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Replying To ThePowerhouse: "Liam O' Neill was appointed to conduct a review. I don't recall it's conclusions or whether it was ever published.
Regardless, if there were recommendations made they appear to have been implemented at a snails pace or most likely they were ignored. The evidence on the ground is that very little if anything has changed.
We have entered a combined team in the schools A competition and reduced the number of adult senior teams. Other than that I cannot see any other changes. If that's the extent of the proposed changes then it's obviously not enough!
The number of clubs in the county has been trotted out again in recent days. We have more than enough clubs. We are able to produce good players. The problem is that the standard of club football is very very poor. It is slow, laborious stuff. This standard embeds itself from u13 onwards. When lads play inter county they are not used to the pace, the fitness, the speed of thought required. It doesn't mean they're not good footballers, it means they're expected to go from playing at 20mph to 50mph when they've never done it.
I am not proposing getting rid of clubs. What we need are competitions set up at underage level where regional teams made up of the best players become used to playing against players as good as them. This was done about 5 or 6 years ago at u13 level but died out after a year or two. I was at lots of those matches and the standard was really good. This needs to be brought back in ASAP and continued all the way through. By all means keep the separate club competitions but make it clear that if you want to be playing inter county you need to be making your regional team. There was no problem with buy in from players and parents when it was in place before." The regional competitions are definitely the way forward. I remember been at a few games and thought the standard was very good. It also naturally fed into the development squads. The competition needs to be competitive though and try to even up teams. We need a Leitrim model that deals with our unique set of circumstances. Whatever it is the goal must be about raising standards.
HankAaron (UK) - Posts: 2 - 19/03/2025 16:59:42
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This has been discussed inside out at this stage but throwing in my 2 cents.
(1) This was avoidable. There are tens of lads in the county who would have played and probably could have played with S&C training, running etc. beginning pre-Christmas - As far as I know, the calls never came. These same lads are arguably good enough to be part of the panel but aren't owing to family, work commitments or simply a disinterest in training for 9 months to inevitably achieve very little. Doing it for the love of the badge in 2025 cannot be justified but thats not to say there aren't more than 23 good footballers in Leitrim - just look to last years televised county final or attend Div 1 to Div 3 games.
(2) Any good county board worth their salt would have bent over backwards to fulfill the fixture. We would be in a much better position had we fulfilled the fixture, got a thrashing and then released a statement about injuries and the u20s but we could lean on the fact that we MADE THE EFFORT to recruit players.
The master fixture list was only finalised last week which really epitomises the incompetence therein. Most other counties leagues are starting in the coming weeks, ours doesn't start until May and the history tells you, the county teams year will likely be over (or very near it) by then. Instead a joke of a pre-season competition in the Spring League takes up March/April where instead the league could be well underway which would allow for an earlier championship. This inevitably results in championship games being played on wet and wintery pitches in September/October/November opposed to the peak of Summer/early Autumn in July/August/early September which obviously decreases the standard of football. It also means club players are training for minimum 8 months of the the year.
They have also failed to invest in coaching and the underage structure properly for years - yes good coaches have come through but one simply has to look at the lack of success within and compare with our neighbours - Cavan, Sligo, Roscommon etc. all of whom have been consistently developing yet we are always trailing behind. Its not as if the blueprint isn't there to be copied?!
DontMindMe (Leitrim) - Posts: 11 - 19/03/2025 17:24:44
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https://www.oceanfm.ie/northwest-today-show/6-former-leitrim-players-offered-to-line-out-for-team-to-avoid-match-being-conceded-says-emlyn-mulligan-427614
giveitlong (Galway) - Posts: 1267 - 19/03/2025 17:36:47
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Replying To 3rdmidfielder: "This story is not going away. The SHAME this has brought on us as a county in unforgivable.
I have heard no-one absolutely no-one agree that this was the right decision.
I can't understand how it was let happen.
I have never been as disappointed or disgusted by a footballing decision in all my time involved in football between playing and supporting." A complete and utter shambles. Heads will have to roll.
