At today's game in Dr. Cullen. What a game! No score from Eire Og for second half , could have won the game! Draw probably the fairest result. Both teams had their chances with Mick Hennessey in goals saving two great shots. Will be very tough for Eire Og in replay as Colmcille looked very good around midfield area and had a fair bit more strength as well.

Myers at full back was top clas and McCormack's last 2 frees in extra time were exceptional. Cormac Mullins showed great speed also and looked at home on the pitch. Pity the penalty did'nt go in! Very well struck but good save as well.

Referee, Tom Quigley was certainly not flavour of the month with some poor calls especially in the first half. But Eire Og were lucky today and the short passing game was not the one for today. Should have let it in long a lot more. The inside forwards had the beating of thei men and got far too little ball. Gannon and Bolger did not win enough ball in the middle and the eire og half forwards were not in the game as much as they should. A bit of work to be done yet... hope there is a better referee as well the next day. Hope Eire og get to next day.

carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1883 - 09/11/2008 21:53:40    137231

Carlowman, you are right. You will get your eyes opened in Longford next Sunday.

Pal (None) - Posts: 76 - 10/11/2008 08:01:48    137304

The most remarkable aspect in DCP yesterday was the poor local support. Those travelling from Longford outnumbered the locals. I guess whatever bunch of Premiership multinationals yobs that were on telly were more attractive to the die hard Carlow GAA supporters who are so opinionated on this site. I for one will be in Longford next Sunday and I hope that Eire Og's replay tradition continues. Sorry to hear that Clonmore came a cropper as I thought they had a real chance of doing well in that competition.

Colmcille have some excellent players. That No. 7 is a class act but many of the EO players will improve the next day and with deacent weather it will be a better match.

I hate to go on about refs but.... consistency. He blew many soft frees both ways and then stopped. There were a few calls for overcarrying, both ways, that were harsh but then a Colmcille forward ran at least 20 yards with a ball and was not pinged! The penalty was clear cut but no card for kicking the legs from under a player with a certain goal chance? There was a marked difference towards the end in frees given when a player went to ground. Maybe the Longford guys were cuter at pushing in the back - like it's hard to see from close but obvious from the stand. One of the linesmen prevented line balls being taken quickley on at least 4 occasions, what was he at? Attention seeking?

On the day a draw was a fair result as both teams played right to the end and did not give in. Either could have.

Simon Rea will be a big loss for the next day - I assume from looking at him going off that his sholder is gone. Did not see what happened.

Good luck to EO and Carlow next Sunday.

moll (Carlow) - Posts: 153 - 10/11/2008 09:07:48    137323

Simon injured himself with some kind of theatrical jump to hold the ball when in possession, dont quiet know what he was doing really!

Carlowfan (Carlow) - Posts: 22 - 10/11/2008 11:13:50    137399

Nail biting stuff yesterday,I said on this page Sat. Colmcille were not coming to Carlow to make up the numbers,Eire Og will be happy with the draw, Colmcille were made the underdogs that suited them in the build up to the game, and they kept it that way, next weekend they will be firm favourites to advance to the last four, and rightly so, as they have quality players in key positions, they are more pacey, and they always seem to have a loose player available at the right time. They had a lot of wides, any other day at least 5 or 6 of them would have gone over, they seem play for one another, and are constantly making them selves available, although they didn' seem to win the ariel battles, they were mopping up and winning the breaking ball especially around the middle of the field, they literally fed off scraps at times.
Eire Og deserve credit for their never say die attitude, especially with some of the decesions that went against them, that said, I'm not going to start blaming the Referee, but I can understand if they felt hard done by, especially Shane Myers, he should never have got his first yellow card, he was hard done by there, so when the second yellow came he had to walk.
Mark Kelly seemed to be fouled himself, yet when the ref. blew, he gave Mark a yellow card, there were other issues but its better to leave well enough alone. That said, Colmcille will be very hard beaten next weekend, especially on home ground,
and they are firm favourites now. Eire Og will probably have to reshuffle the team, depending on who is or is not available.
My own view is, if there is different referee next week, it could go anyway, and if not,well-------------------

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3238 - 10/11/2008 11:38:52    137417

Seriously "Pal" what is your problem - ok you dont like eire og - they keep beating palatine - get over it but to come on this website again almost gloating about match yesterday just shows you up for what you are - no supporter of carlow football. Please dont go to longford next week eire og dont need you!
Eire Og were certainly lucky yesterday - in 2nd half almost no ball passed halfway line and then to go down to 14 men - i say credit to the lads - i thought tiredness played a part yes - 4 heavy games in a row and dont get me started on that referee - what a shocker. Eire og did not play anywhere near the standard they can yes and still managed to come away with a draw - lets hope they can do the job properly next sunday.

dual supporter (Carlow) - Posts: 772 - 10/11/2008 11:44:52    137429

dual supporter
County: Carlow
Posts: 59 He's winding you up, dont respond.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3238 - 10/11/2008 12:12:09    137462

Three scores in sixty minutes tells it own story. You can go on about 4 matches in a row or whatever. Colmcille have never contested a leinster championship campaign and EO were hanging on for their life in DCP. With the support I was wondering who was the Home side. Save your excuses until after next sunday.

