Are straffan favourites for the junior title again and if so what round will they bottle it again this year.heard there missing a few boys who are gone traveling and others have retired.now being left with such a small squad will they have any chance?can there new manager give them any new steel at all.to many players there with to much to say.saw them a few times last year disgraceful to hear and see the fighting between the players.

billynomates (Kildare) - Posts: 4 - 07/02/2009 11:22:38    200711

surely caragh wil be the team to beat this year with adrain mcandrew back this year under donacha hayden.

bestie (Kildare) - Posts: 19 - 08/02/2009 14:38:52    201141

Billynomates I don't think there was any fighting between anyone in Straffan last year after they lost to the eventual champions by a point in a tight game. If you call that bottling it so be it. They have lost a few players though this year and have a new manager so they're probably not favorites but they have to be up there?!

martymorrisseyfan (Kildare) - Posts: 49 - 09/02/2009 00:09:03    201465

From what I heard, there was plenty of fighting between players and their manager was fired after the Milltown match which is a disgrace if it's true.
I'd go with Robertstown to win it this year, they've got decent players and not many teams like playin against them.

stinga99 (Kildare) - Posts: 26 - 09/02/2009 13:18:07    201751

I have to agree with martymorriseyfan. Straffan losing a semi-final by a point to the eventual winners doesn't make them a bad team. They have a good man in charge this year too. Then again, (looking from the outside) their manager last year didn't do a whole lot wrong either. Not bringing Kenny Byrne on against Milltown probably cost them the game. It was a small but costly error.
Maybe the Straffan posters here will tell us the other issues because I doubt if it was as simple as that one mistake.

gearoid (Kildare) - Posts: 72 - 09/02/2009 17:28:33    202139

ah lads dunno bout straffen for juniors thers a gud few teams worth a mention likes of robertstwn,castlemichell,TMH,wudn be surprised if one of them won it

gaaguest (Kildare) - Posts: 15 - 09/02/2009 19:21:09    202305

nurney will be in with a shout too

flourman (None) - Posts: 104 - 10/02/2009 11:19:14    202828

be some goin considerin their intermediate

bazza88 (Kildare) - Posts: 23 - 10/02/2009 12:40:48    202913

maybe in 2006 alright

joeyboy (Kildare) - Posts: 412 - 10/02/2009 13:04:16    202960

Flourman, Nurney are intermediate.
there are 10 teams in Junior.
Straffan, Robertstown, Two Mile House,Rheban, Castlemitchell,Ardclough, Cappagh, Caragh, Rathcoffey, Clogherinkoe.
In my opinion, Straffan might struggle.
Robertstown had their chance last year but are still in running.
Two mile house will be a threat.
Rheban will be there also.
Castlemitchell with Fennin and Christy byrne back, and some young fellas coming through will be there also.
Ardclough will struggle as will cappagh and rathcoffey.
Caragh and clogherinkoe will be hard bet.
My semi finalists depending on the draw will be
1 Two Mile House
2 Castlemitchell
3 Straffan (depending on rob kelly)
4 Robertstown

odoylerules (Laois) - Posts: 86 - 10/02/2009 13:09:13    202966

Gearoid I agree totally with you about Kenny Byrne. Saving him for the Junior B championship (which Straffan won with an inspirational Byrne) was a massive mistake. And I think the manager wasn't getting respect from all his players and thats why he went but he's the manager with Maynooth this year so best of luck to him. Out of interest what will Castlemitchell be like with the likes of Tadhg Fennin in the Junior championship?

martymorrisseyfan (Kildare) - Posts: 49 - 10/02/2009 13:41:06    203032

Castlemitchell won't be too bad but I can't see them being semi-final material. Their neighbours Rheban got there last year and would have beaten Robertstown if they had known how to handle Joe Kavanagh. I didn't know Straffan had lost any players this year because I would have said they are the strongest overall team until I heard that.

Robertstown are very very hard to beat though-Kavanagh is a serious threat and keeps them in games they would otherwise lose.

gearoid (Kildare) - Posts: 72 - 10/02/2009 17:46:35    203462

suppose ur right odoylerules castlemichell wud be a serious threat with fennin there,with that i heard he has been doing serious training dwn there with them also with him not playing county he will have his heart set for succes with castlemichell,with christy back to they must mean business

gaaguest (Kildare) - Posts: 15 - 11/02/2009 02:18:11    203833

Bestie, Since when is Adrien McAndrew returning to Caragh-some say he's sticking with Allenwood others say he's transferring to St. Kevin's, haven't heard the Caragh story yet though.

LilywhiteDancer (Kildare) - Posts: 4 - 11/02/2009 10:15:03    203932

McAndrew will go where he has a chance of winning something i.e reason for transfer to Allenwood.
Simple as that... So Kevins is not an option (now Senior) & cant see him going back to Caragh!

Rafa B (Kildare) - Posts: 17 - 11/02/2009 13:12:16    204136

mc andrew started with caragh so should finish with them. top 4 this year will be roberstown,rheban,strafffan and caragh. with roberstown surely deserving a title they mite be the new st.kevins for final losses if they keep it up! straffan invest too much in their own hype, rheban-old dog for the long road,always hard beat and caragh with some belief and luck could surprise. no castlemitchell? we'll see! it's a dogged grade and one forward wont get you over the line!!

tribe (Kildare) - Posts: 3 - 11/02/2009 16:59:29    204465

in my view its a toss up between straffen,robertstown and tmh but i reckon tmh wil do it..the likes of chris burke and peter kelly and young casey are savage players.if niall brown gets to anywhere near his best he will clean up..his bad form/luck or whatever happened to him with the county senior set up really affected him last year from what i saw against milltown and what was similar to other games i was told. also dont tink we'll see miltown back at this grade for some time..they showed great heart and determination and what i must honestly say were some of the best club games i saw last year when they played in the county grounds..decent young players like c oshea,o reilly, fitzgerald, colleton,andy dunne gerathy in there early twenties and lower in oshea case can see them challengin for intermediate in a few years time.

supersub98 (Kildare) - Posts: 42 - 16/02/2009 02:06:53    207802

is it true leslie kelly and alan brennan from clane are with robertstown this year...?i was talkin to a caragh player during the week about mcandrew

bestie (Kildare) - Posts: 19 - 18/02/2009 19:12:55    211209

Not sure about brennan but I heard kelly was going back to robertstown alright, that will give them a much better chance of winning the championship this year.

stinga99 (Kildare) - Posts: 26 - 19/02/2009 08:50:42    211542

i heard alan brennan was training with them.didnt no that about kelly though.they will have a top forward line with those two along with kavanagh and moran

rudolf (Kildare) - Posts: 64 - 19/02/2009 23:24:09    212637