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Roscommon GAA thread

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Replying To The_analyser:  "Looking at the draw this morning doesn't make our exit feel any better. Monaghan who performed and we didn't are rewarded with a home game against Westmeath to reach the All-Ireland final. If they win they won't fear any of Louth,Cork,Tyrone or Galway.

In hindsight our opportunity and there to be game was at home to Tyrone in front a big home crowd, in the lead with all the momentum then that momentum swung away by gifting a goal to Tyrone. What's gone is gone now and who knows that poor performance we produced on Saturday could well have happened in a latter game and getting further in the competition would not have made things better when you exit the championship in that manner."
Louth Cork Tyrone Galway will love to see Monaghan in a qfinal too, besides the alternatives.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4808 - 15/06/2026 12:00:36    2679826

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Replying To shaggykev:  "Hard luck lads. I still feel Rossies are a top 5 side in country but Tyrone kinda ambushed ye with the long gap whereas you had to come down from a brilliant Nestor Cup.

Saturday was just one of those days that can happen any time in the new rules."
We see a bit of Ros regularly, and I don't believe they've been top5 in the country since their 1977-1980 side went over the hill.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4808 - 15/06/2026 12:02:54    2679827

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Replying To The_analyser:  "Looking at the draw this morning doesn't make our exit feel any better. Monaghan who performed and we didn't are rewarded with a home game against Westmeath to reach the All-Ireland final. If they win they won't fear any of Louth,Cork,Tyrone or Galway.

In hindsight our opportunity and there to be game was at home to Tyrone in front a big home crowd, in the lead with all the momentum then that momentum swung away by gifting a goal to Tyrone. What's gone is gone now and who knows that poor performance we produced on Saturday could well have happened in a latter game and getting further in the competition would not have made things better when you exit the championship in that manner."
Haven't bothered with here for a while but couldn't help tuning back in.

Has to be said firstly, despite what felt like devastation and a funeral like procession leaving Clones, it has been a positive first year for the new management team who have put together a fairly new, young and exciting Roscommon team. Did so well to stay in Div 1 comfortably and win a Connacht title the hard way. Some brilliant days out in New York, Castlebar and the Hyde for supporters. However, I would say if writing up a report card evaluation, that was a good year. It can't be said that Roscommon have had a great year until they win a knock out championship game in Croker.

Croker is where it is at, nothing beats the excitement heading for Dublin. And with the way the championship is now, there are so many rounds after the provincials, you feel like you are dumped out very early already. I'd sooner not win a Nestor cup for 20 years if we could make the last 4 of the All Ireland series. The provincial win is like the canapes at a wedding. Very tasty, can be badly needed after a long ceremony and can bridge a gap, but they won't fill you. The dinner is the main meal, and we unfortunately all too often are asleep in the corner before the soup is served.

On the past few weeks, I completely agree with you. The Tyrone game was the turning point. We had to make the most of the momentum and win that game in front of big home support and put the ghost to bed of not performing outside Connacht. Was it a case of a mental fatigue crash, the huge high that came with the Galway game followed by a big deflation after the Tyrone defeat?
It's so hard to explain the non-performance against Monaghan when you consider we were the only team over the whole weekend that rolled over without any fight. Number 1 i thought Monaghan took Tyrones template and went even further. Executed a great game plan and got their match ups right. Beggan was on song and all their big players stood up. So even if we came out fighting Monaghan might still have won that game. But the lack of intensity, aggression and concentration was baffling for a knock out game. Like there was no tussling or lads getting in faces for a do or die match. No yellow card till the end. Did we get caught nearly too afraid to get hands on lads because of Beggans 2 point free threat? We should have been just going man to man for the final 15-20 mins in that game. Defensively we were switched off and out of synch. No pressure put on McCarron at all when he had ball in hand, I'd say he couldn't believe the time he was given. Then a lack of movement and bad decision making down the other end which lead to turnovers. I thought we'd come out ravenous for breaking ball in the 3rd quarter, did we win any?

The positives are this is a young team and very good management team with huge potential. I think they will learn a lot from this year but to make progress I really hope they can keep the panel together. I haven't seen a Roscommon team look as physically fit in a long time. If they can and start bringing through some young talent like McGinley, Eoghan Carthy, Niall Heneghan along with Ben O'Carroll to come back in. Start making Croker the holy grail. They have their provincial medals now.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 523 - 15/06/2026 12:16:23    2679834

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Replying To The_analyser:  "Looking at the draw this morning doesn't make our exit feel any better. Monaghan who performed and we didn't are rewarded with a home game against Westmeath to reach the All-Ireland final. If they win they won't fear any of Louth,Cork,Tyrone or Galway.

