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I said on the Maze stadium survey thread a while ago that I was on the same course as stadiumsurvey and would be posting a GAA related survey.

I didn't get round to posting the link, I just emailed it around a few club mates.

The survey itself is not very important for the course, it was more about the process of designing and deploying an online survey.

Have a go and let me know what you think. I borrowed one of the questions from the GAA survey that is on the official site, I had something similar but decided to go with their question.

Here is the link:http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=1xwvzoGEsmm5EgJXET6I7g_3d_3d

An excellent article about Andrew McCann from the Sunday Times. I corrected the names of the Portadown players mentioned by Sticky Murray.


Last Tuesday evening in the Goat Bar and Grill in south Dublin, Enda McNulty and Des Mackin ran into the Mayo footballer Austin O'Malley and the St Vincent's centrefielder Michael O'Shea. All four had played on the Dublin club scene and the talk soon drifted to St Vincent's drawn Leinster quarter-final against Seneschalstown two days earlier. Given their Armagh connections, McNulty and Mackin asked O'Shea about Seneschalstown's Andrew McCann. It was the first O'Shea knew about McCann's Armagh background; he hadn't a clue that he'd even played for the county, never mind that he'd won an All-Ireland in 2002.

O'Shea wasn't being complacent or arrogant because McCann's career had never trapped many rays of sunlight. Even on the day when his profile reached its peak, McCann managed to retain his anonymity in the immediate aftermath. Four minutes before Maurice Fitzgerald rescued Kerry with a 40-metre free to level the drawn 2000 All-Ireland semi-final, McCann was the story of the day. Kerry were three points ahead with time running out when he cleverly weaved his way inside the Kerry, defence and scored the equalising goal.



McCann was living in Dublin at the time and he made his own way home afterwards. The Armagh team bus was stopped in traffic as it waited to take the turn on to Clonliffe Road when a couple of the Armagh players spotted McCann drifting down Jones Road.His hair was still slightly wet and his cheeks were flush from the game but McCann had his gear-bag down by his side as he negotiated his way through the throng. While the Armagh players had their eyes trained on McCann, nobody on the street stopped him because nobody recognised him. Of all the players from Armagh's historic All-Ireland winning team, McCann had the lowest profile.

John Toal could maybe have been bracketed in that category, at the time but he was only in his second season while McCann had already done six years of hard times That Armagh team were the brand leaders of the modern game and were one of the most recognised and well received All-Ireland champions of the past two decades. And yet, McCann managed to operate on such a stage with the stealth and quiet efficiency of an undercover agent. He never sat on the executive of that team but the top table cherished him. "I don't say this lightly, says Paul McGrane, "but Andy McCann was definitely one of the most underrated footballers I ever played with or against. He was a class player for us."

"We used to always smile amongst ourselves about how understated Andy was," says Enda McNulty. "If you asked me to sum up Andy McCann, I'd describe him as the ice-man cometh. He always produced the goods on the, big day but he was a skilful and talented player too." McCann always liked it in the shade. He didn't' do interviews, he didn't bother with endorsements after 2002 and the hype around the whole team never hassled or interested him. He lived in Dublin and Kildare during most of his inter-county career and he travelled to Armagh on his own for training for the guts of a decade. Afterwards, he'd disappear out the door like a puff of smoke. "I probably am a shy type of person' but I'm the kind of person who just goes along and does the thing," says McCann. "I'd like to think that I made a good contribution to the whole Armagh success but I'd like to think that the other boys on the panel recognised my contribution.

That was always more, important to me than any praise or profile I got with being on that Armagh team. His consistency marked him apart of Armagh's 32 championship matches between 1997 and 2003, McCann started 31 and was substituted only three times. Those came in 2002 but McGrane leaps to his defence by recalling that McCann got married early that summer and missed the now famous training camp in La Manga. McGrane and McNulty say that they cannot once remember McCann getting cleaned out. McGrane has known McCann since P7 class in primary school and he says that he's still the same now as he was then; intelligent, witty, a quiet guy who always gets the job done".

