Roscommon GAA Discussion Thread

blazermel · 02-04-2018 9:06am

Great post megadodge, you touched on all the points that frustrated the hell out of me yesterday. It's all well and good to say it was an exciting game and a high scoring contest but let's be honest - the defending was dire. We kept cavan in it for far too long with the concession of soft goals. Every time they got a run on us you just felt a goal was on the cards. Tackling was poor and lacked intensity. Have we time to get all this right before championship?

Also not fully convinced on Featherstone as our number 1. I think lavin has a bigger presence under high ball.

White lighting · 02-04-2018 12:02pm

People going way over the top but we won the game. We won it by 4 points. How can anyone say they didnt enjoy that? Go support someone else if your not going to enjoy any fay we climb the steps in the Hogan.

All goals conceded were indiviual mistakes and wouldnt be overly worried. We only conceded 5 scores in the first which usually woupdnt be bad going. We have achieved promotion and won the cup job done.

megadodge · 02-04-2018 12:57pm

White lighting wrote: »

People going way over the top but we won the game. We won it by 4 points. How can anyone say they didnt enjoy that? Go support someone else if your not going to enjoy any fay we climb the steps in the Hogan.

All goals conceded were indiviual mistakes and wouldnt be overly worried. We only conceded 5 scores in the first which usually woupdnt be bad going. We have achieved promotion and won the cup job done.

Listen, I get where you're coming from and that would often be my line as I hate negativity, but the bottom line is if Cavan were better finishers we would have lost that game. Numerous turnovers and very poor defending kept Cavan in it, despite brilliant attacking play from Roscommon that should have had us out of sight.

At the moment Roscommon are like a really flashy, powerful, offensively-minded boxer who has numerous highlight reel knockouts against lower opposition but takes punch after punch in delivering them. Sooner or later he comes up against one of the bigger hitters and his 'knock out or get knocked out' strategy ends up in tears. Very entertaining for the neutral, but I'm not neutral - I want to see Roscommon win every game they play and the current method of defending is not going to allow for that.

closeline · 02-04-2018 3:03pm

I'm presuming McStay is trying out things considering Enda Smith is not starting? He is hardly dropped?

manofwisdom · 02-04-2018 3:32pm

megadodge wrote: »

Listen, I get where you're coming from and that would often be my line as I hate negativity, but the bottom line is if Cavan were better finishers we would have lost that game. Numerous turnovers and very poor defending kept Cavan in it, despite brilliant attacking play from Roscommon that should have had us out of sight.

At the moment Roscommon are like a really flashy, powerful, offensively-minded boxer who has numerous highlight reel knockouts against lower opposition but takes punch after punch in delivering them. Sooner or later he comes up against one of the bigger hitters and his 'knock out or get knocked out' strategy ends up in tears. Very entertaining for the neutral, but I'm not neutral - I want to see Roscommon win every game they play and the current method of defending is not going to allow for that.

Fairly spot on there and think McStay and his management will know deep down that their current standard of defending won't be good enough if they are to reach the last 8 of the championship this summer.

For now though that was a successfully league campaign where they proved themselves to be the best in Div 2.

Syferus · 03-04-2018 5:25pm

closeline wrote: »

I'm presuming McStay is trying out things considering Enda Smith is not starting? He is hardly dropped?

He’s just not making the first 15. He’s been on the bench for four games now. There’s no drama behind it, we just have a much deeper panel this season and the players in the best form have started.

megadodge · 03-04-2018 6:31pm

Syferus wrote: »

He’s just not making the first 15. He’s been on the bench for four games now. There’s no drama behind it, we just have a much deeper panel this season and the players in the best form have started.

Enda's form has always been better than Tadhg's.

Syferus · 03-04-2018 7:11pm

megadodge wrote: »

Enda's form has always been better than Tadhg's.

Nah. TOR does a very different job to Enda even in midfield. He's a glue player that nullifies his man and breaks ball for others to win. His work-rate is also excellent. It was telling that McStay chose to bring TOR back on when Compton got black carded as it tells you he feels midfield needs the balance of a workhorse midfielder alongside Enda who is more attack-minded.

Enda is a wing forward first, a full forward second and a midfielder third in my opinion.

White lighting · 03-04-2018 8:48pm

Syferus wrote: »

Nah. TOR does a very different job to Enda even in midfield. He's a glue player that nullifies his man and breaks ball for others to win. His work-rate is also excellent. It was telling that McStay chose to bring TOR back on when Compton got black carded as it tells you he feels midfield needs the balance of a workhorse midfielder alongside Enda who is more attack-minded.

Enda is a wing forward first, a full forward second and a midfielder third in my opinion.

