Longford V Sligo NFL Div 3 decider

[burgh]

Beirne didnt play against Louth, The team was Greene,harrison,mcguire,donovan,j davey,mcnamara,mcgovern,ohara,quinn,e mchugh,curran,kivelhan,flannery,sweeney,kelly. Subs that came on gaughan,gilmartin,coen and sean davey. Fair play to ya showing an interest even though your abroad, ocean fm online if u wanna listen to match. I'll be listening to my radio on my mobile for updates on leitirm limerick game aswell while at longford. You make a good point limerick will be all out for the win so we can be fairly sure theres no conspirary theories. I think limerick might be shooting themselves in the foot aswell, leitrim love tight pitches and fixing the game for kilmallock not parc na ngael could cost limerick.
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did he play FF against fermanagh?? prob wont get a game dis week so. dont think mchugh wil get start either. not bad player but not ready i dont think for senior.

[SLIGONIAN]

Beirne didnt play against Louth, The team was Greene,harrison,mcguire,donovan,j davey,mcnamara,mcgovern,ohara,quinn,e mchugh,curran,kivelhan,flannery,sweeney,kelly. Subs that came on gaughan,gilmartin,coen and sean davey. Fair play to ya showing an interest even though your abroad, ocean fm online if u wanna listen to match. I'll be listening to my radio on my mobile for updates on leitirm limerick game aswell while at longford. You make a good point limerick will be all out for the win so we can be fairly sure theres no conspirary theories. I think limerick might be shooting themselves in the foot aswell, leitrim love tight pitches and fixing the game for kilmallock not parc na ngael could cost limerick.

did he play FF against fermanagh?? prob wont get a game dis week so. dont think mchugh wil get start either. not bad player but not ready i dont think for senior.
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I think he was selected FF but played HF he actually wasnt bad in the first half but faded in 2nd half but obviously wasnt the only one.

You can sing that about Eoin Mchugh, hasnt even done it for our club yet never mind county. The lad has been very lucky so to speak getting selected with Sligo all the way through so far. Thats not to say he wont do it in future, id love nothing more than a st molaise gael excelling with the county. It would boost the club and youngsters in the area. There arent many GAA gaels in our area. Gavin Gilsenan is our best hope in my opinion and then Johnny kelly. Not sure wilson or mchugh will do it at county level but lets see. 

[Teeling Gael]

I expect and would pick myself the Connaught Championship winning back line. Whatever the debates about No. 6 , there is no alternatives for this match. Ohara and quinn will be midfield. Again cant see any alternatives. Sligonian is right that we wont win with the same half forward line as the last match. Davey and Brehony should give us more options in the half forward line if fit to start. With the constant chopping and changing over the season with cawley , Mc tiernan and flannery all getting some game time its impossible to know the forawrd line that will be picked. I would pick Curran , Brehony , Henry , Kelly , Beirne , Mc Tiernan with Gaughan, Coen , Davey , Sweeney and Flannery as options. Its a small half forward line hence playing Henry but its still a big ask for O Hara to play midfield at this stage. Strangely no one here is discussing what may be the closest selction debate of them all - Goalie. Combining Greenes mistakes against Limerick and Louth vrs Farrells highly impressive U21 campaign this is much closer competition than you would think. Still Greenes Experience will probably sway the decision but it will be a close run thing.

Recent attempts at teams for Championship  i think we should leave until after Sunday and see how injuries are shaping up.

We normally play well at this time of the year and under pressure so a 3 point win is achievable. Would worry about the draw in Limerick as there wont be much in that match either and we wont beat Longford by 8 points anyhow.    

[Billys Boots]

Come on Longford, ye shower of f*ckin wasters, don't take me over to ye!!! 

[burgh]

sligo gone down. disaster

[Billys Boots]

Anyone there for the match?  Am I right in thinking a late goal won it?

[Shamrock Shore]

Well - won it is all relative. Sligo had to win by 3 or so points and it was level at 12 pts each with 5 to go. Longford were down to 14 midway thro 2nd half as Declan 'C' got two yellas.

Kavanagh got a goal at the death alright but Sligo's funeral was underway at that stage.

Leitrim banished to the Cooper wastelands as well so not a great day for football west of the Shannon (then I spose the Rossies did stop the rot somewhat)

[magpie seanie]

A sad day after so many years out of Div 4. Overall we got what we deserved for a lacklustre league campaign. We could have ulled it off today but didn't score enough in our dominant second half spell. Moving Beirne out to midfield was a disastrous switch that we paid for. Yong Gilmartin was being beaten in the air but was doing ok besides. To be fair they had got a lot of switches right before that but they were obvious ones.