Both played on the Armagh minor team that lost the 1992 All-Ireland final in harrowing circumstances. That team was dominated by big names from the footballing academies of St' Patrick's Armagh, Abbey CBS and St Colman's in Newry. McCann never had that grounding because he attended Lismore Comprehensive in Craigavon, where there was absolutely no football. Moreover, he played with Tir na nOg in Portadown, a club without power or prestige in Armagh. Brian Mallon has been part of the Armagh squad now for a number of years but before McCann arrived, nobody from Portadown had ever established a place on, the Armagh team. The Tirna nOg chairman, Liam Murray, has been a member of the club for 35 years and can't recall any other Portadown footballer playing championship before McCann. Bertie Madden and Dr Joe Fearon were on the fringes of the panel in the 1970s but they never played in the championship.

The club stands on the Garvaghy Road and overlooks Drumcree church. Their members always tried to insulate themselves from outside influences. "Portadown is mainly a Protestant town but playing GAA there didn't really impact much on us because the club was in the small Catholic area," says McCann. "The whole politics of the situation never really came into it and you just went to the club and played football like anywhere else. We just kept ourselves to ourselves but the club had great people, who kept it going through all the Troubles. McCann's desire and ambition kept him on the Armagh squad for 10 seasons. A three-month injury layoff before the 2004 championship hampered his involvement that season.

After losing his starting place for the first time before that year's Ulster final against Donegal,; he never got it back. Aaron Kernan established himself at wing-hack in 2005 and McCann's career began winding down. He cane on as a substitute in the 2005 All-Ireland semi-final defeat by Tyrone and walked away afterwards without any sounding of trumpets in the background. "Being honest, I wasn't really enjoying the trips to training anymore," he says. "It wasn't so much that I wasn't making the team, it was just that the enjoyment had gone. I know some of the lads really regret not winning that second All-Ireland but, to be honest, I don't really have any regrets. My attitude was that you just put your head down and keep trying until you can't try anymore. Most of the boys on that panel did that and it just didn't happen.

You put your heart and soul into it. but, when it doesn't happen, you move on and do something else." Despite such a settled inter-county career, McCann has had a nomadic existence as a club player. During part of his time spent living in Dublin, he played with Ballyboden-St Enda's. When he got married and moved to Leixlip, he transferred to the club there. Last year, he and, his family bought a house in Slane and his workmate and the Seneschalstown secretary, Ian Maguire asked McCann about joining the club. "People have often said stuff to me but as far as I'm concerned I only ever joined a club that I lived beside, he says. "I'd love to have stayed playing club football with Tir na nOg and won a championship with them. But if you want to have any sort of life outside of football, you can't really do it. I joined those other clubs because I intended on settling in those places and it was a similar reason for joining Seneschalstown.

You just want to fit into the community.Seneschalstown's first county title in 13 seasons was a huge lift to the club and the community for a number of reasons. The Meath school bus crash in 2005 happened on their doorstep and impacted on many local families. The success also provided McCann with a lift. Last summer, he was involved in a car crash and his nine-month-old daughter, Caoimhe, was killed. "We're doing all right, I suppose," he says. "My wife [Emma] and Eoin,{four-year-old son] are just trying to get on with life as best as we can. I don't really like talking about it. I suppose football has helped in that it helps take your mind of things at training for a couple of hours.

But it's something that I'll never get over. It has totally changed my life and my perspective. Football is about enjoying yourself and enjoying your game. That's it." At the start of the season, McCann probably didn't think we could win a county title, but Seneschalstown have kept their heads down and kept battling away. They only stumbled into a county quarter-final and then looked to have blown the title when Navan O'Mahony's scrambled a draw in the county final. The majority of their young team had lost three consecutive county U-21 finals to O'Mahony's but in the replay Seneschalstown blew their opponents out of the water - and with them went any preconceived psychological hang-ups.

