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Roscommon GAA Discussion Thread

Syferus

There seems to be a few Rossies on the forum and even though the seniors are done for this year there's still plenty going on, not least the minors great run and the county championship likely to restart very soon.

So. A thread for it all!

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White lighting

Comic Book Guy wrote: »

One of the lads at work was saying that Conor Devanney has retired from the inter county scene. Anyone hear similar?
Would be really disappointing news if true. Still has lots to offer. Very cool in possession and great man to deliver a kick pass just the way the inside forwards want it. Always good for a score too.

Be a loss if true still has another few years in him. Had a very poor championship this year and Captaincy didnt suit him but would hope he doesnt pack it in.

yabadabado

Hopefully it's not true,he's still only 30.

Comic Book Guy

The provisional fixtures for next year's league have been announced.

We start our campaign with a Saturday night game under lights in McHale Park.
Have Monaghan, Tyrone, Dublin and Kerry at home with away trips to Mayo, Cavan and Galway.

rossie1977

Not far to travel at least although I really enjoyed trip around Ireland for this past seasons league.

Monaghan, Tyrone and even Dublin at home at least gives us a chance of picking up something from those games, however slight. I assume every other team in Division 1 will see Cavan and ourselves as an easy 2 points before a ball is thrown in.

If rumours are true we will have a very inexperienced side for the league campaign given how many players are meant to be retiring, travelling, working abroad etc. Probably going to see a fair bit of the likes of Conor Shanagher and Cian McKeon next Spring, baptism of fire for those young lads.

rossie1977

Rumours swirling that McStay has resigned.

I suppose with the players leaving it left his position pretty much untenable. Pity really because had we won Connacht this year I suspect it would be a different story like in 2011.

As it is we once again we will likely start from scratch with a new set of players (will be interesting to see how many of our starting 15 from 2017 Connacht win would still be starting in 2020).

We did improve under McStay no doubt but there were areas he simply never addressed in three years. We lacked intensity in the tackle, conditioning and our defensive setup was a complete joke. Four goals conceded in each of our last four visits to Croke Park over past 13 months says it all. We will never have the professionalism that the likes of Dublin, Kerry, Mayo and Tyrone have but there is no excuse why we are miles behind Monaghan when it comes to intensity, conditioning and defending.

manofwisdom

So Kevin McStay's last involvement as Roscommon manager was hitting the linesman on the back of the head with a football. I agree while McStay did improve Roscommon from the Evans era they should still be improved to the point that they are harder to beat and score against and for whatever reason McStay wasn't able to improve Roscommon defensively if anything they got worse each year. A better coach than Liam McHale who is clued in on the art of tackling would have helped I think.

Kristopherus

Kevin McStay has quit. Just announced on VM 1 News.

yabadabado

Back to square one again,I qas hoping McStay would go for another year or two and bring in someone to look at the defense.Donie Buckley would have been the ideal man to bring in but he will most likely have better offers.

blowitupref

Surprised he didn't stay on for another year but maybe he opted out when hearing of a weaker panel for 2019 and money not there to bring in a top quality coach?

Addle

Isn't he carrying an injury himself?

Addle

Any rumours of a replacement?
He'll hardly manage Mayo?!

TheRiverman

Report on Six One news said he is finished with inter county management.

rossie1977

I would imagine Nigel Dineen will be leading candidate for job. He wanted it 2 years ago before county board ratified McStay as sole manager.

He has similar philosophy regarding how the game should be played so not much will change on that front. Like McStay very naive when it comes to setting a team up defensively. But he knows most of the players given they played under him when he was Under 21 manager between 2012-14. He got Roscommon to two All-Ireland finals during those three years in charge only losing to Dublin twice, Dublin teams which featured eight players that either started or came on as sub on Sunday vs Tyrone.

He probably deserves a go at it anyway.

KevRossi

I suppose Dineen would be favourite. Unless they look for someone outside the county.