Well done to Longford. Kavanagh is some player. What we'd do for one like him.

So must beat London and Mayo to avoid the Murphy Cup.

[SLIGONIAN]

Absoultely Gutted, just back from the game.

Sligo team that started Greene, Harrison, Mcguire, donovan,J davey,Mcnamara, Naughton, Ohara, Gilmartin, Kivelhan, brehony, curran, Kelly, Beirne, Flannery.

We raced into a 4-1 lead against the breeze playnig good football but hampered by some players on the sligo who had to be carried.Then longford came into it. Level at HT 7-7. Longford started the brighter in 2nd half got 2 scores then Sligo woke up ON THE LINE. But some shocking decisions. 1, they took off mcnamara who Ive been saying isnt a CHB for 2  yrs now and Im sick of saying it. Man is useless without the ball. But instead of pushing him up to the forwards and taking off kivelhan and beirne they leave them on and take mcnamara off altogether. Phillips came on and he is too loose and probably not match fit so its hard to judge him today. Gaughan came on then for kivelhan A WAY TOO LATE but of course made a huge difference, Sligo started to play and scores 5 in row to lead 12-10 and longford in trouble then another great move involving the impressive curran put gaughan 1 on 1 with GK only to hit the crossbar. That would of put us 5pts up with 12 mins left. Then longford woke up seeing that happen was a boost to them and then 13-13 then they got man sent off for what I dont know. But as usual with our circus on the line the extra man made no difference. Longford got goal and were comfortable at the end.

Now Brian kavangh was outstanding and put in MOTM display and I was diappointed by donovan though sometimes he was roasted but in fairness kavangh was nearly unstoppable.

O Hara for me was awesome and seemed to be back to near his best. Maizy runs etc... Curran too did very well and mark brehony. Harrison did well first half but faded and naughton in fairness did well on the ball. Flannery was ok firat half but lacks pace and non existant 2nd half. J davey fought hard but Berry probably won that battle.

This game was lost by our management set up. End of Story. When I heard the team announced I could of choked. We started with at least 2 or 3 paasengers, Kivlehan was atrocious, not even close to county standard, what he is doing in the HF line, Kevin Beirne another disaster. The selection of gilmartin too is shocking, the poor lad even got sick on the field at one stage, How is any man who hasnt played all yr expected to be up to pace thrown into this one. I presuming Quinn is injured and sweeney too.  

Dont tell me we dont have anyone else, why was gaughan not started? He did well in louth.

We have no chance aginst MAYO with current management set up. The cant seem to see obvious things which highlight there lack of football knowledge. Now we are relegated and mangement are 99% to blame.

On the way out my Dad had to console one of the players mothers who was distraught. We didnt know her but she had to talk to someone she said. Sligo football isnt just a game is it some of our lives. The management aren't GIVING US A CHANCE. If we picked the right team we'd have half a chance. Then itd be up to the players.

If we had right team out in our dominant spells we would of scored MORE and that is why the should take the blame.

Back to travelling to Antrim,waterford,KILKENNY,LONDON,carlow, etc.. cant wait. . honestly feel like crying writing this.

[Farrandeelin]

Put it this way Sligonian and other Sligo people, if Sligo had won today, maybe ye might have taken yere foot off the pedal against Mayo, now ye simply have to win and put us in the qualifiers for ye to stay out of the Tommy Murphy Cup.

[SLIGONIAN]

Put it this way Sligonian and other Sligo people, if Sligo had won today, maybe ye might have taken yere foot off the pedal against Mayo, now ye simply have to win and put us in the qualifiers for ye to stay out of the Tommy Murphy Cup.

With our management team we havent a hope. Of course leading up to the wicklow game last yr i had it in my head that if we lost we would have to beat ros and imagine the hunger to stay out of the TM cup and this yr it happens but Mayo are way ahead of ros and its in castlebar. Our own clowns cant even get CHB right never mind our HF line. Its a mess.

Theyve had the whole FBD and NFL and now were are worse than ever. What must our good players like J DAVEY, CURRAN, OHARA, MCGUIRE etc be thinking when they see beirne or kivelhan losing the ball or giving it away every 5 seconds with GAUGHAN on the line and COEN. Them lads are sick of carrying dead weight around. Im sick of watching it. Give our PLAYERS a chance. Please just pick the right team and get rid of these passenger, no team can play with 3 or 4 especially at county...

[paddypastit]

Sligonian - I haven't seen any game so in some senses I can't comment... but I know the way the system works and I know a lot of the players and backroom people involved and am still in touch with some to get a reasonable read on the situation... so I will

On the whole, people should not be hugely surprised about what has happened over the past two months.  I'd go further and say that we should not be surprised at what has happened over the past fifteen months.

