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Anyone think we're better off not being in a Connacht Final this year? Sole focus now on the AI series. A Connacht win, while always welcome could be a serious distraction this year . Players only having a week to come back to Earth, Nestor Cup tour of schools etc Seanfanbocht (Roscommon) - Posts: 2293 - 26/04/2023 10:39:42 2473907 Link 2 |
I think it possibly will but only if this break is used effectively working on fitness and game plans etc. Thought some players looked leggy on Sunday. Need to be coming into those games with serious intensity. Also there will be a bit of luck of the draw to it. Huge prize for topping the group. And if we can't do that we definitely need to be coming second as I presume we will draw a 3rd place team in prelim quarters.
MachaireConnacht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1000 - 26/04/2023 11:02:16 2473920 Link 0 |
Yeah I would agree with you. Think it may be a blessing in disguise. We definitely didn't look as fit as Galway on Sunday. Galway had that week away in the sun which would have been a huge benefit to them. Our lads were working and then training in the evening whereas the Galway lads had a week and training and rest. That's a huge advantage. I hope the 4 week break is used wisely and lads get plenty of time to re-energise but also work on the areas where we were poor. I think we're not far off Galway and the other top teams. Next year we will hopefully add further to the team with the return of Ultan Harney, Heneghan and players like Adam McDermott and Colin Walsh hopefully ready to step up to senior. Loads to be positive about. I hope Davy and Mark McHugh stay on for a few years at least to develop a style and the players. We are very lucky to have both. Onwards and upwards and really looking forward to the next round of games. Ros Comáin abú
ComainRos (Roscommon) - Posts: 148 - 26/04/2023 11:46:36 2473940 Link 1 |
Not me anyway. Been going to Connacht Finals for 50years, so I've never lost the grá for being in them, or winning them. Besides, Galway and Ros won't win Sam '23 anyway, so it's good for morale to win the silverware that you're capable of winning, instead of getting lost in round robins and 'super12s' that'll end in failure for 11 of the final 12 teams. Pope_Benedict (Galway) - Posts: 4132 - 26/04/2023 11:55:32 2473948 Link 1 |
Roll on the school holidays for the teachers! This early championship isn't suiting all the GAA players who went down that road to free up time in the summer. Must be incredibly tough on players now between training, the hectic game schedule and trying to balance work.
MachaireConnacht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1000 - 26/04/2023 12:16:47 2473954 Link 0 |
Galway will certainly think they can win Sam 23. They were close in 22. I also would have loved to be travelling to a Roscommon v Sligo Connacht Final in Castlebar on May 7. Happened before in 2010. Great day and we beat a fancied Sligo team by a point. Incidentally, I think that was the first Connacht Final without either Galway or Mayo since 1947. For us now, I hope Roscommon can go well in the group stages, get a win in Croke park and it would be great to get to our first semi final since a sunny August day in 1991.
endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2402 - 26/04/2023 12:34:32 2473969 Link 0 |
Galway weren't far away last year. I know the dubs will have a say this year definitely but my top 3 are Kerry Dublin Galway. But never ever right off mayo. For Roscommon I'd love a last 8 appearance and to be very competitive in croke park against a top team. If it ended like that Davy burke would have had a brilliant year and with few players retuning next year and few of the younger lads making the step up we will be in a very good place for the next few years but the way our underage is going it might not be for long.
dave1988 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1236 - 26/04/2023 16:30:33 2474066 Link 1 |
I don't agree about Galway not getting out of third gear. They played as hard as they needed at any given time. Just because they went side to side for a few mins doesn't mean they weren't going at full throttle. When they had a chance to break up the field they did it at pace. I'm starting to accept this new style of football but only if games have a mix of the very tactical/strategic along with some fast attacking play when the chance arises. The strategic ways that teams try to break through a blanket defence with a smart pass that results in a point can be very interesting to watch, if you're getting indulged every once in a while with a bit of fast football. I thought Sunday's match had both and I enjoyed it. Obviously the result helped. Only caveat maybe someway of stopping play going all the way back out to the goalkeeper but that's a bit of a punishment too for a team that's only trying to stretch out an extremely defensive team who won't leave their 45 yard line. jam83 (Galway) - Posts: 189 - 26/04/2023 20:55:02 2474113 Link 2 |
There is no douth Adam McDermot is playing well at the moment but it's against intermediate teams. He has as much talent as Cregg and Carroll but does he have the fight and dedication?
