Fermanagh Football & Hurling

[FermGael]

Opps, thanks, I've amended the scoreline.

I'm not sure if teams are allowed to concede games? I presume Donagh received guidance from the county board before making this decision. If they don't win next week I reckon they'll go down with Brookeboro. Although the county final is massive for the club they aren't exactly in a very healthy position in the league and they can ill afford to throw away 2 league points. Regardless of the result next weekend they find themselves in relegation battle. Teemore seem to be on very poor run of form as well. It looks like its between Donagh and Teemore to join Boro in division two next year.

Firstly I think it is a disgrace that the county board fixed games the week before the championship final for teams involved in the final.  A silly decision
Secondly the Gaels had a team lined out and the referee was there, so I would doubt if they took any advice from the county board.
I think that St Pat's will have to lose the points because Derrygonnelly played their game.  If Derrygonnelly had not played, then maybe the county board would have re-fixed the games. But that is not an option now. 
Also the county board and the people who plan fixtures need to take a long look at themselves.  That decision, coupled with the decision to play a full round of reserve fixtures on Saturday evening at 5 is madness.  They were no reserve fixtures during the summer because Coa had one panel member on the county panel.  One PANEL member holds up the entire reserve league 1 in Fermanagh for nearly 2 months. Madness.  Could they not have played away without the club involved and let them make up the games at a later date. 
Now they fix them for 5 on a Saturday which just happens to be the same time that the Fermanagh and Western games finish at.  This is a huge problem for most clubs in the county (not just the Gaels) as most reserve players play soccer in the winter and Gaelic in the summer.   Players should not be forced to choose especially as its only reserve.  Just another example of the county board doing everything it can to kill of Gaelic in the towns.  Great forward thinking. 

[FermPundit]

Opps, thanks, I've amended the scoreline.

I'm not sure if teams are allowed to concede games? I presume Donagh received guidance from the county board before making this decision. If they don't win next week I reckon they'll go down with Brookeboro. Although the county final is massive for the club they aren't exactly in a very healthy position in the league and they can ill afford to throw away 2 league points. Regardless of the result next weekend they find themselves in relegation battle. Teemore seem to be on very poor run of form as well. It looks like its between Donagh and Teemore to join Boro in division two next year.

Firstly I think it is a disgrace that the county board fixed games the week before the championship final for teams involved in the final.  A silly decision
Secondly the Gaels had a team lined out and the referee was there, so I would doubt if they took any advice from the county board.
I think that St Pat's will have to lose the points because Derrygonnelly played their game.  If Derrygonnelly had not played, then maybe the county board would have re-fixed the games. But that is not an option now. 
Also the county board and the people who plan fixtures need to take a long look at themselves.  That decision, coupled with the decision to play a full round of reserve fixtures on Saturday evening at 5 is madness.  They were no reserve fixtures during the summer because Coa had one panel member on the county panel.  One PANEL member holds up the entire reserve league 1 in Fermanagh for nearly 2 months. Madness.  Could they not have played away without the club involved and let them make up the games at a later date. 
Now they fix them for 5 on a Saturday which just happens to be the same time that the Fermanagh and Western games finish at.  This is a huge problem for most clubs in the county (not just the Gaels) as most reserve players play soccer in the winter and Gaelic in the summer.   Players should not be forced to choose especially as its only reserve.  Just another example of the county board doing everything it can to kill of Gaelic in the towns.  Great forward thinking. 

Yeah, I agree, it wasn't the best decision to fix the games at 5 on a Saturday but the county board will argue that they are struggling to get all fixtures completed and with the fading light they had little alternative but to fix games at this time. On many occasions I had to choose between Gaelic and Soccer and it's a hateful decision to have to make. The decision of the county board to postpone all Erne Cup division one games in the early part of the summer because of Coa's sole county panelist was just stupid.

[sammymaguire]

what about the county Final on Sunday lads, big crows expected at Brewster for what should be a good game.

I know Derrygonnelly will be hungry but St Pats will be ravenous to win their first New York Gold Cup

[ExiledGael]

Not much debate about the games on here, suppose they're smaller clubs and we haven't the posters involved.
St Pat's are going for the U16 title as well against an excellent Belanaleck team in the first game on Sunday.
Seniors should be a fascinating game, should make it down for both. Would obviously be good to see St Pat's win a first ever senior Championship. Bit of a Jimmy White about them, losing six finals I think in the past. Who's the senior ref? Could be quite important.

[wanderer]

Personally can't see past St Pats, but have only seen them once this year. Is there any injuries etc for either side?

[ExiledGael]

According to local papers St Pat's are without Paul McManus who broke a collarbone, Fergal O'Reilly who broke a foot and Kevin Maguire with a virus of some sort. Probably why they didn't field against Gaels last week. Think Derrygonnelly are 100%.

[FermGael]

All reserve games called off this weekend.
Wonder what was behind that??
Would love to see Derrygonnelly getting beat but think they will have to much for St Pat's.  Cassidy and the Wards will rip St Pat's to threads.

[FermPundit]

St. Patrick's 0-07 Derrygonnelly 0-03 at half time.

