Mayo v Kerry, All-Ireland Junior Final, Croke Park 2pm Aug 8th

[blanketattack]

Very young Kerry side but lots of quality.
Bit unfair on Mayo supporters that this is on at 2pm and senior game is at 6pm - thought they'd be adjacent in the schedule. Basically forces Mayo supporters to watch the Tyrone-Monaghan game.

Is the Mayo team comprised just from non-senior clubs or is it essentially a B panel?

[armaghniac]

Do yous think yous are Dubs or something, just come in for your own game?

[Syferus]

Conoreen Cox playing for the juniors. Strange that Fitz doesn't appear interested despite him being better than plenty of the rotation players in the Kerry forward line.

Maybe Evans can hitch him a ride up to Roscommon for the new season..

[From the Bunker]

Do yous think yous are Dubs or something, just come in for your own game?

What are you on about?

[macdanger2]

I wouldn't know much about the Mayo side, Cathal Freeman is the only name I'd recognise really, was a handy underage player

I'll be in early to watch them and it's not like Monaghan v Tyrone won't be a decent or at least intensely fought match

[Farrandeelin]

The Mayo team consists of players who didn't play Senior Championship last year. There's a few lads from club seconds teams on it.

[Chéad rogha]

Very young Kerry side but lots of quality.
Bit unfair on Mayo supporters that this is on at 2pm and senior game is at 6pm - thought they'd be adjacent in the schedule. Basically forces Mayo supporters to watch the Tyrone-Monaghan game.

Is the Mayo team comprised just from non-senior clubs or is it essentially a B panel?

It's comprised of anyone who didn't play senior club championship in Mayo in 2014. There is no sense this is a 'b' team or feeder team - more a random selection of guys who made themselves available and who got on a bit of a run. It seems to have a specific purpose in Kerry to blood younger players or players who have potential. It's more a burden or afterthought for our county board - as could be seen with sudden rescheduling of club fixtures for the Connacht final. Still it'll be a great experience for the lads to tog out at Croker.

[moysider]

Very young Kerry side but lots of quality.
Bit unfair on Mayo supporters that this is on at 2pm and senior game is at 6pm - thought they'd be adjacent in the schedule. Basically forces Mayo supporters to watch the Tyrone-Monaghan game.

Is the Mayo team comprised just from non-senior clubs or is it essentially a B panel?

It's comprised of anyone who didn't play senior club championship in Mayo in 2014. There is no sense this is a 'b' team or feeder team - more a random selection of guys who made themselves available and who got on a bit of a run. It seems to have a specific purpose in Kerry to blood younger players or players who have potential. It's more a burden or afterthought for our county board - as could be seen with sudden rescheduling of club fixtures for the Connacht final. Still it'll be a great experience for the lads to tog out at Croker.

Yeah. A bad leg break kinda ended Cathal Freeman. As clever a player as you d get but maybe lacked a yard of pace.
I m not sure Mayo have even the best junior players on board tbh. Deffo not a development squad.

[twohands!!!]

Conoreen Cox playing for the juniors. Strange that Fitz doesn't appear interested despite him being better than plenty of the rotation players in the Kerry forward line.

Cox went to the States last summer along with a couple of other lads who were around the fringes of the Kerry squad - in hindsight a not very smart move.

I think that Kerry and Mayo are two of the teams which have the same selection criteria for their Junior team, Anyone confirm?

Kerry did come out and say something about using the junior team as a development squad as a way to give promising minors/lads out of U21 top class training/ keep them involved in a green-and-gold jersey/monitor their progress and fitness. They already have a fair chunk of lads who have gone on to play with the seniors after lining out for the juniors so it will be interesting to see if there is an increase in this.Seems to me that this is something other counties could be doing as well. At U21 county level the number of games can be very limited - each year 16 teams have 1 game, 8 teams 2 games, 4 teams 3 games and 2 teams 4 games.  I think Cavan and Wexford have taken a somewhat similar approach and Wexford seemed to cruise Leinster this year.

Massive experience for the lads to be playing this in Croker anyway. 

