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Replying To Leitrimforsam2024: "With the close of the 2025 season any new players that should be called into poachers squad. Also for the Leitrim u20s for 2026 players to watch out for" Heard the u20 squad is practically already picked. Would presume the senior squad will be a lot different but can see a lot of the same names from this year. Hopefully we see some old reliables back.
Leitrim4sam26 (Leitrim) - Posts: 6 - 31/10/2025 00:46:37
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A few thoughts on next years football calendar and possible Motions that would improve the overall standard . I would enjoy some feedback on these thoughts.
1 - SPRING LEAGUE - scrap the spring league (waste of everyone's time)
2 - LEAGUE SCHEDULING - starting it earlier , means that games wouldn't be every single weekend, offers valuable time for trainings/challenge matches. The general complaint will be that county players won't be available but they rarely are until the last 2-3 games anyway. (I saw an interesting fact that some counties have it that a draw is 1 point a win w/o county players is 2 points and a win when they're available for selection is 3 points)
3 - BREAK AFTER LEAGUE FINALS - Minimum 1 week break between league final and championship, 7 gameweeks in a row this year for fenagh and st marys before break for 4th round of championship. Injuries and player overload not being looked after correctly.
4 - WHATS THE POINT OF THE LEAGUE - I think your performance in the League should affect your championship. Whether that's team seeding or home advantage in first round, I think there should be something other than silverware as an incentive (Getting to a league final was more of a punishment than an award with the current schedule). This would also make it more competitive as teams will be looking for every advantage in championship.
5 REFEREES - is there any sort of incentive we can give young lads to pick up the whistle, the current standard is the worst I've ever seen and it won't improve anytime soon unless we can offer something different.
6 - Club u20 competition, I think everyone agrees that it's played at a poor time of year, smack bang in the middle of the season. The best of the bunch go from simultaneously playing College football and county 20s to club 20s and club senior football (we wonder why they experience burnout and injuries at such a young age). I think there was nothing wrong with the old format of playing it after the club championship was over in November, pitches are soggy but it's a great competition and deserves its own timeframe so young lads can focus on it.
As mentioned prior these are all just some thoughts before bláthach goes mad chatting nonsense
Roadtodiv3 (Leitrim) - Posts: 19 - 31/10/2025 01:06:43
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Replying To gaelsboy: "Ballinamore and Gortlettragh had teams up til about 10 years ago I'd say. Think Gort made moves to get it going again recently, might have tapped into a decent population base and take back a few of the lads gone to Carrick, but weren't successful" The aim is to get back to 4 teams but it's going to be a difficult one. The late Paddy O'Connor was a great driver of the game in the Ballinamore area but there wasn't too many more like him around. I'd love to see more hurling in Leitrim as it a great game as we all know. The GAA are paying nothing but lip service to getting hurling going around the country... they'll supply some equipment to get a team going but it requires massive investment & some out of box thinking. We don't even have a full time GPO for hurling in Leitrim which is scandalous. I don't know how many other clubs are about in local counties but there's definitely scope for a 'heartlands' club league Longford, Leitrim, Cavan, Fermanagh, Sligo, Roscommon. I think Cluain play in Sligo, not sure about Carrick. There has to be some out of box thinking to get hurling going above the M6 motorway line.
Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1572 - 31/10/2025 07:01:14
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Junior A final on Sunday coming. Havent seen much of this championship throughout the year but from reading reports and following results, it probably a fair statement that the two best teams in this years championship will meet in the final.
How do people see it going, the observer is tipping Aughavas but Id always expect a performance from Drumreilly. It could be a cracker by all accounts given both are first teams and there is a healthy rivalry between both teams. Id expect a huge crowd in Ballinamore, also wondering why is this game not in Pairc Sean?
anklesockhater (Leitrim) - Posts: 17 - 31/10/2025 10:10:08
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Replying To IronSleeve: "Yourself and Bláthach could set one up in Fenagh. Might even get further than a semi-final." Sure it is possible if the will is there, maybe you could chip in too. But a bit pointless as I am not from Fenagh, I'd prefer my own club to have one. Super.
alalalalalum (USA) - Posts: 60 - 31/10/2025 10:25:44
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Replying To Roadtodiv3: "A few thoughts on next years football calendar and possible Motions that would improve the overall standard . I would enjoy some feedback on these thoughts.
