Roscommon GAA Discussion Thread

rossie1977

padd b1975 wrote: »

To sum up, I fail to see exactly where this talent is.
In the 2012 Minor Championship Mayo came within a disgraceful refereeing decision of reaching the final, it leads me to think that the better quality talent is in Mayo, Galway are never too far away at underage.

is this a serious post or a windup

1.roscommon have won the last 2 connacht minor titles (beating mayo and galway both times during those wins) plus the last two connacht minor league titles, for those keeping score roscommons record at minor level last two years in the province is 16 matches, 15 wins 1 draw, last year they blew away mayo and galway at minor level http://www.advertiser.ie/mayo/article/41206/roscommon-see-off-minor-challenge http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/41940/roscommon-roll-over-galway-

2. roscommon have won 2 of the last 3 connacht titles at under 21 level, add to this roscommon have beaten mayo at under 21 level the last 3 years

the problem at roscommon is clearly management, the talent is there at underage level

padd b1975

blowitupref wrote: »

Over the last 6-7 years Roscommon have been been successful,consistent at underage level and it can breed success to senior of course no guarrantee however you must be joking if you can't see the talent coming through.

Lets adapt a "wait and see" approach as to the quality of this talent:)

Always_Running

Beaten Division 1 League Finalists, woeful championship performances.

Well beaten by Sligo in 2010 by your logic Mayo would be behind them back then?




I disagree, I believe Division 2 to be closer to Division 1, but thats just my opinion.

Closer to Div 1? Armagh,Derry,Galway,Laois,Longford,Louth,Westmeath,Wexford any of those team would stuggle in Div 1 the two best Armagh,Galway found that out.



It is in Mayo.

If Roscommon have a good year in 2013 and get to a semi final or final, will you settle for that or will you be roaring them on to the next levell??

It is Mayo as the above poster said the burden of expectations is too much to carry. Most other teams will look back on a good year.



The current positions of both teams would suggest that its not.

I think it's safe to say not many of those Roscommon underage players from the 2011-12 teams have lined out for seniors yet.

Syferus

Ranking Connacht after Mayo is a mess, everyone has given someone a black eye.

One thing I'd point out is that D2 contains Derry, Galway, Armagh, Longford, Westmeath, Laois, Wexford and Louth while D3 features Roscommon, Monaghan, Meath, Sligo, Antrim, Fermanagh, Wicklow and Cavan.

Besides perhaps Cavan (who themselves have a fantastic underage structure that has the potential to feed into much better fortunes at senior in the years to come) and Fermanagh (who are also obviously a team making strides) almost all of the above teams would fancy their chances of beating any of the others. There really isn't a big gap between those sixteen teams and it's fair to say it's next to impossible to be sure who is going to be promoted or relegated in either.

The idea the D3 teams would look at D2 as anything less than an opportunity is foolish.

rossie1977

padd b1975 wrote: »

Lets adapt a "wait and see" approach as to the quality of this talent:)

mark mchugh wasn't picked for nuigs sigerson team which tells you all you need to know about how clueless some managers are, if maughan was manager of donegal they would still be losing first round matches in ulster....

if in a few years the likes of tom corcaran, paddy brogan, donie and enda smith, diarmuid and ciaran murtagh, colin and cathal compton, niall, conor and ronan daly, ronan stack, cian connolly and diarmuid mcgann are not making some sort of waves in connacht there is something seriously wrong, if these players are beating mayo and galway comfortably at under 14, 16, 18 levels and destroying leitrim and sligo at the same levels and not progressing through to senior then clearly somebody is to blame

Syferus

Ya forgot Cathal Shine, Niall Kilroy, David Murray, Kevin Finn, John McManus and Conor Hussey

padd b1975

Always_Running wrote: »

Well beaten by Sligo in 2010 by your logic Mayo would be behind them back
then?

After the league semi final, Mayo were shocking.

Closer to Div 1? Armagh,Derry,Galway,Laois,Longford,Louth,Westmeath,Wexford any
of those team would stuggle in Div 1 the two best Armagh,Galway found that out.

I would expect the likes of Armagh,Galway,Derry,Laois and Wexford to cruise through the current Division 3.

It is Mayo as the above poster said the burden of expectations is too much
to carry. Most other teams will look back on a good year.

Most other teams do not have Mayo's record of getting to finals at all age levels but not winning, but I accept the point you make.

I think it's safe to say not many of those Roscommon underage players from the
2011-12 teams have lined out for seniors yet.

