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Galway Hurling thread - 2 Like(s)
Congrats to Loughrea they found a way yesterday , and I thought it was a real tough hard and enjoyable county final , when you compare it to the tipp tappy stuff we saw from the Cork final recently . The pitch was in great nick , no wind and a perfect day in November . Great atmosphere and crowd and the players delivered for both clubs. Im going to go against the grain here and praise the Hurling board officials because the whole day was ran well, including have the Premier Junior as the curtain raiser , no reason this couldnt be an annual thing as the Inter final deserves to be the main game on the previous day. Tommys had the goal chances and too many wides but you couldny say they didnt perform, You compare them to Tullaroan in KK who didnt land a blow . Loughrea have to get motoring up front if they are to get back to Croke Park, inside line poor and the subs the same in that line , but brilliant to see Jamie Ryan get man of the match after all his injurys . Congrats to sylane in the junior they made hard work of it , but they should go close to an An All Ireland now .
Overall 4 enjoyable hurling finals in Galway over the weekend.
puckemhard (National) - 02/11/2026 09:11:16
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Roscommon GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Im going to cover a lot of the above posts in one here.
1. Tooreen are streets ahead of every club team in Connacht outside of the Galway Senior hurling championship. What they are achieving there is exceptional and should serve as an inspiration to everyone trying to promote hurling in football country. It can be done. They deserve their opportunity to try to win their all ireland and shouldn't be pushed up to senior just because they are better as has been suggested.
2. Roscommon hurling is actually improving. Im around the county for 25 years now and I saw the decline year on year. In my opinion there is a lot of talented hurlers now coming through across the 7 clubs. Hanley is a loss to the county team but if they can replace him with someone of similar knowledge and ability then they can grow as a team. They are a young squad , in general, and need a lot of S+C work but the hurling is in them given the right structure and guidance to establish themselves as a Christy Ring team and even move towards winning it given time.
3. The Club championship, within the county, is probably as competitive as it has been in many a year. 4 Roads are still winning it but that's, currently, more through others not taking their chance than 4 roads dominance. The power of the jersey and making less mistakes rather than superior hurling.
4. The Club championship structure. Id like to see the 7 teams plsy each other once (6 games) too. I dont know if it can fit in the calender though. As it stands each team plays 4 championship round robin games( its a complicated system that i dont fully understand that decides who plays who) and then there is 2 quarter finals followed by semi finsls and a final so it takes a minimum of 6 games to win it.
There is also a senior and junior league before that with 6 games in each plus a final so there are plenty of games now.
5. The standard is low in terms of quality and fitness but it is rising. Young playes are coming through in every club and raising the standard. Some of the older lads are still hurling well too. I wouldnt judge hurling in the rest of connacht (outside galway) by Tooreen standards. They are exceptional as I said earlier. 4 roads, Dominics, Oran would compete strongly with Ballyhaunis and any other club in Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim. Id back them to win in most games.
Thats my opinion on where Roscommon hurling is. Yesterday was a bad day for Four Roads on a good day for a very good Tooreen. It isnt a reflection on Roscommon or even Mayo hurling. Roscommon county hurling team is at a cross roads. If the county board makes a good management team appointment they can progress together and achieve real progress. If they get it wrong an opportunity will be lost, I would argue again..
Tadhg2020 (National) - 01/11/2026 23:20:36
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Longford GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
As a Westmeath man growing up in the 60s, Clonguish is a GAA club synonymous with Longford GAA. A proud footballing stronghold which claimed a 4 in a row in the 60s in the pomp of Longford football. With that, the club was a superb feeder to the county teams at underage and senior level with
No one more emphatic than the Barden family, a cross generational mammoth of our games, recognised countrywide. I was disappointed in the discourse between my own county and your once proud home with regards to today's game. Numerous people saying they will not get within 10/15. I understand Clomguish have become a marmite club with their underage success but they have always been a wonderful ambassador for Longford football. Paul Barden is one of the very best I've ever seen, to rival anything across na tíre. I remember his darting runs and insane skill when Clonguish rattled a mighty Garycastle in 2009. Dessie Dolan and Paul Barden both schooled in Longford were the shining stars at the time for both counties and probably the best midlands ever produced. I always respected Dessie for how he spoke about Paul on the Sunday game etc; game respects game. The younger brother though, and current selector David Barden was the star on show. After collecting the man of the match in the co final replay and performing admirably alongside his brother Paul in the first round victory over Horeswood, he was once again on form. The maverick forward scored 5 from play as Garrycastle won after extra time in a game that went to extra time. It's amazing to see David back as a selector, a question for ye Longford heads - have Clonguish ever won a championship without a Barden on a team between Brendan, Pat, Oliver, Tom, Enda, Paul & David, some history, pure legacy.