Pal (None) - Posts: 76 - 10/11/2008 12:43:27    137504

Eire Og were poor yesterday, know conditions were awful but EO didnt seem to get to grips with them at all, where as Colmcille seemed to adjust a lot better. CC seem to play very well for each other and as a team they seem very committed.
They were a lot more committed to the break down yesterday, CC picked up prob 70% of the breaking ball around the middle.

EO could do with reducing their free count next day. Thought Ref struggled to allow for the conditions in the early stages and then when he began to let things go a little it frustrated the EO players who had been booked for similar challenges earlier.

Not sure of the free count yesterday but think the free count from the Kiltegan game was 29 to 14 in Kiltegans favour.

Curious to know do people think of EO as a team that foul a lot more than others?

eofan (Carlow) - Posts: 14 - 10/11/2008 14:56:43    137628

Hey Pal... listen i am a Carlow supporter and i simply cannot agree with your views as expressed here... just because Eire Og scored 2-1 is irrelevant. The fact is that both teams ended level after the hour and extra time. What about McCormack's last 2 points? Great scores that simply had to be scored or Eire Og were out. He had 2 shots and scored.

Give credit where it is due! Fair play to All THE PLAYERS for giving their best. They all played in dreadful conditions, some of the worst for any months and I hope for the players sake that next Sunday is a lot better weather wise.

Poor form however Pal to be slating OUR county champions! It took 2 games to beat Pal, and they are deserving county winners.They have reached the second round of Leinster, and are still there. Their discipline was good and if you want to quote facts... what is Pal's record in leinster ? How often since 1972 have Pal won Carlow and how many rounds of Leinster have they won? We all remember the disgracceful scenes after Pal last played in the Leinster at home in Cullen Park. So support your local county champions, like the rest of us!

Regarding the number of supporters... yea, poor number of local supporters... but in real terms, its not unusual to have small numbers when the weather is cold and wet. Look at other Leinster games in both codes over the past few years... most games have small numbers.

Best of luck to Eire Og next week and i hope you go on and keep our county up there with the best as you have done for so many years on the club scene.

carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1883 - 10/11/2008 15:03:10    137638

What I am saying is that three scores is a very poor return for sixty minutes football. This is a provisional championship match not a county championship. The demands are higher. Clearly Colmcille who never played at that level before outshone their more seasoned campaigners in the scoring stakes. We can make all sorts of excuses about the weather but it was the same for both teams. If Luke dempsey was there yesterday he will surely be alarmed at the standard of football produced by the hosts.

Pal (None) - Posts: 76 - 10/11/2008 17:28:51    137823

Pal,

As I have said before you are a tad stressed. Get over it, take some panadol and it will pass or maybe some EPO.

Luke was there yesterday and I would say the sight of Simon with a broken collar bone would worry him more than the lack of polar bears in Eire Og.

Next Sunday will be a good deal better.

moll (Carlow) - Posts: 153 - 10/11/2008 19:38:22    137943

to pal... can you please explain what a 'provisional championship' is?

You seem to be suggesting that the Leinster Club championships are not true real championships and should take second place to others? Really!

If you do then the logical conclusion would be to abandon the county club championships! You know that the county medal is a prized medal... and one that is won on St. Patrick's Day is probably the most difficult one to win. So lets be clear, the Leinster and All Ireland Club titles are very big championships. At present big crowds have deserted the inter provincial championships and are seen more of an exhibitions. The 'Club' has taken over. To use the word provisional is, could be seen as a slight on the club whIch is the bedrock of the GAA.

I agree with you that the conditions were the same for both teams yesterday and that 2-1 is a poor return from 60 minutes, but therefore so is 7 points!

As for next Sunday... hopefully the rain and cold and wind will be absent so that the best team will win.

carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1883 - 10/11/2008 23:29:31    138158

Can anyone confirm for def that the replay is in Pearse Park @ 14:00 on Sunday? See a lot of chatter on Longford site that Pearse Park is closed. Don't want to travel that distance to a building site.

