National Forum

Roscommon GAA thread

(Oldest Posts First) - Go To The Latest Post


Replying To RossieFan1980:  "They just don't have anything coming through like they used to have. Those county final winning teams of 2010s were built around good young 20-25 year olds and they just don't have anything of real quality in that age now. Worrying trend underage as well currently, doesn't seem like too much coming through. Think it's fair to say that their "marquee" intercounty forward has been very hit and miss for them."
Clann haven't any marquee forwards.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 891 - 20/08/2026 18:51:31    2690676

Link

Replying To Seanfan:  "Clann haven't any marquee forwards."
Perhaps so but I still think Clann are one of Top Six sides in Roscommon. They were in a difficult group and our championship format does need tweaking to make it more interesting. To have just two SFC games and be out of it is not good enough. Teams need at least four and maybe more championship games to make it meaningful. That said the over riding issue is we have a less competitive senior championship in Roscommon in comparison to other counties

tommyc (Roscommon) - Posts: 49 - 23/08/2026 15:25:16    2690960

Link

Replying To tommyc:  "Perhaps so but I still think Clann are one of Top Six sides in Roscommon. They were in a difficult group and our championship format does need tweaking to make it more interesting. To have just two SFC games and be out of it is not good enough. Teams need at least four and maybe more championship games to make it meaningful. That said the over riding issue is we have a less competitive senior championship in Roscommon in comparison to other counties"
\Roscommon is one of the best senior championships in the country

Tarismelting22 (Roscommon) - Posts: 819 - 23/08/2026 21:01:13    2690994

Link

Replying To tommyc:  "Perhaps so but I still think Clann are one of Top Six sides in Roscommon. They were in a difficult group and our championship format does need tweaking to make it more interesting. To have just two SFC games and be out of it is not good enough. Teams need at least four and maybe more championship games to make it meaningful. That said the over riding issue is we have a less competitive senior championship in Roscommon in comparison to other counties"
What other counties? You were saying something similar on Leitrim thread without taking into account it's a much lower standard championship yet has as many different Finalists in the last decade.

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 4070 - 23/08/2026 22:53:48    2691013

Link

Replying To Tarismelting22:  "\Roscommon is one of the best senior championships in the country"
And before anyone says you're biased it's opinion shared by many pundits and Journalists around the country.

Strokestown county champions in 2022 and relegated the next year really showed how competitive the senior championship. Clann this year should look at that and be fully focused for their relegation play off.

Brigid's favourites but I wouldn't put any big cash on it when it's nearly a decade since any team retained the Fahey Cup. Brian Stack in the Irish Independent today rightly said they haven't look past the Roscommon championships when he was asked about Brigids All-Ireland hopes.

Intermediate championship strong also with 4 of the last 8 Connacht winners from Roscommon and was three other Roscommon Finalists losing narrowly.

We had a group format with more games a few years ago and it didn't work. A group stage with 1 home 1 away and 1 match in a neutral venue is a more group suitable format.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4464 - 23/08/2026 23:24:07    2691018

Link

Replying To Gaa_lover:  "What other counties? You were saying something similar on Leitrim thread without taking into account it's a much lower standard championship yet has as many different Finalists in the last decade."
Firstly I am in North Ros so I have no skin in the game from a local perspective. I go to games in Sligo, Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath and of course Roscommon. It is my opinion that Roscommon is the least competitive in terms of the realistic number of sides that can win it. Roscommon certainly has a higher quality to it in some respects in that they are able to compete well at a provincial level. However it is definitely the least competitive and too many of the games have considerable winning margins. Brigids and Pearses are a good bit ahead of everyone else. Other counties don't have that issue and whilst the quality may be a notch below Roscommon, I find the games are closer and in general more competitive and exciting. I would love Boyle, Gaels or Oran to break that mould but I don't see it happening

