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Leitrim GAA thread - 2 Like(s)

Replying To Gaa_lover:  "Good 1st half for Leitrim Seniors Half-time Sligo 0-7 Leitrim 2-7"
Great win … delighted from a Galway man

Blackcoatsoffthefield (National) - 12/04/2026 17:17:48

Leitrim GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
Well I'll come back for my humble pie. The long run is over and to be fair it would have been a robbery if we did have someone with the balls to take the last shot and score it. Leitrim managed the game very well in the last 7/8 minutes between players going down to kill our momentum and holding the ball for close to 3 minutes. Sligo management have a huge amount to answer for and it's one of our most embarrassing results in recent years but that's for the Sligo forum! Well done.

Sligoman1234 (National) - 12/04/2026 17:16:25

Leitrim GAA thread - 2 Like(s)
Real Madrid 0 - Walsall 1

ohwow (National) - 12/04/2026 16:52:40

Non-Gaa Forum - 2 Like(s)

Replying To cavanman47:  "I didn't want to use specific place names in my argument, but seeing as you have chosen to name Tallaght and Ballymun, let's run with those.


Ballymun is connected to Dublin city centre via frequent bus services, and is a 45 minute walk (11 minute cycle) to DCU.

Tallaght is connected to the city centre by bus and Luas and has it's own University (or at least part of a university).


The 'system' you claim is under-serving the people of these areas is surely the same system that built the universities and infrastructure mentioned above??"
Ive been following this conversation closely.

As someone who spent 10 years working with the people in an area of Dublin comically and socially very similar to the areas that are being referenced and working closely in and with the schools and services in that area( both primary and secondary) i think I have a working knowledge of the challenges faced.
It is my experience that many are lost in primary school. As they go through the years they engage less and less both in terms of attendance and engagement when they are there. Some only attend to be fed. Thats the sad reality.
Most of these kids are disruptive when there and are one by the end of 2nd year in secondary school. They never stood a chance unfortunately.
Then there are the kids thst get a small bit more support from home. However they are heavily influenced by the first batch of kids. They hang around with them outside school and many of them are similarly difficult in school. They tend to follow them out the door after the junior cert/ TY.
The kids that make it to senior cycle were generally identified by the teachers/system in first year and probably primary school as being the ones to make it. Even then they are vulnerable to the influence of the community they come from. They see their former classmates in designer gear and passengers in flashy cars with plenty of money in the pocket. Sime will fall for the life and some for the product that finances the life.
The ones that avoid all that get the reward of the daunting prospect that is the CAO and grant application process. Bare in mind that these kids have no role models/ culture to look up to follow in this regard. Their parents are either on social welfare or in low paid jobs. Their peers are all of the kids lost along the way. They enter a university like UCD or Trinity or Maynooth and everyone around them looks and sounds different and feel like they belong.
The ones that make it do so against all the odds . They deserve great credit for that.

Tadhg2020 (National) - 12/04/2026 14:24:32

Westmeath Hurling thread - 1 Like(s)
Leinster council have made a total mess of this years minor championship. Yesterday was a huge game as ourselves and Offaly faced the situation that the loser was out of the Leinster MHC after playing 2 matches whilst the winner is guaranteed three more. On their site they have Kerry beating us 2-20 to 3-16 when we actually won 3-26 to 2-10.
So according to their own website Kerry should have played Offaly yesterday. Unbelievable!!!
It is seriously worrying the lack of interest Leinster have in the their own MHC. No wonder Munster is dominating.

jobber (National) - 12/04/2026 13:52:09

Sligo GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Eamon O Hara should be thanked for his time and let Dessie take over as outright manager for the Tailteann Cup. Serious regression from the Sligo team than was so close to beating Galway under McEntee two years ago.

