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Carlow GAA thread

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The reality is that Carlow and all other counties are in a difficult financial position due to the costs of senior squads Mileage is paid to every senior panellist to and from training and matches. Food is provided for every training session and after games. If teams are playing a certain distance from home then an overnight is also part of the deal. All of this is due to the GPA negotiating regular deals with the GAA. Hence counties have little.money. It is only.right that senior players are looked after properly but the cost of transport food and gear for players is costing a lot and despite efforts at fundraisong there is a deficit. Underage squads are now being hit as a result Nobody wants this to be the reality but sadly it is. As for locals taking managements- let's be very clear, I can't.see anyone doing it for nothing either! People think that you can buy success! It's about more than money but it is a help! It's a bit of a bind but when you don't have the money, something has to give. Unfortunately it's underage squads. carlowman (Carlow) - Posts: 1852 - 22/03/2024 19:29:52 2532702 Link
Replying To CARPS: "Exactly. In the last three years, we have spent hundreds of thousands of euros that we could have invested in underage. And it has led to the following in the league Played 20 Won 6 Drawn 4 Lost 12 That's a 30% win rate, Could a hungry passionate volunteer coaching team do any worse?" When you see it like that it really does look bad. I agree we should be going with a local. By depriving our own coaches of the experience we are only making it worse. I think in general the cost to run an inter County team is going to drive some counties to consider the viability of it. Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1673 - 22/03/2024 22:46:57 2532739 Link
Replying To ITSCHOLAR: "Sounds about right. Can remember helping with a fundraiser few years ago county board ordered food for half of us girl serving was apologising for how little she could give us., whilst they had 3 course meal downstairs in hotel. Wonder if there perks are cut back also." It does come down to choices, an example I always look to is the county board offices fine rooms all fitted out lovely chairs and table in the bottom office, what does that add to the end product though? Now let's take a walk to the back of the stand and see the state of the gym equipment and ask yourself what does that take away from the end product. If its an either or scenario I know what I'd rather see the money spent on. Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1673 - 22/03/2024 22:55:37 2532743 Link
Replying To CARPS: "Why does the candidate need to be high profile? What sort of credentials did Sean Boylan have when he took over Meath, back in the day? That's another issue. How much money have Carlow clubs wasted on outside managers in this century? In that time frame, they have won one Leinster. Coached by a manager who refused to accept any payment. The only other team to reach a final were managed by their own clubman. Maybe it's time they started giving locals a chance too? To let them develop their skills? The manager is very important to GAA teams. Especially when it's a special manager. But what's the point in paying journeymen to take over teams, just to tick a box? Given we are at the bottom of the pile, we need to be radical. And what I am suggesting is radical." Club football is stratospheres apart from intercounty, I did not say a person in county is a bad idea but giving it to someone with no credentials is a recipe for disaster, now if it was a recently retired player that is different because they will know the intercounty game but saying give it to an enthusiastic local is laughable Collio (Carlow) - Posts: 36 - 22/03/2024 23:24:17 2532746 Link
Replying To Collio: "Club football is stratospheres apart from intercounty, I did not say a person in county is a bad idea but giving it to someone with no credentials is a recipe for disaster, now if it was a recently retired player that is different because they will know the intercounty game but saying give it to an enthusiastic local is laughable" Where did I say give it to someone with no credentials? There are a number of recently retired county players - who played under all our expensive imported managers - who could fit the bill. Enthusiastic local doesn't mean some fellow picked up from a pub. I was obviously thinking of people with something to offer. My point is we're literally throwing hundreds of thousands of euro at our flagship team and getting nowhere. And cutting funding to our underage to keep the show on the road. Maybe let's try something different? CARPS (Carlow) - Posts: 742 - 23/03/2024 00:49:42 2532752 Link
Replying To CARPS: "Where did I say give it to someone with no credentials? There are a number of recently retired county players - who played under all our expensive imported managers - who could fit the bill. Enthusiastic local doesn't mean some fellow picked up from a pub. I was obviously thinking of people with something to offer. My point is we're literally throwing hundreds of thousands of euro at our flagship team and getting nowhere. And cutting funding to our underage to keep the show on the road. Maybe let's try something different?" Exactly carps. Well put. Overthebar53 (Carlow) - Posts: 295 - 23/03/2024 09:47:48 2532773 Link
