Messages

Firstly the so called traffic hold ups. With at least four main exit points from the city, there is obvious potential for getting the area cleared a lot faster than its traditional big match competitor, Clones. Most gaels expect a bit of a delay here or there, and factor it into their schedules, but in saying that the feasability study would have clear action plans for traffic dispersal and adequate parking, otherwise the option would not stand any chance of  approval in the first place.

Bannside, it is nor 'so called' traffic problems at casement, there are genuine traffic problems. The fact that the M1 motorway turnoff is the main route for the majority of the traffic causes problems in itself, the volume of traffic arriving at the same time increases due to the better road up until this point causing a bottleneck effect at the exit, this in turn causes huge tailbacks along the motorway which results in health & safety issues along with other issues such as roadrage and general disruption for non GAA attending people using the cities main arterial routes, for this reason alone a feasibility study would be necessary for all traffic issues. I have been to games in Casement where i have seen people parking on the layby on the M1 which clearly is not a suitable situation.

This is not as much of a problem in Clones as the traffic is more staggered in its approach and more even in it distribution of the roads leading into the town.

I agree with the rest of your approach that Antrim will come good in the future and that their increased support can only be good for the GAA but i feel that Casement present too many problems to be made into a 40,000+ stadium. If location was the main factor without any other consideration the i believe Silverwood in Lurgan would be a prime location for a new stadium, but if the option is to renovate a current stadium to this standard it should be the Athletic Grounds. Yes it has recently got a renovation but it is still behind the standard of Breffni, Clones, Healy Park, Brewster Park, Celtic Park, The Marshes and even Casement, but it is fairly centrally located and more roads leading to the town. Also it is unlikely the majority of the traffic will be coming from the same direction as would be the case in Casement.

[IF they lose they wont lose any sleep over it.]

Did I say they wouldn't try to win it...? No I didnt. I said IF they lose they wont lose any sleep over it.

Which again is bullsh1t. If Kerry loose another final especially if they start well and build up a lead, it will signal that there is absolutely no improvement under JOC in 2009. This will increase the pressure on the Kerry players that they must perfrom in the championship with the fans expecting to win the All-Ireland and we all seen last year when the pressure was on in a final how the faltered to deceive in 3 finals.

[well then I'm sure JOC and the boys are happy with that too but I dont think they'll lose any sleep if Galway or Derry beat us in the final.]

Kerry do take the league seriously. The roll of honour says so:

Not taking it serious as in, yes, they want to win every game but its not the be all and end all. Bringing new players in (or getting older ones back up to speed) is what its about. If the competition for places results in wins, well then I'm sure JOC and the boys are happy with that too but I dont think they'll lose any sleep if Galway or Derry beat us in the final.

Mike, that part in bold is just bullsh1t, yes they may use the league as a way of getting player up to speed etc but a final is a final and any team at that stage is there to win it no matter what competition and especially the 2nd most important one. Also Kerry have been beaten in the 3 finals they have played in 2007. The most important thing to JOC will be to win the league again so the players get the confidence again that they may actually be able to win something again, not just compete to the finish line before pulling up short.

I got fed up reading after about page 14 but i would like to add one point. Last year, the Tyrone county final between Dromore and Clonoe was televised live on TG4. Like all championship games (in all divisions) in Tyrone, the county board had their own camera at the game. As a result of a few incidents there were suspensions handed out after the game and rightly so. The county board used the evidence from their own camera and stated that if necessary they would seek copies of the coverage from TG4.

In my opinion this approach should be adopted throughout all League and Championship games. It would not be difficult to have one camera at each game and if an incident happens which is reported to the CCCC then their own coverage can be used. If by some chance the incident was not caught on their own camera but was on national TV, then the CCCC could request copies of the match involved to review the additional material available. I feel that all teams should begin on a even standard whereby there is at least one camera at the game.

The results today suggest that division 3 is going to be tight, with the  result being Dregish travelling to Derrytresk and taking both points, and as a sub plot good to see Dregish fielding at reserve level again this season.

Every game had less than 3 points between each teams, bar Glenelly's impressive eight point margin while hosting Brackaville. Will be interesting to hear the Drumragh, and Fintona posters thoughts on their games?

The Fintona V Beragh game was a very close game, Beragh started brightly with a score from Martin Rodgers within the first 30 seconds. It was a tough first half with Fintona edging it until Beragh dispossesed Fintona about 30 yards from their own goal and a couple of quick passes brought the games only goal just before half time. Teams were level a 0-7 to 1-4 at the break. It was Beragh who started brighter in the second half and had a 3 point lead going into the final 10 mins. Credit must be given to the Fintona management who made an important switch bring Donnelly from FB to MF and also bringing on some important subs. Fintona finished the game strongly outscoring Beragh by 5 points to nil in the final 10 mins. I have to say the referee (from Brocagh) was terrible for both teams, he blew for lifting off the ground about 20 times throughout the game when it was never. He also disallowed a pointed free from beragh when they were 3 points up, which the fintona umpire awarded.

P.S. A correction on the scores posted earlier the Reserve game ended in a draw: Fintona 0-11 Beragh 1-08

There is no way of determining if this boy was a local or someone staying with students because his details will not be released to the press as it would be against the child protection laws. However from all the arrests that were made we can determine that students were involved but it also contained a large proportion of non students, of which a proportion of local youths may have been involved.