Enda is a top top player but lets get one thing straight apart from one good game at full forward against Sligo u21s a few years ago he has been ****e any other time he has played there. He is no more a full forward than davy Murray. Wing forward,Midfield or bench

Syferus · 03-04-2018 9:27pm

White lighting wrote: »

Enda is a top top player but lets get one thing straight apart from one good game at full forward against Sligo u21s a few years ago he has been ****e any other time he has played there. He is no more a full forward than davy Murray. Wing forward,Midfield or bench

He torched Galway’s defence in the only half of football he played there this year. He’s an excellent option at FF.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 04-04-2018 9:45am

Syferus wrote: »

He torched Galway’s defence in the only half of football he played there this year. He’s an excellent option at FF.

I wasn't at that game but I'd have either of Ciaran Lennon or Diarmuid Murtagh in at 14 before Enda. He's a wing forward first and foremost in my mind.

rossie1977 · 04-04-2018 10:26am

Smith moved into the corner at the start of the second half in the fbd final. He absolutely roasted the Galway marker. Lennon has been terrific at full- forward so I wouldn't go about changing that until it stops working. Very intelligent footballer who shows well and brings others into the game. Really the only thing missing so far is scores and he sometimes opts to pass when he could score himself. But the guy is only 19 and once he gets more confidence I think he will become a regular scorer.

Starting line-up Sunday averaged 23.7 years old, in comparison the Galway starting team was 24.7 (14 of them anyway as I don't know Duggans age) and Dublin was 27.2 so this is still an incredibly young inexperienced team Roscommon have. I would love us to have a defensive strategy and I can't remember any of those minor or under 21 sides of 2011-16 (where 90% of the current team originated from) having a defensive strategy either and that cost us a couple of all-irelands at those levels during those years due to our naivety. I remember being at Ted Webb (under 16) in 2014 and galway played the most incredible coordinated defensive strategy and totally bamboozled us despite the fact we had beaten them in the early rounds so really we need to be working on defensive set-ups early not trying to get these guys set-up when they are 22-23.

yabadabado · 04-04-2018 10:34am

If we want to get the best from End Smith I think he needs to play wing forward although he can do a very effective job elsewhere.

The defence is a real worry, doesn't seem to be any real plan in place and this was moreorless confirmed to me by a current member of the panel. Serious work needed there over the next 2/3 months.

rossie1977 · 04-04-2018 11:10am

Speaking of defense the funny thing is we haven't conceded that many points so far this year..goal concession has been the issue. Cavan only scored one point from play in the first half last Sunday and that was in injury time from one of the full backs. 13 is the most number of points we have given up in any match in 2018.

Record so far:

FBD
Leitrim 3 points (1 goal)
Sligo 10 points (2 goals)
Mayo 11 points (0 goal)
Galway 12 points (3 goals)

League
Meath 12 points (2 goals)
Tipperary 9 points (3 goals)
Down 12 points (0 goals)
Louth 12 points (0 goals)
Clare 12 points (2 goals)
Cavan 13 points (0 goals)
Cork 11 points (1 goal)
Cavan 12 points (4 goals)

TCDStudent1 · 04-04-2018 11:47am

rossie1977 wrote: »

Smith moved into the corner at the start of the second half in the fbd final. He absolutely roasted the Galway marker. Lennon has been terrific at full- forward so I wouldn't go about changing that until it stops working. Very intelligent footballer who shows well and brings others into the game. Really the only thing missing so far is scores and he sometimes opts to pass when he could score himself. But the guy is only 19 and once he gets more confidence I think he will become a regular scorer.

Starting line-up Sunday averaged 23.7 years old, in comparison the Galway starting team was 24.7 (14 of them anyway as I don't know Duggans age) and Dublin was 27.2 so this is still an incredibly young inexperienced team Roscommon have. I would love us to have a defensive strategy and I can't remember any of those minor or under 21 sides of 2011-16 (where 90% of the current team originated from) having a defensive strategy either and that cost us a couple of all-irelands at those levels during those years due to our naivety. I remember being at Ted Webb (under 16) in 2014 and galway played the most incredible coordinated defensive strategy and totally bamboozled us despite the fact we had beaten them in the early rounds so really we need to be working on defensive set-ups early not trying to get these guys set-up when they are 22-23.

Galway had a very poor full back line out that day so wouldn't read too much into any of them being cleaned to a player like smyth.

White lighting · 04-04-2018 3:33pm

Maybe i was a bit harsh saying he is ****e full forward he is an incredible player but just not full forward in my opinion. As others have said wing forward is his best and most effective position. He needs to be running at defenders on getting the ball and having to turn. I understand people's questions about Lennons lack of scoring but he is 19 and showed against Cork hes well able to score. Thing is he ball winning ability is outrageous and when you have lads running off him like Two Smiths and Murtaghs and Devanney maybe hes been told to get it and lay it off. I woulf hate see him in there been too greedy especially with those lads up there with him.

megadodge · 04-04-2018 9:11pm

I think people are forgetting that Enda Smith's best ever performance in a Roscommon shirt was in last year's Connacht Final. He played midfield. We don't exactly have many options at midfield, whereas forwards certainly are not a problem, so Enda in midfield helps an area we have struggled in without him.