Belanaleck defeated St. Patrick's in the U16 Championship final

[FermPundit]

St. Patrick's 0-11 Derrygonnelly Harps 0-10

There'll be some party in Donagh tonight.

Congratulations to St Patricks's on winning their first ever senior championship

[Gold]

Deserved victory, although the Harps could have got a draw at the death.

Maguire and Cadden were very good for St Pats in the 1st half--St Pats could have been out of sight at this stage as Cadden put a penalty wide and other goal opportunities were spurned. The Harps were atrocious in the 1st half and Kevin Cassidy kept them in it feeding off scraps and scoring 2 good points from play. The ref was giving Pats and Maguire in particular handy frees when he was barely touched but could have also given Pats a 2nd penalty but didnt.

2nd half Pats started the brighter courtesy of a point from a free for a nothing 'foul' on Maguire again. Pats looked like they were going to walk it then but the game turned when Harps midfielder Greene stopped his opposite number Cosgove with a high elbow that ruled the towering Pats midfielder out of the game at the start of the 2nd half and unbelevably the Ref only gave a shocked Greene a yellow card for a 'tackle' that Francie Bellew wouldnt have made.

Kevin Cassidy then came into his own and hit some class points including one off the outside of his left boot. Paul Ward was introduced and he and Cassidy chipped on further scores to close the gap but they could never level despite 6 minutes of injury time and the game finished 0-10 to 0-9.

Paul Ward was apparantly injured yet he was kicking points during the pre-match warm up and was flying in the last 20 minutes. If he was on earlier to give Cassidy a hand the Haros might have nicked it but fair play to St Pats who had a better all round team performance on the day and deserved their 1st SFC victory.

[ExiledGael]

Good to see St Pat's get their first Champ[ionship yesterday, you could see how much it meant to them towards the end. They were playing poorly after losing Cosgrove and just diving on every ball to try to hold on. Eamon Maguire and Shane McDermott really stood out as the leaders during that period always demanding and holding on to the ball. Frog came charging out of defence time after time just throwing people off him. Pat Cadden claimed a few good balls as well and seems to have really strengthened up from his time on the county panel, he hit a very poor penalty though. Ref was quite fussy but thought he was fair, just that St Pat's controlled the game for 40 odd minutes and held soo much possession.
Was disgusted at Green's foul on Cosgrove. I know teams are obviously told to target players but that's another potential county player now left with a broken collarbone after a dangerous challenge. He's no hope of playing in the Ulster series and that's the kind of shite that make these new disciplinary rules seem worthwhile. Something similar happened Daryl Keenan a few weeks back, also against Derrygonnelly, and two obvious county call-ups probably won't play now for months.
Cosgrove wasn't claiming many balls at midfield but was given 3/4 frees for pushing and stopped them winning any. After he was forced off the Harps picked up almost every kick-out until the final whistle.
Surprised Paul Ward didn't start and he looked in fine shape when he came on but obviously something was keeping him from starting. Kevin Cassidy up front kept the Harps in it, he's a fine left foot, but he was really on his own. The other Ward was not in the game at any stage and over the course of the game St Pat's had the more dominant figures who deserved something for thier efforts.
Wasn't a great game and wasn't helped by two lengthy injuries in each half which seemed to stop any rhythm building. Fair play to St Pat's, they had to do it sometime with players of the class of Maguire there but I'd worry for them in Crossmaglen.
They'll probably not give a shit anyway after this I'm sure they'll go on the lash for about a week, but without Cosgrove now too for Ulster can't see them progressing any further than any of our representatives have since Enniskillen.

[FermPundit]

I fear will Donagh will get an almighty hammering by Crossmaglen (provided they win Armagh) in the Ulster Championship. I'm very disappointed to hear about the injury to Paul Cosgrove. Hopefully he'll make a speedy recovery. Overall I think the standard in the Fermanagh championship has been really poor this year. Fair play to St Pat's for winning their first championship but what does it say about Fermanagh club football when a team sitting second bottom of Division one win the championship?

[ExiledGael]

I fear will Donagh will get an almighty hammering by Crossmaglen (provided they win Armagh) in the Ulster Championship. I'm very disappointed to hear about the injury to Paul Cosgrove. Hopefully he'll make a speedy recovery. Overall I think the standard in the Fermanagh championship has been really poor this year. Fair play to St Pat's for winning their first championship but what does it say about Fermanagh club football when a team sitting second bottom of Division one win the championship?

The Gaels have been doing that for years!!

[imtommygunn]

Would that fella Maguire not be worth a crack at the county team? (Derrygonnelly no. 14)

Just saw highlights on TG4 and he looked pretty good.

[FermPundit]

Would that fella Maguire not be worth a crack at the county team? (Derrygonnelly no. 14)

Just saw highlights on TG4 and he looked pretty good.

I think the player you're on about is Derrygonnelly's full forward Kevin (Kevs) Cassidy. He's one of best forwards in Fermanagh club football but I can't remember him ever playing for the county. I think he has been asked on a number of occasions to go to trails but he hasn't shown any interest. He's 30+ now so unfortuantely we'll have to look at alternative options to cure our problems in the forward line.