Well with just the league finals to go, And only a couple of weeks until the championship kicks into gear, How are we all feeling about our respective sides ? Has the league made you any more or less optimistic about just how well your side may do in the coming months ?



In terms of my own side Dublin, I went into this years league looking for signs that we had learned from the Donegal defeat last year. It looks at the minute as if we have tightened up for the most part. I'd still be a small bit worried about teams hitting us on the counter but for the most part we look alot more assured. Obviously the challenge will only increase when we meet top sides in the summer with our championship lives on the line.

I'm still looking at midfield with a bit of concern. MDMA is not cutting it for me. He is more than capable but he has had limited game time this year so far, but when he has played i dont think he has done enough. Denis Bastick on the other hand has come back and looked very impressive, but i dont think he can give it all for 70 minutes. After that we have Cian O'Sullivan who can certainly do a job there, But i would rather him back in a defensive position (corner back or centre half back) with a decent midfielder. Getting the two in the middle right this summer will be huge if we want to win sam, from what i've seen so far in the league, its still up in the air who gets those two starting places come the summer.

Moving up the pitch to our forwards. Paul Flynn and Diarmuid Connolly start in the half forward line, no doubt about that. Dean Rock is proving to be very efficient from dead balls, But is he offering enough from play ? I dont think he is. Bit disappointed we havent seen a little more of young Cormac Costello, Seriously talented footballer in my view. Kevin Mc infuriates me. If a game could sum Kevin McManamon up as a player it would be the Donegal game last year. He will either shoot the lights out and have a stormer, or he will be all at sea. He doesnt seem to do balanced performances, And its so hard to predict what Kev Mc will turn up.

In terms of players who've impressed me, Look no further than John small. He has been fantastic, i expect to see him get alot of game time in the summer. Ciaran Kilkenny still a bit rusty but a major plus having him back on the panel. With Alan Brogan and the forgotten man Ger Brennan still to come back in aswell, I think there are reasons there to be confident going forward. We are one of the best sides and i expect us to be in the mixer in late August. Whether we win the all ireland or not is for another day, But for the time being i'm happy and content enough and reckon we will up the gears between now and the serious stuff post leinster.

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 13/04/2015 11:42:02    1713637

Another year in Div 4 in the football on the cards in 2016 and Fermanagh to look forward to in Eniskillen at the end of May. Relegation to Div 2A in the Hurling for 2016 and games against Laois, Westmeath and Carlow in the round robin. Yep, everything is stupendous up in Antrim, thanks for asking!

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 13/04/2015 11:54:06    1713648

I'm happy with where we are at the the minute. Since the abomination against Monaghan I think we have gradually improved.

I know we conceded 4 goals yesterday but there was no intensity in our tackling at any stage yesterday and that will improve for the championship. Our midfield has 5 options of Neil Gallagher, Martin Mc Elhinney, Christy Toye, High Mc Fadden and Odhran Mac Nialais so we're fairly well covered there and up front Paddy Mc Brearty is flying this year, Murphy is his usual brilliant, Colm Mc Fadden is improving and we have a much improved Ryan Mc Hugh and Martin O Reilly. We have also used the bench fairly well and have 4 or 5 options to come in and add to the mix.

Scored 19 points yesterday against a top team and created 4/5 goal chances which on another day we could have taken 2/3 of them. We're in a good place at the minute so lets hope we stay injury free and can have an incident free run to the big battle with Tyrone!!

Tir Conaill Abu (Donegal) - Posts: 1671 - 13/04/2015 11:55:29    1713649

At least we are consistent Offside!

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9696 - 13/04/2015 11:58:52    1713657

Offside_Rule
County: Antrim
Posts: 2103

1713648
Another year in Div 4 in the football on the cards in 2016 and Fermanagh to look forward to in Eniskillen at the end of May. Relegation to Div 2A in the Hurling for 2016 and games against Laois, Westmeath and Carlow in the round robin. Yep, everything is stupendous up in Antrim, thanks for asking!
________

Sure chin up... could mean a few more wins.. or you're favourite

Moderately close loses....

You should jump on the Ulster bandwagon like Ulsterman did... sure you can celebrate all sorts then... and not have to think about Antrim GAA

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20600 - 13/04/2015 12:08:29    1713664

Very happy with where we are right now.

New blood, like O'Reilly in midfield, are performing & some established players like McBrearty & McNiallais are playing really well.

We seem to have more scoring options & the abomination against Monaghan looks to have persuaded Rory Gallagher to open it up.

Looking forward to 2015!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 13/04/2015 12:18:06    1713669

Look on the bright side Offside, at least Ballyrashane is knocking spots off of Kerrygold butter, every cloud eh!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 13/04/2015 12:19:35    1713672

Would be happy enough. Staying up in Div 1 was essential for the younger players on the team. We have two areas to address though if we are to go to the next level everyone is talking about. One is midfield, we need to find one or two good midfielders somewhere, and, two reduce over reliance on Mc Manus, whether it be bringing in 1 or 2 of the under 21's into the squad or finding a way to support him more
We are in good hands though, wouldn't change our manager for anyone else, in Ulster anyway. IF we get over Cavan in the graveyard, we could have a good championship as we fear no one

mhunicean_abu (Monaghan) - Posts: 1044 - 13/04/2015 12:21:14    1713675

Happy with staying up. Happy with performance yesterday. No cards or injuries. Some great scores, I wouldnt worry about leaking 4 goals, we were not interested in going all out against cork, we learned a lot about life with and without the blanket in this years league.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 13/04/2015 12:22:32    1713678

I'm very happy with the way things are going so far, we've maintained our div1 status , we've got through the league without any serious injuries to our players , and we are left with a lot to work on which is what the league is for, we need to work on our tackling big time , the 1 downer for me is we haven't sorted out or goalie situation , diarmuid Murphy has realy dropped the ball on that front pardon the pun.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 13/04/2015 12:24:44    1713679

Nope cause Martin Mchugh said so.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 13/04/2015 12:28:19    1713683

Look on the bright side Offside, at least Ballyrashane is knocking spots off of Kerrygold butter, every cloud eh!

