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From todyas Indo:
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Armagh prove too strong for Monaghan
Monday January 22nd 2007

Armagh 0-9

Monaghan 0-6

McKenna Cup

DESPITE fielding a largely experimental side Armagh still proved too strong for Monaghan in a keenly contested clash in Clones.

However, Monaghan still qualify as the best runner up, edging UUJ out by a fraction of a point on scoring averages. They now meet Tyrone.

This game was in the balance up until the final quarter at which stage the more experienced among the Armagh lineout took control with Steven McDonnell rattling over three unanswered points in the final eight minutes.

The sides were level at 0-4 apiece at half time and they were level five times in all although both had numerous chances to take a stronger grip with goal chances squandered at both ends.

In the end though it was the physically stronger Armagh who finished the better to book a semi-final place, coming form two points down after eleven minutes of the second half to win by three.

SCORERS - Armagh: S McDonnell 0-3 (2f), S Toner, P Toal (1f) 0-2 each, K Toner, JP Donnelly 0-1 each. Monaghan: T Freeman 0-2 (1f), P Finlay 0-2 (2f), D Freeman, R Woods 0-1 each.

ARMAGH - C McKinney; G McCreesh, E McNulty, P McCreesh; JP Donnelly, T McClelland, P Duffy; G Swift, K Toner; P Toal, M O'Rourke, K O'Rourke; S McDonnell, S Forker, N McSherry. Subs: A Mallon for P Duffy, S Toner for M O'Rourke, J O'Neill for N McSherry.

MONAGHAN - S Duffy; D Morgan, J Coyle, M Duffy; D Mone, J Hughes, S Fitzpatrick; P Finlay, V Corey; D McArdle, D Freeman, M Daly; T Freeman, R Woods, S Gollogly. Subs: G McEneaney for Duffy, JP Mone for Hughes, B McKenna for Daly, N Corrigan for Gollogly, E Duffy for McArdle.

REF - M Sludden (Tyrone).

Impressive UUJ sink Antrim UUJ 1-14 Antrim 1-8
UUJ rattled off a comprehensive victory over Antrim at Casement Park yesterday to give themselves great boost ahead of the Sigerson Cup next month.

SCORERS - UUJ: P Cunningham 0-5 (4f), P Doherty 1-1, M Lynch 0-3 (1f), K Dyas 0-2, J Boyle, P Forker, C Conlon 0-1 each. Antrim: C Lynch 0-3 (1f), K Brady 1-0, P Logan 0-2 (2f), C Close 0-2 (2f), M McCann 0-1 (f).

UUJ - M McAlister; P Mooney, J Conlon, R Murray; K Dyas, P Donnelly, D Hughes; J Bradley, J Colgan; M Herron, J Boyle, P Doherty; P Cunningham, P Downey, M Lynch. Subs: C Conlon for Downey (48), C Farrell for Boyle (54), P Forker, for Cunningham (62), D Lavery for Herron (62), E McConville for Hughes (69).

ANTRIM - S McGreevey; C McGoldrick, S McVeigh, N Walsh; C Lynch, G Bell, D Gault; J Quinn, A Gallagher; T Scullion, K Brady, H McKay; C Close, M McCann, M Magill. Subs: L Higgins for Gault (20), P Logan for McKay (ht), O McAteer for Quinn (42), G Galway for Gallagher (60), P Close for Magill (65)

REF - B Toland (Derry).

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I thought it was a great show, light-hearted, informal and educational also to see how the people on the island of Rotuma live.


Of course there was point in it, you would have to seriously question 99.5% of all TV broadcasts if you thought it was pointless! Sean Óg did mention the Dad alright as I was wondering leading up to it why he hadn't been mentioned. The seem like very honest and motivated lads. There 'matter of fact' attitude towards their respective sport and life in general was great to hear. Sean Óg seems quite spiritual in his take on the whole thing too.

9/10!

Totally agree RNRH,
  Mickey Harte flexes his muscles.... At worst it's three games, at best it's 5! What about the 3 students he had sittin on the bench? What about the fact the McKenna cup was virtually unheard of a few years back and teams still managed to build and win AIs? Mickey Harte seems to think he has an authority on GAA in Ulster. He just get of his high horse and let the lads play for their respective colleges as that's a big accolade for any young fella. I was at UUJ myself at the competition there for places was fierce,so gettin your spot on the University team was a good accolade.