Does anyone know why Ulster have never bothered with the competition?

[AZOffaly]

Conoreen Cox playing for the juniors. Strange that Fitz doesn't appear interested despite him being better than plenty of the rotation players in the Kerry forward line.

Cox went to the States last summer along with a couple of other lads who were around the fringes of the Kerry squad - in hindsight a not very smart move.

I think that Kerry and Mayo are two of the teams which have the same selection criteria for their Junior team, Anyone confirm?

Kerry did come out and say something about using the junior team as a development squad as a way to give promising minors/lads out of U21 top class training/ keep them involved in a green-and-gold jersey/monitor their progress and fitness. They already have a fair chunk of lads who have gone on to play with the seniors after lining out for the juniors so it will be interesting to see if there is an increase in this.Seems to me that this is something other counties could be doing as well. At U21 county level the number of games can be very limited - each year 16 teams have 1 game, 8 teams 2 games, 4 teams 3 games and 2 teams 4 games.  I think Cavan and Wexford have taken a somewhat similar approach and Wexford seemed to cruise Leinster this year.

Massive experience for the lads to be playing this in Croker anyway. 

Does anyone know why Ulster have never bothered with the competition?

I was involved with the Tipperary Juniors last year, and my Brother in Law is with the Kerry Juniors this year and last year. Both counties treat it in a similar manner. A development type team for promising young lads who are maybe not at Senior level yet, but are around the U21 squads or just older. Add in a couple of older lads for experience and that's basically it.

Of the Tipp U21s this year, I think about 7 of the panel were with the Juniors last year, and about 3 or 4 are on the senior panel.

[twohands!!!]

Conoreen Cox playing for the juniors. Strange that Fitz doesn't appear interested despite him being better than plenty of the rotation players in the Kerry forward line.

Cox went to the States last summer along with a couple of other lads who were around the fringes of the Kerry squad - in hindsight a not very smart move.

I think that Kerry and Mayo are two of the teams which have the same selection criteria for their Junior team, Anyone confirm?

Kerry did come out and say something about using the junior team as a development squad as a way to give promising minors/lads out of U21 top class training/ keep them involved in a green-and-gold jersey/monitor their progress and fitness. They already have a fair chunk of lads who have gone on to play with the seniors after lining out for the juniors so it will be interesting to see if there is an increase in this.Seems to me that this is something other counties could be doing as well. At U21 county level the number of games can be very limited - each year 16 teams have 1 game, 8 teams 2 games, 4 teams 3 games and 2 teams 4 games.  I think Cavan and Wexford have taken a somewhat similar approach and Wexford seemed to cruise Leinster this year.

Massive experience for the lads to be playing this in Croker anyway. 

Does anyone know why Ulster have never bothered with the competition?

I was involved with the Tipperary Juniors last year, and my Brother in Law is with the Kerry Juniors this year and last year. Both counties treat it in a similar manner. A development type team for promising young lads who are maybe not at Senior level yet, but are around the U21 squads or just older. Add in a couple of older lads for experience and that's basically it.

Of the Tipp U21s this year, I think about 7 of the panel were with the Juniors last year, and about 3 or 4 are on the senior panel.

I actually knew that when you said it about the Tipp setup (maybe you posted this somewhere here before ?) For Tipp I'd imagine it would be very useful in keeping lads away from the other side of the house.

To me treating it like that seems an utter no-brainer - really can't understand why more counties don't do it. [probably just standard limited county board thinking]

[AZOffaly]

For Tipp, it's an extension of the senior set up, because to be honest we can't rely on the current farcical club setup in Tipp to expose the lads to good games (even at challenge level) on a regular basis. At least this allows them to be involved in a county set up until June or July, and a lot of them stay on for the Senior training into the summer. Obviously if you go on a Junior run, like Kerry, the timeframe even increases. But as you say, it's a good idea I think to treat it like this. Kerry's club structures aren't too bad

[Syferus]

Conoreen Cox playing for the juniors. Strange that Fitz doesn't appear interested despite him being better than plenty of the rotation players in the Kerry forward line.