1 - SPRING LEAGUE - scrap the spring league (waste of everyone's time)
2 - LEAGUE SCHEDULING - starting it earlier , means that games wouldn't be every single weekend, offers valuable time for trainings/challenge matches. The general complaint will be that county players won't be available but they rarely are until the last 2-3 games anyway. (I saw an interesting fact that some counties have it that a draw is 1 point a win w/o county players is 2 points and a win when they're available for selection is 3 points)
3 - BREAK AFTER LEAGUE FINALS - Minimum 1 week break between league final and championship, 7 gameweeks in a row this year for fenagh and st marys before break for 4th round of championship. Injuries and player overload not being looked after correctly.
4 - WHATS THE POINT OF THE LEAGUE - I think your performance in the League should affect your championship. Whether that's team seeding or home advantage in first round, I think there should be something other than silverware as an incentive (Getting to a league final was more of a punishment than an award with the current schedule). This would also make it more competitive as teams will be looking for every advantage in championship.
5 REFEREES - is there any sort of incentive we can give young lads to pick up the whistle, the current standard is the worst I've ever seen and it won't improve anytime soon unless we can offer something different.
6 - Club u20 competition, I think everyone agrees that it's played at a poor time of year, smack bang in the middle of the season. The best of the bunch go from simultaneously playing College football and county 20s to club 20s and club senior football (we wonder why they experience burnout and injuries at such a young age). I think there was nothing wrong with the old format of playing it after the club championship was over in November, pitches are soggy but it's a great competition and deserves its own timeframe so young lads can focus on it.
As mentioned prior these are all just some thoughts before bláthach goes mad chatting nonsense" Great post
Zucker (Leitrim) - Posts: 165 - 31/10/2025 10:35:02
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Replying To Square_B: "The aim is to get back to 4 teams but it's going to be a difficult one. The late Paddy O'Connor was a great driver of the game in the Ballinamore area but there wasn't too many more like him around. I'd love to see more hurling in Leitrim as it a great game as we all know. The GAA are paying nothing but lip service to getting hurling going around the country... they'll supply some equipment to get a team going but it requires massive investment & some out of box thinking. We don't even have a full time GPO for hurling in Leitrim which is scandalous. I don't know how many other clubs are about in local counties but there's definitely scope for a 'heartlands' club league Longford, Leitrim, Cavan, Fermanagh, Sligo, Roscommon. I think Cluain play in Sligo, not sure about Carrick. There has to be some out of box thinking to get hurling going above the M6 motorway line." If the GAA were serious about promoting the national game then every boy and girl in national school would get a present of a hurley, helmet and sliotar in the county. Start it there. It's not even as a sporting gesture, it's a cultural one.
Longford has three clubs which isn't great either, Longford, Edgeworthstown and Newtown. A lot of big towns and clubs missing there too.
Roscommon has 7, Fermanagh has no c'ship, Cavan seems to have 3 clubs too.
All in all a very poor effort
alalalalalum (USA) - Posts: 60 - 31/10/2025 10:35:23
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Replying To IronSleeve: "Yourself and Bláthach could set one up in Fenagh. Might even get further than a semi-final." I have no interest in the fenagh club please and thank you. Plus I'm very busy with business interests thanks and wouldn't allow me time to thanks develop hurling in a football please area. But I thank you please for considering me and the other contributor please very much. Bye now.
bláthach (Leitrim) - Posts: 303 - 31/10/2025 11:02:04
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Replying To Roadtodiv3: "A few thoughts on next years football calendar and possible Motions that would improve the overall standard . I would enjoy some feedback on these thoughts.
1 - SPRING LEAGUE - scrap the spring league (waste of everyone's time)
2 - LEAGUE SCHEDULING - starting it earlier , means that games wouldn't be every single weekend, offers valuable time for trainings/challenge matches. The general complaint will be that county players won't be available but they rarely are until the last 2-3 games anyway. (I saw an interesting fact that some counties have it that a draw is 1 point a win w/o county players is 2 points and a win when they're available for selection is 3 points)
3 - BREAK AFTER LEAGUE FINALS - Minimum 1 week break between league final and championship, 7 gameweeks in a row this year for fenagh and st marys before break for 4th round of championship. Injuries and player overload not being looked after correctly.
4 - WHATS THE POINT OF THE LEAGUE - I think your performance in the League should affect your championship. Whether that's team seeding or home advantage in first round, I think there should be something other than silverware as an incentive (Getting to a league final was more of a punishment than an award with the current schedule). This would also make it more competitive as teams will be looking for every advantage in championship.
5 REFEREES - is there any sort of incentive we can give young lads to pick up the whistle, the current standard is the worst I've ever seen and it won't improve anytime soon unless we can offer something different.