And what about the players form the other 7 years of talent?
We are still talking about the 8 years of talent?

padd b1975

rossie1977 wrote: »

if maughan was manager of donegal they would still be losing first round matches in ulster....

If Maughan was manager of Roscommon they would still be losing first round matches.....wait a sec....








Galway 3-15
Roscommon 0-10;)

rossie1977

padd b1975 wrote: »

And what about the players form the other 7 years of talent?
We are still talking about the 8 years of talent?

4 of our top players from the 2008-09 minor sides are now pro rugby players, a team like roscommon with a small pick to begin with cannot afford that kind of loss, most of the minor lads from 2006-07 didn't want to play for the last manager

If Maughan was manager of Roscommon they would still be losing first round matches.....wait a sec....

Galway 3-15
Roscommon 0-10

newton was totally incompetent, i likened him to steve staunton as ireland manager a few times in this thread already, the manager is the most important part of the team imo, harping back to donegal but they hadn't won a single match in ulster for 4 years before mcguinness came in and in two years he has turned them around completely, in 2009 antrim beat donegal up in ulster, the backbone of the side beaten that day started the all ireland this year

i don't expect roscommon to be winning all-irelands but they sure as hell should be competitive in connacht over the next 5-7 years given the talent coming through, if the same roscommon minors who are destroying the likes of leitrim in 2009 and again in 2012 or easily beating sligo at under 21 level are then in 4-5 years losing to leitrim and sligo at senior level, something is seriously wrong

padd b1975

rossie1977 wrote: »

4 of our top players from the 2008-09 minor sides are now pro rugby players, a team like roscommon with a small pick to begin with cannot afford that kind of loss, most of the minor lads from 2006-07 didn't want to play for the last manager



newton was totally incompetent, i likened him to steve staunton as ireland manager a few times in this thread already, the manager is the most important part of the team imo, harping back to donegal but they hadn't won a single match in ulster for 4 years before mcguinness came in and in two years he has turned them around completely, in 2009 antrim beat donegal up in ulster, the backbone of the side beaten that day started the all ireland this year

i don't expect roscommon to be winning all-irelands but they sure as hell should be competitive in connacht over the next 5-7 years given the talent coming through, if the same roscommon minors who are destroying the likes of leitrim in 2009 and again in 2012 or easily beating sligo at under 21 level are then in 4-5 years losing to leitrim and sligo at senior level, something is seriously wrong

Good post, but realistically sucess in the weakest province does not really count for much. Mayo have 44 titles yielding a return of 3 All Irelands, to put that into perspective Donegal have 2 All Irelands form 7 Ulster titles, Tyrone 3 from 13 plus another that got away in '86 and the best by far is Down with 5 from 12.


Are you any nearer to appointing a manager?

Always_Running

After the league semi final, Mayo were shocking.

You still didn't answer my question.


I would expect the likes of Armagh,Galway,Derry,Laois and Wexford to cruise through the current Division 3.

I don't know.. Wexford have been down there for a few years and just got promoted, Galway were beaten by Antrim,Sligo this year, Armagh were beaten by Roscommon,Derry are not the team they once were and Laois struggled to beat Leitrim and lost to Longford.

Most other teams do not have Mayo's record of getting to finals at all age levels but not winning, but I accept the point you make.

The not winning bit is bringing Mayo down and no doubt they would love the records of Kerry,Tyrone who have been to as many finals the last few decades.

And what about the players form the other 7 years of talent?
We are still talking about the 8 years of talent?

You said you didn't see the talent coming through? guys in their mid 20s wouldn't be talent coming through however the minors and possibly some of this year U21s would be.

________


QUOTE=padd b1975;81291994]

Are you any nearer to appointing a manager?[/QUOTE]

Two Mayo men Pat Holmes, Noel Connelly have been linked with the job they must see that talent more than you

padd b1975

Always_Running wrote: »

Two Mayo men Pat Holmes, Noel Connelly have been linked with the job they must see that talent more than you

I think its more the Roscommon county board seeing that there is no one of management material within the county;);)

rossie1977

speaking of bringing through underage talent, in 2007 roscommon beat mayo in the minor semi by 1-11 to 1-05 (they lead 1-8 to 0-3 at one stage), in the mayo team that day kevin keane, kevin mcloughlin, jason doherty, alan freeman and aidan o'shea

padd b1975

rossie1977 wrote: »

speaking of bringing through underage talent, in 2007 roscommon beat mayo in the minor semi by 1-11 to 1-05 (they lead 1-8 to 0-3 at one stage), in the mayo team that day kevin keane, kevin mcloughlin, jason doherty, alan freeman and aidan o'shea

Form is temporary, class is permanent:)

seabee

You'll be glad to hear that a former roscommon under-age manager has been approached by a candidate for the Senior job (the ulster publican) to be part of his "ticket" with the aim of helping ease the transition/development of the next generation of players.

