O'Byrne Cup 2008

[Gnevin]

Anyone got crowd figures for the games not involving Dublin?
I'm sure they were all packed to capacity but just for the craic 

Derry v Armagh was deffo a sellout from what I saw on TG4.

Us Dubs can only hang our heads in shame 

13,000 odd turned up to see Leinster play 

[Croí na hÉireann]

Interesting start to 2008 for the Lakers. Loadsa new faces and some old ones reappearing for good measure. Highlight was without doubt the performance of Michael Green, excellent debut, showed well, beat his man most times and took some nice points. Great to see Tommy Cleary back in the maroon and white, looking a lot slimmer than his last appearances and if he stays fit could well have a big say in Westmeaths year, left peg is as sweet as ever. John Keane had Vaughan in his pocket in the first half to the delight of the locals and he was so rattled he even missed an open goal by somehow managing to fist a ball wide. The rest of the newcomers did ok without really impressing, was disappointed in TJ Genoud after watching him play for Tyrrellspass in their march to de Leinster Final but hopefully he'll improve once he settles into the side. Leavy and Kilmartin were poor enough and it took the introduction of Dessie into midfield to settle us down and to see out the game. The man really is a class act, could probably do a job in defence as well... Cian Ward did nothing for DIT except to hit a sweet point from a sideline kick and I'd be surprised to see him do anything for Eastmeath this year. DIT were hit by two early goals but fair play to them they didn't drop their heads. They closed it to the bare minimum with some lovely long range points in the latter stages something Westmeath need to address. The amount of balls that were dropped into the goalkeepers hands was shocking, Budda being the most guilty party. He had a shocking game in general and was lucky not to be pulled sooner.

Massive challenge awaits in Parnell Park next Sun, our first of two visits this year. Will prob need a few more familar faces in the team and hopefully we'll give them a close game. Tiz great to have the throat cleared and the vocal chords warmed up...

[thejuice]

5. Meath v UCD 6.1.2008 Navan

What happened to this game, is it being played next week, or whats going on. didnt see any reports or anything

[his holiness nb]

5. Meath v UCD 6.1.2008 Navan

What happened to this game, is it being played next week, or whats going on. didnt see any reports or anything

Wednesday night Juice.

[Shamrock Shore]

Where are UCD going to get 15 sober students on a Wed eve?

[Billys Boots]

Interesting start to 2008 for the Lakers.

The Lakers? Go bhfóire Dia orainn.  Not 'the bottom of the lakers' or 'the pondweeders'?

[Hardy]

Holiness, Drici - How do you lads find out about these secret fixtures? Is there some sort of a special cyber-handshake or something, that I don't know about? Outsiders like me foolishly go looking on the GAA's own website for this kind of information, but it continues to insist that there are no fixtures this week. Why does it not want me to know about games that others know about? What am I doing wrong?

[Hardy]

Interesting start to 2008 for the Lakers.

The Lakers? Go bhfóire Dia orainn.  Not 'the bottom of the lakers' or 'the pondweeders'?

Sorry, Croi, but "The Lakers" takes the lead as the most guffaw-inducing GAA-related comment this month (from Setanta's commentator on Dublin-Wicklow, who at one stage, as the mighty Wicklow machine swept upfield, announced "and now Wicklow cross that gain line").

[his holiness nb]

Holiness, Drici - How do you lads find out about these secret fixtures? Is there some sort of a special cyber-handshake or something, that I don't know about? Outsiders like me foolishly go looking on the GAA's own website for this kind of information, but it continues to insist that there are no fixtures this week. Why does it not want me to know about games that others know about? What am I doing wrong?

Meath Chronicle Hardy 

[INDIANA]

hill16 website

[dubinhell]

Holiness, Drici - How do you lads find out about these secret fixtures?

http://leinster.gaa.ie/fixtures/obyrnecup.asp

[his holiness nb]

Basically everywhere but the gaa's own website Hardy  

[thejuice]

Might explain the low attendences

[Hardy]

Thanks everybody. I'm a slow learner, but now I know to avoid the GAA's official website if I'm looking for GAA info and instead check up on Leinster GAA, Hill16 (for Meath fixtures!) or even Rathkenny GFC itself (I'm impressed, Drici). I'll file that alongside "don't believe the results on Aertel".

I'm off now to irfu.ie for the racing results.

[Mentalman]

Interesting start to 2008 for the Lakers. Loadsa new faces and some old ones reappearing for good measure. Highlight was without doubt the performance of Michael Green, excellent debut, showed well, beat his man most times and took some nice points. Great to see Tommy Cleary back in the maroon and white, looking a lot slimmer than his last appearances and if he stays fit could well have a big say in Westmeaths year, left peg is as sweet as ever. John Keane had Vaughan in his pocket in the first half to the delight of the locals and he was so rattled he even missed an open goal by somehow managing to fist a ball wide. The rest of the newcomers did ok without really impressing, was disappointed in TJ Genoud after watching him play for Tyrrellspass in their march to de Leinster Final but hopefully he'll improve once he settles into the side. Leavy and Kilmartin were poor enough and it took the introduction of Dessie into midfield to settle us down and to see out the game. The man really is a class act, could probably do a job in defence as well... Cian Ward did nothing for DIT except to hit a sweet point from a sideline kick and I'd be surprised to see him do anything for Eastmeath this year. DIT were hit by two early goals but fair play to them they didn't drop their heads. They closed it to the bare minimum with some lovely long range points in the latter stages something Westmeath need to address. The amount of balls that were dropped into the goalkeepers hands was shocking, Budda being the most guilty party. He had a shocking game in general and was lucky not to be pulled sooner.

Massive challenge awaits in Parnell Park next Sun, our first of two visits this year. Will prob need a few more familar faces in the team and hopefully we'll give them a close game. Tiz great to have the throat cleared and the vocal chords warmed up...

Nice to have the first game of the year out of the way. I thought DIT, despite have next to nothing, and a very indifferent Vaughan, really could have won the game, except for a few great saves from Connaughton in goals, good performances from Keane & Gavin, and that terrible miss. It was definitely the day of the ducks for Westmeath, I'd doubt that very many of those on display will be in situ come the championship. Green showed well - strong and gamey, but can't see him as a frontline player. As for Tosh, I just can't see it. The guy must be 31 by now? If you haven't made it by then your not going to. He's devastating alright - if you put the ball in his hands and give him room - not likely to happen at the business end of the season. Personally I didn't agree with bringing in Dessie at all, and especially not a midfield. apart from the fact he hasn't trained and was chancing injury in a nothing game, and given that he is class, he holds the ball too much in the middle of the park, and takes short frees when the ball should be hitting the forward line. Also Flatherta pretty much cleared his bench...except for the 3 Loman's players? I thought that unusual, I would have liked to see them get a run out, if we are going to see ducks, let's see them all together and see which ones can swim. Still can't see, after3 years, any rhyme or reason to the managers teams, no tactics or gameplan - he can get a team fit no doubt but can he get them to play? Then again it is only January....