Thomas Featherston absolutely dominated midfield making Fitzmaurice look very very average. Featherston fielded over him ran through glaveys and all they could do was haul him down.



Tarismelting22 (Roscommon) - Posts:168 - 28/08/2017 13:50:21 2

That doesn't say much for McStays selection policy for All Quarter final replay. Featherston who i think was dropped off the 26 while Fitzmaurice bizarrely given his first ever start when he wasn't even on the Roscommon panel for the NFL. I should also point out all year McStay tried to find a full forward target man. Corcoran,Compton,Murtagh,Smith,Gleenon and the last few mins of the season Fitzmaurice was played there. Surely the logically thing to do is recall 28 year old Donie Shine who is the top scoring club forward in the county and ideal for that role. He could also kick 45s and long range frees which is another thing McStay is trying to find.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 3353 - 28/08/2017 21:12:45    2039621

Megane98 (Roscommon) - Posts: 67 - 28/08/2017 22:39:00    2039705

Tarismelting22 (Roscommon) - Posts: 760 - 29/08/2017 09:42:03    2039853

Donie should definitely be on the panel but he's still only kicking frees for clann.. come a semi final or final teams will be aware of this and won't foulet as much

RealRossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 332 - 29/08/2017 10:44:02    2039922

Donie didn't score from play at the weekend..

Ros2017 (Roscommon) - Posts: 20 - 29/08/2017 14:10:39    2040093

Donie as megane said scored 10 points at the weekend but he is not in the form of his life. Jesus you must really underrate him Megane if you think the Donie we have seen in recent weeks is in the form of his life. Did you not see him in 2010 with the county or 2015 when Clann won club championship. As a Clann person i reckon he has scored 75% or more of our scores in championship over the last 11 years since his first game at senior level so racking up high scores is nothing new for Donie even when playing bad. Try get to a game Megane and stop making comments from follow twitter updates

Cuckoosinging (Roscommon) - Posts: 992 - 29/08/2017 15:12:50    2040142

Megane98 (Roscommon) - Posts: 67 - 29/08/2017 16:15:28    2040199

Elphin have a great chance of sending clann packing this weekend. Not getting the excuse in early but we are missing a serious amount of our so called better players. Harney Lennon and Connaghton. Donie Shine, David Flynn and Ronan Gavin were all injured for league semi last weekend and Dara Petit has gone to the states for a few months. Apart form the obvious of missing players our form has been terrible so would not be surprised if Strokestown and Elphin were the two to go up from B section

Cuckoosinging (Roscommon) - Posts: 992 - 05/09/2017 20:42:24    2043155

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 3762 - 06/09/2017 00:27:32    2043237

moros (Roscommon) - Posts: 1080 - 06/09/2017 15:21:34    2043475

Section A
Boyle vs Pearses - Saturday - 18:30 - Abbey Park
Although Pearses were improved the last day out with the return of some key players, I can see Boyle continuing their good form and pushing on. Boyle by 5.

Brigids vs Ros Gaels - Saturday - 18:30 - Hyde Park
The big game in Section A this weekend. Gaels have already topped the group and while Brigids have lost their last 2 games, I think the Kiltoom men may just scrape it. Brigids by 2.

Faithleachs vs W Gaels - Saturday - 18:30 - Ballyforan
Faithleachs were as close as you can get to beating Boyle last timeout but I expect them to lose by a few more this weekend. Gaels by 4.

Section B
Croans vs Strokestown- Saturday - 18:30 - Kilbride
Croans do have a league final coming up but I fancy Strokestown to drive on and qualify for the quarter finals and just pip Clann to top spot. Strokestown by 7

Clann vs Elphin Sunday - 14:00 - Kiltoom
The toughest game to decide on, it all depends on what Clann turn up.They could win by 15 points or just as easily lose. Whether Donie Shine is fit or not will be a huge factor. Clann by 4.

Kilmore vs Castlerea - Sunday - 14:00 - Abbey Park
I feel this might be a close game with both teams essentially playing for home advantage in the relegation play-off. Castlerea by 1.

After going through what I think will happen, the quarter finals would be Boyle vs Clann and Brigids vs Strokestown with the Roscommon Gaels and Western Gaels in the semis.

Should be a good weekend of ball.

Ros13 (Roscommon) - Posts: 109 - 08/09/2017 12:55:37    2044158

Saturday Evening

Boyle vs Pearses - Boyle to win fairly easy here and finish probably 3rd in Section A

Brigids vs Ros Gaels - Brigids have no incentive to win here. Gaels by a couple of points in a good game.

Faithleachs vs Western Gaels - Western Gaels to just get over Faithleachs. Will be closer than most people think.

Croans vs Strokestown - Strokestown to continue their impressive run

Sunday

Elphin vs Clann - Fancy Elphin to knock Clann out of the championship here. Should be a great game in Kiltoom.