Jayob10

seabee wrote: »

You'll be glad to hear that a former roscommon under-age manager has been approached by a candidate for the Senior job (the ulster publican) to be part of his "ticket" with the aim of helping ease the transition/development of the next generation of players.

who is the ulster publican? and who is the former underage manager?

Syferus

It's a steadfast rule that people only talk in half riddles when speaking of Roscommon managerial appointments.

On face he's talking about the Banty rumour but in the last day alone Jason Ryan and Niall Moyna's names have also came up from 'sources'.

Don't believe anything until the manager is announced.

Comic Book Guy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

MVdUmX_2uIY

First time i tried to post a youtube video so hope it works!

Funny take on our attempts to fill the senior team manager post

:pac:

Balls that was an epic fail!!

Someone else mite link it but type in roscommon manager job into youtube search and check out hitler scene from the film Downfall

westsidestory

Comic Book Guy wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=

MVdUmX_2uIY

First time i tried to post a youtube video so hope it works!

Funny take on our attempts to fill the senior team manager post

:pac:

Balls that was an epic fail!!

Someone else mite link it but type in roscommon manager job into youtube search and check out hitler scene from the film Downfall

T'will be a lucky lady that will take away your virginity

yabadabado

County board meeting tomorrow night ,senior manager is supposed to be named then.
John Evans is the latest rumour.

Syferus

yabadabado wrote: »

County board meeting tomorrow night ,senior manager is supposed to be named then.
John Evans is the latest rumour.

The lad we helped put out of a job in February in Kiltoom. We're kind souls.

Banty's been doing the rumour rounds more heavily today but there seems to be a sinking feeling it's looking likely we'll end up with a 'name' manager, and I'm not talking about from the Gilroy, Jacko school of name managers.

Don't know what to think of Evans. Before it all went pear-shaped in the last 12 months in Tipp he had done a very lauded job at all tiers in Tipp football, particularly underage. Certainly his CV suits what we need better than Banty's does.

Fr Tod Umptious

Syferus wrote: »

The lad we helped put out of a job in February in Kiltoom. We're kind souls.

Banty's been doing the rumour rounds more heavily today but there seems to be a sinking feeling it's looking likely we'll end up with a 'name' manager, and I'm not talking about from the Gilroy, Jacko school of name managers.

Don't know what to think of Evans. Before it all went pear-shaped in the last 12 months in Tipp he had done a very lauded job at all tiers in Tipp football, particularly underage. Certainly his CV suits what we need better than Banty's does.

Well it looks like Evans will be the man

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2012/1108/344776-evans-on-verge-of-roscommon-role/

I recall a discussion here a few months ago about now Evans was not all he was cracked up to be in Tipp, and that the credit for under-age development should not be going to him.

Maybe someone can enlighten us.

keane2097

Premierstone doesn't rate Evans' stint in Tipp as the success it was heralded as for sure. He also wouldn't be held in very high esteem in Kerry as a manager.

I do know that some senior members of the Meath panel were very impressed with him as a coach when he came in during last year though, fwiw.

Strongbow10

Fr Tod Umptious wrote: »

Well it looks like Evans will be the man

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2012/1108/344776-evans-on-verge-of-roscommon-role/

I recall a discussion here a few months ago about now Evans was not all he was cracked up to be in Tipp, and that the credit for under-age development should not be going to him.

Maybe someone can enlighten us.

He was unable to successfully integrate the decent younger players into the senior set up in Tipp what makes the county board think he is going to be able to do it in Ros?

He also took a hell of alot of credit for developing younger players in tipp but to say he was the main man there is certainly not the case. Mind you, to say he had no impact would also do him a disservice.

Overall, its an underwhelming appointment but its to be expected on the budget available.

2 other negative factors for me are his age profile and his location.

Sad to see Noel O'Brien (former Brigids manager who got them to All Ireland Final) didn't get a look in, if there was anyone in the county qualified to do it, he was the man.

