Tom Joad wrote: » Probably explains it all right but would have been better off leaving it at 7 o clock.
Lemlin wrote: » One thing I've noticed is that alot of people who would normally be stalwart supporters lost a bit of heart in the team after the Roscommon defeat.
KeepTheFaith wrote: » Anyone who loses faith after losing a final in Croker after an unbeaten League Campaign is no sort of stalwart. We've followed throughout some seriously barren years let's not forget that.
scoopmine wrote: » I thought the junior was tomorrow?
celt262 wrote: » It's a joke that they are keeping this a secret.
Lemlin wrote: » That's what I can't understand but I've spoken to a number of people, particularly older gents who would have seen the barren years of the early nineties, and they seem to be losing a bit of heart in the team. I think alot of people are coming to the conclusion that the system we use is holding our footballers back. To be honest, I think the system plays to our strengths. We've won four U21 Ulster titles but scoring forwards have always been something we lacked. People seem to think if we knock off the shackles we'll fly into teams but what people expect often isn't what actually happens. I'm hearing Mackey could miss the game this weekend so that could leave us without Clarke, McVeety, Mackey, Flanagan and Dunne. Five starters. Christopher Conroy could be in with a shout to replace Mackey. Will be interesting to see what the junior team is tomorrow.
Crash Bang Wall wrote: » The same lads shouting lump it in, are the same lads that yell terrible ball when the ball actually does go in.I think we need to work at getting the ball from back to front a bit quicker. At present Mackey is the only one who can carry the ball at pace. McDermott against Armagh tried it and was turned over numerous times. The fist passing over and back the field needs to be accompanied by intelligent runs from half forwards and full forwards, eg ff line running out bringing markers, and hb/hf running in looking for quick ball over the top. We are lighter than most teams so we need to vary a running game as much as possible.
tayto lover wrote: » Cavan scored 5 - 10 against an understrength Louth team in a challenge at the weekend so all is not too bad for you lads. Chins up.
tayto lover wrote: » Cavan 1-11 Longford 1 -7 Full Time. Late L/ford goal. One of my Kingscourt friends at the game just sent me a text.
Tom Joad wrote: » The only way that team sheet makes sense is if it is a dud.
Lemlin wrote: » No Mackey and no Keating. Mackey is still injured though I believe and I had heard Keating's place was in doubt prior to the Armagh game. He's badly off form apparently.
Tom Joad wrote: » Aware that Mackey won't make it but Givney ahead of Keating makes no sense to me especially with no Dunne. Who is going to get scores?? Not Keating's biggest fan but Givney offers nothing at 14. Can't understand Jack Brady starting either unless the Junior game is being given a bigger priority than this game? There are plenty of lads showing good form that are worth a jersey from the juniors - Philly Tinnelly, Paul O'Connor for a start. We will be in trouble at midfield as Gearoid is just not at match fitness so it's hard to see where the creativity is going to come from. I was starting to get hopeful about Saturday but now am worried that we just don't have enough to get scores or even create chances.
tayto lover wrote: » Was impressed with Enda Reilly in the Junior games. He knows where the goals are.
Tom Joad wrote: » Good call as well - another guy who is showing some form. The priority must be the juniors - only reason that these lads are not getting called into senior panel.
Thunderbirds wrote: » Enda Reilly good at placed balls in last two junior games but offers nothing from play. Paul O Connor has being largely anonymous in the juniors too. Conor Moynagh and Tinnelly look like two seniors. Stick out like sore thumbs. Mickey Lyng was terrible in junior semi so don't know how being named on 40. Paul Smith looked very good in final too. Tom Hayes changed game when he came on.
Tom Joad wrote: » Haven't seen too much of the junior games so mainly going on what I've seen of the players in other games and what I'm hearing from the matches. My big question is where the scores are going to come from on Saturday and what criteria players are being picked on and is the junior championship being given a greater importance than the senior side this year? I'm starting to think that the main objective for the year was promotion and a crack at an under 21 all-ireland and that was it. For me the match against Westmeath is massive for rebuilding confidence and faith in the team. If the management have decided Keating is not starting on the basis of form - why pick Givney as the big target man when his form has been awful? Similarly with Jack Brady and Mickey Lyng - really don't have a good shout based on form over the likes of O'Connor, E Reilly, Hayes in my opinion. Also feel that to get the best of Niall McDermott he should be played in the right position (off the shoulder of the forward line target man) to do damage. As there will be no one marauding forward from midfield to offer a different point of attack - we are relying on our two wing half backs to do a hell of a lot - would have given the nod to Tinnelly on that score on form. I am huge fan of Terry Hyland's and I know his team sheets are a work of fantasy usually so maybe I am worrying unnecessarily here.
I can't see why you would think that about the junior championship and saving players to be honest Tom.
Tom Joad wrote: » I'm not leading any bandwagon for any particular player to be included. I mentioned an example of two players who have been showing form who in my view were in with decent shouts of a jersey ahead of Jack Brady and David Givney. If Keating was dropped based on poor form then the leaving Givney as the target man/ main ball winner pick is a bit of a head scratcher for me as his form has been worse over a longer time frame. In my opinion there are lads showing form who merit a jersey based on form over the likes of Lyng and Jack Brady. Conor Moynagh is another that is showing form as is Philly Tinnelly and I would have thought they might have been elevated to the senior panel. That's not fixating on any one particular player. It happened with the under 21s in the league (correctly so in my opinion) and plenty of people questioned it in previous years on this thread and elsewhere so it's not a huge leap to make. Re the scoring, there's a lot more to it than sticking the ball over the bar - the ball has to be brought into the right areas of the field and chances have to be created. I can't see Gearoid being fit enough to make bursts forward and I think we are lacking a bit of creativity and score making ability if the team takes the field as per announced. But it would be a surprise if that did happen as we all know. And as the great man himself once said when asked how many selectors he would have after he got the job - he answered about 2,000 if the game is in Breffni. TL;DR - I'm worried that we don't have enough in the team to get scores and the team has stagnated a wee bit - fresh blood and confidence into the team may have given the side a lift.
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