6 - Club u20 competition, I think everyone agrees that it's played at a poor time of year, smack bang in the middle of the season. The best of the bunch go from simultaneously playing College football and county 20s to club 20s and club senior football (we wonder why they experience burnout and injuries at such a young age). I think there was nothing wrong with the old format of playing it after the club championship was over in November, pitches are soggy but it's a great competition and deserves its own timeframe so young lads can focus on it.
As mentioned prior these are all just some thoughts before bláthach goes mad chatting nonsense" I agree with your points please and very much thanks and they are all very original please and nobody has ever suggested them before thanks. You are very foresightful yes thanks. Well done. Thanks now.
bláthach (Leitrim) - Posts: 303 - 31/10/2025 11:04:08
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Replying To Square_B: "The aim is to get back to 4 teams but it's going to be a difficult one. The late Paddy O'Connor was a great driver of the game in the Ballinamore area but there wasn't too many more like him around. I'd love to see more hurling in Leitrim as it a great game as we all know. The GAA are paying nothing but lip service to getting hurling going around the country... they'll supply some equipment to get a team going but it requires massive investment & some out of box thinking. We don't even have a full time GPO for hurling in Leitrim which is scandalous. I don't know how many other clubs are about in local counties but there's definitely scope for a 'heartlands' club league Longford, Leitrim, Cavan, Fermanagh, Sligo, Roscommon. I think Cluain play in Sligo, not sure about Carrick. There has to be some out of box thinking to get hurling going above the M6 motorway line." That and I'd say clubs don't want to see their players distracted by hurling during football season. Don't think there are many lads on the county hurling squad that play a high standard of football as well, more likely junior or not at all as the commitment required to do both at a reasonable level is gone too high.
Is it just me or is the craic gone out of playing now?!
gaelsboy (Leitrim) - Posts: 695 - 31/10/2025 16:29:34
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Replying To Square_B: "The aim is to get back to 4 teams but it's going to be a difficult one. The late Paddy O'Connor was a great driver of the game in the Ballinamore area but there wasn't too many more like him around. I'd love to see more hurling in Leitrim as it a great game as we all know. The GAA are paying nothing but lip service to getting hurling going around the country... they'll supply some equipment to get a team going but it requires massive investment & some out of box thinking. We don't even have a full time GPO for hurling in Leitrim which is scandalous. I don't know how many other clubs are about in local counties but there's definitely scope for a 'heartlands' club league Longford, Leitrim, Cavan, Fermanagh, Sligo, Roscommon. I think Cluain play in Sligo, not sure about Carrick. There has to be some out of box thinking to get hurling going above the M6 motorway line." Part of the reason we are so terrible at football is how few multisport athletes we have on our county panel. A lot of them have only ever played football competitively.
Clifford a decent soccer player
Con O'Callaghan great hurler obviously
Open to correction on all the below (and I also understand some children would commute to sligo, Longford or cavan to play certain sports)
Other sporting clubs available to kids growing up in Leitrim
1 rugby club Carrick
4 soccer clubs Carrick, Manor, Ballinamore, Dromahair
2 tennis clubs Carrick and Ballinamore
3 Athletics clubs Carrick, Ballinamore, North Leitrim
2 basketball clubs Carrick and Mohill
2 golf clubs Ballinamore and Carrick (on Roscommon side)
Drumseanbo Vocational has a good volleyball tradition
Carrick CS has a good basketball tradition
Otherwise the secondary schools in the county pretty much only do football and historically never did much
23 football clubs. 23+ football pitches and only 1 sport being played on the majority of them. The low hanging fruit is to get hurling being played on these already existing facilities.
Manor to cover north Leitrim Area
Ballinamore to get going again
Gortlettragh to get going again
A club based around aughavas/carraigallen
A club around Lough Allen
Carrick maybe to pull players a little more locally
A faraway dream for Leitrim Gaels or annaduff to field hurling on their own just yet
It takes blow ins with a serious interest in hurling to keep it going. At least half of Carricks coaches would be blow ins from hurling counties
To be fair Cavan/Longford and Sligo all have additional clubs going at underage in hurling. E.g. Kenagh in Longford have an underage hurling team, just not built up to adult level yet.
premiumrashers (Leitrim) - Posts: 57 - 31/10/2025 16:55:40
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Replying To Roadtodiv3: "A few thoughts on next years football calendar and possible Motions that would improve the overall standard . I would enjoy some feedback on these thoughts.