Drax_the_destroyer (National) - 12/04/2026 18:14:24

Non-Gaa Forum - 1 Like(s)

Replying To zinny:  "and this is where the concept of meritocracy becomes a problem in society. If meritocracy really exists then its their fault for not doing better. People do not want to admit that socioeconomic differences negate the impact of meritocracy and in fact create a structure exclusion. I do not blame anyone who puts the investment into their children, I have done it, as you want the best for your kids but neither do I look down on those who cannot make it and blame them for it. Fixing the problems - I am lost but the one thing is it won't happen if we don't admit to what the problem is."
There is a podcast from Cork City called the 2 Norries. If you search for it on YouTube you will find it. It covers this subject very well. Both are from Corks North side Council estates. Both grew up, went to school and hung out in this environment. Both got into drink, crime and drugs in that order. Both spent years in Cork Prison as a result and came out the other side. One is a Psychologist/Counsellor now and the other is a building contractor/ part time counsellor.
Its well worth a watch listen but one passage/exchange really resonates with me.
The Psychologist talks about career guidance in school and in prison. These guys, as he puts it, talking to him about college and education and role models. Then he says to the other lad who agrees fully that he didnt know anyone that went to college in his area when he was growing up. He says it wasn't even discussed in his peer group. Teachers talked about it alright but the students couldn't relate to it at all. As he went on to say, his role models growing up were the joy riders and drug dealers on his estate. They go on to discuss standing on the hill as the joy riders raced each other around the green before burning them out and wanting to be just like them.
They both conclude that they never really stood a chance.

Tadhg2020 (National) - 12/04/2026 17:49:03

Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Warmest Congratulations to Leitim today. You were deserving winners. We have no complaints

eoinog (National) - 12/04/2026 17:04:08

Non-Gaa Forum - 1 Like(s)

Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Ive been following this conversation closely.

As someone who spent 10 years working with the people in an area of Dublin comically and socially very similar to the areas that are being referenced and working closely in and with the schools and services in that area( both primary and secondary) i think I have a working knowledge of the challenges faced.
It is my experience that many are lost in primary school. As they go through the years they engage less and less both in terms of attendance and engagement when they are there. Some only attend to be fed. Thats the sad reality.
Most of these kids are disruptive when there and are one by the end of 2nd year in secondary school. They never stood a chance unfortunately.
Then there are the kids thst get a small bit more support from home. However they are heavily influenced by the first batch of kids. They hang around with them outside school and many of them are similarly difficult in school. They tend to follow them out the door after the junior cert/ TY.
The kids that make it to senior cycle were generally identified by the teachers/system in first year and probably primary school as being the ones to make it. Even then they are vulnerable to the influence of the community they come from. They see their former classmates in designer gear and passengers in flashy cars with plenty of money in the pocket. Sime will fall for the life and some for the product that finances the life.
The ones that avoid all that get the reward of the daunting prospect that is the CAO and grant application process. Bare in mind that these kids have no role models/ culture to look up to follow in this regard. Their parents are either on social welfare or in low paid jobs. Their peers are all of the kids lost along the way. They enter a university like UCD or Trinity or Maynooth and everyone around them looks and sounds different and feel like they belong.
The ones that make it do so against all the odds . They deserve great credit for that."
That's an excellent post.

And I agree with it.

But every obstacle you listed, while very real, comes down to human behaviour, and not to any system designed to press these groups.

For example, the 'system' makes it a legal requirement to send your kids to primary school.
The 'system' explicitly prohibits the use of or dealing of Class A drugs.

So again I have to ask:

What is it about the 'system', and not the individual, their parents or their peers (individual choices and behaviour) that is holding them back?

cavanman47 (National) - 12/04/2026 16:55:23

Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Well done Leitrim long overdue win on Irish soil in the Connnacht championship. FT Sligo 1-20 Leitrim 3-15

Gaa_lover (National) - 12/04/2026 16:47:03

Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Congrats. Great days. Championship is gold. Well done. Love to all.

moros (National) - 12/04/2026 16:42:15

Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Good 1st half for Leitrim Seniors Half-time Sligo 0-7 Leitrim 2-7

Gaa_lover (National) - 12/04/2026 15:38:32

Wexford Hurling Thread - 1 Like(s)