Always_Running

keane2097 wrote: »

Premierstone doesn't rate Evans' stint in Tipp as the success it was heralded as for sure. He also wouldn't be held in very high esteem in Kerry as a manager.

I do know that some senior members of the Meath panel were very impressed with him as a coach when he came in during last year though, fwiw.

He the last Kerry manager to win the senior club All Ireland and was Tipp U21 manager that beat Kerry in 2010 Munster final so Kerry fans would have respected that however all went pear shaped for him this year though and i can't imagine he was high on anyone's list.

Why Roscommon chose outsider manager when they have many capable guys insides the county remains a mystery.

yabadabado

Always_Running wrote: »

He the last Kerry manager to win the senior club All Ireland and was Tipp U21 manager that beat Kerry in 2010 Munster final so Kerry fans would have respected that however all went pear shaped for him this year though and i can't imagine he was high on anyone's list.

Why Roscommon chose outsider manager when they have many capable guys insides the county remains a mystery.

Who would you have choose from within the county?

Strongbow10

yabadabado wrote: »

Who would you have choose from within the county?

Noel O'Brien

Syferus

Strongbow10 wrote: »

Noel O'Brien

I'd prefer the upside of Mark Dowd over O'Brien, especially as we're talking about someone growing a young panel long term.

Anyways, Evans isn't a bad choice and does have the right background to do good work here. Anyone who doesn't recognise he did a huge amount of work in Tipp football is blinkered, but the degree to which it went pear-shaped this year in Tipp does raise questions. He clearly played a huge role in steadying the ship in Meath so it's not like there's much question that he's good at what he does. Hopefully he drove a hard bargain with the The Muppet Show and the senior set-up isn't woefully under-supported again next year.

His age is no issue, in fact him being retired means he can really focus on the job and that's a boon given how much work needs to be done.

Jayob10

Syferus wrote: »

I'd prefer the upside of Mark Dowd over O'Brien, especially as we're talking about someone growing a young panel long term.

Anyways, Evans isn't a bad choice and does have the right background to do good work here. Anyone who doesn't recognise he did a huge amount of work in Tipp football is blinkered, but the degree to which it went pear-shaped this year in Tipp does raise questions. He clearly played a huge role in steadying the ship in Meath so it's not like there's much question that he's good at what he does. Hopefully he drove a hard bargain with the The Muppet Show and the senior set-up isn't woefully under-supported again next year.

His age is no issue, in fact him being retired means he can really focus on the job and that's a boon given how much work needs to be done.

Mark Dowd is a good shout, id personally been happy with either O'Dowd or O'Brien.

Both have good football brains and I suspect they would like to do their own thing without pandering to the County Boards demands. Maybe therein lies the reason they didn't get the job.

O'Brien has managed Roscommon minors before I believe and had success in Longford Senior football. Also think he doesn't get as much credit as deserves for harnessing the talent Brigids had into 2 run's at the All Ireland.

If anything he managed to piece together a team consisting of numerous winning County u-21 players. Players from different age groups aswell that had been threading water until he arrived, by threading water I mean playing senior but not to the level they did under him. Brigids is a notoriously hard club to manage but part of the reason he took them on was because he insisted on doing things his own way, being more professional in preparation etc...

O'Dowd is another coach that would be an asset, and hopefully he will be in the future. I'm not sure he would have upped sticks until Ballaghaderreen exit the championship.

Syferus

Jayob10 wrote: »

Mark Dowd is a good shout, id personally been happy with either O'Dowd or O'Brien.

Both have good football brains and I suspect they would like to do their own thing without pandering to the County Boards demands. Maybe therein lies the reason they didn't get the job.

O'Brien has managed Roscommon minors before I believe and had success in Longford Senior football. Also think he doesn't get as much credit as deserves for harnessing the talent Brigids had into 2 run's at the All Ireland.

If anything he managed to piece together a team consisting of numerous winning County u-21 players. Players from different age groups aswell that had been threading water until he arrived, by threading water I mean playing senior but not to the level they did under him. Brigids is a notoriously hard club to manage but part of the reason he took them on was because he insisted on doing things his own way, being more professional in preparation etc...

O'Dowd is another coach that would be an asset, and hopefully he will be in the future. I'm not sure he would have upped sticks until Ballaghaderreen exit the championship.

