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The leagues and club scene in Longford at the moment is a joke. County players not being released for their club games makes no sense. Fair enough if it's the core 10/11/12 players that start every game, but not allowing extended panel to play club games is ridiculous - at senior and u20. Some u20 players were not permitted to play for their clubs over the past weekend, and then didn't even get named for the u20 game.
This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I don't blame any young players who give it up - county and club level. Train very hard early in the year, tog out for league games with depleted teams, and it doesn't even matter if they win/lose league games because all managers will say is "well done lads we're down numbers wait until our main lads are back we'll give the championship a go". - a mentality developed due to CB making a mockery of the leagues.
From what I've gathered over the years, and especially in division 2 possibly 3, is that the league is just not worth winning. Why would anyone go training 3x a week (4-6 hours total ) and do 3x gym sessions (3 more hours), to win their league go up a division and get beat with that stick back down the following year?
I understand that that is a hyper-negative take, but it's not far from reality at all. My solution to make the leagues more competitive is simple - split the divisions into and A and a B, based on where teams finish. If you win division 1B, you play division 1A next year. This would allow for clubs to have something to play for and gives a chance for the div 2 teams coming up to senior - they will be playing the lower tier / depleted senior teams. Why not try it, and if it doesn't work, just go back to original format.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I suppose it's a suggestion - let it be a good or bad one
Gaalongford1 (Longford) - Posts: 7 - 28/04/2026 10:37:56
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Looking at named panels from senior vs Westmeath and u20 vs Louth, here is breakdown of players by club. All able senior players should have been released for rounds 3 & 4 of the league at least. Hard to understand how the quality of the game in the county improves by turning the league into a lesser competition without county players. No specific exemptions, an across the board approach that real world game time is better than having lads sat around for weeks doing nothing, or if you are a sub on the county panel sat around for months doing nothing.
Club Sen U20
Clonguish 4 6
Killoe 6 1
Abbeylara 3 3
Dromard 3 1
Carrickedmond 2 2
Slashers 2 0
Connollys 2 0
Rathcline 2 0
Killashee 1 1
Ballymahon 0 2
Grattans 0 2
Colmcille 0 2
Mullinalaghta 1 0
ArdaghMoydow 0 1
Kenagh 0 1
Granard 0 1
Mostrim 0 1
LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 672 - 28/04/2026 12:33:22
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Replying To Gaalongford1: "The leagues and club scene in Longford at the moment is a joke. County players not being released for their club games makes no sense. Fair enough if it's the core 10/11/12 players that start every game, but not allowing extended panel to play club games is ridiculous - at senior and u20. Some u20 players were not permitted to play for their clubs over the past weekend, and then didn't even get named for the u20 game.
This is probably an unpopular opinion, but I don't blame any young players who give it up - county and club level. Train very hard early in the year, tog out for league games with depleted teams, and it doesn't even matter if they win/lose league games because all managers will say is "well done lads we're down numbers wait until our main lads are back we'll give the championship a go". - a mentality developed due to CB making a mockery of the leagues.
From what I've gathered over the years, and especially in division 2 possibly 3, is that the league is just not worth winning. Why would anyone go training 3x a week (4-6 hours total ) and do 3x gym sessions (3 more hours), to win their league go up a division and get beat with that stick back down the following year?
I understand that that is a hyper-negative take, but it's not far from reality at all. My solution to make the leagues more competitive is simple - split the divisions into and A and a B, based on where teams finish. If you win division 1B, you play division 1A next year. This would allow for clubs to have something to play for and gives a chance for the div 2 teams coming up to senior - they will be playing the lower tier / depleted senior teams. Why not try it, and if it doesn't work, just go back to original format.
Maybe I'm wrong, but I suppose it's a suggestion - let it be a good or bad one" There is a big commitment but in this current situation these lads are getting games at the moment. If county players were released more often the lads down the pecking order would get even less football. If the clubs weren't putting in the hours on the field and the gym the standard would be dropping even further so while it is tough for club players to keep on it probably isn't a good idea to put in a system that would encourage clubs to not work as hard in the earlier part of the season
Clonbonnyrabbitt (Longford) - Posts: 123 - 28/04/2026 14:21:28
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What is going wrong with Ballymahon?
Last night they were hammered at home, with what I think is KIlloes third string team!!