What happened last summer was the unfinished business of '02 / '03 when a particularly good (by Sligo standards) bunch of players came good together but didn't close the deal despite having it in their hands to do so. 2004 saw us eat our own in the infamous J Kerins / TM Cup row, a split that endured into '05 and was added to by Corrigan's failed reign. In that time we fell out with each other, lost players and lost focus.  It took Tom Breheny a year to pull everybody together, a process that cemented about this time last year.  The rest as they say is history and with the feeling back, a squad, if not quite the team, built around the nucleus of '02/'03 delivered.

It was a squad though lacking hugely in scoring ability as the two big score getters of the previous era were gone as front liners - Paul Taylor and Dessie - and had not been replaced  While it still had to be won, and we did, the quality of performance in that championship and particularly of forward performance against both Rosc and Galway was limited.The lack of penetration and movement was almost unbelievable at inter county level and was cruelly exposed in Croke Park by a Cork team that really didn't have to be good to win.  That may seem harsh but it is true and has carried into this season, except that now, unlike a year ago, there is no unfinished business; there is no cause. The hunger has been quenched and no matter how you dress it up, lads that spent much of their playing days in Div 1 or a variation of same, were always going to be suspect in a competitive Div 3 having spent the winter eating out on a Connaught championship.

The 'rookie' manager probably didn't help - there certainly is unlikely to be that incredible bond that the players spoke about during last summer (even before they won) - but it is hard to avoid the conclusion that Breheny knew exactly what was coming and got out while he could - he was right.

I don't know if Jordan is the man for the job - I'd be very suspicious of a manager that has a go at his player's through the media after only five competitive matches - but time will tell.  However I think the comments here about some of the players are a little uncalled for - it's an amateur game yet and they are I'm sure doing the best that they can and are proud.  I'm equally sure that they are hurting more tonight than any of us and they have to get back up on the bike in a few days time and start building for the summer.

It's worth noting too that even heroes have to start somewhere and not always as instant hits - for example when Paul Durcan first appeared in a county shirt in the early 90s it was a good many years before the public at large appreciated and / or acknowledged his merits (I know because I was on the panel at the time) so back off the kids that are learning and if ye can't have something positive to say about them, say nothing

In respect of this summer, I would encourage the management to be bold - give youth it's chance.  Unless Mayo lose it completely, we won't beat them There is certainly no point IMO in trying to keep a team (that has done its thing and is moving on) together in a vain attempt to win that game when there are players of the same or better ability on the sideline that will only start to improve further by playing.  Pick the best team available on raw talent and if there are two players of equal ability competing for a spot, give it to the younger guy that needs the chance.

We should beat London which can be the blooding of a few, we are unlikely to beat Mayo but the experience will bring on a few and then we should aim to win the TM Cup - three 'lose or your out' games including one in Croke Park would do a lot for a new young panel and would set them up a lot better for trying to get out of Div 4 next year than to stick with the older guys and thus leave that new team trying to get experience and gel for the first time when that League campaign starts next year.

Time for leadership now.  Let's hope it is there and if the management don't have the courage to do the right thing, then let's not hang around waiting for them to figure it out.  If we have a management failure, let's make it is what the business gurus call 'a fast failure' - hope you are watching Murph!

[SLIGONIAN]

I am well aware of the status of some of the people on this board within sligo GAA.

You mention the system  and you know how it works. That to me is one of the problems. Why in province of 5 counties from underage to senior have we 1 connaght title to show for our GREAT efforts being made? Can someone explain that?

In my posts I do say negative stuff. IS IT NOT TRUE what Ive said about kivelhan, mchugh and beirne? Can someone say to me thats a lie?? Its time for straight talking not positive BS. In case anyone doesnt notice tomorrow I said plenty of positive stuff about certain players. Im not blaming the players because its not Mcnamara fault he selected CHB its NOT kivelhan, beirnes, gilmartins fault they were selected.

PADDY in all fairnes I live in the NOW you live in the past. Going on about 02 is futile now. That team is gone. As you havent seen us this yr it impossible for you to see what I see.

We could still PICK better teams couldnt we? Im being proved right on alot of negatives because there true. Some people cant handle the truth. THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT. Stupid mistakes being made. He had the whole FBD AND NFL to get young up coming players into the squad.

Can anyone understand why GAUGHAN didnt start? Can anyone understand MCNAMARA at CHB? Would anyone start kivelhan and beirne going on past performances? Its not there fault there best is not good enough? Why was coen not given a run? He showed up better than kelly for u21s. Thats 4or 5 mistakes alone today by management team.