Cox went to the States last summer along with a couple of other lads who were around the fringes of the Kerry squad - in hindsight a not very smart move.

I think that Kerry and Mayo are two of the teams which have the same selection criteria for their Junior team, Anyone confirm?

Kerry did come out and say something about using the junior team as a development squad as a way to give promising minors/lads out of U21 top class training/ keep them involved in a green-and-gold jersey/monitor their progress and fitness. They already have a fair chunk of lads who have gone on to play with the seniors after lining out for the juniors so it will be interesting to see if there is an increase in this.Seems to me that this is something other counties could be doing as well. At U21 county level the number of games can be very limited - each year 16 teams have 1 game, 8 teams 2 games, 4 teams 3 games and 2 teams 4 games.  I think Cavan and Wexford have taken a somewhat similar approach and Wexford seemed to cruise Leinster this year.

Massive experience for the lads to be playing this in Croker anyway. 

Does anyone know why Ulster have never bothered with the competition?

Holding a grudge because a young lad took a summer off on a J1 is a pathetic reason not to add him to the squad the next year when he's good enough.

[twohands!!!]

Conoreen Cox playing for the juniors. Strange that Fitz doesn't appear interested despite him being better than plenty of the rotation players in the Kerry forward line.

Cox went to the States last summer along with a couple of other lads who were around the fringes of the Kerry squad - in hindsight a not very smart move.

I think that Kerry and Mayo are two of the teams which have the same selection criteria for their Junior team, Anyone confirm?

Kerry did come out and say something about using the junior team as a development squad as a way to give promising minors/lads out of U21 top class training/ keep them involved in a green-and-gold jersey/monitor their progress and fitness. They already have a fair chunk of lads who have gone on to play with the seniors after lining out for the juniors so it will be interesting to see if there is an increase in this.Seems to me that this is something other counties could be doing as well. At U21 county level the number of games can be very limited - each year 16 teams have 1 game, 8 teams 2 games, 4 teams 3 games and 2 teams 4 games.  I think Cavan and Wexford have taken a somewhat similar approach and Wexford seemed to cruise Leinster this year.

Massive experience for the lads to be playing this in Croker anyway. 

Does anyone know why Ulster have never bothered with the competition?

Holding a grudge because a young lad took a summer off on a J1 is a pathetic reason not to add him to the squad the next year when he's good enough.

I'm not 100% that it's just the fact that he went to the states that is the reason he isn't with the senior squad.
Out of the 26 named the last day the  subs bench was as follows

16. Brian Kelly Killarney Legion
17. Colm Cooper Dr Crokes
18. Johnny Buckley Dr Crokes
19. Barry John Keane Kerins O'Rahillys
20. Michael Geaney Dingle
21. Peter Crowley Laune Rangers
22. Fionn Fitzgerald Dr Crokes
23. Paul Galvin Finuge
24. Darran O'Sullivan Glenbeigh-Glencar
25. Tommy Walsh Kerins O'Rahillys
26. Jack Sherwood Firies

Maybe a case could be made for him being there ahead of Darran O'Sullivan or Barry John Keane, but this probably isn't the best week to be making it given what they both scored in the Kildare. I'm not really equipped to know whether he is better than those 2 as I haven't seen a whole pile of him but I have heard some reports that he is a very selfish player and has a tendency to take on ridiculous shots as opposed to passing. He does seem to be very good in respect of deadballs, but when you're already carrying Sheahan in the squad, who is surely better, there's hardly much logic in taking up another squad place with a less effective play-kicker.

Also some might call it a case of holding a grudge but maybe you could call it a case of showing loyalty to those who helped win an All-Ireland last year. Also the fact that he is around the Juniors would suggest he is keen to wear the green-and-gold so it's hardly as if he was blacklisted. Anyway I'd imagine that in Kerry this is a very long long list of lads who were exceptional talented footballers who were just unlucky with the quality of the lads ahead of them. One of those things to keep an eye out for in the league next year maybe.

[Sidney]

If Conor Cox's performance in the Sigerson Cup final is anything to go by he's no business being near the Kerry senior team.