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The cork fella got away with one too.

In the lead up to the red?

The one John McGrath got in the stomach. It was a bit later in the half.

Ah, must have missed that myself. Think Cork would have won regardless but that's so self inflicted that he can have no complaints and plenty of apologies to his team mates

The lad is only 19 or something so ease up on him FFS..

The GAA do have to come down hard on the dig to the balls.  It's getting all too common.

Except in this case it wasn't a dig to the balls, O'Donoghue milked it for all it was worth. That's getting all too common as well.

On the Sunday Game, there was a poor attendance at Sligo v Galway. The time wasn't ideal, but it shows that neither county is interested.

Nearly 5k I think, and most of that was on the terrace where the footage comes from. Charging €30 for stand tickets doesn't help especially in a stand where the view from lower seats is far from ideal. Besides it's a very long time since Galway brought a decent crowd to Sligo for a game.

On the game, wasn't expecting that good of a performance from Sligo, gave them a proper game and were well worth the position they were in the closing minutes, one unforced error was all it took to lose it but we were flagging a bit before that, and had it gone to ET we were most likely sitting ducks. Certain flaws still exist and the difference in what the teams brought in off the bench is telling but there's a lot to be positive about for the Tailteann.

[Clonguish to polish up their score difference.]

Week 4 resumes:

Group 1:

Dromard v Longford Slashers, Fri, 8pm, Monaduff
Granard v Mostrim, Sat, 7pm, Abbeylara
Ballymahon v Clonguish, Sat, 7pm, Ardagh

Do-or-die time for Slashers, while Mostrim could do with a point or points from Granard. Clonguish to polish up their score difference.

Seen that result earlier, you weren't wrong 

Although since its provincial council vote, I doubt Roscommon would be overly in favour in the long term as we benefit from Galway V Mayo Connacht semi finals.

Plus for next year if its the provincial finalists who are seeded that's Sligo* and potentially Galway to use the form guide but in prearranged games its Galway vs London, Mayo vs New York in the quarter finals.

Galway, Mayo and Roscommon cannot be on the same side of the draw next year because Galway and Mayo are in the pre-arranged games.  So no need to seed the draw at all next year.
It's only possible in years when 2 of the 3 are drawn together in the quarter final.  And even in years when that happens, the semi final draw can still keep them apart.

It's happened three times this century (2002, 2013, 2023) that Sligo and Leitrim were in the opposite side of the draw to Mayo, Galway and Roscommon. Sligo have London when Leitrim travel to NY and vice versa, so it's no coincidence that those occurrences have all happened since NY came in. Before that you're heading back to the fifties if not earlier. Prenty hinted that the NY trips would be reviewed last week, so maybe you might find the order being rotated so to avoid that unfortunate prospect that seems to annoy so many.

[The european championships are not linked to world cup but its a serious and prestigious tournament.]

Jim McGuinness

For all the talk of provincial competitions smoking out on dying embers, last weekend they produced a spark that lit the flame for the 2023 football championship. From the Bronx to Castlebar to Ennis, none of it felt like a fading of the light. Far from it.

There was some commentary over the weekend suggesting supporters will spend the next six weeks watching games that mean nothing. If you speak to people from Roscommon or Clare after Sundays wins , they might have a different take.

And for me, the number of spectators in New York epitomised what these games represent. It goes beyond football – they provide a tangible link and allow folk maintain a strong culture of identity.

From that point of view, it was a very good weekend for the provincial championships. I don't agree with this whole air of negativity around the provincials, because what's the alternative? We don't have them, and so we fight for two cups instead of six? That doesn't make sense for the development of the game.

The jury is still out on the new All-Ireland format purely because nobody really knows yet how it will unspool, but we do know what championship football looks like – it's everything on the line, it's no tomorrow, teams playing with an edge, hunger, desire, passion – and all of that was on show last weekend.