In hindsight our opportunity and there to be game was at home to Tyrone in front a big home crowd, in the lead with all the momentum then that momentum swung away by gifting a goal to Tyrone. What's gone is gone now and who knows that poor performance we produced on Saturday could well have happened in a latter game and getting further in the competition would not have made things better when you exit the championship in that manner."
Nothing to say we would have got Westmeath, Monaghan had only 2 potential opponents, we could have had 4. Westmeath will be a very difficult assignment for Monaghan but another game in Clones for them.

D.Hyde (Roscommon) - Posts: 348 - 15/06/2026 12:28:59    2679842

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Replying To Rossfan93:  "Think a realistic look has to be taken at the season,. Winning the Connaught is great and was a fantastic day, but I can't get my head around people seeing that alone as a successful season. We were shockingly bad against Mayo in the 1st half and Mayo should have been out of sight, only they were asleep for the 2nd half and 3 or 4 of Roscommon's reliables stood up, we would have lost that game.

The Galway game we were 2 minutes from losing. We played good football at times granted, but Galway will have been kicking themselves for not seeing out a win in the last 7/8 minutes. The Tyrone game was a good game to watch and some lovely football played, but we were so open at times and some of our decision making was shockingly bad - a sign of things to come against Monaghan. The lack of fight and desire against Monaghan was unacceptable for a knock out Championship game. McCarthy was given the freedom of Clones, players allowed space and time to kick scores inside the arc, McCarron not shackled tightly enough. It should have been a 15 point win for Monaghan considering the amount of wides they kicked.

While I loved every minute of the Connaught final, the last 2 games really showed how far away we are from the top teams in the country."
I agree we shouldn't be getting carried away with Nestor cups but I think we had such a brutal few years aside from the odd once off games that people were just delighted and very few of the team had a provincial medal. I feel very sorry for Diarmuid (stellar captain the way he spoke this year),R Daly, Enda and Stack, those lads I'd say only have eyes for getting to Croke Park.

But on the ifs and buts of games. With the new rules you could say that about nearly every game. It is rare now when Div 1 and 2 sides meet each other that one team completely controls the game for 70 mins. Armagh were home and dry but for a fortunate goal at the death against Louth, Donegal seemed to be cruising against Cork, Cavan missed chance after chance against the Dubs yet it's the Dubs who pulled away. Derry should have beaten Monaghan in the Ulster semi. Even Armagh should have won the final in normal time. The key is to stay in games and make the most of momentum when it comes your way. The Monaghan game in fairness was an outlier in every game we played all year apart from the Mayo league game which was a dead rubber. Even our worst performance against Dublin, we had 10 scoring opportunities in the first half we butchered and then outscored Dublin in the second half. Yes we were open against Tyrone but we missed several scoring chances ourselves. As was said by someone previously, we had our worst performance in a game that was knock out. Most teams have had at least one off day, ours came at the worst possible time. The hunger, desire, energy and concentration that allowed us to win breaking ball against Galway and Mayo, and even Tyrone, was absent. We were too passive on Monaghans kick out as well. If you don't give yourself a platform to win primary possession around the middle you are not going to stay in games.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 523 - 15/06/2026 12:36:58    2679846

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Replying To shaggykev:  "Hard luck lads. I still feel Rossies are a top 5 side in country but Tyrone kinda ambushed ye with the long gap whereas you had to come down from a brilliant Nestor Cup.

Saturday was just one of those days that can happen any time in the new rules."
You're winding them up now. Leave them alone.

Saynothing (Tyrone) - Posts: 2762 - 15/06/2026 12:50:00    2679852

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "We see a bit of Ros regularly, and I don't believe they've been top5 in the country since their 1977-1980 side went over the hill."
Roscommon were certainly top 5 in 1991. Back to back Connacht titles, semi final of the National League and beaten by a single point by Meath in the All Ireland semi final. We're getting roasted on social media over Clones and rightly so. A shocking bad performance and serious questions have to be asked of players and management about it. If Monaghan had their kicking boots on, Roscommon would have lost by 15/20 points. Not acceptable for thousands of Roscommon people to travel North for what was a Roscommon No show.. Monaghan have got a good home draw and the best of luck to them.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2707 - 15/06/2026 12:59:10    2679857

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Replying To Seanfan:  "The manner of the exit is so hard to understand or live with.

It eclipses all the good stuff earlier, like comfortably staying in D1, winning the 3 Connacht titles, winning 2 of the 3 Connacht Club titles...

And to make it worse the most open AI race in donkeys years."
The manner of the exit is the main thing and trying to understand it and how to not repeat it next year will be the main thing now.

