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Leitrim GAA thread

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Replying To anklesockhater:  "The magpies of Leitrim GAA, they will take any disgruntled footballer and promise them stardom. Been picking up players from surrounding clubs for years, they have cast the net a bit further this time"
really? Examples?
fairly sure their current panel came through underage bar the aforementioned recent imports.
i did know a few lads that joined from other clubs but that was when they were junior and no underage path to adult. 3 lads do not make them Parnells

gaelsboy (Leitrim) - Posts: 652 - 08/07/2025 15:50:49    2624416

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Replying To anon3:  "The CCC allowed an U17 league game to go ahead on Friday night, 2 players who would be starters for the u16s got injured, one late withdrawal on Friday night.
Few away on holiday and the Gaeltacht.
Throw in time was to facilitate players going to some gig in Dublin that evening, read into that what you want about players' commitment.
Croke Park schedule the academy games, so hard blame the CB on that one.


Tell me did you ever ask your club's coaching officer to ask about the academy structures at a coaching officers meeting???"
Fair enough. That explains it then. Young lads in Longford obviously don't go on holidays, to gigs or the Gaelteacht.

ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 244 - 08/07/2025 16:55:43    2624436

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Replying To ThePowerhouse:  "Fair enough. That explains it then. Young lads in Longford obviously don't go on holidays, to gigs or the Gaelteacht."
The initial argument was why did Leitrim only have 18 on the match day panel. I gave a reason.

If it's a small panel then there must be a reason behind that

anon3 (Mayo) - Posts: 38 - 08/07/2025 22:05:44    2624501

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I've argued here that we're actually producing more higher quality players then ever. Some don't see that but if you actually break it down and go through whos been priduced in the last 10 years, theres no argument.

However, two things can be true.

I'd also feel like there needs to be a shake up of the top men over our academy/coaching and games structures.

Its a huge job now in each county and even more so in a smaller county.
Structure of competitions, coaching/developing our coaches, amalgamations, Schools Gaa, underage S&C. Etc.

Theres no reason these should be 'jobs for life' and we need accountability and the 'best in class' that we can attract and I'd feel strongly that we don't have that currently.

LongBall94 (USA) - Posts: 16 - 09/07/2025 10:18:35    2624562

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Replying To LongBall94:  "I've argued here that we're actually producing more higher quality players then ever. Some don't see that but if you actually break it down and go through whos been priduced in the last 10 years, theres no argument.

However, two things can be true.

I'd also feel like there needs to be a shake up of the top men over our academy/coaching and games structures.

Its a huge job now in each county and even more so in a smaller county.
Structure of competitions, coaching/developing our coaches, amalgamations, Schools Gaa, underage S&C. Etc.

Theres no reason these should be 'jobs for life' and we need accountability and the 'best in class' that we can attract and I'd feel strongly that we don't have that currently."
It's very hard to 'sack' any employee in this country so some out of box thinking will be needed on that front....

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1424 - 09/07/2025 12:07:54    2624586

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Replying To ThePowerhouse:  "Fair enough. That explains it then. Young lads in Longford obviously don't go on holidays, to gigs or the Gaelteacht."
Conveniently ignoring the u15 result are we?

Just to remind you of it

Leitrim 10:15 (yes ten goals)
Longford 1-8

What's your thoughts on the structure of that result?

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 438 - 09/07/2025 14:09:59    2624630

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Replying To LongBall94:  "I've argued here that we're actually producing more higher quality players then ever. Some don't see that but if you actually break it down and go through whos been priduced in the last 10 years, theres no argument.

However, two things can be true.

I'd also feel like there needs to be a shake up of the top men over our academy/coaching and games structures.

Its a huge job now in each county and even more so in a smaller county.
Structure of competitions, coaching/developing our coaches, amalgamations, Schools Gaa, underage S&C. Etc.

Theres no reason these should be 'jobs for life' and we need accountability and the 'best in class' that we can attract and I'd feel strongly that we don't have that currently."
I've said all along that we're able to produce top quality footballers. I put that down to the work of the player themselves, their parents and their clubs. Very little credit should be attributed to the input of the county board either in its role in organising games or the self appointed "academies".
There's only so much the various coaches of our inter county teams can do with the raw materials handed to them. Trying to transform a bunch of players in 4 or 5 months is delusional. They're handed a panel whose skills, speed of thought, S+C, football IQ is way behind their peers. Instead of focusing on what they should be doing, they're expected to bring these players up to speed in 4 or 5 months. The reality is they should have been doing this for the past 3 or 4 years. That is the fault of the county board. That's their job. That's where we are failing.
Credit where its due, albeit belatedly, there are attempts to improve the quality at senior club level. It needs to be extended all the way from under 13 up.

ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 244 - 09/07/2025 14:57:19    2624642

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Replying To LongBall94:  "I've argued here that we're actually producing more higher quality players then ever. Some don't see that but if you actually break it down and go through whos been priduced in the last 10 years, theres no argument.

However, two things can be true.

I'd also feel like there needs to be a shake up of the top men over our academy/coaching and games structures.