1 - SPRING LEAGUE - scrap the spring league (waste of everyone's time)
2 - LEAGUE SCHEDULING - starting it earlier , means that games wouldn't be every single weekend, offers valuable time for trainings/challenge matches. The general complaint will be that county players won't be available but they rarely are until the last 2-3 games anyway. (I saw an interesting fact that some counties have it that a draw is 1 point a win w/o county players is 2 points and a win when they're available for selection is 3 points)
3 - BREAK AFTER LEAGUE FINALS - Minimum 1 week break between league final and championship, 7 gameweeks in a row this year for fenagh and st marys before break for 4th round of championship. Injuries and player overload not being looked after correctly.
4 - WHATS THE POINT OF THE LEAGUE - I think your performance in the League should affect your championship. Whether that's team seeding or home advantage in first round, I think there should be something other than silverware as an incentive (Getting to a league final was more of a punishment than an award with the current schedule). This would also make it more competitive as teams will be looking for every advantage in championship.
5 REFEREES - is there any sort of incentive we can give young lads to pick up the whistle, the current standard is the worst I've ever seen and it won't improve anytime soon unless we can offer something different.
6 - Club u20 competition, I think everyone agrees that it's played at a poor time of year, smack bang in the middle of the season. The best of the bunch go from simultaneously playing College football and county 20s to club 20s and club senior football (we wonder why they experience burnout and injuries at such a young age). I think there was nothing wrong with the old format of playing it after the club championship was over in November, pitches are soggy but it's a great competition and deserves its own timeframe so young lads can focus on it.
As mentioned prior these are all just some thoughts before bláthach goes mad chatting nonsense" On point No. 5, there are easier ways for young people to make money. Most of them have part time jobs. Most of those jobs do not involve standing in the middle of a field being verbally abused by angry little men that call themselves coaches. Unless and until the County board mete out significant punishment to these people then you're not going to recruit new refs.
ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 260 - 01/11/2025 10:22:24
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Replying To Roadtodiv3: "A few thoughts on next years football calendar and possible Motions that would improve the overall standard . I would enjoy some feedback on these thoughts.
1 - SPRING LEAGUE - scrap the spring league (waste of everyone's time)
2 - LEAGUE SCHEDULING - starting it earlier , means that games wouldn't be every single weekend, offers valuable time for trainings/challenge matches. The general complaint will be that county players won't be available but they rarely are until the last 2-3 games anyway. (I saw an interesting fact that some counties have it that a draw is 1 point a win w/o county players is 2 points and a win when they're available for selection is 3 points)
3 - BREAK AFTER LEAGUE FINALS - Minimum 1 week break between league final and championship, 7 gameweeks in a row this year for fenagh and st marys before break for 4th round of championship. Injuries and player overload not being looked after correctly.
4 - WHATS THE POINT OF THE LEAGUE - I think your performance in the League should affect your championship. Whether that's team seeding or home advantage in first round, I think there should be something other than silverware as an incentive (Getting to a league final was more of a punishment than an award with the current schedule). This would also make it more competitive as teams will be looking for every advantage in championship.
5 REFEREES - is there any sort of incentive we can give young lads to pick up the whistle, the current standard is the worst I've ever seen and it won't improve anytime soon unless we can offer something different.
6 - Club u20 competition, I think everyone agrees that it's played at a poor time of year, smack bang in the middle of the season. The best of the bunch go from simultaneously playing College football and county 20s to club 20s and club senior football (we wonder why they experience burnout and injuries at such a young age). I think there was nothing wrong with the old format of playing it after the club championship was over in November, pitches are soggy but it's a great competition and deserves its own timeframe so young lads can focus on it.
As mentioned prior these are all just some thoughts before bláthach goes mad chatting nonsense" Well put together. I'd agree with all there except not fully sure about the U20 championship at end of season. Good for the likes of us having a game to go to but don't think the players were overly keen on it.
IronSleeve (Leitrim) - Posts: 53 - 01/11/2025 10:41:31
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I seem to remember at one point in the 00s that there was an intermediate hurling championship contested by Glencar-Manorhamilton and inevitably Ballinamore and Gortletteragh, and then the winners of the intermediate championship played St Mary's in the senior championship. I don't remember the separate hurling clubs Carrick Hurling and Cluainín Iomáint (I wish they'd spent five minutes with an Irish speaker before choosing that concoction) were formed. Carrick's dominance was such that in 2005, the championship was Carrick versus an all-county amalgamation called Gaeil an Chontae, but Carrick still won, and it was their seventh out of twelve in a row.
In 2011, I think Manor finally beat Carrick, but it was a semi-final and they lost to Gortletteragh in the final, depriving them of a football-hurling double.