I've a sinking feeling the board didn't even consider him. Evans is a good manager but it does look as if the board was forced into desperation mode given how long this circus dragged on for and they wanted someone with name cache so they portray the process as anything but the disaster it was. There better be an frank and open review of this 'selection process' and people properly reprimanded because the old boys network stuff got old a long time ago.

Anyways, I bet if Mark had been offered the post he would have found it hard to turn down and he could have done an Anthony Cunningham and stayed club manager until the season was over.

Himself or O'Brien would still be very good choices for selectors if Evans is looking for some county men to enlist.

yabadabado

So its been confirmed that Evans is the new manager,any word on who his backroom staff will be?

Always_Running

yabadabado wrote: »

Who would you have choose from within the county?

Correct me if i'm wrong, Over the last 10 years apart from Jimmy Gacquin all the successful Roscommon club,inter county managers were Roscommon men . If you have that much home grown talent you should be choosing within the county.

RoscommonTom

Im happy enough, I wonder will he bring in any local fellas for the backroom team. Talk of mcinaney in the paper today buy hope its not true.

yabadabado

Always_Running wrote: »

Correct me if i'm wrong, Over the last 10 years apart from Jimmy Gacquin all the successful Roscommon club,inter county managers were Roscommon men . If you have that much home grown talent you should be choosing within the county.

Im not disagreeing with you ,just wondering who you would choose from within the county?

premierstone

Will be very interesting to see how John Evans gets on, there is no doubt he has ability and he's CV reflects this, but there are huge question marks over he's man management skills, he's tactical nous and he's abrupt personality, he is very direct and not afrad to speak he's mind, this can work well for a while but it does tend to wear off and he burns bridges at an alarming rate.

Giving him credit for the underage sucess in Tipp is very very far removed from reality, the work on these 'development squads' had been started before John Evans even stepped foot in Thurles, what he did do though is instill a belief in the players and also he improved the treatment of footballers by the county board in comparison to the hurlers, but this isn't an issue in Roscommon.

nice_guy80

premierstone wrote: »

Will be very interesting to see how John Evans gets on, there is no doubt he has ability and he's CV reflects this, but there are huge question marks over he's man management skills, he's tactical nous and he's abrupt personality, he is very direct and not afrad to speak he's mind, this can work well for a while but it does tend to wear off and he burns bridges at an alarming rate.

Giving him credit for the underage sucess in Tipp is very very far removed from reality, the work on these 'development squads' had been started before John Evans even stepped foot in Thurles, what he did do though is instill a belief in the players and also he improved the treatment of footballers by the county board in comparison to the hurlers, but this isn't an issue in Roscommon.

hopefully he will improve the treatment of the hurlers in Roscommon so!

Always_Running

yabadabado wrote: »

Im not disagreeing with you ,just wondering who you would choose from within the county?

Anyone of the recent successful club,underage managers could have been chosen. Evans was only given a two year deal maybe one of those managers are primed to take over or O'Donnell will return?

Syferus

Sounds from his RTE interview like Evans didn't even look for more than a two year term. Better for both sides given the circumstances of this process. If the two years go well he's sure to be extended and just as if he had a three year term where the first two went badly he'll be let go.

RoscommonTom

ANY OF YOU FELLAS AY THE MATCH TODAY, I COULDNT GO AS HAD TO DO SOME WORK IN THE YARD, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO US? TERRIBLE STAT TO THE EVANS RAIN,

Syferus

Lost a January game 0-06 to 0-05 after leading for all but the final two minutes of the game. You can draw just about nothing from the result besides the fact that both teams have a hell of a lot of cobwebs to blow off.

Always_Running

RoscommonTom wrote: »

ANY OF YOU FELLAS AY THE MATCH TODAY, I COULDNT GO AS HAD TO DO SOME WORK IN THE YARD, WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO US? TERRIBLE STAT TO THE EVANS RAIN,

Caps lock? Roscommon forward line is toothless without Donal Shine,Senan Kilbride. Leitrim play Mayo next they will do well to get within 6 points of them.

Syferus

Always_Running wrote: »

Caps lock? Roscommon forward line is toothless without Donal Shine,Senan Kilbride. Leitrim play Mayo next they will do well to get within 6 points of them.

We were missing a whole hell of a lot more than Donie and Senan.

Always_Running

Syferus wrote: »

We were missing a whole hell of a lot more than Donie and Senan.