tommyc (Roscommon) - Posts: 49 - 24/08/2026 13:05:19    2691060

Link

Replying To tommyc:  "Firstly I am in North Ros so I have no skin in the game from a local perspective. I go to games in Sligo, Leitrim, Longford, Westmeath and of course Roscommon. It is my opinion that Roscommon is the least competitive in terms of the realistic number of sides that can win it. Roscommon certainly has a higher quality to it in some respects in that they are able to compete well at a provincial level. However it is definitely the least competitive and too many of the games have considerable winning margins. Brigids and Pearses are a good bit ahead of everyone else. Other counties don't have that issue and whilst the quality may be a notch below Roscommon, I find the games are closer and in general more competitive and exciting. I would love Boyle, Gaels or Oran to break that mould but I don't see it happening"
The lower the standard then obviously the more sides that can win the competition. That doesn't mean it's not competitive and I'm sure if you look up especially the knock out stages of your championship over the last 3 or 4 years it wil show that.

Boyle got as close as one coold get to winning the county title and maybe they'll 3rd time lucky if they reach another final. Roscommon Gaels time will probably be in a few years with a lot of young players learning the ropes. Oran would need to first reach the latter stages to be in that conversation

Gaa_lover (USA) - Posts: 4070 - 24/08/2026 13:41:54    2691073

Link

Anyone know anything on Diarmuid Murtagh club transfer.? Heard Rumours Truagh Gaels in monaghan are looking to sign him as that will be his local club in Monaghan. This would make them a very strong team with players at county standard like Diarmuid, Ronan Boyle, Louis Kelly, Luke Hughie Mckenna, Darren Oneill (Clare) and Shane Moran (Leitrim).

GAAFAN1234512345 (Monaghan) - Posts: 20 - 24/08/2026 15:47:45    2691111

Link

Replying To Gaa_lover:  "The lower the standard then obviously the more sides that can win the competition. That doesn't mean it's not competitive and I'm sure if you look up especially the knock out stages of your championship over the last 3 or 4 years it wil show that.

Boyle got as close as one coold get to winning the county title and maybe they'll 3rd time lucky if they reach another final. Roscommon Gaels time will probably be in a few years with a lot of young players learning the ropes. Oran would need to first reach the latter stages to be in that conversation"
Last 4 years has produced 3 different winners Brigids,Pearses and Strokestown

Finals the last 4 years
2025 won after a replay by 4 points
2024 two points win
2023 one point win
2022 one point win

Furthermore in the last 24 semi and Quarter-finals the margin of victory was 6 points or less in 19 of those games and that is the very definition of competitive club championship.


Now moving on to the present this weekend is the final round of the group stage so after that the safety net is gone and we'll see the true challengers from pretenders in the Senior,intermediate and Junior A in the weeks ahead.

The_analyser (Roscommon) - Posts: 4464 - 24/08/2026 16:23:37    2691123

Link

Replying To tommyc:  "Perhaps so but I still think Clann are one of Top Six sides in Roscommon. They were in a difficult group and our championship format does need tweaking to make it more interesting. To have just two SFC games and be out of it is not good enough. Teams need at least four and maybe more championship games to make it meaningful. That said the over riding issue is we have a less competitive senior championship in Roscommon in comparison to other counties"
Everyone has at least 4 games in Championship? 3 group games and if you finish in top 3 out of 4 teams you get a minimum of a playoff for quarter final. If you finish 4th, you get st least 1 relegation game

D.Hyde (Roscommon) - Posts: 362 - 24/08/2026 22:05:44    2691168

Link

Cahair O'Kane article on Ulster club football in 2022 and you could say the same about most when it comes to club football and not much has changed in 4 years.



"Too many meaningless club games isn't good for a county, Club leagues have been watered down to nothing and group stage formats are doing the same to championships.



Championship games feel like league, and league feels like challenge games. The long-term competitiveness of the club scene will have a big say in the strength of a county team.

Short-sightedness has set in."

