McKenna Cup 2024

[JUst retired]

I heard last night Queens have challenge games arranged against  Antrim,Cavan and Derry. How have they enough players? Coward management springs to mind.

[armaghniac]

Why would Derry, Antrim or Cavan want challenge games during the McKenna cup?

[rodney trotter]

I heard last night Queens have challenge games arranged against  Antrim,Cavan and Derry. How have they enough players? Coward management springs to mind.

Why would they not have enough players. Its only Queens,UUj and St Marys who have the pick of the best players in Ulster. UUJ would be like DCU and they would get the big names, Queens would still have lots of good footballers even if they are missing 6/7.

[theticklemister]

Why would Derry, Antrim or Cavan want challenge games during the McKenna cup?

Derry has a squad of 43, and may have only be a week in the competition.

I heard last night Queens have challenge games arranged against  Antrim,Cavan and Derry. How have they enough players? Coward management springs to mind.

I think queens were trying to make a stand and were hoping for a bit of soliditary from the other universities, the others didn't have the backbone. Even at the time they stated they would always be playing county teams in friendliest anyway.


Why would they not have enough players. Its only Queens,UUj and St Marys who have the pick of the best players in Ulster. UUJ would be like DCU and they would get the big names, Queens would still have lots of good footballers even if they are missing 6/7.

[Sleater]

Monaghan team for sunday announced

http://www.monaghangaa.ie/2013/01/03/monaghan-team-v-st-marys/

Some new faces getting a run out. I'm particularly interested to see how Fintan Kelly gets on at full back, Paul McArdle at centre forward and Stephen Smith at wing forward. Though I think Smith will switch positions with Dermot Malone who is a more natural wing forward. I'd like to see Gavin Doogan make an appearance from the bench - he'd be ideally suited to a wing back slot.

[stronghold]

Queens also have games planned against Louth and Crossmaglen and played St Mary's last Saturday

[Redhand Santa]

Does anyone know if Tyrone trained tonight or if a team was named for Sunday? Always interesting to see who's playing especially with so many new faces. As Derry are likely to be the toughest opposition in the group would expect a strong enough team.

[ck]

Perhaps a delay due to the latest injury news in the camp? Kyle Coney I hear is injured now

[stew]

Would like to congratulate my old Alma Mater on withdrawing from the McKenna Cup. They must be vastly disappointed that the other two Belfast colleges hadn't the balls to do the same.

Feck them, they robbed some of their players a chance to play against Ulsters best players, they are gutless wonders!!!

[Club Rossa]

Kyle Coney has injured himself alright,think it's the ankle.

[DuffleKing]

From an Armagh perspective its refreshing to see Johnny Buckley, Fionn Fizgerald and Brian Looney lining out for Kerry this weekend. The hiding away and wrapping in cotton wool of players involved in the latter end of the club championships in recent times has long since puzzled me.

I fail to see the downside of for club players' form, if they are good enough, in competing at the higher level intermittently - particularly so far out from their club fixture.

[yellowcard]

From an Armagh perspective its refreshing to see Johnny Buckley, Fionn Fizgerald and Brian Looney lining out for Kerry this weekend. The hiding away and wrapping in cotton wool of players involved in the latter end of the club championships in recent times has long since puzzled me.

I fail to see the downside of for club players' form, if they are good enough, in competing at the higher level intermittently - particularly so far out from their club fixture.

Why is it refreshing from an Armagh point of view? Sure its not as if the Cross players are going to be made available for Armagh, and to be honest I can't blame Cross for not releasing them. From an Armagh county team perspective its an annual headache though.

[manballandall]

No betting on the tyrone/derry game at the weekend on paddy power ...... do they know something we dont ?

[mackers]

From an Armagh perspective its refreshing to see Johnny Buckley, Fionn Fizgerald and Brian Looney lining out for Kerry this weekend. The hiding away and wrapping in cotton wool of players involved in the latter end of the club championships in recent times has long since puzzled me.

I fail to see the downside of for club players' form, if they are good enough, in competing at the higher level intermittently - particularly so far out from their club fixture.

Why is it refreshing from an Armagh point of view? Sure its not as if the Cross players are going to be made available for Armagh, and to be honest I can't blame Cross for not releasing them. From an Armagh county team perspective its an annual headache though.

I agree with DuffleKing.  There is a "rule" that players aren't allowed to play for their club within 13 days of a county match.  Why can this "rule" not be used the other way round? What possible harm could it do some of the Cross players to play for Armagh 5 to 6 weeks before their AI semi final?  Let them play a couple of McKenna cup matches and let the management see them in the shirt.

[DuffleKing]

Exactly right Mackers. It makes no sense whatsoever to bar players from the county jersey at this time of year. The thirteen day rule should indeed work in reverse here. It is only in relatively recent times that this approach has been taken. Started in Armagh I might add and spread through the country.