McCann wouldn't want to take much credit for their progress this season but he has been a steady hand and presence among a young crop of players. He wouldn't have survived with Armagh for as long as he did or been as successful as he was without that cutting edge and desire. While he would never wish to be defined by the things he has said, he's imparted some of his knowledge and experience, through the medium of his discreet manner. Then he goes on to the field and just does the business.

"I'd like to think that I've had a bit of an input into Seneschalstown's success," says McCann. "I know for a fact that this is the only chance that I'll ever get to win a Leinster championship so I want to make it count. Last week showed we had the desire. It's great to have that winning feeling again but you have,to enjoy your football. We're playing like a team now that is enjoyng our football and having the game in Navan is a big boost. Hopefully we'll push on again; now."

Last Sunday, Paul McGrane and Cathal O'Rourke travelled to Dublin just to see McCann play. He lined out at centre-forward but all the old hallmarks of his game were still evident; hoovering up breaking ball, spraying quality passes and showing leadership in his quiet and understated fashion. Still the guy who just gets the job done. Still the iceman.

The Sunday Times

Social Research Methods, part-time.

Up to my eyeballs at the moment.

Still been keeping an eye on the board though.

I'm actually on the same course as stadiumsurvey.

My humble effort will follow shortly.

PS I completed the survey.

I'm heading to Hamburg for a stag weekend at the end of August.

Has anyone been there or know of any Irish bars that might show the hurling final?

Anywhere in particular I should go, apart from the obvious.

4 Make a Puma T-shirt.

Cucumbers, vile things, and the sneaky bastards that cut them up small and hide them in your salad.

Taken from Hogan Stand

The times, dates and venues for the All-Ireland football qualifiers and Tommy Murphy Cup first round ties have been announced.

Five of the eight All-Ireland qualifiers will be have a 7pm throw-in on Saturday, July 7. The games between Fermanagh and the losers of next Sunday's Leinster SFC semi-final between Laois and Wexford, and Armagh and Derry, will take place at 2pm and 4pm respectively on Sunday, July 8, while Roscommon will host Kildare at Dr Hyde Park at 3pm the previous day.

Both of the Sunday games could yet be played as a double-header at Clones as Enniskillen, which was out of commission during the National League due to upgrading work, may not be ready to host the Fermanagh v Laois/Wexford clash. Armagh's meeting with Derry will definitely go ahead at Clones.

On the Saturday evening, Limerick will play Louth at the Gaelic Grounds, Castlebar will host the meeting of Mayo and Cavan, Newry is the venue for Down v Meath, Westmeath will have home advantage in Mullingar for their clash with Longford, while Leitrim will entertain Donegal in Carrick-on-Shannon.

In the Tommy Murphy Cup, Kilkenny face Antrim in a preliminary round tie next Saturday, June 30 at Nowlan Park, with the winners travelling to Ruislip to play London in the first round proper on July 7 at 3pm.

The remaining three first round fixtures will also be played on July 7 at 7pm. Carlow must travel to Dungarvan to face Waterford, Wicklow host Offaly in Aughrim and Tipperary take on Clare in Ardfinnan.

was the middletown derrynoose championship match rained off last nite!?

Derrynoose won by 4 points, the score was something like 3-8 to 0-13. It was a poor enough game although the conditions didn't help. Derrynoose were probably deserving winners, they led 2-5 to 0-5 at half time. Middletown came back into it more in the second half but Derrynoose just did enough to hold on.

Being a regular lurker I'm sure he'll have noticed this.

Funnily enough he never mentioned it on saturday night. Where were you Tony?

It probably has no bearing on Saturday's match but Tir na nOg u16's beat the Clans in the semi-final of the North Armagh championship tonight by 27 points!

McAllister not fit, oh dear!

Ronan Quigley refereed the Tir na nOg Granemore match last year. He was piss poor then and will be again on Saturday night.

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Tir na nOg did your B-team beat St Peters last night and if you don't know could you find out for me.
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Yes, they beat St Peters by 2 points.

Terrible news about Francie. Will he ever be back? Who will replace him at FB? Toner?

why was scully not playing?

AFAIK both Scully and McAllister will be playing for Dungannon in Saturday's Irish cup final.