Replying To ElGranSenor:  "Draw probably a fair result in the U20 game

Thought O'Brien was quiet enough for most of the game but he showed his class late on with the goal and the assist

Carley did well enough, good ball-winner, Dempsey did a good job winning the ball too although needs to look for the pass rather than going for the score

Not much between us and Kilkenny, Dublin are probably around the same level as us, it's just that Galway are streets ahead of everyone in Leinster

Kildare game is knockout for us now, basically a Preliminary QF, lose that and we'd also have to play one or two games to qualify for Leinster next year, I think

We're 23 points behind KK on score difference so we'd need them to lose to Galway and for us to beat Kildare and for the combined winning margins to be greater than 23 points

That game falls behind the first two Leinster SHC games so Galway will probably be resting both Niland and Rabbitte, they still have a lot of depth and quality though"
Galway have the best 19 year old hurler in Ireland, Aaron Niland and the supporting cast of Jason Rabbitte etc are top class too, all prominent with Galway senior team this year too.

Similar to Tipp last year with Darragh McCarthy, Sam O Farrell and Oisin O'Donoghue.

It makes a massive different to an un20 team to have senior county hurlers on it.

Hard to look past Galway for the un20 All Ireland.

Past hurler (National) - 11/04/2026 19:48:50

Trumps Conflict - What Influence Will It Have On The GAA - 1 Like(s)
Well that Iran talks have broken down as predicted. The clown show at the White House means this fuel cost crisis is going to continue for the foreseeable.

yew_tree (National) - 12/04/2026 12:45:47

Galway Football thread - 1 Like(s)

Replying To combo:  "Tomo Culhane is currently in Australia, playing Aussie rules with AFL Pathway Opportunities, trying to get a contract, he has given up on the place kicker in NFL route. If it doesnt work out he could be back next year for Galway"
And, him coming back will improve things how?

StopTheLights (National) - 12/04/2026 12:29:26

Does Anyone See Past Limerick Winning The Hurling All Ireland? - 1 Like(s)

Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "You're belittling u21 wins and u21 competition, and then go on to belittle players who didn't win u21s. Make up your mind like a good lad.

The correlation between u21 and senior success is quite high imo. Clare Limerick Tipp Cork have dominated the grade for 14 seasons, and have the beat senior sides our of it for the last 8 years. Galway's 4 senior wins 1980-2017 were preceded by u21 wins in '72, '78, '83, '86, 2007 and 2011.

Most of Wexford's senior intercounty success was post 2nd world war, but before the introduction of underage intercounty competition in the sixties, which perhaps is jaundicing your view there about the value of intercounty minor and u21 grades as underage talent pipelines for senior success."
I have reached and passed pension age age and though I remember nothing of it, was brought by Galway hurling fanatic parents to the Wexford Galway final in 1955.
Wexford were in no final between their victory in 1910 and 1951 whereas Galway who were in five finals during the twenties were in no final during the thirties or forties.
Galway were in three finals during the fifties wining none, Wexford in six between '51 and '62 winning three.
In the context of the Benedict/Viking debate … genuine Galway hurling supporters supported Wexford in all those finals bar '55, delighted that the big three were being challenged and enthused by the Rackards and that great Wexford team/s.
Though Galway got direct entry to the semi-finals and indeed straight to the 1958 final and won none of the three and taking into account the more serious impact on emigration on Galway hurling, they were not as far off as seems to be assumed 70 years later.
Galway lost to Cork in 1953 … 3-3 v 0-8 ie eight scores v six and the shameful dirty assault on Micky Burke by the greatest hurler of all time.
Galway lost the 1955 final by eight points to Wexford … much the same as the six points which Cork lost by to the same Wexford team in 1956. So we were not so bad and indeed won an Oireachtas final earlier … JoeSalmon and Jimmy Duggan were wonderful hurlers.
Re the importance of minors … I'm not sure how many of the Wexford other than John Quigley played on the Wexford teams which lost the finals of 1970, '76 and '77 to Cork but I'd venture there was a contribution- I do accept that a victory in the the U21 was more signicant as an indicator of a good future senior tea
Re Galway, the Coiste Iomana set a target in 1961 to win a minor all-Ireland by 1970 and the attention paid to under age players by PJ Callanan and Norman Farragher began to pay dividends … in 1966 Galway minors drew with Waterford and won the replay, beat Tipperary in the semi-final and were beaten by Cork 6-7 v 2-8 in the Munster final …many of the Cork minors went on to win senior all Irelands in 1970 and after… John Connolly, Frank Canning and Padraig Fahy were stars on that Galway team. Emigration was still a big problem in the West of Ireland and we lost Frank Canning and the Abbeyknockmoy Connollys to London and they came back to beat us in 1973. Galway went on to win the 1972 u21 but IMHO without the emphasis on the minors - we didn't win but got to the 1970 final - the success of the 1970/1980s would have been delayed.

