it looks as though mackin at drumard will have to beat 2 drumard championship winning managers to get to the final this year (connaughton & hagan). abbeyloro will be a big ask!

hill.dweller (Longford) - Posts: 13 - 20/08/2009 16:27:41    398362

I'd be a bit worried about Clonguish. As a few have said Colmcille weren't near where they were last year and yet probably created about 5 good goalscoring chances. Indeed one of Clonguishs goals was of the very lucky variety. Colmcille get one or two of theres and didn't concede the one after half time it could have been a different story. If Mark Connor gets a couple of those chances they'll be stuck away.

HopBall (Longford) - Posts: 24 - 20/08/2009 22:15:37    398703

With the class in the ranks it looks like Clonquish. Everyone will be talking about the other semi final whereas Clonquish have gone about their task business like and are a team for the big ocassion.

Jack L (None) - Posts: 3182 - 21/08/2009 07:46:38    398870

Think the winner will come from the abbey/ dromard semi-final. Clungish found it hard against granard in the group and could have been beaten and again against killoe where some of them players looked less than interested. Ballymahon will put it up to them.!

Seanie. (Longford) - Posts: 16 - 21/08/2009 23:00:58    399619

Abbeyleara all the way

TheRambler (Longford) - Posts: 7 - 22/08/2009 19:21:10    400080

i like colmcille

gandi (Longford) - Posts: 86 - 22/08/2009 22:08:55    400201

I fancy abbey. With Nailler back they should easily dispose of Dromard. Once McGee and Mimnagh are closed down and Smith takes care of the bull at midfield dromard will run out of ideas. In the other game i see a possible ballymahon upset, they should be able close down clonguishs danger men which colmcille couldn't do and that should be enough.

SonicDHedgehog (Longford) - Posts: 150 - 26/08/2009 13:27:21    404762

Ballymahon are 2/1 with paddy power to beat clonguish. Sounds good.

hitman (Longford) - Posts: 272 - 26/08/2009 14:53:31    404905

that means ballymahon have one chance in 2 of winning! i better make that bet hitman! u shud get into the bookie business!

babychief (Longford) - Posts: 103 - 26/08/2009 15:54:29    405018

Go back to school baby chief it actually means they have a 1 in 3 chance. Evens would be a 50/50 chance

SonicDHedgehog (Longford) - Posts: 150 - 26/08/2009 16:31:19    405082

Abbey to beat Dromard by 3
Clonquish to beat Ballymahon by 5

B&G (Longford) - Posts: 380 - 26/08/2009 16:54:54    405121

tanx sonic for clarifying that! sorry though school doesnt start til next week... im only doing ordinary mayhs thats y me not smart!

babychief (Longford) - Posts: 103 - 26/08/2009 17:04:14    405135

Clonguish are 1/2 .

hitman (Longford) - Posts: 272 - 26/08/2009 18:27:31    405284

does that mean clonguish have a half a chance of winning hitman?

babychief (Longford) - Posts: 103 - 26/08/2009 21:04:56    405447

hitman if we wanted to knnow we would go into paddy power so we don't care, gambling and GAA don't go hand in hand.

ElTel (Longford) - Posts: 125 - 26/08/2009 21:18:45    405467

hows the boys getting on now . . . hi

CleverTrevor (Meath) - Posts: 105 - 26/08/2009 23:30:37    405701

Having taught about these semi-finals, I think that I will go with an easy win for Clonguish as the have too much scoring power Bardens, Dowd, Clarke, Burke, Faughlin, Williams. Ballymahon will strugle to score enough. If Clonguish stop Mark Connor, man-mark him, even 2 man-mark him, then they will win.
The other game Dromard V Abbeylara, is much more difficult. Abbey have Berry, Smiths, Crawford and of course Niall Sheirdan. The have strong backs and will only play with 4 forwards, pack mid-field and their back line. Dromard have Masterson, McGee, Mimnagh, Conefery and Jamsie Martin. The have a lot of younger players coming through this year, such as Sheirdan at halfback. Jamsie Martin has been excellent in the championship, but McGee and Mimnagh have not hit form. If the do, then Dromard will win.
So, for me its:
Clongluish by 4points
Dromard by 2 points.

We would have a very one final with two excellent forward lines and maybe backlines that are not as tight as they would like.

acomeon (Longford) - Posts: 82 - 26/08/2009 23:40:24    405717

Everyone is talking about the Dromard-Abbey clash. This match will be settled by the Hagan factor. Regardless the lineout he will have coached the 30 players who start on saturday. This will dominate his preparation. Rather than a classic it will turn out to be a low scoring dogged affair. Wheras on the other side Clonquish with the talent they have will prevail. They are a team for the big day. The winners of the north longford clash will be emotionally drained when it comes county final day and Clonquish will lick the cream. Paul Barden will then round off his intercounty career as Longford captain possibly with hagan and Smullen on Glen Ryans backroom team. Watch this space.

B&G (Longford) - Posts: 380 - 27/08/2009 07:51:14    405844

the championship is nearly over... it was a great year 4 longford football!

bigshamnevin (Dublin) - Posts: 38 - 28/08/2009 23:15:20    408288

Well, Dromard and Clongluish, a mouth water clash...should draw a big crowd.
Dromard beat Abbey too easy, Abbey did not turn up again, like last year. When Conefery won the first four balls of big Niall the writing was on the wall. Dromard will not have learnt a lot from the second half, a little like Slashers last year. They will be experianced enough not to read too much into this win. Their lineout, with Peter (Bull) Masterson was interesting, Big Enda McEntire started his first championship game at mid-field and played well. The BULL Masterson at half forward played really well. The introduction of their subs really changed the game, especially Ronan McEntire (Again he hasn't featured much this year).
Clongluish were made work all the way by an excellent Ballymahon team, who must be kicking themselves. The had worked very hard and should have won. Clonglusig as always have the players, Dowd switch to midfield was the main reason that the swung the game. Joe O'Brien is alway excellent infront of goals. The players that really stood out apart from Dowd, Bardens, o'Brien, Williams, was young Quinn and Faughlin. They are two excellent young players.

Anyway, I can't wait to see the build up to the final..

acomeon (Longford) - Posts: 82 - 30/08/2009 22:33:41    409487