Leinster U21 Championship

mattockranger · February 09, 2009, 06:36:13 PM

no word yet, news should filter through this evening

mattockranger · February 10, 2009, 12:48:25 PM

Game refixed for sunday the 22nd

laoisgaa · February 11, 2009, 04:41:10 PM

Saturday, 14th February 2009.

Longford (2.30pm) Longford v Wicklow
Reit: Eddie Kinsella

Bunclody (2.30pm) Wexford v Kildare
Reit: Sean Carroll (Uibh Fhaili)

Sunday, 22nd February 2009.

Drogheda (2.30pm) Louth v Dublin
Reit: C. Costello (Uibh Fhaili)

Extra time if necessary must be played if sides finish level.

Croí na hÉireann · February 11, 2009, 05:12:57 PM

Cadbury football scholarships awarded
10 February 2009

Four U21 footballers, Hugh Gill, Ciaran Gavin, Brian Fox and Michael Moloney have been presented with Cadbury Football Scholarships in Dublin College University and University Limerick.

The Cadbury Football Scholarships are awarded in recognition of the sporting potential of U21 footballers attending various universities in Ireland as part of the Cadbury sponsorship of the GAA Football U-21 Championship which is currently underway. Each Scholarship awarded is to the value of ?1,000.

Hugh Gill, DCU, has represented Dublin at minor, U-21 and senior level and has won a Dublin Football Senior Championship, a Leinster Senior Football Championship and an All-Ireland Senior Club Championship with his club, St Vincents.

Kieran Gavin, DCU, has represented Westmeath at U-14, U-16, minor, U-21 and senior level. In 2008 started every competitive game for Westmeath and was part of the side that won the NFL Division 2 title that year.

Michael Moloney, UL, was a member of the 2008 Munster and All Ireland winning Kerry U-21 team and is a member of this year's senior county panel.

Brian Fox, UL, has represented his county at minor and U21 levels and he is currently a member of the Tipperary senior football panel. In 2008 he was shortlisted for the Cadburys 'Hero of the Future' award for his performances in the U-21 championship.

Commenting at the scholarship presentation, Shane Guest, Senior Brand Manager, Cadbury Ireland said. "This is Cadbury Ireland's fourth year as sponsor of the Football U-21 Championship and we regard it as an honour to sponsor the GAA Championship. Cadbury Ireland is fully committed to supporting GAA in Ireland, and I am delighted to say that the Championship goes from strength to strength. The Cadbury Scholarships highlight the importance of the game to these young players, their commitment to training and their hard work, skill, passion and dedication in pursuit of sporting excellence."

Cadbury Ireland are sponsoring football scholarships in NUI Galway, University of Limerick, University College Dublin, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin College University, University College Cork and Jordanstown campus of the University of Ulster. The University scholarship programme demonstrates Cadbury's commitment to developing and nurturing the players to provide for the future of football from a young age. Cadbury want to recognise the skill of the U-21 Footballers who are attending and representing their college.

Well done Kieran Gavin, very exciting prospect and is already a mainstay in the Westmeath senior team...

INDIANA · March 07, 2009, 04:00:38 PM

Dublin beat meath 0-12 to 2-5 in parnell. Dublin without the crokes lads will be happy enough. Poor game though Dublin should have won by more. Its a decent dublin team but no more than that. I think Meath as a football county are screwed after that today. Where have all their footballers gone? Beyond belief how disappointing they were.

Barney · March 07, 2009, 06:08:34 PM

Suprised at that particularly when Colm O'Rourke always has the answers on tv and in the papers

Jinxy · March 07, 2009, 06:16:26 PM

We need structures in place to bring lads through from minor and schools level and we need it now.
I still feel we are in the dark ages here when it comes to physical conditioning for the modern game.
We have talent, we just don't seem to have the drive and physical ability to take advantage of that.
And before anyone starts banging on about how we need footballers not athletes, we need footballers that ARE athletes.
We seriously need to look at how we prepare our young players.
I'm very concerned over the number of chronic injuries our younger players seem to have.

INDIANA · March 07, 2009, 06:23:27 PM

that meath team at minor level were terrific. O Rourke still has the touches but needs an injury free run. Brian Sheridan is capable of so much more. Thought the goalie was terriifc , real talent. Dublin are no world beaters but were missing 3 key players but Meath were beyond belief they were so poor. They aren't embracing modern traning techniques Jinxy, you couldn't keep up with our lads. You don't have to be good to be able to run.

Barney · March 07, 2009, 07:06:59 PM

The under 21 championship is a funny fish at the same team.

So Counties go all out. Others concentrate on the league, and developing players for the future.

Look at some of the suprising results over the last few years - Clare beating Kerry, Sligo beating Galway, Waterford and Limerick in a Munster Final.

I think if it was played in the Summer you might get a different set of results.

Personally I'm a big fan of the competition and it has been very good to Mayo over the last 15 years. However midweek Summer matches are the best way for it to go in my view. I know that its not very practical but always enjoyed those kind of games. In fact I think the GAA needs a midweek Summer outlet especially when a lot of us have feck all work to be doing

Croí na hÉireann · March 09, 2009, 11:28:47 AM

Will the Dublin Westmeath game be in Parnell on Paddys Indiana???

Croí na hÉireann · March 12, 2009, 04:40:33 PM

O Flatharta fuming over re-fixture
Westmeath manager Tomas O'Flatharta
12 March 2009

Tomas O Flatharta has described the decision to reschedule Westmeath's Leinster under 21 football semi-final against Dublin for Saturday week as 'crazy'.

The game was originally fixed for Parnell Park on St. Patrick's Day, but has been put back by four days to avoid a clash with the All-Ireland club final involving Kilmacud Crokes, which O Flatharta is ironically a member of.

But the re-fixture is set to cause difficulties for the Westmeath senior and under 21 manager, whose senior charges face Kerry in Tralee the following day. Due to an extensive injury list, O Flatharta was forced to play six under 21s in last Sunday's NFL defeat to Mayo, and a number of those players could now be expected to play two important matches in the space of 24 hours, and nearly 200 miles apart.

"Those (under 21) lads have to play (for the seniors) next weekend against Tyrone - there seems to be a crazy fixture where we have to play Kerry on the same weekend that we have to play the Leinster under 21 semi-final," he said.

"I don't know how we're going to come around that but it seems to be crazy, whoever made the decision, that the two of them will be on around the same time. We talk about burnout and stuff, but I think that's going too far with it."

Proper order, if the Dubs can get it moved to suit them then so can we. Crazy decision

Dinny Breen · March 17, 2009, 01:36:33 PM

2-04 to 0-04 at half-time in Portlaoise, goal just on half-time to Laois disaster for Kildare, not looking good for the marginal favouites..

Dinny Breen · March 17, 2009, 02:21:56 PM

All over Laois comfortable winners 3-11 to 0-11, goal before half-time really killed the game not mention Kildare's dozen odd wides and a penalty miss. The two facile wins over Wexford and Carlow were no preparation for this game.

Congrats to Laois and best of luck in the final, they should win it.

INDIANA · March 17, 2009, 02:24:57 PM

with all due respects croi- several dublin players are in the same boat- so thats bullshit.

Jinxy · March 17, 2009, 02:52:04 PM

Quote from: Dinny Breen on March 17, 2009, 02:21:56 PM
All over Laois comfortable winners 3-11 to 0-11, goal before half-time really killed the game not mention Kildare's dozen odd wides and a penalty miss. The two facile wins over Wexford and Carlow were no preparation for this game.

Congrats to Laois and best of luck in the final, they should win it.

Was Kingston playing?