Your Team in 2009

Het-Field

Question ? How do you feel your team did in 2009 ? Were you happy, were you sad, or are you indifferent ?

My Team : Dublin

Delighted by the performance in Leinster. Wonderfully deserved victory over Kildare with 14 men.

Gutted by the spinelss transition to the All Ireland series. No passion against Kerry. No complaints about the 17 point margin.

Wont be holding my breath for anything much in 2010. Would hope to see the integration of the Crokes lads who are returning from injury, and some of the Kickhams lads. Should be capable of getting to the provincial final, and wouldnt rule out another victory. A decent performance against one of the big counties would be very nice.

Im not to bothered by the exit of Ciaran Whelan and Jayo from the Intercounty scene. I would also hope that another few may follow.

Spiritoftheseventies

What is there to say bout Dublin. Season promised so much. But once again we lack a plan B.
But hope springs eternal. Having watched quite a few of Dublin SFC game, Im convinced that we are not making full use of players at our disposal. Andrews clearly best served playing up front and maybe there was a case for giving Dean Rock some game time in the championship.
Roll on Season 10-11!

Hurling: Great to see us reach a provincial final after disappointment of last two years. Think this is as a good a squad we have had in years.
Dublin highlight of the year was Ross O'Carroll's point down in Limerick against Thurles. Next season will be interesting to see how the young lads cope in their second season, ie Treacy, Rushe and O' Carroll. A lot of expectations on their shoulders. Time for Dublin to make the big push. Good enough to reach an All Ireland semi-final at the very least.

aidan24326

Galway:

Football - A hugely disappointing Summer after the promise shown in 2008, and in some good league performances earlier this year. Well beaten by Mayo (moreso than the 1pt margin suggests) and very poor against an ordinary Donegal team. Galway have slipped badly since the heady days of the O'Mahony era and Joe Kernan has a big job on his hands.

Hurling - John McIntyre steadied the ship after Loughnane's disastrous spell as manager. The team played with the sort of heart and commitment that was strangely missing the last couple of years (I say 'strangely missing' as that's the one thing we thought Loughnane would bring above anything else). Was a real pity to get caught on the line by Waterford as I'd have been interested to see how Galway would have fared against Tipp in a semi final. Still, plenty to be hopeful about for next year.

Daysha

I'm happier than I usually am after past semi final defeats. We showed there's still plenty left in this Waterford team yet. We didn't crumble and fade away like many expected us to after the Kilkenny match last year, and the heart and commitment we showed in the semi final proved to me these guys still have it in them to compete with the best. The Galway match and Mullane knocking over that last minute point was of course the highlight of the year too.

With a hugely encouraging number of younger players breaking into the senior ranks and of course that first minor Munster title since 1992, it's been a fantastic year for the underage squads too. Noel Connors has cemented his place at no.4 for years to come, with two brilliant young goalies in Adrien Power and Stephen O'Keeffe competition has never been stronger between the sticks, Maurice Shanahan has shown all sorts of promise with the U21s and his little cameos in the senior panel, and there's other guys like Martin O'Neill and Phillip Mahony that can make huge impacts in the future.

Of course it's not all rosey for the future. The question of our full back refuses to go away, and it must be addressed as a matter of huge urgency for the management team in 2010. There's also that little fear in the back of the mind that for our possibilites in the future, we still might have to play catch-up on Tipp and Kilkenny for a few years, because there's no doubt in my mind that Tipp will improve even more so next year, while Kilkenny are hardly going to fall off the radar any time soon.

I'll also be wary of Davy Fitz, if he is confirmed to take charge next year. If he wants to prove to us he's the man to lead us, he must show he's learned from his past mistakes. You could also say that the expectation on his shoulders will be far heavier next year. Pundits are calling this a relatively successful year for us given the possible fallout from last years final, but he'll have no type of safety net next year. A repeat showing in 2010 (Munster final and AI semi) would surely be the end of his reign as manager.

Tim_Murphy

My team: Kerry

Pretty happy! :pac:
It was great to see Galvin & co proving so many people wrong.

Lemlin

My Team: Cavan

Where to find a positive is the problem here. Tommy Carr doesn't appear to be the answer to the managerial problem at all. I had expected a tough, regimental type who would come down hard on the players. From what I hear of the training sessions etc., Tommy is exactly the opposite and doesn't attend training much at all. Cavan football is in a dire state, shown yesterday by the fact that Denn have managed to make the county final for the second year in a row, despite being pretty much annihilated by Cavan Gaels in the final last year. As for the Gaels, they win the county championship each year and then swiftly exit the Ulster championship, showing in the process just how weak football is in the county.

How we even beat Fermanagh this year is beyond me. For a county that loves its football, Cavan is at its lowest ebb for years, despite all the time and effort that have gone into and continue to be poured into trying to get a winning team. Succes must come at underage football first though and with the Cavan minor and U21 teams all that come are stories of hype and underachievement.