So, people who have been calling hard for an end to these competitions need to pause, because once something is gone, it's gone forever. There is so much history attached to them and, even if they might not mean much to some commentators, they absolutely have a place in the hearts and minds of supporters and those involved in coaching and playing the games.

if provincials are so great as McGuiness says they could be play as a stand alone competition

That basically makes them like the pre-season McKenna,FBD competitions then and 2nd string sides would be played, wouldn't get 15 to 20k turning up to view those games, be little or no intensity in those matches either.

if the provincials cant be a success as stand alone competitions   does that not mean they are not as good as made out to be and its the all ireland propping them up.

The european championships are not linked to world cup but its a serious and prestigious tournament.

It isn't no, but then the Nations League is linked into the Euros, and progress in the NL has benefits towards potential Euros qualification.

And continuing the football theme, if the Europa League is such a prestigious competition of itself, then why did UEFA in recent years award the winners with automatic qualification to the Champions League for the following season?

Good to see you all again 

As in other games we made life far harder for ourselves than it needed to be, but they dug it out at the end when it looked to have slipped away so credit where credit is due. After 4-5 pretty bleak years at senior level to get promotion and back up to D3 was vital, so hopefully they can build on it and see where the championship will take us. Big disappointment for Leitrim when they were on top for much of the last 20 odd minutes.

A six point win in Markievicz today that really should have been closer to twenty. One Sligo got on top as the first half wore on it was an impressive display right up to the Wexford sending off with about 15 mins to go, up 1-16 to 1-3 and with a chance to really push on and build up a score difference in case it might be needed, and while McEntee used the opportunity to give lads a run which is fair enough, his switch in the FB line cost us 1-1 within minutes of being made, and the general sloppiness never really went away til the end, another soft goal conceded in injury time and then Wexford hit the post right at the death. Fortunately two other subs Spillane and Walsh made their impact with some fine runs and scores otherwise it could have been a mortifying outcome. A good win to get despite that given how Wexford had done in recent games, but the ending does leave a bad taste. However Leitrim losing today means that promotion is in our hands, win both the remaining games and we're up and even a draw in Carrick will do if they can get the win in Carlow in two weeks.

After a poor start McConville seems to be getting a tune out of Wicklow, two good wins in a row now. But they'll need Leitrim to do them a favour in either of the last two games.

[Like the time Michael D got in first. That year there were lost of candidates making big statements but who didn't seem to understand the role or it's limitations.]

I'll ask what real power does the President have? Like it all has to go through various committees and there are lads who have serious power on those who won't be for moving.

He can make big statements and have big ideas but needs everyone on board. Like the time Michael D got in first. That year there were lost of candidates making big statements but who didn't seem to understand the role or it's limitations.

If there was one thing he did sort it would be the appeals and so on. You have lads who will involved who are meant to be upholding rules, but as soon as their own county is involved they vanish.

Good luck to him and I do think he might push things out there a bit. He is also a very good communicator in fairness.

The irony of that being that the man himself clearly doesn't understand the limitations of the role either, given he's spent his entire presidency carrying on like he's still standing at the podium in a Labour party conference.

[he thing I don't like about him is that he is absolutely desperate to become president, and has been actively positioning himself for almost 2 decades to get there. And not based on any grand vision or great policy initiatives but just the actual attainment of the post in itself.]

The thing I don't like about him is that he is absolutely desperate to become president, and has been actively positioning himself for almost 2 decades to get there.

And not based on any grand vision or great policy initiatives but just the actual attainment of the post in itself.

People say he's a great GAA man and does all sorts around the club etc but for me that's all part of his man of the people strategy and its all carefully choreographed and publicised. 

As I said on another thread the people who most want to become policemen and politicians are the last people who should be in any position of power over anyone.

Don't see how that makes him particularly unique to the majority of previous Presidents really. They all made their way up the greasy administrative pole and then the ball came loose for them.

That he has won it without being county or provincial chairman previously is rather impressive in that respect.