Square_B (Leitrim) - Posts: 1231 - 19/03/2025 17:41:31
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Replying To HankAaron: "The regional competitions are definitely the way forward. I remember been at a few games and thought the standard was very good. It also naturally fed into the development squads. The competition needs to be competitive though and try to even up teams. We need a Leitrim model that deals with our unique set of circumstances. Whatever it is the goal must be about raising standards." Regional competition was great.
However, some clubs starting giving out that their players weren't getting equal playing time.
When regions had big numbers it was suggested to have A and B teams but then coaches then didn't want to have to explain to parents why their son wasn't on the A team.
Way too much entitlement
anon3 (Mayo) - Posts: 19 - 19/03/2025 17:54:44
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Replying To 3rdmidfielder: "This story is not going away. The SHAME this has brought on us as a county in unforgivable.
I have heard no-one absolutely no-one agree that this was the right decision.
I can't understand how it was let happen.
I have never been as disappointed or disgusted by a footballing decision in all my time involved in football between playing and supporting." It's inexcusable and the best thing for the County board is to come out and apologise. Stop trying to convince us that the excuses proffered are valid. Its an insult to our intelligence. A PR expert would tell them to stop digging.
Trying to convince us that the lads training are so far ahead in terms of fitness is laughable. They're aiming the excuses at the converted but I think even the most deluded supporter is starting to smell the roses. Even with their heads buried in the sand!
ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 203 - 19/03/2025 18:22:51
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Replying To anon3: "Regional competition was great.
However, some clubs starting giving out that their players weren't getting equal playing time.
When regions had big numbers it was suggested to have A and B teams but then coaches then didn't want to have to explain to parents why their son wasn't on the A team.
Way too much entitlement" Wouldn't surprise me. Our priority is to avoid offending anyone at all costs. The tail wags the dog too often. God forbid we'd fall out with anyone. That'd ruin our image as the harmless eejits.
ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 203 - 19/03/2025 19:00:25
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The Galway U20s have overcome Leitrim 1-21 to 1-10. What is going to happen in the Connacht senior Championship Semi?
martinjoe (Mayo) - Posts: 540 - 19/03/2025 20:24:04
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Replying To Square_B: "A complete and utter shambles. Heads will have to roll." Do ye have enough heads for any to roll?
foreveryoung (USA) - Posts: 2167 - 19/03/2025 20:50:02
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Replying To Square_B: "A complete and utter shambles. Heads will have to roll." They won't though
boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 191 - 19/03/2025 21:21:39
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Replying To martinjoe: "The Galway U20s have overcome Leitrim 1-21 to 1-10. What is going to happen in the Connacht senior Championship Semi?" Fielding a team for that one will be seen as an achievement and the highlight of the year. The bar has been set quite low.
ThePowerhouse (Leitrim) - Posts: 203 - 19/03/2025 21:53:18
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Well, well, well. Another hammering in cloone this evening. Can anyone explain to me where this great optimism and hype around this fabled U20 team has come from? We looked absolutely devoid of any sort of gameplan this evening, simply shocking. I mentioned it on Monday here, how anyone of ye on here think that we are competing at U20 level in Connacht amazes me, high levels of pure delusion from you all.
timeforachange (Leitrim) - Posts: 92 - 19/03/2025 22:09:01
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Replying To martinjoe: "The Galway U20s have overcome Leitrim 1-21 to 1-10. What is going to happen in the Connacht senior Championship Semi?" Is that a rhetorical question?
boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 191 - 19/03/2025 22:09:04
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Have things if possible been made worse by the heavy defeat for the under 20s?
Were those senior panel members suffering because of what has happened last weekend?
It's a real shame and it looks like it's not going away any time soon.
CTGAA10 (Limerick) - Posts: 2486 - 19/03/2025 22:11:02
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Replying To macca999: "Totally agree with all these points made, while I feel for Leitrims predicament definitely this crisis didn't just appear Friday.