That era was more my time but it was sad to see so many writing off Clonguish ahead of this weekend. I personally don't see them as Leinster contenders. The result of Mostrim yesterday now wouldn't help optics but Clomguish proved today Longford football isn't that far behind. I thought they were excellent today and easily could've got over the line. But with such a cohort of an amazingly youthful age profile, hopefully that performance will give them confidence to compete again. After 6 minor champs in a row, no doubt they will be back in Leinster soon.
So much young talent from that Leinster winning team of 2024, a competition Westmeath haven't won since 2000. These young boys can definitely play and I loved to see them kicking the ball lots today. One thing I will note, and I wonder do clubber viewers in Longford note this , as they do not have the Westmeath contract; the clubber camera today was doing serious jumping from cameras to different angles which I personally found discombobulating. Let me know your thoughts?
Good encouragement for Andy McEntee and I wish the blue and gold well for the coming year. From talking to my friends, a major problem in Longford has been the reluctance of the best talent to commit to the county teams. Though, Clonguish to me from keeping a close eye on programmes and reports always seemed to be represented well. You can't beat that culture and that success will come hand in hand because their players will be pushing themselves to their best capability at the top level.
Another big day for Longford Slashers ladies team and according to your excellent stats site , this is the first Longford ladies team to compete for a senior club title. Will the county get behind these girls considering they do not represent themselves well on the county team. I have to say the Milltown girls in Westmeath have been outstanding ambassadors for club and county. To me, this is the ethos of the GAA and must come hand in hand.
I see Clodagh Logan got 2-9 today. I was involved with Leinster ladies and seen her action with Grattans in a Leinster Intermediate clash a few years ago where she must've got a hat trick. Sensationally skilful player with a balance and electrifying pace to match. Clodagh and her sister Caoimhe have obviously been a major part in making that jump from All Ireland Intermediate champs to senior contenders. What's the sense of this in Longford.
To conclude , best of luck to Slashers in a Leinster final they'll need everything behind them to get over the line against the superpower Kilmacud Crokes. Maybe they can enlist some of that Mullinalaghta magic which seized Longford's only other Leinster senior success at club level. Best of luck girls. Well done to the Green and White of Clonguish, you made it clear; Longford is here to compete and won't be made little of. Hope the county is proud of you all as they were when they got behind the Laurels club in 2018.
Paidi04 (National) - 02/11/2026 01:33:08
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Longford GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To gladiator: "Credit to Clonguish yesterday, answered a few questions about the quality of Longford football. Had great performances all over the field. unfortunately, both the Downs goals came from Clonguish mistakes, no doubt the result would have been on their side minus those. Jack D looked like a man who could benefit from a run of games which I doubt he will get with Roscommon, he missed a few chances he would normally stick away. But loads for them to build on.
Also managed to get to the Mostrim game on Saturday, a tough watch. I don't think it was a true reflection on intermediate in Longford, more so a mostrim team who didn't show up at all, not sure why. Their performance was miles off what they produced in the semi and final a few weeks ago. Certainly looked like the break did them no good, looked so sluggish and unfit all over the field
Any word on mentees management team or if any calls have been made to players for next year?" Fair play to Clonguish, pushed The Downs all the way. I actually watched Clonguish in a few games this year and felt they took it to another level performance wise yesterday compared to what they had shown in the county championship. From the outside looking in it looks like Clonguish are going to be the kingpins of Longford for the next decade at least. The standard of club football in Longford is quite poor overall and I don't think anyone is going to improve enough or has the talent coming through that Clonguish have. Definitely not the last we will see of them in a Leinster campaign.
I think the Mostrim game was definitely a true reflection on intermediate in Longford, its definitely one of the poorest standard intermediate championships in the country. the Longford intermediate champions have been hammered every year in this grade in Leinster. I have a few friends involved with an intermediate club in Longford and they reluctantly agree. Longford Gaelic Stats and Records have it that only 2 clubs have actually won a game in the last 27 years (Rathcline in 2005 and Fr Manning Gaels in 2019).
BadgerDog (National) - 02/11/2026 14:38:35
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