[Very disappointing to see only one Tourlestrane player on the county panel.]

Very disappointing to see only one Tourlestrane player on the county panel. Hopefully some will be drafted/will agree to join as the league progresses.  Having said that, this is overall a very young panel which bodes well for the future and a good few of the U21 connacht winning team in there.  Tough first game for us v Laois.

Unfortunately that has become a rather famiiar tale for the last few years now. It is remarkable that a team that has been so totally dominant in the county for the last decade or so is contributing so little to the county setup.

Big game on Sunday, you'd imagine Laois really should get promotion with little hassle but they've been in a bit of a rut over the last while so it mightn't be too easy to turn that around, and there are a few teams fancying a shot at getting out this time compared to the more predictable outcome that we had last year. Win that and we'll be in a good place, problem is you couldn't confidently bank on them beating any team, save maybe Waterford. The last game in Carrick is likely to be a crucial tie for one or both of the teams re the promotion race.

[Up to CP to grow a set of balls and ensure that there is a level playing field at this point, they were happy enough to dictate a hard limit to counties who didn't want to cut their number of Senior club teams and shouldn't care about hurting Kerry sensibilities.]

Kerry can setup internally as best they want for their club championships but it's absolutely disadvantaging clubs from other counties at this stage, the evidence is clear as day, in the final nearly every year and it's only because of the likes of Oughterard springing a huge upset against a Templenoe team that was sprinkled with Kerry county players that it's not every year.

I probably wouldn't be as bothered about it only I've seen my own home place win the Junior AI and how incredible that was for the players and the local people. Huge joy and priceless memories that will last a lifetime for everyone there on the day. Will anyone from our parish present in CP for that final live to see the likes again? Doubtful, this is one shot stuff for most clubs that get to the latter stages, it's hard to take that a team can slog through on a great run to come up against another club who shouldn't have been let into the competition in the first place, and a team from the number one football county in the country no less who would successful enough in the competitions even without such an artificial advantage.

Up to CP to grow a set of balls and ensure that there is a level playing field at this point, they were happy enough to dictate a hard limit to counties who didn't want to cut their number of Senior club teams and shouldn't care about hurting Kerry sensibilities.

The irony here of course being that the Croke Park "16 teams only in Senior" rule is stopping reform of Kerry Senior Championship and thereby holding up an automatic rebalancing of playing field. This is what I've been told at any rate. Kerry want (correctly) to maintain the divisional teams in Senior Championship but willing to restructure and bring more clubs up to Senior - 10 was proposed, along with 8 divisional teams playing off in a round robin to get to 2 teams entering the championship proper with 10 clubs, so 12 teams in effect. But the narrow minded approach in Croke Park was that they weren't allowed to do that.

They told the same thing to Cork I believe, which has almost 250 clubs. That's just daft.

Also, anybody talking about Senior B or playing divisional teams in a separate competition just doesn't get it. That won't be happening.

But it is already happening.. You can't just keep cooking the books to win competitions either though, so it's a bit of a hollow victory when everything is stacked in your favour no?

What is already happening? And no, I doubt any club that wins an All Ireland feels hollow either!

Listen, your entering your 9th best team in a competition where the vast majority of the country are entering their 17th. You're already the kingpins of football, and you reckon this is a level playing field. If you can't see what's wrong with that I don't know. Totally fine within Kerry and it works well for you, but once your in the 1st round of Munster it's a sham.
There's Kerry players togging out in the AI club intermediate and junior every year against club sides that are middle of the pack in their county. #9 from a football powerhouse against #17 elsewhere, keep patting yourselves on the back though

All I asked you was to clarify your post on Senior B or Divisional teams? Which didn't make sense to me.

And no patting on the back going on here. Nearly everyone in Kerry wants to change the system - for the 50th time, it's Croke Park that are blocking that with their stupid rigid 16 team thing. I agree there should be a levelling out.