What I AM SAYING HAS nothing to do with system, nothing to do last yr. We could easily make a better shape of it right NOW. But it is already too late.

You talk about Tommy Brehony getting out and yes it looks as so it was right but that man made plenty of obvious mistakes too. Just got lucky last yr with connaght football being so poor simple as that. I believe if we had decent manager who didnt make so many mistakes we get alot MORE from our current panel thats all.

Pick our best team and give the players a chance. Its time for honest reflection and its time to be men. Say what has to be said and do what has to be done.

How can ther hunger be gone PADDY? Did Noel not say THIS IS NOT THE END IT IS BEGINNING..................are we fans to not to have any expectations at all. Are we not to demand the management team put out our best TEAM.

[moysider]

I am well aware of the status of some of the people on this board within sligo GAA.

You mention the system  and you know how it works. That to me is one of the problems. Why in province of 5 counties from underage to senior have we 1 connaght title to show for our GREAT efforts being made? Can someone explain that?

In my posts I do say negative stuff. IS IT NOT TRUE what Ive said about kivelhan, mchugh and beirne? Can someone say to me thats a lie?? Its time for straight talking not positive BS. In case anyone doesnt notice tomorrow I said plenty of positive stuff about certain players. Im not blaming the players because its not Mcnamara fault he selected CHB its NOT kivelhan, beirnes, gilmartins fault they were selected.

PADDY in all fairnes I live in the NOW you live in the past. Going on about 02 is futile now. That team is gone. As you havent seen us this yr it impossible for you to see what I see.

We could still PICK better teams couldnt we? Im being proved right on alot of negatives because there true. Some people cant handle the truth. THATS WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT. Stupid mistakes being made. He had the whole FBD AND NFL to get young up coming players into the squad.

Can anyone understand why GAUGHAN didnt start? Can anyone understand MCNAMARA at CHB? Would anyone start kivelhan and beirne going on past performances? Its not there fault there best is not good enough? Why was coen not given a run? He showed up better than kelly for u21s. Thats 4or 5 mistakes alone today by management team.

What I AM SAYING HAS nothing to do with system, nothing to do last yr. We could easily make a better shape of it right NOW. But it is already too late.

You talk about Tommy Brehony getting out and yes it looks as so it was right but that man made plenty of obvious mistakes too. Just got lucky last yr with connaght football being so poor simple as that. I believe if we had decent manager who didnt make so many mistakes we get alot MORE from our current panel thats all.

Pick our best team and give the players a chance. Its time for honest reflection and its time to be men. Say what has to be said and do what has to be done.

How can ther hunger be gone PADDY? Did Noel not say THIS IS NOT THE END IT IS BEGINNING..................are we fans to not to have any expectations at all. Are we not to demand the management team put out our best TEAM.

The best team is always going to be something thats open to debate. Yesterday I m convinced that Our u21 management got things wrong selection - wise that cost us a valuable semi final -or partly did anyway. Thing is Sligo got relegated over a whole league campaign. Now like Maughan in Ros, another Mayo man will take the rap [ and Peter Forde likewise in Galway] Surely this slump started V Cork last year in championship. Why did Brehony resign a team that just won  a Connnacht Championship first time since 7?  Would he have resigned if he believed they would boot on from that or did he believe that that was going to be as good as it gets? Unless the incoming manager repeated last years Connacht win he was always going to be in trouble.  Plus all these league divisions are tough if you end up in them. At least in division 1 teams can generate a bit more momentum - and games are usually pacey  - to express themselves. 3 and 4 are bear pits.

[paddypastit]

Sligonian - clearly you have a very considered and indepth knowledge of Sligo football and of life in general given the speed and focus of your response. If you weren't so keen to have all the answers and to talk down anybody who repeats the question, you might find that we agree on more than we disagree on.   

For Sligo football to progress, those charged with its direction (who were elected by people like you and I through the clubs of which we are members so there is a place to question their stewardship every year if one wishes) have to get to the root cause of our shortcomings which are very little to do with who picked who or who was picked in any game that was played this year and have a lot to do with structures and leadership in clubs, schools and colleges.  I'm sure our more mature and better informed posters will add further to the advice in that regard given that they also contribute week in week out where it matters - in clubs and on the field, and like our players, take pride in putting their name to it.

My core point is that we should not be surprised by what has happened in the past two months and my post is nothing about living in the past and all about trying to explain that some of the criticisms of recent events on this board are really only addressing the symptoms, not the problems.

If you can't see that - then at least stay out of the way of the people that can.