imformed (Roscommon) - Posts: 196 - 27/04/2023 06:48:12 2474130 Link 0 |
From what I'm hearing his workrate off the ball has improved massively and his physical condition has improved massively. He's young and I'm sure he will get his chance over the next year or so
dave1988 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1236 - 27/04/2023 13:01:57 2474223 Link 0 |
Well done to our U17s with 5-9 to 0-12 win Leitrim tonight. A very strong final 12 mins as we found ourselves 0-11 to 1-7 behind 48 mins and would have only ourselves to blame had we lost it. Subs Kilcline and Curran made a big difference. Makes next week match v Sligo interesting now the winner will be likely into semi final. The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4039 - 28/04/2023 20:30:55 2474444 Link 0 |
It would look like Dublin, Sligo and Kildare if the bookies are correct. First match maybe in Croke Park against Dublin. letsgetgoing (Roscommon) - Posts: 728 - 02/05/2023 13:18:46 2475031 Link 0 |
Tough group but plenty of interesting matches to see where we are have be recovered from the Connacht semi final setback. The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4039 - 02/05/2023 13:40:49 2475056 Link 0 |
We have been blessed with the draw not sure i would call it anything like a tough group. Dublin looked miles off their best the other day but you would expect us to lose. If we cant beat Kildare and Sligo fairly easily we are better off competing in the Tailteann cup going forward. sourmilk93 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1206 - 02/05/2023 13:58:03 2475075 Link 0 |
A bit of contradiction in that statement. Are Dublin better off competing in the Tailteann cup going forward seeing as they didn't beat Kildare fairly easily? To be even competitive against Dublin will take a lot out of us in energy sapping Croke Park and could have done with two week gap between each fixture which won't be the case now drawing Dublin. The 4 group winners will be hot favourites to win their All Ireland quarter finals as they'll have their feet up while watching their opponents battle it out in the 2nd v 3rd play off 6 or 7 days beforehand. The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4039 - 02/05/2023 15:22:49 2475138 Link 2 |
Getting Dublin in Croke Park is hardly a blessing. Weren't the best on Sunday but one look at their team its surely only a matter of time before they click into gear. Kildare can be tricky opponents in the championship, not so long ago they dumped Mayo out they have few players to return from injury that will make them stronger as well. Yondu (UK) - Posts: 845 - 02/05/2023 16:09:09 2475162 Link 1 |
Davy Burke will need to really think about how to handle this group.. Kildare are a very good team and we don't ever beat Sligo easily no matter what the circumstances. Sligo will not fear us obviously if they loose to Galway Sunday.. it's a tough group and we will need to be at our best in all games
dave1988 (Roscommon) - Posts: 1236 - 02/05/2023 18:27:44 2475229 Link 1 |
If Galway beat Sligo on Sunday they will play Kildare at home on 20th/21st May. We do not play Dublin until 27th/28th May. This will mean that we will only have 6 or 7 days to recover from a hard match against Dublin in a big Croke Park pitch while Sligo will have a two week break. No easy matches in the group and the team will need to be really up for them all. Kildare ran out of steam against the Dubs in Croke Park so I would expect full use of the substitute bench in Croke Park for a number of reasons. (Fitness/ Development of players/rest) Should be interesting dynamics on the sideline between Glen Ryan and Davy Burke for the Kildare game. Hopefully Roscommon town will get a big match for the round three qualifiers. Galway v Armagh, or Dublin v Sligo would be good ones to get and well deserved. It is unlikely that the Connacht Council will get many of the 16 matches played that weekend. Interesting to see how it works out. Croke Park and the Connacht Council should fully develop Hyde Park as a matter of urgency, given the new football format. (Being saying this for a while) As 32 teams will be involved in neutral venues around the country for round three, it would be critically important that a county would not be playing away in a neutral venue while at the same time, their home pitch is staging a bit match. It would be very unfair if some of our most genuine gaa people who normally work as stewards would miss supporting their own county playing an important round 3 game. Possible Example: Roscommon playing Kildare in a neutral venue and Galway v Armagh on in the Hyde. Presumably the top Gaa management are aware of this and round three matches will be played on Saturdays and Sundays to ensure there have enough stewards in the various venues and more local people can attend the matches. In addition, the two matches for each group will also have to be played on the same time. GAA administrators please note above points!!! letsgetgoing (Roscommon) - Posts: 728 - 03/05/2023 11:27:10 2475356 Link 2 |
I understand Dublin will be a big task but shouldn't this be a Roscommon inter county footballers dream, playing back to back games in the meaty stages of championship? They will have had 5 weeks off and been preparing for this all season. Maybe I'm being harsh but if they can't manage that then we need to go back to the drawing board regarding fitness and conditioning. When you consider the years Mayo and Tyrone got to AI finals through the back door and were playing week in week out over multiple weekends, they seemed to thrive on it. MachaireConnacht (Roscommon) - Posts: 1000 - 03/05/2023 21:18:33 2475537 Link 0 |
Agreed. Croke Park against the Dubs on a May Summer's day is the place to be and I think our players and management will relish the challenge, tough though it will be.
endgame (Roscommon) - Posts: 2402 - 04/05/2023 12:06:04 2475629 Link 0 |