Also the 6 under 20s kinda can't play v Sligo next Sunday based on this same principle taken by management" What happened last weekend is a very dangerous thing going forward for the inter county game ,leitrim should be thrown out of league or any team for given a,w/o ,,it could be the start of it if they go unpunished, that if it suits teams that are safe from relegation or can't get promoted (dead rubber game) will just give a w/o (sure leitrim got away with it) I'm sorry 23 clubs ,there's no reason he couldn't assemble 20 players from that on a Friday evening for a Sunday game and move on
Timmy86 (Sligo) - Posts: 327 - 20/03/2025 06:21:32
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Replying To CTGAA10: "Have things if possible been made worse by the heavy defeat for the under 20s?
Were those senior panel members suffering because of what has happened last weekend?
It's a real shame and it looks like it's not going away any time soon." Perhaps, but also every year without fail since there has been a Leitrim thread/forum on this site someone will say here this is the most talented/gifted/exceptional/once in a generation minor/u20 team we've ever had and that a title is real possibility
Every year going back however long there has been public forums on this site, never fails, that comment will appear
Puts unnecessary pressure on young fellas involved in those teams who prob come on here and read that...or maybe gives them a false sense of where we are in the world.
boxtyburgerbuns (Leitrim) - Posts: 191 - 20/03/2025 08:51:16
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Very disappointing result last night, really struggled to get to grips with the Galway kick out in the first half and they punished us with 2 pointers. We never really could bridge the gap after that. One wonders did all this fiasco of the past few days play on the lads involved last night. Its a shame we are the laughing stock of the country still and further ramifications could yet follow for us next year.
Willies24 (Leitrim) - Posts: 45 - 20/03/2025 10:19:50
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Replying To boxtyburgerbuns: "Perhaps, but also every year without fail since there has been a Leitrim thread/forum on this site someone will say here this is the most talented/gifted/exceptional/once in a generation minor/u20 team we've ever had and that a title is real possibility
Every year going back however long there has been public forums on this site, never fails, that comment will appear
Puts unnecessary pressure on young fellas involved in those teams who prob come on here and read that...or maybe gives them a false sense of where we are in the world." Talking about underage etc What sort of level are Leitrim schools playing at? I remember back in the day they would have been strong enough at Vocational school level.
oneoff (UK) - Posts: 1546 - 20/03/2025 10:39:04
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Replying To DontMindMe: "This has been discussed inside out at this stage but throwing in my 2 cents.
(1) This was avoidable. There are tens of lads in the county who would have played and probably could have played with S&C training, running etc. beginning pre-Christmas - As far as I know, the calls never came. These same lads are arguably good enough to be part of the panel but aren't owing to family, work commitments or simply a disinterest in training for 9 months to inevitably achieve very little. Doing it for the love of the badge in 2025 cannot be justified but thats not to say there aren't more than 23 good footballers in Leitrim - just look to last years televised county final or attend Div 1 to Div 3 games.
(2) Any good county board worth their salt would have bent over backwards to fulfill the fixture. We would be in a much better position had we fulfilled the fixture, got a thrashing and then released a statement about injuries and the u20s but we could lean on the fact that we MADE THE EFFORT to recruit players.
The master fixture list was only finalised last week which really epitomises the incompetence therein. Most other counties leagues are starting in the coming weeks, ours doesn't start until May and the history tells you, the county teams year will likely be over (or very near it) by then. Instead a joke of a pre-season competition in the Spring League takes up March/April where instead the league could be well underway which would allow for an earlier championship. This inevitably results in championship games being played on wet and wintery pitches in September/October/November opposed to the peak of Summer/early Autumn in July/August/early September which obviously decreases the standard of football. It also means club players are training for minimum 8 months of the the year.
They have also failed to invest in coaching and the underage structure properly for years - yes good coaches have come through but one simply has to look at the lack of success within and compare with our neighbours - Cavan, Sligo, Roscommon etc. all of whom have been consistently developing yet we are always trailing behind. Its not as if the blueprint isn't there to be copied?!" Great post
TJH (Sligo) - Posts: 67 - 20/03/2025 10:58:17
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2 Leitrim players on Sigerson team of the Year. Only Connacht players to be selected. Nice boost on a difficult week for Leitrim football. On a side note the Irish Examiner stated that 2 Leitrim players selected but 0 Connacht or Munster players.!
anotheralias (Galway) - Posts: 979 - 20/03/2025 11:28:56
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