Good replacement for the mcjockstrap league
Thatās a very recent development and it could be undone just as easily. We were nowhere near elite before 1998.
1998 seems a long time ago.
It seems like a couple of years ago.
I now understand how my oulā fella would talk about such and such a thing happening āa few years agoā and Iād look up the particular such and such event and say āDa, that happened 26 years agoā.
Offaly hurling was competitive for 25 years or so and then it went back to shit.
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Meath football was competitive for 70 years or so and then it went back to shit.
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Dessie in my book has regressed year on year. Granted Davyball which now has him operating around midfield doesnāt exactly play to his strengths. Even before that he was getting a bit shy about going for goal, which should be the natural instinct of an inside forward of his pace. The most years over with Brighton & Hove Albion probably catching up a bit as well.
The Ballygunner players do finish up with the county team that bit earlier. But they do give good service. Pauric for instance got his debut from Davy first time around and only retired last year. During that time he had an horrific leg break in a club game which he did well to come back and play again. Then he was to be Cahills first captain and in the last challenge game before the first championship game he did his cruciate. But all in all he was knocking about for 10 to 12 seasons. Phillip was decent and going well but then had two leg breaks on top on each other. David OāSullivan was a good player but left due to work commitments (I think) after a few seasons. There was Brian OāSullivan too who was favourite of dereks early teams. They have contributed plenty but they donāt all hit in one cluster.
All in all though they produce a few excellent players and a lot of very good or better club players than many of the local sides. Most of the current panel of BG players have played for the county team. Several more tried out for the county team under different managers and deemed not good enough.
In the county panel there is a decent spread of players from teams. FMW had 5 or 6 called up at one stage last year. Lismore had 4. You have Ballysaggart who are a middling intermediate side with 3. DLS had 5 called up to have a look at.
If you talk to some of the BG lads they will say there are plenty of players in the county who are better than are in the BG starting 15 but they donāt have the same confidence in themselves. And then I think that transfers over to the BG lads themselves when they hit the Waterford panel.
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Limerick was shit at hurling for a hundred years. What of it?
Werenāt they 16 years without a Leinster title before Sean Boylan worked the oracle in 1986? Theyād been in the doldrums to an extent during that period Iād imagine.
They were reasonably competitive in that time though.
Beaten by one point by Offaly in the 1971 Leinster final on some ridiculous scoreline like 5-13 to 2-21.
Won the NFL in 1975 beating Dublin in the final.
Competitive in Leinster final losses to Dublin in 1974, 1976 and 1977.
Beaten in extra-time in a replay by Dublin in the 1983 Leinster quarter-final.
Colm OāRourke put a penalty wide in a four point defeat by Dublin in the 1984 Leinster final.
Won the Centenary Cup in 1984.
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Munster club hurling final fixtures:
Sunday December 3rd
Senior: Ballygunner v Clonlara in Thurles, 3.30pm.
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Connacht Club Football Final
Corofin v St. Brigids - Hyde Park 1.30pm Sunday Dec 3rd.
According to my sources on the ground on Jones Road, the All ireland Club Hurling Semi Finals fixed for Saturday December 16th in Croke Park.
Times TBC
Camogie Finals in Croke Park on Sunday December 17th.
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These should be run off weekly and finish the second last weekend before the Christmas.
Playing the Hurling Semi Finals before Christmas is stupid. 5 week break then to the final.
Teams should be allowed enjoy a Provincial title over the Christmas with All Ireland Semi Finals on the 3rd Sunday in January. Delay the National League a few weeks.
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Iād disagree. It should be run off before Christmas. Half the year is club. Itās mental it carries over. You really think coaches with a team in an all Ireland semi final shortly after Christmas will let them off ?
I think they would let them have a relatively normal Christmas with a few nights out allowed if the All Ireland Club Semi Final was 3 to 4 weeks away.
I dont think a pause to reset for a few weeks is a bad thing.
1 they wonāt. IC coaches routinely break the training ban.
2 there is no break for a successful IC and club player.
They should be looking at two full months off.
With club finals in January, inter county players involved could easily get a 6 week break but ego driven county managers rush them back for Mickey Mouse league games. David Clifford for example shouldnāt see a football until mid March.
Thatās the trouble. Iād play the clubs off in the calender year, thereās no excuse not to, and itād brighten up December. Imagine Christmas if ye won. Iād then try and enforce a two month break. Wonāt happen. Fitzgibbon, and too many county managers trying to steal a march.