If the authorities are going to use TV for what are essentially minor incidents then they need to be consistent. Can anyone explain why Rory Woods was not brought before the CCCC when it was clearly caught on TV him kicking a Kildare player lying on the ground? I agree that it was not a hard kick and more of a jab to get the player to get up again , but by definition it was kicking and technically deserved a ban. I don't think it did, but if the CCCC are going to review situations they need to apply it fairly accross all games/teams and not be selective in their punishment.

P.S. I have not condoned what McGuigan did and agree that if a ban is issued it is waranted, but i do feel that the incident was addressed by the referee at the time and that should be the end of the matter.

If you are looking for a deal, take someone who knows about cars and go to Wilsons auctions in portadown on a saturday morning (think they might do Thursday eveining to, not sure). Most of these cars are from repossessions that people can't afford repayments on or ex company cars. If you know what you are looking for you can pick up a real bargain. All the cars they currently have are listed on the website. The only problem with this option is that you are not allowed to test drive before you buy. You can look round the car all you want but you can't take it out.

It doesn't really matter if it 6 or 8 weeks because he will still miss the same number of games due to the league fixtures. Croke Park are using this as an example that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated, but i think on appeal, Fergal can successfully appeal the ban down to 4 weeks on precident already set.

Also can anyone tell me were donegal fined €2000 for the Paddy Campbell incident, If not his is likely to be overturned also.

Our club is £25 for adult members, £10 for youth and U-12 is free. There is no OAP or student rates. The mens adult players also have to pay £20 towards the insurance scheme from Croke Park, but at £45 for the year it is exceptionally good value especially when you consider that includes any physio etc that the team require throughout the year.

the below was sent around to the clubs in November:

            PROPOSED SCHEDULE         Annex 4
SUN 5 APRIL            Rd 1

TUES 14 April (Easter Tues)    Rd 2

SUN 19 April            Rd 3

SUN 26 APRIL         Rd 4

SUN 3 MAY            Rd 5

SAT 9 MAY    Rd 6                          10 May must be free;125th anniversary events

FRI 15 / SUN 17 MAY      Rd 7

SUN 24 MAY             Rd 8 – starred

SAT 30 MAY            LEAGUE CUP

THURS 4 - SUN 7 JUN   }   IFC Rd 1* replays following Fri; 
SAT 6 JUN      `   }   SFL & JFL RD 9

SUN 14 JUN   Rd 10 (Rd 9 IFL) – starred? (Tyrone beat Armagh)

SAT 20 JUN            LEAGUE CUP (Tyrone Play USFC S/F)

THURS 25 - SUN 28 JUN   }   JFC  Rd 1 * replays following Fri;
SAT 27 JUN             }   SFL (Rd 11) & IFL Rd (Rd 10)

THURS 2 – SUN 5 JULY   }   SFC Rd 1* any replays Fri 10 JUL;
SAT 4 JULY             }    IFL & JFL Rd 11

FRI 10 JUL/ SAT 11 JUL      SFL IFL JFL Rd 12 starred?

HOLIDAY PERIOD SUN 12 JULY to SAT 1 AUG –
NO ADULT ACTIVITY 3 WEEKS

NB: ULSTER FINAL 19 JULY

REMAINDER OF PROGRAMME SET UP BY END OF JUNE & CIRCULATED TO CLUBS ASAP THEREAFTER

Still about lads thanks for asking, been keeping an eye but no time to post due to work being hectic this last few months.

Norf or anyone know when the youth fixtures are being released. If anyone has a copy of then could you PM them to me please.

My understanding is that Dara's ban would be up at midnight on the Saturday before the final. Serious disadvantage (for the dirty player) to be in the 2nd semi which is 3 weeks before the final! But sure hopefully Tyrone v. Wexford will be a good clean game, something is needed to restore a bit dignity to the game after today's pukefest!

This is the second time this season that O'Shea has been sent off so surely by default his ban is automatically doubled? If he was sent of for striking that is an automatic 1 month ban and min 1 game but as it is the second time is the ban not doubled (or is that if it is for the same offence, what was his first sending off for his year?)

Diarmuid Murphy, Kerry goalkeeper has blown his chances of an All Star - what a pathetic attempt at a save from James Master's punch !

The entire Kerry half back line have cemented their chances although O'Mahony hasn't won many admirers today.


Donaghy is a shoo in.

Declan O'Sullivan didn't help his chances.


Anthony Lynch played well and could feature - can't see many other Cork players featuring to be honest.

I think O Mahony has ruined his chances of an all star with his disgraceful antics yesterday, can't see the powers that be giving him one now. Depending on how Conor Gormley performs in the semi (and possiblr final) i think he may take the no.6 position although i do not think he has played up to standard to deserve it.

Maybe give one of the Tyrone officials a wee ring to see if they could help. A man like Cuthburt Donnelly (As well as a gent) is also fairly tuned in to these things. Do you play Aghaloo soon as you might see him there.

Don't play them until the last game of the year so it will be a while before i see him, might give him a shout.

Never heard of it either.

However I get into parkings areas by contacting the County Board. Mind you, that's for the disabled, but I'm sure the same applies.

Its actually for a friend in Armagh that i was requesting it for so i contacted the armagh county board regarding a disabled passs and provided the NHS Disability Serial No. and was told that due to high demand that i was not guaranteed a pass into the car park for the ulster final, even though i suplied a NHS disability card. The person in question is unable to walk more than 200 yards and that is with assistance of a walking stick. Its a disgrace and then there will be people with on disability parking there due to being in the know.