And just on Munster - if Cork fixed their structure, straight away things would also be more even. They put winners of 3rd tier into Intermediate and 5th tier into Junior, which is silly.

Why did they bring in that stupid rule anyway? Like it only affected a very small number of counties, Galway and Tipperary being two. Counties should be able to do what is right for providing the best possible structure for its own clubs in terms of meaningful competitive competitions at all grades, not have Croke Park imposing unnecessary limitations upon them. Sure Kerry's system has distorted the All Ireland competitions but they were doing what was best for the county itself, not to rack up handy club All Irelands outside of it. And if what you say is true then they appear to recognise that some change may be needed but if it's Croke Park that is putting barriers in front of that then it is on them. And the divisions in Kerry are obviously important and do help in enabling players to compete at the top level without abandoning their clubs, unlike some other players we could mention. Like the idea that Clifford was playing at junior level is remarkable, and the existence of East Kerry means he didn't have to go off to Dr Crokes to play at senior.

[There have been several weeks when local newspapers have carried up to 15 pages of reports of club championship games in a county.]

Attention Franko


https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/2023/01/12/connacht-secretary-condemns-disgusting-responses-to-provincial-draw/
"Many commentators have commented on the fact that the GAA has lost a big promotional tool by having the All-Ireland finals finished in July. I would argue that we now have two big promotional tools available to us: one for first six months of intercounty season and the other for the second six months of the club season.
"There have been several weeks when local newspapers have carried up to 15 pages of reports of club championship games in a county. This is gaining a new and most important promotional tool for our association, at the most important level grassroots level."

He's obviously never read the Sligo papers so.

[Sligo champions]

Senior semi final

Tourlestrane 0-8 St Mary's 0-6

First Connacht final for the Sligo champions since 1982. The Leitrim champs didn't score in the 2nd half.

Intermediate semi final

Dunmore 1-11 Ballyhaunis 1-8.  8-2 to Dunmore in the final 20 minutes

Junior semi final

Clifden 1-10 Islandeady 0-11

Clifdens will be looking to be 3rd time lucky in Junior Connacht finals.

Junior hurling final, low scoring but a good win for the Sligo champions.

Ballygar 0-4 Easkey 0-5

Sligo SENIOR champions playing in Connacht junior club. Bit of a joke and judging by that score the must've been playing soccer!

Biblical weather conditions outdoors in the Connacht GAA Centre.

https://www.oceanfm.ie/2022/11/19/easkey-win-historic-connacht-club-hurling-title/

Stayed in Easkey for the first time a couple of months ago. A small village, achievement in itself that they have the numbers for dual teams.

They don't have numbers for 2 teams, they all play both and as a result are f**king up what was once a football stronghold in Sligo. I know the place well.

Their footballers are doing about as well as they should be, lost the intermediate final to a stronger team who really ought to have been in senior by now. Been intermediate contenders the last couple of years and might do it next year given the team coming down from senior are in decline. Pretty sure that the hurlers draw from a neighbouring club also.

It's long established in Connacht like it is in Ulster that the county champions in the weaker hurling counties compete in the intermediate or junior grades. One Sligo team picked off a few titles back aroun a decade ago but it's been a while since they won one. The Galway junior reps are never particularly good for that county's general standard anyway.

I noticed bunninadden were 109 years between their first and second (last) championship. In Roscommon, Boyle, had they beaten Strokestown I think would have been 95 since their last...

i wonder was there any clubs waiting longer between club championship wins than Bunninadden...

They had the longest wait. This info thanks to GAA stats on twitter

Funny thing about that Bunninadden win is that the team they beat with a last gasp goal, Coolera, would themselves have ended a 93 year wait had they held on. Their time eventually came in 2005. For a small club that Bunninadden were able to compete and win a senior title was fair going. Those days when other teams actually won our county title were rather nice looking back on it now.

On the hurling side Bruree in Limerick had a gap of 113 years between their two wins when they won it around 2005/6.