If Monaghan insist that all future finals are played in Clones, then they ARE dictating to the GAA.
If this development was good enough, it would be able to stand on its own two feet, and not try and force the GAA to sign away its right to stage finals whereever suits best.

Again, this is part of the tendering process. I think they are correct to put clauses in place, not much point in developing a white elephant now is there? Anyways, you seem to be vehemently opposed to the idea of extending Clones yet you haven't really given us any insight into your alternatives?

Here here Armaghniac, there are an awful lot of folk getting the wrong opinion of this whole medai hype. As you say there are proposals country wide so why shouldn't Clones try and as I said in my previous post, it needs it financially... I remember when the Maze Issue first raised it's ugly head the negativity that was relfected on this board. Now alot of folk are all for it?  Some people have very short memories...

Hold on a second lads,

  "Clones/Monaghan" are well within their rights to tender for this project. If the Ulster Council see fit they will act accordingly OR, if they disagree then they will pull the floor from under the feet of the people of "Clones/Monaghan" as quick as they removed the Ulster Final out of there over the past few years... If the stadium existed in your town/city you'd be pretty pis*ed if no effort was made to secure the event, irrespective of the lack of infrastructure or services there. What Clones/Monaghan people are doing it's called human nature! And let me point out that the decision will ultimately lie with the powers that be within the Ulster Council, irrespective of what the 'rip-off' merchants of Clones/Monaghan think..

This quote is important;

"Bearing in mind the media hype concerning this project and the exaggerated claim that this stadium epitomised a bright new future for the 6 counties

Exactly, when did anyone in their right minds think that this proposed development was gonna build cross-community bridges and solve all issues within NI? Let me say that living in Belfast I'm as much for peace and prosperity as the next man but I take displeasure in hearing that Clones/Monaghan are hi-jackling this agenda, as I said previously Clones/Monaghan will have little say so point the finger at the Ulster Council if you really want someone to blame... 

Being a Clones man (but living in Belfast for 13 years) I find it interesting to read the pros/cons about St Tiernachs Park on this thread. Of course I'm gonna be biased towards it but I duly take on board the problems with getting in and out out the place. In that rescpect I would say if 40/50K people descended on any small town in Ireland on any given day it would seriously stress the road network in that area! Parking is an issue but if the GAA are serious about this then either develop a car parking facilty or maybe a park/ride system on the Monaghan Rd route for example to ease the pressure. I amd not on the main Newtownbutler/Cavan/Monaghan side of the town and have never personally had much trouble getting in or out of the place.

  In terms of economics, 15/20 years ago Clones was a prosperous border town (remember this is when the roads surrounding the town leading to NI were all closed and it was common to buy fuel/food/electrical goods 'across the border, paying you're VAT to the Irish Customs on the way back in of course...) but now for want of a better word 'is on it's knees' with very little small business or the prospect of existing in the town anymore. Why am I say this? Well the prospect of the Ulster Final returning to the town has massive implications for the people of the town and I personally think it would be great to see it back there. I know people are gonna have a go at me about the services/rip-off culture/parking in the town and I accept that alot of work needs to be done in this area. If the people of Clones get this oppotunity then they better not f**K it up as they will face the consequences, and rightly so.

  As one poster said, when St Tiernachs in near capacity the atmosphere is electric, and I think it is, given the fact that it's not always Monaghan I'm goin to watch there!! I would say the main leveraging point about this issue is the potential funding from the Irish Sports Council and the age old adage that 'the GAA don't have to pay VAT on tickets sold in the Repbulic Of Ireland'. So for all the arguments surrouding Healy Park/Casement I think that Clones will get the go-ahead for this reason, be it the right decision or not I'm afriad!

  I live in Belfast and really enjoy Casement for it's convenience and think the playing surface is first class, but there is zero atmosphere before/after big games there which let's face it, is part of the fabric of the GAA in IMHO.

Sorry, last test...

Still testing...