I don't know how things got this bad but it'll be a long time before they are better. All cavan supporters want is a trip to Croke Park for a championship game but it looks like it'll be a long time before we even get that.

Hopes for 2010? To win a game. The outlook really is that bad.

DDC1990

My Team: Kerry

What can you say. Rollercoaster Season. Never doubted that we could win the All Ireland... but after the first Cork game even... didn't expect it. Kennelly was fantastic (hope he stays). Galvin, Tom O'Sullivan and Tomás ó Sé in the running for footballer of the year. Playing a championship game in Tralee!!!

Hurlers: Also a great year, especially underage. U-21 and Minor B champions.
Causeway School won the Colleges U-16 and half A championship.
Seniors got to a Christy Ring Cup Semi-Final, and got a replay out of it.

aidan24326

Lemlin wrote: »

My Team: Cavan

Where to find a positive is the problem here.....

A pretty honest assessment Lemlin. It's strange how far Cavan have fallen. To be honest I don't rate Tommy Carr as a manager at all, and I don't think he's the man to turn things around.

shockframe

LIMERICK

Hurling: solid if unspectacular league campaign but disastrous championship.disgusted getting the train down after the tipp game and may be the last time we'll see croke park for years id say.hard to see much improvement in 2010.

Football:like the hurlers in reverse almost.terrible league campaign but a decent enough championship.getting rid of mickey ned has to be a top priority and get micko dwyer in.threw away the munster final but we have some good young players who are honest.we need them all especially with that scourge known as rugby in limerick.

panda100

My team: Limerick football

Yet again another heart wrenching season of one point near misses. This year really was our year to be Munster champions, I don't think we'll have an easier route to the Munster final next year.

I think Mickey Ned is a gentleman but I think he has brought the Limerick team as far as he can. All the mistakes that were made last year were made again this year. We have some great individual players on the team who has shown they can put it up to teams such as Cork and Meath. I think our display in the Munster final is an encouraging sign of what this team can achieve.

Ian Ryan, a really gifted forward, is played too far back. Subs are always made too late,the majority of the team cant score points and the fitness levels are not on par with Kerry and Cork. These are all fixable problems.
I think most of Limericks problems boil down to poor managment and training.
I think with someone like McGeeney (not v.likely) or Mick O'Dwyer (more likely) at the helm we would be a very decent team and have a Munster medal under our belts.

My hopes for 2010 is a Munster medal and a place in the quarter finals.

Edit: Shockframe reminded me of the league which I was trying to forget Its terrible for Limerick to be playing Division 4 football next year. I think on this alone Mickey Ned has to go.

Spiritoftheseventies

aidan24326 wrote: »

A pretty honest assessment Lemlin. It's strange how far Cavan have fallen. To be honest I don't rate Tommy Carr as a manager at all, and I don't think he's the man to turn things around.

Wonder was too much put on the shoulders of Dermot McCabe. Are they struggling big time without him now?

suitcasepink

Daysha wrote: »

I'm happier than I usually am after past semi final defeats. We showed there's still plenty left in this Waterford team yet. We didn't crumble and fade away like many expected us to after the Kilkenny match last year, and the heart and commitment we showed in the semi final proved to me these guys still have it in them to compete with the best. The Galway match and Mullane knocking over that last minute point was of course the highlight of the year too.

With a hugely encouraging number of younger players breaking into the senior ranks and of course that first minor Munster title since 1992, it's been a fantastic year for the underage squads too. Noel Connors has cemented his place at no.4 for years to come, with two brilliant young goalies in Adrien Power and Stephen O'Keeffe competition has never been stronger between the sticks, Maurice Shanahan has shown all sorts of promise with the U21s and his little cameos in the senior panel, and there's other guys like Martin O'Neill and Phillip Mahony that can make huge impacts in the future.

Of course it's not all rosey for the future. The question of our full back refuses to go away, and it must be addressed as a matter of huge urgency for the management team in 2010. There's also that little fear in the back of the mind that for our possibilites in the future, we still might have to play catch-up on Tipp and Kilkenny for a few years, because there's no doubt in my mind that Tipp will improve even more so next year, while Kilkenny are hardly going to fall off the radar any time soon.

I'll also be wary of Davy Fitz, if he is confirmed to take charge next year. If he wants to prove to us he's the man to lead us, he must show he's learned from his past mistakes. You could also say that the expectation on his shoulders will be far heavier next year. Pundits are calling this a relatively successful year for us given the possible fallout from last years final, but he'll have no type of safety net next year. A repeat showing in 2010 (Munster final and AI semi) would surely be the end of his reign as manager.

Yeh its all here really. Stephen O' Keefe will cut Powers goalkeeper seasons short. O' Keefe I'd rate as best goalie in Waterford. But since hes minor I'd give him another couple years before throwing him in.