Blackcoatsoffthefield (National) - 12/04/2026 12:26:20

Does Anyone See Past Limerick Winning The Hurling All Ireland? - 1 Like(s)
Right can we go back to the present day lads. The historic stuff while at times very interesting at the moment it's gone completely out of hand.

I agree the title if the post is designed to stir. But look at the moment Limerick have shown a nice bit of consistency. However, while Gillane is always a top forward I do think if he's marked well we don't have other lads stepping up. O'Connor and O'brien have been way too quiet for my liking when they tempo has been raised. Also there are question marks about the fitness levels near the end of the older but one in a lifetime brigade. I definitely would like to see a midfield of o donovan and English and shove up lynch to the forwards. Yes same old same old but these boys have done 4 in a row, they aren't average players you can shove off to one side.

I honestly cannot name the 3 to come out of munster. Clare and waterford are a bit unknown but both don't fear anybody and can do serious damage to the other 3. Tired of Tipp with their rubbish no one is talking about us or giving us a chance rubbish. Yes donal og's comments were a bit harsh but they are over the top trying to create a false narrative.

I think leinster will be interesting this year and what would be fantastic is if there was a new winner there. Galway or Dublin are best placed to do that.

Mads (National) - 12/04/2026 12:23:33

Leitrim GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Good luck to Leitrim lads today, not expecting much but hoping for a competitive performance at least. We need a full 70 minutes today or it will be a tough day

JimmyNail (National) - 12/04/2026 12:02:28

Galway Hurling thread - 1 Like(s)

Replying To galway19:  "Pretty harmless u20 game in Kildare, at least no injuries and plenty of lads got game time that weren't on the 24 last week. Won by 13 in the end. Could probably do with getting Conor Gilligan, Colm Burke and Cullen Killeen on the field for the Kilkenny game on Wednesday week. Rabbitte, Niland and Sean Murphy weren't involved today at all. Murphy out a few weeks with injury."
Yeah it was a pretty tedious watch, just a game to get out of the way really, win and no injuries. Not really a day to be handing out flowers though Campbell and Burke stood out among a sea of average, though in defence of the others they only needed to be at their average due to the gulf in quality.

Watched WX v KK and KK were mediocre, WX were much better for long stages and it's telling that KK couldn't hang onto a 4 point lead after netting on 57 mins. O'Donovan is a certain starter on April 22 as he has pace they are sorely lacking upfront.
I would fancy us without Niland and Rabbitte next day out: with them it's difficult to make a case for Kilkenny based on their current form as they just look so ordinary

Stool Pigeon (National) - 12/04/2026 11:19:49

Does Anyone See Past Limerick Winning The Hurling All Ireland? - 1 Like(s)

Replying To Pope_Benedict:  "It's not a 'Leinster standard' really since 1999. It was 'the KK std'. That was the standard required to avoid elimination v the cats."
If Kilkenny had of been playing in Munster in the noughties they wouldve won most of the Munster Championships in that decade. It was an exceptionally good team.

Viking66 (National) - 12/04/2026 10:57:00