Did Fergal O'Donnell burn many bridges when he left?

And is McStay going to jump to Mayo after waiting a few weeks.

We had some great days out with him. Salthill, draw in Croke Park last year, Thurles and Portlaoise this year as well as Div 2. Could have won at least one more Connacht title.

Anyway I wish him well, nice bloke to chat to.

nice_guy80

Best of luck to Kevin
I think he was just a bit naieve on how the county game is now played.

Has his All Ireland from the club campaign with Brigids

rossie1977

Don't think FOD had any interest in coming back last time and had to be persuaded back so I doubt he would want another go.

Will be interesting to see if any of the players McStay didn't pick on the panel like the Shines, O'Gara would return to the fold. Clearly McStay and the Dalys never saw eye to eye so maybe they get a proper run on team now.

Just heard someone say that McStay had 16 different players starting at number 6 in his time with Roscommon. That was another issue with his teams, you never knew who was the first choice goalkeeper, full back, centre half, midfield even after 3 years.

Suckler

KevRossi wrote: »

We had some great days out with him. Salthill, draw in Croke Park last year, Thurles and Portlaoise this year as well as Div 2. Could have won at least one more Connacht title.

That Mayo game was really the one that got away. We should have closed it out and won it. The pasting we took in the replay was a real set back. Definitely another Connacht title in there I thought as well.

nice_guy80

Suckler wrote: »

That Mayo game was really the one that got away. We should have closed it out and won it. The pasting we took in the replay was a real set back. Definitely another Connacht title in there I thought as well.

Yeah, should have put Mayo away that day.
the team selections for the replay were baffling

Blanco100

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Yeah, should have put Mayo away that day.
the team selections for the replay were baffling

Roscommon caught Mayo cold in the opening 25 mins of that game. It was one way traffic for long periods after that. Credit to Roscommon though for dragging themselves back into it but for long periods it was difficult to see where scores for Roscommon were going to come from.

McStay obviously thought he could leave a few of his bigger hitters in reserve for when things needed to move up a notch in 2nd half, but the depth of panel wouldnt allow this. By the time he introduced these usual starting 15 players (fintan cregg for example) the damage was done.

It was poor judgement and inexperience on the sideline as Mayo came flying out of the blocks. In hindsight Ros would have been way better off losing gallantly by a point to Mayo in the 1st quarter final.

Billgirlylegs

Blanco100 wrote: »

Roscommon caught Mayo cold in the opening 25 mins of that game. It was one way traffic for long periods after that. Credit to Roscommon though for dragging themselves back into it but for long periods it was difficult to see where scores for Roscommon were going to come from.

McStay obviously thought he could leave a few of his bigger hitters in reserve for when things needed to move up a notch in 2nd half, but the depth of panel wouldnt allow this. By the time he introduced these usual starting 15 players (fintan cregg for example) the damage was done.

It was poor judgement and inexperience on the sideline as Mayo came flying out of the blocks. In hindsight Ros would have been way better off losing gallantly by a point to Mayo in the 1st quarter final.

I don't think it was one way traffic, fairly even in the second half, with Mayo marginally better (if they had decent forwards)

Defensively and in midfield, they were hopeless. They were unlucky with the player turnover, absentees and injuries, but a simple marking strategy would have been better than what they were doing.
As far as I could see he tried to attack from the half back line. From what I saw in the Galway / Tyrone / Donegal / Dublin matches, the forwards were pretty good working with poor enough possession.
The scores obtained were pretty impressive for a team that was getting a hiding and unable to get possession in midfield.

I think Kevin McStay did as much as he could and wish him well.
Probably a more robust awkward style of defending would suit better.

twin_beacon

I wish Kevin all the best for the future. 2017 will be the highlight, beating Galway in salthill and drawing with Mayo in Croker are the highlights of his tenure for me.