Aside from the major full back problem another big problem is all the minor, under 21s are all small. Well small as in if they were played senior the way they would be pushed out of it!! Connors is a sturdy lad but Maurice, Ryan, Martin O' Neill and so on.. They would get targeted as weaklings.
So im happy with Waterford but think the young fellas should eat a bit more :pac:

patmac

My team Westmeath.
Last year's Sligo (i.e one kick away from beating the eventual winners in the qualifiers) had a thoughroughly depressing year, hammered in every league game bar Tyrone, a lucky win over Wicklow and two abysmal performances against Dublin and Meath.
Our footballers are heading back into the abyss that was pre 1998 our 2004 heroic team is at an end and not much talent coming through.
The only bright spot I can remember is the minor hurlers making it through to the Leinster semi-finals beating Offaly on the way. A year to forget.

Spiritoftheseventies

patmac wrote: »

My team Westmeath.
Last year's Sligo (i.e one kick away from beating the eventual winners in the qualifiers) had a thoughroughly depressing year, hammered in every league game bar Tyrone, a lucky win over Wicklow and two abysmal performances against Dublin and Meath.
Our footballers are heading back into the abyss that was pre 1998 our 2004 heroic team is at an end and not much talent coming through.
The only bright spot I can remember is the minor hurlers making it through to the Leinster semi-finals beating Offaly on the way. A year to forget.

Yes have noticed with some teams in Leinster. They win one Leinster title and they are unable to build on that. And Westmeath are strong enough at colleges level. Is the celebrity manager a good or bad thing. What shape did Paidi leave Westmeath in overall. Did he lay down any structures.

smashey

Donegal:

A quarter final appearance from nothing was quite a bonus but it's time to rebuild around Karl Lacey and Michael Murphy.

Spiritoftheseventies

smashey wrote: »

Donegal:

A quarter final appearance from nothing was quite a bonus but it's time to rebuild around Karl Lacey and Michael Murphy.

Yes for me, Donegal the most enigmatic team in country. They have so many talented players. From the past Brendan Devenney was an exceptional forward. Christy Toye another wonderful player while McFadden has plenty of football in him.
But know there was a lot of fuss made over the selection of manager. Seemed a very messy affair.
Cork made a very big stand about selection of last manager and for the most part they got the right man in the end.
Is this the future of GAA football I wonder?

aidan24326

bayviewclose wrote: »

Wonder was too much put on the shoulders of Dermot McCabe. Are they struggling big time without him now?

You couldn't possibly put anything like that down to just one man. Cavan's problems run much deeper than that. They have a dreadful record at underage level and a very poor record in the Ulster Club Championship aswell. That shows that things are not right from the bottom up.

Fr Tod Umptious

Mayo

Very disappointing exit to Meath in the quarter final, after beating Galway on their home patch for the first time in years. That being said O' Mahoney did say earlier in the year that a Connaught Championship was the goal in 2009

Second bad final loss by the minors also.

Looking forward I think that the bar should be set a lot higher than retaining Connaught.

Over the winter it will be interesting to see what happens to the Kerry and Tyrone teams, if they have a number of retirements the door could be swung wide open.

Cork would be in a obvious place to benefit, a young strong team gaining experience all the time, and I think Mayo could and should grasp the opportunity also.

Lemlin

aidan24326 wrote: »

A pretty honest assessment Lemlin. It's strange how far Cavan have fallen. To be honest I don't rate Tommy Carr as a manager at all, and I don't think he's the man to turn things around.

Reaching the last 12 in 2005 seems like a lifetime ago now. What annoys me is when people slagg off the supporters. There's very little to be positive about in Cavan football yet Cavan games had the second highest attendance of any in the League this year.

There were about 15,000 people at the Cavan Antrim game and people said this was a poor turnout. About 12,000 of those supporters were from Cavan though, a county which only has 60,000 to 70,000 people in it.

How the supporters, like myself, are still turning up is beyond me but the team still get great support.

Lemlin

bayviewclose wrote: »

Wonder was too much put on the shoulders of Dermot McCabe. Are they struggling big time without him now?

Cavan do struggle at midfield now alright but injuries have meant that McCabe hasn't been at his best in years.

Lemlin

aidan24326 wrote: »

You couldn't possibly put anything like that down to just one man. Cavan's problems run much deeper than that. They have a dreadful record at underage level and a very poor record in the Ulster Club Championship aswell. That shows that things are not right from the bottom up.

Well said. That's my point exactly. Football is at a very low ebb in the county when Denn can make the county senior final again this year. They were relegated from division one this year and well beaten in last year's final, which many people feel they shouldn't have reached.

Cavan Gaels win the championship each year and usually struggle to win even one game in Ulster.

The whole format needs a major overhaul and things need to change in the county. Players gain too much praise when they star for their club. They think they're 'it' then and have an ego before they even reach the county senior panel.

For example, the U21 and minor panels are hyped beyond belief each year but haven't won anything in years. The best the county underage teams performed was when the U21s reach the Ulster final in 2005, and that was harrdly groundbreaking stuff.