This should not be happening to a team coming from the size of town as that.
Frank74 (Longford) - Posts: 209 - 29/04/2026 11:13:51
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Replying To Clonbonnyrabbitt: "There is a big commitment but in this current situation these lads are getting games at the moment. If county players were released more often the lads down the pecking order would get even less football. If the clubs weren't putting in the hours on the field and the gym the standard would be dropping even further so while it is tough for club players to keep on it probably isn't a good idea to put in a system that would encourage clubs to not work as hard in the earlier part of the season" How would clubs having all their first team players available encourage clubs to not work as hard in the earlier part of the season? It's also not the early part of the season, it will be half the season gone by the time county players are back. The entire ACFL will be over. That's half the adult club calendar right there.
LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 672 - 29/04/2026 13:14:51
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Replying To LongfordgaaAbú: "How would clubs having all their first team players available encourage clubs to not work as hard in the earlier part of the season? It's also not the early part of the season, it will be half the season gone by the time county players are back. The entire ACFL will be over. That's half the adult club calendar right there." If splitting the league into 1A and 1B you don't give lower ranked teams access to best quality games and end up increasing the gap
Clonbonnyrabbitt (Longford) - Posts: 123 - 29/04/2026 15:02:26
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Replying To Clonbonnyrabbitt: "If splitting the league into 1A and 1B you don't give lower ranked teams access to best quality games and end up increasing the gap" Ah i see, yes I agree, splitting divisions achieves nothing in terms of progress. Within those split divisions you will still have the problem of county players missing the entire ACFL campaign, which impacts championship preparation and the entire year for many clubs. Nobody is getting better in that structure.
LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 672 - 29/04/2026 19:27:51
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I was talking to one of the Rathcline players this week and he told me that they couldn't care less about the league and that that they only needed to win one game at the end of itwhen they would have all their players eventually. They are missing 10 starters apparently and this is what they also did last season when they eventually got their act together for the championship. There is something seriously wrong with the league format when this is a teams attitude towards it.
maximus02 (Longford) - Posts: 225 - 30/04/2026 10:04:16
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Replying To maximus02: "I was talking to one of the Rathcline players this week and he told me that they couldn't care less about the league and that that they only needed to win one game at the end of itwhen they would have all their players eventually. They are missing 10 starters apparently and this is what they also did last season when they eventually got their act together for the championship. There is something seriously wrong with the league format when this is a teams attitude towards it." If the championship format was shortened the league could be played closer to the big games and teams would use them for preparation much more. It doesn't make much sense as to why teams would be going hell for leather in a league game in April when the more important championship matches don't get underway until the end of August. No surprise that the last few league winners have not won the championship
Clonbonnyrabbitt (Longford) - Posts: 123 - 30/04/2026 11:38:13
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Replying To maximus02: "I was talking to one of the Rathcline players this week and he told me that they couldn't care less about the league and that that they only needed to win one game at the end of itwhen they would have all their players eventually. They are missing 10 starters apparently and this is what they also did last season when they eventually got their act together for the championship. There is something seriously wrong with the league format when this is a teams attitude towards it." Last year we were missing up on 16 or 17 players for all but 1 round of the league.
This year is not as bad, but we have still being missing 15 players for the first couple of games.
We'll get 6 of the under 20's back now to help fill out the squad.
Frank74 (Longford) - Posts: 209 - 30/04/2026 12:13:21
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Agree with the above, the leagues are a farce. Splitting Division 1 into A and B does not make any sense. Can we not just go with Divisions 1-3. Like the way the championships need to go. 7 clubs in each. Single round, all with county players. Bring back the Bertie Allen for this time of year
liosbreac6265 (Longford) - Posts: 284 - 30/04/2026 12:21:49
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Replying To maximus02: "I was talking to one of the Rathcline players this week and he told me that they couldn't care less about the league and that that they only needed to win one game at the end of itwhen they would have all their players eventually. They are missing 10 starters apparently and this is what they also did last season when they eventually got their act together for the championship. There is something seriously wrong with the league format when this is a teams attitude towards it." I don't think anyone needs to be worrying about Rathcline in the championship.
Rathcline would be better off trying to get their strongest team out in the league.
They have a much much better chance of winning something in that.
Spinx (Longford) - Posts: 1529 - 30/04/2026 13:45:24
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