@moros we lost but didn't go out to Kildare. All previous exits before the quarter-final stage for the last decade was fine margin competitive contests and it's the very least I expected from on Saturday yet we had no spark to get going at all and once Monaghan took the lead it was manner of what the margin was going to be so was no same drama in Clones unfortunately.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4405 - 15/06/2026 13:01:10    2679858

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "Louth Cork Tyrone Galway will love to see Monaghan in a qfinal too, besides the alternatives."
Other than Armagh or Kerry are any of the alternatives better than Monaghan. Might say Donegal but have lost to Down,Cork already.

Monaghan in their last two All-Ireland quarter-finals were competitive v Donegal and beat Armagh. I recall them winning in Salthill to reach the last 4 another year.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4405 - 15/06/2026 13:04:15    2679867

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Replying To rossy15:  "Grapes are not sour at all it's the reality
Of this years championship structure I'm sure there will be tweaks for next year
2 if not 3 of the provincial champions will be out before qtr final stage
Roscommon weren't good enough
When needed that's the reality but still a lot
Of
Positives for us
And I would genuinely
Love
To see see Galway win an all Ireland but ye might be lamenting the soft path to a qtr final in a couple
Of weeks if ye get
A tough draw
And are totally
Undercooked but good luck to ye"
Enjoy the Nestor cup lads, might distract ye from the sheep for a few weeks.
Too bad the six best forwards in the country didn't get to show their skills in croker.........

systematic (Galway) - Posts: 316 - 15/06/2026 13:04:33    2679868

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Replying To moros:  "Different scene, same old drama. Going out to the likes of Monaghan, Cork, Kildare, Clare recent years. We're the soft touch everyone wants. Interesting to see if this panel will see changes."
Indeed we are soft
With that performance Saturday I don't think there was a team in the competition that wouldn't have beaten us.
It happens year after year, knockout football and we go to pot.
I mean the clare comeback against us in croker was still the worst effort in a knockout game but Saturdays is definitely a top 3 flop

Michaelbeag (Roscommon) - Posts: 72 - 15/06/2026 14:08:43    2679912

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Replying To endgame:  "Roscommon were certainly top 5 in 1991. Back to back Connacht titles, semi final of the National League and beaten by a single point by Meath in the All Ireland semi final. We're getting roasted on social media over Clones and rightly so. A shocking bad performance and serious questions have to be asked of players and management about it. If Monaghan had their kicking boots on, Roscommon would have lost by 15/20 points. Not acceptable for thousands of Roscommon people to travel North for what was a Roscommon No show.. Monaghan have got a good home draw and the best of luck to them."
For a top5 side in 1991, the margins were very tight in Connacht. I think I recall Galway drawing in the Hyde that season, and didn't Ros need DDs wonder kick to save the day at the first Connacht Final too? I suppose who'd have thought Down were going to be no1 in the country that season either, apart from Down folk.

Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4808 - 15/06/2026 14:22:54    2679921

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Replying To The_analyser:  "The manner of the exit is the main thing and trying to understand it and how to not repeat it next year will be the main thing now.

@moros we lost but didn't go out to Kildare. All previous exits before the quarter-final stage for the last decade was fine margin competitive contests and it's the very least I expected from on Saturday yet we had no spark to get going at all and once Monaghan took the lead it was manner of what the margin was going to be so was no same drama in Clones unfortunately."
Fair enough. I thought I recalled losing to Kildare in Tullamore a few years back which left us bottom of one of those pre super 8 groups.
Look in the cold light of day there is something very much wrong in the Ros mentality, approach, psyche, (call it what one likes) when it's into the latter stages of chsp and just trying to get to the last 8. That much coveted winning Croker seems as far away as ever. That Monaghan performance was the pits. Like from a defensive point of view where was the tackling. The team was humming fit supposedly and we afford Monaghan so much space. Take MC Carron. A class baller. Not blessed with pace but he could find so much space so easily and he is class when the post are anything from 50yds from him. Like we freeze in mid field. Nearly totally defucnt there. Half forward line struggled. Monaghans five and seven popping up with scores. Did one of their corner backs score! Like it's easy to blame mgt but who does the book stop with? Many of these lads on the road a while now and I genuinely thought these choke fests were over. In all fairness no other county does it better. Serious reviewing called for. Are we too rigid to a system? Are we too loyal to some players? Are we getting a lot of big calls wrong? Thought Cox was one that could have helped on Saturday. Can see the same happening if Brigid's go deep in the All Ireland club championship and the inevitable delay in them coming back in. Fallon, Hand, Cunnane, O Carroll, even Stack all needed more game time but the sands of time ran out.
Just gutted for this county and thought the bombing out day were over and that we'd realistically get to a last 8. Ah well. (Rant over!)