As honest as Tadhg is, I just think he lacks the class for inter-county midfield. A starting midfield of Compton and Enda is Roscommon's best bet in my eyes. You've got two big men who are very capable in the air and are very, very good footballers.

The 'theory' put forward a few posts ago that it was telling that Tadhg was brought back on after Compton's black card makes no sense at all! Simply because, if Tadhg's style balance was so important, why was he taken off in the first place? Surely if that logic was being followed it would have been Compton taken off?

Tadhg was taken off because he was playing poorly and overall I think he's had a poor enough league campaign, unlike the other two.

Cavan_King · 04-04-2018 9:20pm

megadodge wrote: »

Listen, I get where you're coming from and that would often be my line as I hate negativity, but the bottom line is if Cavan were better finishers we would have lost that game. Numerous turnovers and very poor defending kept Cavan in it, despite brilliant attacking play from Roscommon that should have had us out of sight.

At the moment Roscommon are like a really flashy, powerful, offensively-minded boxer who has numerous highlight reel knockouts against lower opposition but takes punch after punch in delivering them. Sooner or later he comes up against one of the bigger hitters and his 'knock out or get knocked out' strategy ends up in tears. Very entertaining for the neutral, but I'm not neutral - I want to see Roscommon win every game they play and the current method of defending is not going to allow for that.

I actually thought ye should have been out of sight first half. It’s a long time since Cavan managed four goals against a team!

We would love to have some of your forwards though. Some fantastic movement and shooting.

Roscommon are a very good team and I wish yas all the best in the Summer. I just hope our paths don’t cross because it will inevitably end in a loss for us! I’ll happily wait until early next year for that!!

megadodge · 04-04-2018 9:20pm

With regard to Ciaran Lennon, I, like virtually everyone who has seen him, have been very impressed, especially considering how young he is. His ball-winning is outstanding and he never seems to lose the ball either. When there's nobody to layoff to he seems to go past his man very easily, but then... that's when he really has to go for more scores, simply because he has the ball in a scoring position. So go for it.

But I think that will come in time, especially as he becomes more established and gains confidence. I really believe he's an outstanding prospect.

RoscommonTom · 05-04-2018 3:36pm

megadodge wrote: »

With regard to Ciaran Lennon, I, like virtually everyone who has seen him, have been very impressed, especially considering how young he is. His ball-winning is outstanding and he never seems to lose the ball either. When there's nobody to layoff to he seems to go past his man very easily, but then... that's when he really has to go for more scores, simply because he has the ball in a scoring position. So go for it.

But I think that will come in time, especially as he becomes more established and gains confidence. I really believe he's an outstanding prospect.

hes a bit yellow for seniors yet but might come good in time

nice_guy80 · 05-04-2018 5:13pm

megadodge wrote: »

With regard to Ciaran Lennon, I, like virtually everyone who has seen him, have been very impressed, especially considering how young he is. His ball-winning is outstanding and he never seems to lose the ball either. When there's nobody to layoff to he seems to go past his man very easily, but then... that's when he really has to go for more scores, simply because he has the ball in a scoring position. So go for it.

But I think that will come in time, especially as he becomes more established and gains confidence. I really believe he's an outstanding prospect.

Sure even Donaghy for Kerry used to just lay off the ball most of the time

blowitupref · 05-04-2018 5:28pm

RoscommonTom wrote: »

hes a bit yellow for seniors yet but might come good in time

Unless you think he's character of the Simpsons i think the term you meant was a bit green?

RoscommonTom · 05-04-2018 6:59pm

blowitupref wrote: »

Unless you think he's character of the Simpsons i think the term you meant was a bit green?

i dont know what the green fella means but the yellow is a bit of a chicken

RossieMan · 06-04-2018 12:09am

Off to bed now lads, and leave that ****e at home tomorrow.

yabadabado · 06-04-2018 12:52am

Chatting to a player earlier on and he was saying the half time talk on Sunday was great. Mc Stay gave a really positive spin on how things were going and had them itching to get over the line in the second half.

RossieMan · 06-04-2018 9:59am

I'm not even arsed reporting both your posts. Unsubbing this thread due to petty pram spats.

seligehgit · 06-04-2018 1:31pm

Mod Warning

No more personalised bickering will be tolerated.

ProudDUB · 06-04-2018 2:39pm

Recalcitrant Rossies and there's you a mod.

Almost like winning Sam, isn't it?

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater · 06-04-2018 2:43pm

ProudDUB wrote: »

Recalcitrant

We used to have one of them yokes, but the wheels fell off it.

ProudDUB · 06-04-2018 2:44pm

Was it dayzil?

Roscommon GAA Discussion Thread

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