Every team is missing players in these pre-season competitions. Name the other established forwards missing that would be free-scoring for Roscommon?

rossie1977

results over the weekend suggest its going to be a long (or technically short ) 2013 for our seniors and our under 21s, serious problems at under 21 level if you are losing to longford by 13 points

Syferus

Always_Running wrote: »

Every team is missing players in these pre-season competitions. Name the other established forwards missing that would be free-scoring for Roscommon?

That question is designed to exclude the very people who will be able to score plenty this season, Donie Smith and Colin Compton. Cregger only came on as a sub today and David O'Gara had, and has, rust to get off but he is an excellent playmaker.


Scoring potential has never been our problem, it's been defensive lapses and poor midfield play that's been our achile's heel.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

I'm not going to read into it too much apart from to say that, and I mean no disrespect to Leitrim, but 5 points is an appalling return against a Division 4 side. Sounds like it was an atrocious game, anyone know what the conditions were like up in Elphin?

Syferus

rossie1977 wrote: »

results over the weekend suggest its going to be a long (or technically short ) 2013 for our seniors and our under 21s, serious problems at under 21 level if you are losing to longford by 13 points

Remember none of last year's minor team featured and most of the returning starters were only on spot duty. I wouldn't go reading anything into either result just yet.

Always_Running

Syferus wrote: »

That question is designed toexcludedthe very people who will be able to score plenty this season, Donie Smith and Colin Compton. Cregger only came on as a sub today and DavidO'Gara had and has rust to get off but he is an excellent playmaker.


Scoring potential has never been our problem, it's been defensive lapses and poor midfield play that's been our achile's heel.

Kilbride,Shine will do most of the scoring again this season O'Gara,Cregg,Compton are all decent footballers but aren't free scoring forwards. Roscommon are missing some like Tony McManus or Frankie Dolan in his prime even now he scores more than some of the forwards you named. Smith has real scoring potential i'll give you that however, sometimes good underage players can't make the step up to senior will Evans pick him during the NFL?

Syferus

Always_Running wrote: »

Kilbride,Shine will do most of the scoring again this season O'Gara,Cregg,Compton are all decent footballers but aren't free scoring forwards. Roscommon are missing some like Tony McManus or Frankie Dolan in his prime even now he scores more than some of the forwards you named. Smith has real scoring potential i'll give you that however, sometimes good underage players can't make the step up to senior will Evans pick him during the NFL?

We have as good a forward division as there is in Connacht. Shine and Cregg carried a far less talented group of players in 2010 while Senan was injured; when the whole panel is together we have plenty of attacking options to chose from. I'd also add Cregg's scoring totals would be far higher were it not for the fact he's the most fouled player on the team by a mile - he certainly is a serious scoring threat but if you look at score sheets points he made are credited as Shine or Kilbride frees - and on a side note, the media really need to start collating and promoting assist stats properly. It's also bizarre to say 'Frankie scores more than you named' - he's a free taker, of course he'll out-score a majority of players. Same goes for Shine and Kilbride.

This concept of 'free-scoring forwards' is incredibly nebulous, honestly. You need players like David O'Gara and Cathal Cregg just as much as the twin towers or else they're just getting poor long balls or balls that leave them surrounded or boxed into a corner. It's a team game for a reason, no?

If they're provided enough effective ball by the middle third and the defense doesn't hemorrhage points like they have on too many occasions we'll be fine.

Again, the focus needs to be on improving our defensive play because just like Galway our greatest failing has always been how ready we are to cut loose going forward and leave gaps at the back. Newton employed a zonal system with two sweepers but clearly that failed or the players never really bought in. Evans' greatest success would be getting the team to operate as a professional unit at the back. Anything less is just building foundations on quicksand.

manofwisdom

That Leitrim result was one of the surprise results of the day. When you see the line-up maybe not so much...


I agree with Mr Running when Roscommon are missing their main forwards they struggle for scores and i think if Sligo,Galway or Mayo were without their two best forwards v Leitrim they would manage better than 0-5. Shine,Kilbride,Dolan even without the frees score more than some of Roscommon's other starting forwards. For example Frankie scored 2 goals in this years Roscommon final. O'Gara,Keenan,Cregg are hard working,honest grafters the rossies need more forwards that know where the posts are.

John Evans has huge task on his hands this year i can't see Roscommon getting out of Div 3 and they are very unlikely to beat Galway,Mayo. As for the U21 it's rare that many minors are brought through from the previous year the team should be made of up 2010,11 minors and something is wrong if you lose by 13 points to less fancied side.