Well we definitely know what side of our bread is buttered anyway!

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 13/04/2015 12:28:30    1713684

I'd be happier if Eoin Lennon was fit and 10 years younger and Tommy Freeman from 2007 to play up top with McManus. Then we would take a lot of beating. Seriously through have to be happy with how league has gone. A lot of pundits were writing us off before a ball was even kicked as favourites for relegation but we finished 3rd and were full value for it. We never really played well in last years championship but did alright so hopefully in for a decent Summer.

seanie08 (Monaghan) - Posts: 1798 - 13/04/2015 12:37:37    1713687

Very cautious and very nervous. We are in an a very similar position to where we were this time last year. We top the league. We have a knockout game against Dublin coming up. We beat Kerry in Munster under 21s and lose to a team that we thought we would beat. UCC and CIT (with many Cork players) do very well at 3rd level. There are reasons to be hopeful. However I see other Cork posters are predicting Cork to win the All-Ireland. That is crazy and premature given what happened in the second half of last year.

Cork season starts now. We must draw a line under everything that has happened. It is a complete irrelevance. We need to perform against Dublin. The league is very important to us. It is a national title and there are only two. I hope we win it. Our next big match after that will be in August (Munster championship is worthless now - even to us - less to Kerry) in the ALl-Ireland quarter final against the Ulster champions - Donegal IMO. If we don't win those two games, then 2015 will be pretty much the same as 2014 - lose to Dublin in the league and beaten by an All-Ireland contender in the quarter finals.

In terms of performances of some of the players - Colm O'Neill and Brian Hurley are very talented individuals. Both are two footed players and in Hurley's case he can score from 40 yards with both feet. If we get them in scoring positions they will score - there is no doubt about it. We must just get them on the ball. That is where Cuthbert, his backroom team and the other squad members come in. That is there role to get our best players in the best position to do damage. Last year was a failure in that respect. In the Munster final in particular, Cork played Hurley out of the game - gave him no scoring chance in the game. Hopefully they will have learned.

In terms of the rest of the team - from yesterday - I would drop James Loughrey, play Noel Galvin. If Paddy Kelly was fit, I would put in in ahead of Colm O'Driscoll probably and Ian Maguire instead of Eoin Cadogan. The latter two changes are not really necessary though. It would be nice to have a full squad.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 13/04/2015 12:40:00    1713691

Donegalman
County: All

Happy with staying up. Happy with performance yesterday. No cards or injuries. Some great scores, I wouldnt worry about leaking 4 goals, we were not interested in going all out against cork, we learned a lot about life with and without the blanket in this years league.

Can understand where you are coming from. Looked to be in second gear yesterday. Good outside bet at 10/1 for Sam. Will be hard to beat when they get to Croke Park from August on. Only need blankets in the Summer

mhunicean_abu (Monaghan) - Posts: 1044 - 13/04/2015 12:42:18    1713692

Yep im like offside i cant see too many trips to the States having to be cancelled this year again.

I wouldnt be surprised to see a similar carry on to what happened with Jerry Wallis sadly unfolding again with Kevin Ryan over the next few months.

Sadly we're a laughing stock at county level in both codes if im totally honest.

Congrats to Kerry btw as i havent had a chance to congratulate them yet. As i said previously they shouldnt have been in the position where they had to play this match and good luck to them next year.
It may be the kick in the a$$ we need but unfortunately with the current county board we'll continue to sleepwalk from one crisis to another. So I wouldnt hold out much hope for there being a serious root and branch discussion on the way forward!

bumpernut (Antrim) - Posts: 1852 - 13/04/2015 12:49:48    1713695

I don't think many people in Roscommon would say that they're anything other than delighted with 2015 so far.

The senior footballers have managed to get a 2nd successive promotion and Division 1 football beckons for the first time in over 10 years. Good win against the likes of Down have been coupled with games like Galway and Laois where we just didn't turn up. Inconsistency seems to be lurking in the background but we're in a Division 2 final and you can't ask for much more than that. Hopefully an extended run in the Championship awaits.

The U-21 footballers are Provincial Champions after thrashing Sligo and prevailing over a fancied Galway side in a barnstormer of a Connacht Final. Real possibility of some further success here too.

A disappointing campaign for our hurlers as they failed to gain promotion from Div 3A after making a promising start to the campaign.

decky (Roscommon) - Posts: 384 - 13/04/2015 12:50:16    1713696

Players blooded, game plan tweaked, in league final, can't complain!

realdub (Dublin) - Posts: 8584 - 13/04/2015 17:25:03    1713826

Yes.

cuederocket (Dublin) - Posts: 5084 - 13/04/2015 18:13:15    1713850

Target of promotion from Div 4 achieved, home game v Longford in May. Hurlers reach League q/final. Improvement from last year, but realistically won't be challenging in September.

thelongridge (Offaly) - Posts: 1735 - 13/04/2015 18:50:24    1713863