Kilmore vs Castlerea - Castlerea are horrendous. Kilmore by 5+ points.

rossie1996 (Roscommon) - Posts: 143 - 08/09/2017 13:07:27    2044160

faithleachs to spring a surprise w gaels down huge power this weekend but they wont be too concerned

RealRossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 332 - 08/09/2017 14:13:34    2044191

OhtobeARossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 1764 - 08/09/2017 22:17:15    2044284

Section A
Boyle vs Pearses - Pearses won't want to finish the championship with 5 defeats and Boyle will probably reach the QF even with a defeat. I'll sit on the fence - Draw

Brigids vs Ros Gaels - Saturday - the need is greater for Brigids and they have been training very hard for this game. Brigids by 3.

Faithleachs vs W Gaels - Saturday - 18:30 - The need is greater for Faithleachs but i have feeling in form Westen Gaels will win by a point or two

Section B
Croans vs Strokestown- Saturday - Strokestown to win in a close competitive game

Clann vs Elphin if Donie Shine plays Clann to win by about 3 points if he doesn't Elphin by a 1

Kilmore vs Castlerea this is a relegation game now instead of a play off and Kilmore will never get a better chance of staying up in the senior level. Kilmore by 1

ispeakwisdom (Roscommon) - Posts: 2487 - 09/09/2017 14:27:27    2044387

So the senior quarter final line ups will be Strokestown v Boyle and Clann na nGael v Western Gaels two games that should be close competitive contests. Brigids laid down a big marker yesterday or be it against a Roscommon Gaels that were already into the semi final and their minds must have been elsewhere.

I was away on Saturday and only got to see one game this weekend. Clann v Elphin this afternoon. Clann backed by a the wind advantage led by 6 points at HT. Elphin managed to level up the game with 10 mins to play 1-7 to 0-10 but within one minute of that Clann scored 1-1 and basically that was the winning of this game for them. Deep into injury Elphin had a few goal chances to earn a draw but i think on the day the best team won.

For Clann Donie Shine back for injury was to the fore again with 0-7 Ciaran Lennon was also impressive with 1-3, Graham Pettit and Cathal Shine had some good moment too. For Elphin the three Creggs played well Frankie and Gerry took their goals very well and could have scored a few more goals but their best player on display today Shane Killoran

On a side note well done to Castlerea for staying up i think most would have predicted Kilmore to win that game but they ended up beating Kilmore by a bit to spare.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 3762 - 10/09/2017 17:46:08    2044653

Two intriguing Quarter Finals this weekend. Boyle vs Strokestown is first up in the Hyde and Strokestown are under all the pressure here I think. For long enough I have heard how good this team is but they still haven't done anything to me. They will beat Boyle by a point or two though. Boyle don't have enough outside of their obvious main men.

Western Gaels vs Clann is in Kiltoom Saturday evening and I really fancy Western Gaels here. They should have been in the semi finals but let themselves down against Faitleachs. Anyone at the game last Saturday would have seen the way to beat the Clann defence is the long crossfield diagonal ball. Shane Killoran exploited the full back line for the first goal and they had a few goal chances from the long ball later on as well. Clann will keep the game tight going into the last 10 minutes but I think Gaels have enough to get them over the line.

rossie1996 (Roscommon) - Posts: 143 - 14/09/2017 11:47:38    2045934

Won't see the best of Strokestown until Keelan Beirne,David Neary,Sean Mullooly,Kevin Finn,Cathal Compton,Thomas Corcoran,Keith Murphy,Diarmuid McGann etc until they reach their mid 20s I'd say however they have made the first step now by gaining promotion to section A and they will need to stay there to reach their potential. Boyle just 4 short years ago were wondering will they ever get out of intermediate championship, right now they established section A Senior club and on the verge of reaching another semi final. The improvement they have made deserves praise clubs with picks bigger than theirs aren't doing as well.

As for Saturdays quarter final played on a snooker table like surface of Hyde park, i think the few years experience of playing the best in Roscommon might give Boyle the edge here and they did beat Strokestown by a few points in their last championship meeting in Section B.

In the later quarter final (should have been played in the Hyde) i think Kiltoom venue is advantage to Clann the county champions of two years ago. Western Gaels aren't in the semi final because of 25 point defeat to Roscommon Gaels yes most knew Roscommon Gaels would not be overly bothered about that game but to lose by that margin takes the not bothered to another level, even a 10 point margin would have sent Western Gaels into the last 4 instead of Brigids.

How will Western Gaels now react to playing unexpected quarter final? do they have midfield to break even with Clanns? and can they tighten on their defence that conceded 2-30 in their last two games? Clann rely on Donie Shine for scores and he's well ahead of the rest of the forwards in the club championship in the scoring charts. The importance of a having good free taker like him should never be underestimate and its not just frees either as he showed last weekend with his 3 fine long range points from play. I have a feeling Clann will win this game to set up a repeat of the 2015 semi final against neighbours and big rivals Brigids.

ispeakwisdom (Roscommon) - Posts: 2487 - 14/09/2017 15:10:03    2045993

Ros2017 (Roscommon) - Posts: 20 - 14/09/2017 17:06:42    2046041

I well know what age Keith Murphy is, a county minor last year. My main point was Strokestown need to mature as a team. The idea they are under pressure to perform this weekend is not true IMO and anyone hearing how good this team might be could well have to wait a while longer to see it happening.

ispeakwisdom (Roscommon) - Posts: 2487 - 14/09/2017 18:21:45    2046064