Pique

Blanco100 wrote: »

In hindsight Ros would have been way better off losing gallantly by a point to Mayo in the 1st quarter final.

I thought the opposite after the replay. Losing by a point (or winning, as it looked possible at the time) could have let us think we were as good as Mayo. The replay dispelled any notions of that. Although confidence would have been destroyed, at least the disparity was clear to all.

rossie1977

Blanco100 wrote: »

Roscommon caught Mayo cold in the opening 25 mins of that game. It was one way traffic for long periods after that. Credit to Roscommon though for dragging themselves back into it but for long periods it was difficult to see where scores for Roscommon were going to come from.

McStay obviously thought he could leave a few of his bigger hitters in reserve for when things needed to move up a notch in 2nd half, but the depth of panel wouldnt allow this. By the time he introduced these usual starting 15 players (fintan cregg for example) the damage was done.

It was poor judgement and inexperience on the sideline as Mayo came flying out of the blocks. In hindsight Ros would have been way better off losing gallantly by a point to Mayo in the 1st quarter final.

Roscommon restricted Mayo to just four points in the second half. They levelled the game a minute into the second half, took the lead in the 49th and again in the 55th and held that lead until the 66th when Mayo equalized. Mayo taking lead for first time in second half in the 68th minute

The selection for that replay was baffling to say the least handing a guy his debut who never played senior county football in his life in a key position. Basically dropping two of the three best players the first day. That replay highlighted Roscommons lack of conditioning under McStay which we have seen every year. They are completely incapable of performing when playing two championship games in a week. Replay to Galway in 2016 then 6 days later against Clare. That Mayo replay last year and Tyrone game in super 8s this year after match with Armagh the week earlier.

Not sure losing to Mayo by a point last year would have helped them. They lost a close game they could have won 2011 Connacht final and didn't reach another final for 5 years. Lost an extremely close game to Mayo in 2014 and lost following year to Sligo.

The loss to Mayo (and loss to Galway and Clare in 2016) highlighted the areas Roscommon needed to work hard to improve yet nothing was done and the same things happened this year again.

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

Beating Galway in Salthill last year was the best day I've ever had as a Roscommon supporter and it might be a long time before we eclipse that one, although I hope I'm wrong.

nice_guy80

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater wrote: »

Beating Galway in Salthill last year was the best day I've ever had as a Roscommon supporter and it might be a long time before we eclipse that one, although I hope I'm wrong.

2010 was better. We were in Division 4!
And 2001. Beat Mayo and Galway

selectamatic

nice_guy80 wrote: »

2010 was better. We were in Division 4!

I'll always remember it as being imo, one of the best games Seanie Mc played in a Roscommon jersey, sligo's David Kelly hadn't room to breathe.

White lighting

nice_guy80 wrote: »

2010 was better. We were in Division 4!
And 2001. Beat Mayo and Galway

We were D3 in 2010. And we didnt beat either Galway or Mayo so that doesnt rank anywhere near as good as 2017 or 2001 for me

nice_guy80

White lighting wrote: »

We were D3 in 2010. And we didnt beat either Galway or Mayo so that doesnt rank anywhere near as good as 2017 or 2001 for me

we were relegated to Division 4
Sligo beat both of them, we beat them

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

nice_guy80 wrote: »

2010 was better. We were in Division 4!
And 2001. Beat Mayo and Galway

Really? 2010 was great but let's be honest, we caught Sligo on the hop that day. They took us for granted after beating Galway and Mayo and had basically turned up to collect the cup. It was a one off against a county Roscommon would have no fear of, on neutral ground.

I'd rate going to Salthill and giving a good Galway side a beating ahead of that everytime, no question.

White lighting

Good win's for Clann,Roscommon Gaels and Brigids in Section A over the weekend. A Must win game between Strokestown and Western Gaels next time out with the loser going out and dropping down next year.
Elphin and Pearses could be a cracker too. The loser will miss out should St. Faithleach's beat Croans