moros (Roscommon) - Posts: 1433 - 15/06/2026 14:27:24    2679923

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the short and simply is we played a battle hardened ulster team and these inexperienced players couldn't handle championship football outside of connacht. we have been here before super fit for the league but thankfully we got a nestor cup out of it.

hontherossie (Roscommon) - Posts: 173 - 15/06/2026 15:00:23    2679932

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Replying To moros:  "Fair enough. I thought I recalled losing to Kildare in Tullamore a few years back which left us bottom of one of those pre super 8 groups.
Look in the cold light of day there is something very much wrong in the Ros mentality, approach, psyche, (call it what one likes) when it's into the latter stages of chsp and just trying to get to the last 8. That much coveted winning Croker seems as far away as ever. That Monaghan performance was the pits. Like from a defensive point of view where was the tackling. The team was humming fit supposedly and we afford Monaghan so much space. Take MC Carron. A class baller. Not blessed with pace but he could find so much space so easily and he is class when the post are anything from 50yds from him. Like we freeze in mid field. Nearly totally defucnt there. Half forward line struggled. Monaghans five and seven popping up with scores. Did one of their corner backs score! Like it's easy to blame mgt but who does the book stop with? Many of these lads on the road a while now and I genuinely thought these choke fests were over. In all fairness no other county does it better. Serious reviewing called for. Are we too rigid to a system? Are we too loyal to some players? Are we getting a lot of big calls wrong? Thought Cox was one that could have helped on Saturday. Can see the same happening if Brigid's go deep in the All Ireland club championship and the inevitable delay in them coming back in. Fallon, Hand, Cunnane, O Carroll, even Stack all needed more game time but the sands of time ran out.
Just gutted for this county and thought the bombing out day were over and that we'd realistically get to a last 8. Ah well. (Rant over!)"
We did lose to kildare in tullamore a few years ago.
After drawing with the dubs it knocked us out at last 12 stage

Michaelbeag (Roscommon) - Posts: 72 - 15/06/2026 15:33:24    2679943

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Replying To hontherossie:  "the short and simply is we played a battle hardened ulster team and these inexperienced players couldn't handle championship football outside of connacht. we have been here before super fit for the league but thankfully we got a nestor cup out of it."
A good few selection issues Saturday didn't help.

A lad who simply has not been good enough all year continuing to get selected and ends up getting taken off at the same stage the last few games, How can we do the same thing and expect different performances.

Issues at midfield the last few games, Ryan and Doyle decent in the air but limited apart from that and shown up last two games. We had a purple patch Saturday when Cunnane came on, We then take him back off and lose all momentum.
What was the thinking behind bringing on Duggan on before Cunnane then.

Why was Enda on match day squad when he wasn't fit, Telling another player he was in the squad then calling him close to midnight Friday telling him they changed their mind and replaced by Enda who wasnt fit was a mistake.

I taught we could only change for a injury also how did they swing that one when Enda wasn't on standby list either.

sourmilk93 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1297 - 15/06/2026 15:50:02    2679951

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Replying To FullOfPorter:  "I agree we shouldn't be getting carried away with Nestor cups but I think we had such a brutal few years aside from the odd once off games that people were just delighted and very few of the team had a provincial medal. I feel very sorry for Diarmuid (stellar captain the way he spoke this year),R Daly, Enda and Stack, those lads I'd say only have eyes for getting to Croke Park.

But on the ifs and buts of games. With the new rules you could say that about nearly every game. It is rare now when Div 1 and 2 sides meet each other that one team completely controls the game for 70 mins. Armagh were home and dry but for a fortunate goal at the death against Louth, Donegal seemed to be cruising against Cork, Cavan missed chance after chance against the Dubs yet it's the Dubs who pulled away. Derry should have beaten Monaghan in the Ulster semi. Even Armagh should have won the final in normal time. The key is to stay in games and make the most of momentum when it comes your way. The Monaghan game in fairness was an outlier in every game we played all year apart from the Mayo league game which was a dead rubber. Even our worst performance against Dublin, we had 10 scoring opportunities in the first half we butchered and then outscored Dublin in the second half. Yes we were open against Tyrone but we missed several scoring chances ourselves. As was said by someone previously, we had our worst performance in a game that was knock out. Most teams have had at least one off day, ours came at the worst possible time. The hunger, desire, energy and concentration that allowed us to win breaking ball against Galway and Mayo, and even Tyrone, was absent. We were too passive on Monaghans kick out as well. If you don't give yourself a platform to win primary possession around the middle you are not going to stay in games."
Good post and reply various ifs and buts in games nowadays I doubt Rossfan93 will respond as he or she seems more focused to belittle the Connacht success.