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 962 - 25/08/2026 15:13:44    2691255

Link

Predictions for this weekend
Clann v Pearses: Pearses by 4+
Ros Gaels v Boyle: Boyle by 3+
Elphin v St Faithleachs: Faithleachs by 7+
Castlerea v Oran: Oran by 3+
Strokestown v St Brigids: St Brigids by 6+
Michael Glaveys v Western Gaels: Michael Glaveys by 2+

St Brigids v Tulsk: Tulsk by 7+
St Domincs v St Barrys: Doms by 9+
Creggs v Pearses: Creggs by 10+
Michaels v Shannon Gaels: Michaels by 6+
Eire Og v Kilmore: Eire Og by 4+
St Croans v Fuerty: Fuerty by 5+

BadgerDog (Westmeath) - Posts: 35 - 25/08/2026 15:21:58    2691259

Link

The Ros club championship isn't perfect but it is high quality and I think has the right amount of games for all teams. There's been a few interesting groups of death the past few years. We definitely need more winners from mid and north of the county but as already said, Strokestown came out of nowhere to nab one and Boyle have had two chances, they should have taken one. Pearses only won their first one was it 19? The divisional teams is a great idea but it hasn't been executed well for it to work. Not sure how you'd run the senior at a different time to intermediate and junior. Probably not logistically possible.

Oran very nearly took Pearses out last year and possibly should have. Well possible there will be a shock yet.

FullOfPorter (Roscommon) - Posts: 583 - 25/08/2026 15:52:34    2691269

Link

Replying To FullOfPorter:  "The Ros club championship isn't perfect but it is high quality and I think has the right amount of games for all teams. There's been a few interesting groups of death the past few years. We definitely need more winners from mid and north of the county but as already said, Strokestown came out of nowhere to nab one and Boyle have had two chances, they should have taken one. Pearses only won their first one was it 19? The divisional teams is a great idea but it hasn't been executed well for it to work. Not sure how you'd run the senior at a different time to intermediate and junior. Probably not logistically possible.

Oran very nearly took Pearses out last year and possibly should have. Well possible there will be a shock yet."
I would agree that the Ros club championship is a high quality however from what I have seen Brigids and Pearses are a good bit ahead of the pack with Boyle and Ros Gaels following behind, After that I would say no other team has a chance of winning the championship this year.

BadgerDog (Westmeath) - Posts: 35 - 25/08/2026 16:21:15    2691272

Link

Replying To BadgerDog:  "I would agree that the Ros club championship is a high quality however from what I have seen Brigids and Pearses are a good bit ahead of the pack with Boyle and Ros Gaels following behind, After that I would say no other team has a chance of winning the championship this year."
Looks that way on the face of it.
Quarter Finals probably best chance of an upset.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 891 - 25/08/2026 19:00:49    2691289

Link

Went to Lisnanult last night to see Gaels v Boyle. A good contest which swung on the sending off. Prior to that Gaels were best and after Boyle were on top. Two good sides but I didn't see enough to change my opinion that Brigids or Pearses will be challenged. I don't believe either have the sufficient strength in depth or the spread of score getters to beat both Brigids and Pearses. If I was to hazard a guess I would say Gaels, with their youthful enthusiasm and if there best players stay fit, could be the dark horse. Elsewhere I see Clann beat Pearses which proved my point last week of them being a Top 6 side. Too good for relegation in my opinion but repeating that performance in the relegation play off is their challenge. Pearses will be disappointed to lose that albeit a dead rubber game. Good to see young Colleran back. It has to be terribly frustrating for any manager that this was his first championship start . It is now end of August and some clubs are only seeing their best players for the first time in 10 months. All the more reason for a change in championship structure that sees club players get more than 3 games. Clann being in a relegation playoff after two games is a farce

