourself? Because it's only amateur in terms of the pay cheque..

I don't know,

Depends on how much a Masters in Psychology is worth to him in the near future.

His business is already up and running. Commuting up and down to Jordanstown would surely be disruptive, at the very least, professionally. While his role as a very high profile intercounty player and Donegal captain is bound to be very beneficial to his business, which is, after all, a sporting goods shop. How many people venture into his shop because of who he is as an amateur player?

Its not like he was on a professional certification path in his career and opted out of studying and taking an exam.

And its not Karl Lacey or Kieran Donaghy just quitting work altogether to focus on their football.

[ck]

Sigerson Cup

(First team named at home)

Preliminary Round – 25/26 January

NUI Galway v Trinity College
Garda College v Cork IT
GMIT v IT Sligo

Round Two – 25/26/31 January

A. UL v Maynooth University
B. Athlone IT v Dublin IT
C. Garda College/Cork IT v UUJ
D. GMIT/IT Sligo v UCD
E. Queen's University v DCU
F. NUIG/Trinity College v St Mary's
G. IT Carlow v IT Tralee
H. St Pat's Drumcondra v UCC

Quarter-Finals – 8 February
Semi-Finals – 17 February – Connacht GAA Centre, Bekan
Final – 18 February – Connacht GAA Centre, Bekan

[ck]

Kicks off this week lads. IT Sligo away to GMIT to open proceedings

[magpie seanie]

I assume GMIT are hosts for the finals this year judging by the venues for the semi final and final?

[rosnarun]

Murphy isn't in UUJ. He was going to that course but didn't pursue with it.



UUJ will not have Donegal ace Michael Murphy available to them for their upcoming Sigerson Cup campaign.

The big Glenswilly man is understood to have registered for a masters in psychology at the Jordanstown campus, but has now opted not to pursue it and is now focused on getting himself fully fit for the Tir Chonaill men’s 2017 campaign, according to manager Rory Gallagher.

“We’re obviously delighted that we’ll have Michael based full-time in Donegal,” Gallagher is quoted saying in The Irish News.

“It’s obviously better than if he was spending a couple of days a week in Belfast. Michael had an interest in the course but, when he weighed it up against the commitments to his shop and to ourselves, he decided not to pursue it.”

Murphy, who runs his own business in Letterkenny, helped Donegal reach this year’s Ulster SFC final before picking up a knee injury in an All County League game and returning to inspire his native club to the Donegal SFC title.

It says something terrible about an amateur sport that it was the deciding factor in a lad furthering his education. Murphy isn't going to be able kick leather over the bar all his life.

Did you miss the part about him running his sports shop? Perhaps THAT was the main motivating factor?

Plus, if ever a player needed a break from football, its him.

Do you really honestly think IC concerns didn't come into it? The shop is the constant, the IC stuff is supposed to be a pastime.. why would a pastime come into the decision-making about furthering yourself? Because it's only amateur in terms of the pay cheque..

I don't know,

Depends on how much a Masters in Psychology is worth to him in the near future.

His business is already up and running. Commuting up and down to Jordanstown would surely be disruptive, at the very least, professionally. While his role as a very high profile intercounty player and Donegal captain is bound to be very beneficial to his business, which is, after all, a sporting goods shop. How many people venture into his shop because of who he is as an amateur player?

Its not like he was on a professional certification path in his career and opted out of studying and taking an exam.

And its not Karl Lacey or Kieran Donaghy just quitting work altogether to focus on their football.

I think youll find a lot of these guy quitting their job to concentrate on football worked for a certain bank that has laid off a lot of people in the last few years.
sounds better to use the football excuse than just to say they were laid off.
and Murphys shop is helped greatly by his profile with Donegal and fair play to him he's not slow in exploiting the fact . hope it continues to do well when he retires and becomes Donegal manager

[Jinxy]

Agree 100% with the article below.
Should be an u-23 competition only.
Lads need to leave college and get a life.
Literally.

http://www.irishnews.com/sport/2017/01/24/news/cahair-o-kane-time-to-blow-the-whistle-on-eternal-students-903382/

[magpie seanie]

Players should have 4 years playing eligibility max and leave it at that.

[shark]

Players should have 4 years playing eligibility max and leave it at that.

What is it currently? 6?

[Jinxy]

We have to reduce the number of teams that intercounty players are eligible to play for.
The present situation is absurd.

[passedit]

hoganstand.com ‏@hoganstandgaa 12m12 minutes ago

Sigerson Cup FTs: UL 2-16 Maynooth University 4-10 (ET to follow), Queens 0-3 DCU 3-10

[magpie seanie]

We have to reduce the number of teams that intercounty players are eligible to play for.
The present situation is absurd.

Yes, though if this was played in December as it should be in my view it would solve that issue.

[ck]

We have to reduce the number of teams that intercounty players are eligible to play for.
The present situation is absurd.

Yes, though if this was played in December as it should be in my view it would solve that issue.

Agree. Sigerson should be played off before Christmas and it should strictly be under 22 or 23. Colleges should not be in the inter county pre season competitions either.

[magpie seanie]

Murf with 1-3 for DCU. They had a handy enough win and I imagine will be hard stopped.

[Cunny Funt]

Between UUJ,DCU,UCD for the sigerson cup again. NUIG probably the 4th best side in the competition.