Messages

I'll start by saying Meath are a really good side and fully deserved the win.

On the game itself, our forward play was much better, but we were completely cleaned out on kickouts. Doesn't matter how good we could be in attack if we can't get the ball out the field.
Kickouts killed us the whole game. Too slow, wrong kicks, same kick every time and quite a few mistake directly leading to scores.
We couldn't catch a clean kickout, and we are so immature under breaking ball.
Tactically poor on kickouts. why scullion hasn't got a run in goals I do not know, given the issues with mcgukin.

I felt for Baker tonight, really struggled when Introduced then subbed Upper again. Was the wrong  sub to make.

Defensively, not enough agression or hunger, went to sleep too often and handed easy scores away.

without picking out players, we need a complete rethink. Unfortunately, this group needs major surgery.
Sargent was brilliant, Murray too. The young lads who came on all put a shift in. We need to focus on starting those younger lads next year, hold onto as many of the senior lads as possible, but they will need to buy into being impact subsand provide the depth we need. We just really need to rethink k who our starting 15 are and be brave enough to drop the right players.
I couldn't believe Loughlin didn't start.

Tactically we were poor, but I still have faith in Meenagh. I think we need a clear out of backroom team and bring in proven tactician and motivators.  Gilligan for example.

Disappointing season, but not without its highlights.
The way we beat Cork was impressive, we just need that kind of game consistant

That's a strong starting lineup, but I'm surprised that Niall L is not in the 15. He's been our most consistent forward all year. Didn't have a great game last day out, but no faulting his work ethic and he's usually reliable for scores.
Cassidy / McGuigan both lucky to start imo given recent form, hopefully they can up their performances.

What's the chances Lynch comes in from the start?
I personally think kickouts have been an issue for us so far, even though it has improved massively since last year. Lynch on form is the #1, would still be a risk to play him given how little football he's had.

Great to see Sargent in from the start.

Sean Hurson is the ref on Saturday.
Ruairi Kinsella is out for Meath - ACL in training.

Kinsella is a huge loss for Meath.
Hurson doesn't really give us much.

Marshals was absolute tripe.
Dutton Ranch is ok, not amazing.

Couple of episode into the latest series of Clarkson's farm - its still really good.
Watched season 1 of an apple series, Your Friends and Neighbors. Thought it was really good.

Just listened to the Boucher interview - that's one of the worst bits of politicking I've heard. Actually laughable.
The UUP is done. Give it 10 years and they'll either have been absorbed into some new party with the DUP or just cease to exist.

Legends was really good. Coogan is brilliant.

Didn't read the article but a friend of mine his daughter wanted to go to Trinity or UCD not sure which one, but he said that she could only get in if there was any spaces available after the locals took theirs..

Purely anecdotal, just in case   

Not true
Son went to trinity so can speak from experience
Daughter applied for ucd  and was also accepted but ended up at queens as mates didn't go to Dublin
Reality for the good degrees  in ucd/ trinity you need 4  a levels but tbf you need a serious high number of points in the south also .

Should nationalist politicians be looking at stuff like that and making it more accessible to students from the six counties to study at southern universities?  That's a simple, practical step they could try to do.


And on that, I know a lad who's son was trying to get registered as a teacher in the south. He wanted to live in Dublin.  Qualified in St. Mary's, Belfast but the hassle and grief he was put through to get registered with the Teaching Council was unreal. He said it'd be easier to get registered if you were from Australia.


He said the grilling and paperwork he had to put in was crazy. Ironic thing is, he said, is that there's a severe shortage of teachers in the south, especially in Dublin and commuter belt areas on the eastern seaboard.

Again, this is an area tht nationalist politicans should be working on - making it more accessible to northerners.

One of my kids wants to go into teaching but has no idea how/where to apply in the south. There are a very small number of teaching places here each year so it would make sense to apply elsewhere to be in with a chance, most seem to go to England - which she doesn't want to do.
Can anyone point me in the direction of where to look for courses in ROI uni? Or do you have to go to each Uni site and search all of them individually?
The school doesn't seem to know!

will they need some level of Irish for that?

I thought that had changed - where you only need Irish (or a language) if going into some of the language based degrees?

Brennan and McGuinness incidents like comparing apples to oranges the brains of the operation reckons...

The more time goes on, the more I think JB as a serious superiority complex. He talks some BS and expects everyone to buy into it.