tommyc (Roscommon) - Posts: 49 - 29/08/2026 12:54:10    2691802

Link

Replying To tommyc:  "Went to Lisnanult last night to see Gaels v Boyle. A good contest which swung on the sending off. Prior to that Gaels were best and after Boyle were on top. Two good sides but I didn't see enough to change my opinion that Brigids or Pearses will be challenged. I don't believe either have the sufficient strength in depth or the spread of score getters to beat both Brigids and Pearses. If I was to hazard a guess I would say Gaels, with their youthful enthusiasm and if there best players stay fit, could be the dark horse. Elsewhere I see Clann beat Pearses which proved my point last week of them being a Top 6 side. Too good for relegation in my opinion but repeating that performance in the relegation play off is their challenge. Pearses will be disappointed to lose that albeit a dead rubber game. Good to see young Colleran back. It has to be terribly frustrating for any manager that this was his first championship start . It is now end of August and some clubs are only seeing their best players for the first time in 10 months. All the more reason for a change in championship structure that sees club players get more than 3 games. Clann being in a relegation playoff after two games is a farce"
Clann are in a relegation play off because they lost their 1st 2 games.
Has to be a price for losing, jeopardy and all that!

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 891 - 29/08/2026 15:39:46    2691823

Link

Replying To Seanfan:  "Clann are in a relegation play off because they lost their 1st 2 games.
Has to be a price for losing, jeopardy and all that!"
Agreed there has to be price paid and there has to be jeopardy. However Elphin, Western Gaels and Glaveys were in the exact same situation as Clann. They all lost their first two games as well, but crucially were not in relegation playoff after two games. They had a third game to get into the knock out stages. My point is two games is totally insufficient for any championship to determine whether you are up for relegation or not. You have to remember county players invariably don't play any club league games. They play club championship only and if your club are lucky, the good players don't go to Chicago or Boston for the summer. There are some club players who played in last year's county final in October 2025. We are now days away from September 2026 and some of those players are playing their first match for their clubs in 10 months. The structures need changing for senior club championship in Roscommon. Full stop.

tommyc (Roscommon) - Posts: 49 - 29/08/2026 16:24:57    2691835

Link

Replying To tommyc:  "Agreed there has to be price paid and there has to be jeopardy. However Elphin, Western Gaels and Glaveys were in the exact same situation as Clann. They all lost their first two games as well, but crucially were not in relegation playoff after two games. They had a third game to get into the knock out stages. My point is two games is totally insufficient for any championship to determine whether you are up for relegation or not. You have to remember county players invariably don't play any club league games. They play club championship only and if your club are lucky, the good players don't go to Chicago or Boston for the summer. There are some club players who played in last year's county final in October 2025. We are now days away from September 2026 and some of those players are playing their first match for their clubs in 10 months. The structures need changing for senior club championship in Roscommon. Full stop."
Changing to what?
You can't play Club Championships while County teams are playing.
You can't start Club Championship "2 weeks after last County team exits" as that puts you back to the Club fixtures chaos that led to the CPA and the fix the fixtures campaign.
Until the GAA outlaws the semi professional Boston/Chicago charade you're going to have clubs missing players till well into August.

Seanfan (Roscommon) - Posts: 891 - 29/08/2026 17:14:37    2691843

Link

Replying To Seanfan:  "Changing to what?
You can't play Club Championships while County teams are playing.
You can't start Club Championship "2 weeks after last County team exits" as that puts you back to the Club fixtures chaos that led to the CPA and the fix the fixtures campaign.
Until the GAA outlaws the semi professional Boston/Chicago charade you're going to have clubs missing players till well into August."
I never asked for a change that interferes with the county split season. What I am suggesting is at least 4 club championship games in the senior championship. We have it for every other grade and level of football and hurling in the county - male and female. But in our showpiece club championship competition - the men's SFC , your season can be over after just 2 games is not good enough. Full stop. End of Debate.

tommyc (Roscommon) - Posts: 49 - 29/08/2026 18:02:55    2691855

Link