Its a huge job now in each county and even more so in a smaller county.
Structure of competitions, coaching/developing our coaches, amalgamations, Schools Gaa, underage S&C. Etc.

Theres no reason these should be 'jobs for life' and we need accountability and the 'best in class' that we can attract and I'd feel strongly that we don't have that currently."
Well that's just a personal attack against the head of games seeing the GDAs have been in situ for 5 years and then the previous 3 were in situ 5 years previous to that.

Which conveniently coincides with those 10 years.

Agreed that they would be better served with another full time employee so that there can be a more concentrated effort on club and academy.

Clubs need to identify people who want to actually be coaches as opposed to a daddy who will stop coaching once the son hits 18.

Plenty of initiatives have been tried but ultimately the majority of club coaches don't care

anon3 (Mayo) - Posts: 38 - 09/07/2025 17:11:20    2624680

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I think some posters here have wild notions of what Leitrim teams can or in their eyes should be achieving.

We've had probably 140 years to get into an all Ireland final, some of that period with teams far better than what we have now and also a shorter path to get there, it hasn't happened.

We only have 2 connacht titles in that period, and only about 10 connacht final appearances, with many of the 140 years just requiring one game win to get to a final. It isn't exactly a glowing record

You could argue the point the playing field should be more level at underage but we haven't set the world alight there.

I don't think a million magical new structures whatever they are will improve that record.

The teacup at senior level and div 3 status is where our ambitions should lie

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 438 - 10/07/2025 11:11:07    2624778

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https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41666807.html

This is what we're competing with. The very least we need to do is wake up and realise we'll be left even further behind unless we act now.
Running things in the same way as 30 years ago is only going to produce the same results.

ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 244 - 10/07/2025 11:22:03    2624783

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Replying To ThePowerhouse:  "https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-41666807.html

This is what we're competing with. The very least we need to do is wake up and realise we'll be left even further behind unless we act now.
Running things in the same way as 30 years ago is only going to produce the same results."
Hmm I wonder what are the differences between Limerick GAA and Leitrim GAA. I can think of a couple of big ones, i'll give you a clue, funding and population.

You're wild into the s&c, sure it'd be great if lads were fit to run marathons and lift bullocks while they were at it. But if they can't kick a ball accurately to each other from 20 yards then what is the point of it?

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 438 - 10/07/2025 11:37:20    2624785

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Replying To boxtyburgerbuns:  "Hmm I wonder what are the differences between Limerick GAA and Leitrim GAA. I can think of a couple of big ones, i'll give you a clue, funding and population.

You're wild into the s&c, sure it'd be great if lads were fit to run marathons and lift bullocks while they were at it. But if they can't kick a ball accurately to each other from 20 yards then what is the point of it?"
You hardly expect players to lift bullocks and run marathons?? I didn't read that article as that link wouldn't work but surely they are not lifting bullocks at limerick trainings are they??

bláthach (Leitrim) - Posts: 176 - 10/07/2025 15:29:37    2624840

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Replying To boxtyburgerbuns:  "Hmm I wonder what are the differences between Limerick GAA and Leitrim GAA. I can think of a couple of big ones, i'll give you a clue, funding and population.

You're wild into the s&c, sure it'd be great if lads were fit to run marathons and lift bullocks while they were at it. But if they can't kick a ball accurately to each other from 20 yards then what is the point of it?"
I could probably still kick a ball accurately from 20 yards but I'm nearing the half century. S&C & skills go hand in hand, I mean that's a no brainer surely? You'll not kick much ball from outside the arc if you're not got the fitness... this isn't the 90's. Natural skill will only take you so far nowadays.

As for funding, most counties have that problem... as counties go, players are looked after well. Yes we could definitely do with more coaches and that's where future spend should go instead on 'celebrity bainisteoirs'. As for population, that's only used as an excuse. At the moment, GAA is the number 1 sport in the county... down in Limerick they compete for players... soccer, rugby, hurling and so forth. We don't have that problem in Leitrim... at the moment. But Carrick rugby is rising fast, so people would want to watch out in Pairc Sean.

Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1424 - 10/07/2025 16:47:24    2624855

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Replying To Square_B:  "I could probably still kick a ball accurately from 20 yards but I'm nearing the half century. S&C & skills go hand in hand, I mean that's a no brainer surely? You'll not kick much ball from outside the arc if you're not got the fitness... this isn't the 90's. Natural skill will only take you so far nowadays.

As for funding, most counties have that problem... as counties go, players are looked after well. Yes we could definitely do with more coaches and that's where future spend should go instead on 'celebrity bainisteoirs'. As for population, that's only used as an excuse. At the moment, GAA is the number 1 sport in the county... down in Limerick they compete for players... soccer, rugby, hurling and so forth. We don't have that problem in Leitrim... at the moment. But Carrick rugby is rising fast, so people would want to watch out in Pairc Sean."
Tbh I don't think you'd be able to kick the ball 20 yards lol. They go hand in hand for sure but if you have no footballing ability you were as well play a non skillful sport like rugby

boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 438 - 10/07/2025 20:33:37    2624893

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