Any news of the ref appointed?

Ceatharloch abú.

moll (Carlow) - Posts: 153 - 11/11/2008 20:19:10    139038

From what i hear Pearse Park won't be ready for Sundays game. Seems like it will be held in Dromards pitch, or so says the Longford guy i work with.

Weather forecast for weeked is for a dry day, which i reckon will give EO a serious advantage. Conditions last Sunday killed the short passing EO style, and they found it hard to adjust.

But ok EO will badly miss Rea after his broken collarbone injury which will keep him out until Xmas sadly. But overall i feel EO cant play any worse that last week.

I mean mf was non-existant, and im sure that something will be worked out this week in training to at least be competitive.
Forwards were starved of possesion last week, only Carbery & also Mullins when he was brought in made any impression, But yet again im sure a drier day and more of the moves will work and forwards will be let loose like v Kiltegan.

Defense was ok, but 1 or 2 struggled. Hard to know what to change there really, maybe Ryan at corner, push Cashin to half back and Curran to half forward to replace Rea?

Star of that game on Sunday and the only reason EO are still involved was young Hennessy in goals. That first save was one of the best i have seen in many years at county grounds. Then to follow it up about 2 minutes later with another big stop was amazing too.
Those 2 moments alone are the reason why EO have this trip to Longford on sunday. Was his saves and that Mullins point who pulled EO through.
And thats why ive been saying on other threads here the County team needs to build on these young guys who have a winning mentality from the good minor and u21 sides. And now seem to bring it to the club.
And Dempsey was there a few feet away from me on the terrace Sunday and im sure he was well impressd by Mullins and Hennessy despite the overall poor display by EO.

But with the forecast and the fact that EO cant play as badly again, i have a feeling they will win by 4 or 5 points on Sunday.
And if they do, i can't wait to see reaction (or maybe silence) from that Pal guy!

The Real 1944 (Carlow) - Posts: 1114 - 11/11/2008 23:42:31    139214

really was a brutal show of support for eire og on sunday...outnumbered 4 to 1 by fans travelling all the way from longford...seems that eire og have more players on their panel than supporters

MOH (Carlow) - Posts: 128 - 12/11/2008 10:52:47    139360

Why are eire og fans complaining about weather conditions and worrying about weather forecasts. If eire og are to win then they must plays the conditions and the opposition , stop moaning and admit Eire Og were LUCKY !

boggan.man (Carlow) - Posts: 14 - 12/11/2008 20:00:05    139990

The support that Eire Og got from with in their own county last Sunday was to say the least embarassing, and thats saying it lightly, how the players kept their heads and concentration for the entire game must have been very difficult to say the least, playing under the conditions that they did and at the same time listening to the supporting roar coming from the colmcille supporters must have been heart breaking for them, but they came away after giving a five star performance and can hold their heads high, maybe they had good reasons for staying away,like doing extra early christmas shopping,or knitting their christmas stocking or doing important things like that.
Talking to a couple of colmcille supporters that were sitting beside me in the stand one of them said to me that I must be proud of that Eire Og team, I told him I wasn't an Eire Og man, and before I could add to that he told me he wasn't a colmcille man but he was supporting them because they were representing his county, so come next Sunday I wont be in the stand pampering myself, I'll be standing in the middle of the Eire Og people lending them my support, after all they are representing my County. And the very best of luck to them, as they owe us nothing.
Ceatharlach agus Eire Og Abu.

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3238 - 13/11/2008 14:11:29    140493

best of luck to eire og on sunday and it would be great for the lads if carlow gaa fans would go and support them - however when you have the county board fixtures secretary putting on an u21 hurling semi-final at the same time you have to wonder - i know not everyone would go but it would be nice if they had been given a choice!

dual supporter (Carlow) - Posts: 772 - 13/11/2008 16:39:41    140652

Point taken Dual Supporter, but they had the choice last sunday and the still didn't go, they cant have it both ways, every county has the same problem from time to time but they dont whinge about it, they get on with it and make the best of what they have. I think the days of blaming the county board are gone, thats not to say they are perfect, the only ones that are perfect are us The Supporters, Eire Og as we all know have done them selves, their club, and their county proud, they are in the leinster club senior football Q/F we owe them all the support they can get, and wouldn't it be a vote of confidence in our new manager Luke Dempsey letting him see he is not on his own and that he has the support of the people of Carlow

supersub15 (Carlow) - Posts: 3238 - 13/11/2008 18:19:27    140774