I don't think he'll be seen as being a successful appointment, which is really disappointing as I thought he was a great appointment when he got the gig.

Mobile phones are banned in most schools, if brought out in class they are taken off them and retrieved at the end of the day, the problem was it wasn't enforced

Yeah thats the rule in most schools as far as I know, alright to have the phone with you but if you've it out in class it's lifted

Its the rule in my kids school, but the school also uses Google classroom for a lot of stuff and the kids need their phone in the room to do that.
The school has also blocked internet access to non-education auth devices - but, kids find a way. They all use VPN's and get onto the school wifi! Have to admire that.

On the one hand the school says no phones, on the other they tell the kids they need the phone in class. Doesn't sit well with me.

Didn't read the article but a friend of mine his daughter wanted to go to Trinity or UCD not sure which one, but he said that she could only get in if there was any spaces available after the locals took theirs..

Purely anecdotal, just in case   

Not true
Son went to trinity so can speak from experience
Daughter applied for ucd  and was also accepted but ended up at queens as mates didn't go to Dublin
Reality for the good degrees  in ucd/ trinity you need 4  a levels but tbf you need a serious high number of points in the south also .

Should nationalist politicians be looking at stuff like that and making it more accessible to students from the six counties to study at southern universities?  That's a simple, practical step they could try to do.


And on that, I know a lad who's son was trying to get registered as a teacher in the south. He wanted to live in Dublin.  Qualified in St. Mary's, Belfast but the hassle and grief he was put through to get registered with the Teaching Council was unreal. He said it'd be easier to get registered if you were from Australia.


He said the grilling and paperwork he had to put in was crazy. Ironic thing is, he said, is that there's a severe shortage of teachers in the south, especially in Dublin and commuter belt areas on the eastern seaboard.

Again, this is an area tht nationalist politicans should be working on - making it more accessible to northerners.

One of my kids wants to go into teaching but has no idea how/where to apply in the south. There are a very small number of teaching places here each year so it would make sense to apply elsewhere to be in with a chance, most seem to go to England - which she doesn't want to do.
Can anyone point me in the direction of where to look for courses in ROI uni? Or do you have to go to each Uni site and search all of them individually?
The school doesn't seem to know!

Galway were in everyone's Tier 1, but losing their star defender to the Big Brother reality show will impact their coverage in that area. 

Ah they're definitely up there. Tipping away nicely in the background with most people tipping Donegal to win it and Kerry with a good chance fitness dependent

With Comer being available again too they are getting stronger. Many had them as favourites the year Armagh won, and without the injuries they would likely have went on to win it. They seem stronger now than for that final so I wouldn't bet against them.

Derry have a good chance of reaching the quarter finals if they can avoid Tyrone/Mayo in the next game. That would be a successful season by Derry's standards now.

Getting ahead of yourself there.
There's the small matter of Meath in the way - who already beat us comfortably in the league, and our form is far from good.
I agree though, if we got to a quarter final, that would be a success given how the year has went so far.

Would still have to beat a decent team from the round 2a losers section even if they do beat Meath. Don't see Derry getting it handy against any of those 7 teams. (Assume they can't meet Armagh again if we're beat)

Yep. Would be a tough ask on current form - we need to improve to get over Meath and at the minute I wouldn't be thinking any further ahead than that.

Derry have a good chance of reaching the quarter finals if they can avoid Tyrone/Mayo in the next game. That would be a successful season by Derry's standards now.

Getting ahead of yourself there.
There's the small matter of Meath in the way - who already beat us comfortably in the league, and our form is far from good.
I agree though, if we got to a quarter final, that would be a success given how the year has went so far.

2500 i think

Non runner then as we've something like 3500 season ticket holders, would Louth have many?

Yeah this was an issue last year with Antrim too - not sure what happened the season ticket holders in that instance.
If I was Louth, I'd definitely want it in Ardee. A really tight pitch which will help them curtail Armagh runs.
I think this will be a really good game - Louth still being underestimated imo. Armagh rightly favourites, but a Louth victory wouldn't be that surprising.

That's a good draw for us - knock out match at home against a team that beat us in the league. No shortage of motivation, we'll be underdogs and there's a point to prove.
I hope Murray is fit, but outside of that I'd love to see some of the younger lads getting a start, then spring the experience from the bench going down the line.