In 2015, Ballinamore finally won it for the first time in ages, thanks to good buy-in from what were usually footballers from the Ballinamore-Aughawillan-etc area, and some of those that won football medals with Aughawillan added a hurling medal to their trophy cabinet. They had a massive half-time lead of about 15 points or so against Carrick; they then scored one point in the whole of the second half against a huge Carrick fight-back and managed to win by one point!
I remember as well a strange format in which Carrick and Manorhamilton would play and the winners would qualify for the final, and then the losers would play Ballinamore and the winners of that game would be the other finalists. I think this format was used in 2016 when Ballinamore's title defence ended pretty bleakly, getting beaten well by someone,I can't remember who.
In 2018, Carrick famously won the
Connacht Junior Club Hurling Championship, and came close in the All-Ireland semi-final I believe, but the results archive page isn't working so I can't check it out. I don't think a Leitrim team has won a game in Connacht since then.
I started composing this message at around 3.00, hoping to be finished in no time, but we're visiting and it got written in dribs and drabs. This year's final is over! Congratulations to Cluainín Iomáint, winners over Carrick Hurling by 2-10 to 1-10. All the best against Easkey in Connacht.
Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1229 - 01/11/2025 16:46:19
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Castleblayney beat Carrick 1-8 to 0-10 in that All Ireland semi-final.
Spinx (Longford) - Posts: 1426 - 01/11/2025 17:14:42
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If we could focus on football please it would be a start thanks a million. We can't even produce teams please in one code and some people are thanks suggesting a second one. Give me a break thanks very much.
bláthach (Leitrim) - Posts: 303 - 01/11/2025 18:11:23
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Replying To Spinx: "Castleblayney beat Carrick 1-8 to 0-10 in that All Ireland semi-final." That was it! Thanks. Castleblaney lost to Dunnamaggin of Kilkenny in the final.
Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1229 - 01/11/2025 18:28:05
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Kiltubrid dropping to the junior ranks is something I didn't see in old moores almanac for the year but thats how it has played out. Looks like it a a great game with 1.1 in injury time to seal it for Gortlettragh. I don't think they'll go straight back up either.
gaelsboy (Leitrim) - Posts: 695 - 01/11/2025 18:35:22
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Replying To bláthach: "If we could focus on football please it would be a start thanks a million. We can't even produce teams please in one code and some people are thanks suggesting a second one. Give me a break thanks very much." No, no, absolutely no. Hurling is one of the national games, along with football, camogie, handball and rounders. If you're a true Leitrim fan, discussion of these sports as they relate to Leitrim is always welcome. Yes, even rounders, and I don't know the first thing about it as far as Leitrim goes. But bring it. You'll have my attention. Regarding hurling, Leitrim are arguably more competitive in that than in football, although they might be down to how the competitions are organised at national level. I can't understand any true Gael seeking to dampen discussion of any of our national games. Unless they're trolling.
Tacaí Liatroma (Leitrim) - Posts: 1229 - 01/11/2025 18:37:27
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Replying To IronSleeve: "Well put together. I'd agree with all there except not fully sure about the U20 championship at end of season. Good for the likes of us having a game to go to but don't think the players were overly keen on it." It was played in November and December for years and I didn't hear much complaints. I was fortunate to be part of it for 4 years and remember it fondly. Our club in recent years are part of an amalgamation and the manager was pressuring them not to play because it's in the middle of the year. Not fair on young lads missing the small window they have to play.
Junior Final tomorrow, harsh on both teams not to get the opportunity to play in Pairc Sean. If I remember correctly, when the county board came begging the clubs for JP's money it was to ensure more clubs get access to Pairc Sean during championship. I guess that doesn't extend to the Junior clubs.
Hard to look by Aughavas for the win tomorrow. A lot of young good footballers and promoted to division 1 for next year. Good year for them but all accounts.
Personally I'd like to see Drumreilly winning, only because and correct me of I'm wrong, Drumreilly haven't won a championship and it would be great for McKeon, Maxwell and Holohan etc with all their years of service. They were always known for their older players but they seem to have a fresh crop of youth now.
I think the batten of a team with older players has now gone to Eslin and hard to see them surviving as a club let alone Junior A in the coming years.
Big win for Gortletragh today.. Kiltubrid winning most of the game but a strong finish by Gort. Kiltubrid down a few with emigration. Hard on them too as they are showing promise in recent years. With 8 teams per grade now we will see a of unexpected teams dropping rank.
leitrimlad15 (Leitrim) - Posts: 112 - 01/11/2025 18:39:22
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