At the end of the day there is two championship trophies to win. Your provincial title and All-Ireland title.

Regardless of what anyone says no team plans not to win their provincial title though move on if they don't. Galway was aiming to win 5 in a row and Andy Moran let it known in public that they wanted to win Connacht and be the ones to end Galways five in a row bid. Roscommon with strong 2nd half displays fully deserved to beat Mayo and Galway and win Connacht. Outside of perhaps Kerry a provincial title is rightly celebrated, 7 years without winning it and 1990 since beating Galway in Hyde Park.

The problem for Roscommon was the All-Ireland series. Tyrone game was there to be won and slipped through your fingers. Monaghan performance wasn't good enough for a whole host of reasons, it's the worst I've seen Roscommon play since the Connacht semi-final last year against Galway in Pearse Stadium.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 902 - 15/06/2026 15:55:42    2679955

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Replying To Michaelbeag:  "We did lose to kildare in tullamore a few years ago.
After drawing with the dubs it knocked us out at last 12 stage"
It meant we finished 3rd in the group. Then away to Cork, Cawley etc

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 648 - 15/06/2026 16:09:06    2679960

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Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "For a top5 side in 1991, the margins were very tight in Connacht. I think I recall Galway drawing in the Hyde that season, and didn't Ros need DDs wonder kick to save the day at the first Connacht Final too? I suppose who'd have thought Down were going to be no1 in the country that season either, apart from Down folk."
Galway were hammered by Mayo in 1991. Ros and Mayo drew in the Connacht final in Castlebar with the famous Duggan free kick. Ros won the replay by a point in The Hyde. That was a good Roscommon team. Big midfield partnership of Newton and Killoran. We haven't had a midfield like it since. That Roscommon team lost the 1989 Connacht final after extra time in a replay and lost the 1992 Connacht final with 14 men so they could easily have done a few Nestors in a row. Down won All Irelands in 1991 and 1994 so they were a serious force back then.

endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2707 - 15/06/2026 16:17:31    2679962

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Replying To moros:  "Fair enough. I thought I recalled losing to Kildare in Tullamore a few years back which left us bottom of one of those pre super 8 groups.
Look in the cold light of day there is something very much wrong in the Ros mentality, approach, psyche, (call it what one likes) when it's into the latter stages of chsp and just trying to get to the last 8. That much coveted winning Croker seems as far away as ever. That Monaghan performance was the pits. Like from a defensive point of view where was the tackling. The team was humming fit supposedly and we afford Monaghan so much space. Take MC Carron. A class baller. Not blessed with pace but he could find so much space so easily and he is class when the post are anything from 50yds from him. Like we freeze in mid field. Nearly totally defucnt there. Half forward line struggled. Monaghans five and seven popping up with scores. Did one of their corner backs score! Like it's easy to blame mgt but who does the book stop with? Many of these lads on the road a while now and I genuinely thought these choke fests were over. In all fairness no other county does it better. Serious reviewing called for. Are we too rigid to a system? Are we too loyal to some players? Are we getting a lot of big calls wrong? Thought Cox was one that could have helped on Saturday. Can see the same happening if Brigid's go deep in the All Ireland club championship and the inevitable delay in them coming back in. Fallon, Hand, Cunnane, O Carroll, even Stack all needed more game time but the sands of time ran out.
Just gutted for this county and thought the bombing out day were over and that we'd realistically get to a last 8. Ah well. (Rant over!)"
It was the defeat Cork in Cork in 2023 by 1 point that knocked us out. Other previous championship exits before the Quarter-final.

2025 v Cork in Portlaoise lost by 2 points and wasted the opportunity of bringing the game into extra time.

2022 v Clare in Croke Park by 1 point letting a 6 point lead slip late on

No All-Ireland series matches for us in 2021,2020

2016 was the last pre Quarter-final exit we made without a competitive performance and at least then had the excuse it was our 3rd match in 14 days off the back of Connacht final replay defeat. Three weeks to the Monaghan game was no excuse for that poor performance on Saturday. Biggest issue was why kick outs went so wayward and Beggans was uncontested. Our defending was back to the zonal nonsense than to engaged and tackling. Yes Monaghan missed loads 1st half but more than made up for it with 0-11 from 13 shots 2nd half.

On clubs and while you want to see all do well in Connacht and the All-Ireland series it could well be a blessing in disguise for the Roscommon team next year if club from Galway or Mayo win Connacht Senior this November.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4405 - 15/06/2026 16:46:24    2679975

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