Replying To CARPS: "Where did I say give it to someone with no credentials? There are a number of recently retired county players - who played under all our expensive imported managers - who could fit the bill. Enthusiastic local doesn't mean some fellow picked up from a pub. I was obviously thinking of people with something to offer. My point is we're literally throwing hundreds of thousands of euro at our flagship team and getting nowhere. And cutting funding to our underage to keep the show on the road. Maybe let's try something different?" There's a great couple of lines in Ger Loghnanes autobiography called 'Raising the Banner'. He'd gone for the Clare job a few times and had been knocked back. He spoke about the Irish psyche of always considering outsiders as being better; I'm paraphrasing a little, but it was along the lines of: "A local couldn't possibly do it. If they came from far away, preferably carrying a briefcase, they were your man; but, a local couldn't possibly do it." I don't have the answer; but no more journey men for a start. Aside from Lougnane, look at Seán Boylan, whose background was near enough exclusively hurling. He was either fourth or fifth choice, or no one actually wanted the job at the time. At this stage, shop locally! Passer_By (Carlow) - Posts: 521 - 23/03/2024 10:40:06 2532780 Link
Replying To Passer_By: "There's a great couple of lines in Ger Loghnanes autobiography called 'Raising the Banner'. He'd gone for the Clare job a few times and had been knocked back. He spoke about the Irish psyche of always considering outsiders as being better; I'm paraphrasing a little, but it was along the lines of: "A local couldn't possibly do it. If they came from far away, preferably carrying a briefcase, they were your man; but, a local couldn't possibly do it." I don't have the answer; but no more journey men for a start. Aside from Lougnane, look at Seán Boylan, whose background was near enough exclusively hurling. He was either fourth or fifth choice, or no one actually wanted the job at the time. At this stage, shop locally!" We have gone back to all local men over our intercounty teams. Hopefully it works out for us. Imported managers didn't always do too well. Viking66 (Wexford) - Posts: 14263 - 23/03/2024 11:43:58 2532790 Link
Mullaly has done great with the hurlers and I wouldn't be surprised if his next job was with one of the top counties. To replace him with a local would be a step back however that might be the case under any management given we are close to the ceiling as referred to by a previous poster. The likes of MLR's James Hickey would probably do a decent job for minimal outgoing cost. On the other hand expenditure on our football management has unfortunately proven to be a waste of time and money. Potential candidates aside from the first choice (Joe Murphy) would be JJ Smith, Mark Brennan, Maurice Brown, Brian Kelly. Possibly a combination of a few, and I'm sure there's plenty more around who would be well able. Carlowrising (Carlow) - Posts: 149 - 23/03/2024 14:00:08 2532822 Link
Is Jordan morrissey injured or is he gone travelling /working abroad, heard some whispers, anyone know? Overthebar53 (Carlow) - Posts: 295 - 23/03/2024 14:55:55 2532839 Link
Judging by the performance of the minor hurlers today you're on the money barrowsider. That's 4 or more years now that we haven't been able to field a decent minor team. Overthebar53 (Carlow) - Posts: 295 - 23/03/2024 15:33:01 2532849 Link
Replying To Overthebar53: "Judging by the performance of the minor hurlers today you're on the money barrowsider. That's 4 or more years now that we haven't been able to field a decent minor team." Club breakdown of starting 15. Bagenalstown - 2 Burren Rangers - 3 Carlow Town - 3 Mt Leinster - 3 Myshall - 2 Naomh Brid - 2 Club Breakdown of panel: Bagenalstown - 5 Ballinkillen - 3 Burren Rangers - 5 Carlow Town - 6 Mt Leinster - 6 Myshall - 2 Naomh Brid - 3 St Mullins - 1 While it's great to see Carlow Town making a strong comeback, and Burren Rangers on the rise, has to be worrying that the traditional heartlands of Mullins and Myshall only provided 10% of. the panel between the pair of them. Especially given an eight point loss to Kerry. It's hard to escape the feeling that Carlow hurling has peaked with the current team (which is almost entirely based on a golden era at MLR and Mullins) and a long spell in the doldrums awaits us in the future. Carlow could very well be a middling Christy Ring team, seven or eight years from now. CARPS (Carlow) - Posts: 742 - 23/03/2024 16:14:58 2532860 Link
Replying To Carlowrising: "Mullaly has done great with the hurlers and I wouldn't be surprised if his next job was with one of the top counties. To replace him with a local would be a step back however that might be the case under any management given we are close to the ceiling as referred to by a previous poster. The likes of MLR's James Hickey would probably do a decent job for minimal outgoing cost. On the other hand expenditure on our football management has unfortunately proven to be a waste of time and money. Potential candidates aside from the first choice (Joe Murphy) would be JJ Smith, Mark Brennan, Maurice Brown, Brian Kelly. Possibly a combination of a few, and I'm sure there's plenty more around who would be well able." There is no doubt that Tom Mullaly has done a wonderful job, and we should be grateful to him. But our underage in hurling is very weak, so this doesn't look like sustainable growth, sadly. If it keeps going the way it is, the ceiling could well drop to Christy Ring (3rd tier). We need a total rethink, IMO. CARPS (Carlow) - Posts: 742 - 23/03/2024 16:18:32 2532861 Link
Replying To CARPS: "There is no doubt that Tom Mullaly has done a wonderful job, and we should be grateful to him. But our underage in hurling is very weak, so this doesn't look like sustainable growth, sadly. If it keeps going the way it is, the ceiling could well drop to Christy Ring (3rd tier). We need a total rethink, IMO." Results like today with the minors and lack of results with u20 also over the last few years does bring into question our future in hurling circles. Unsure of average age of senior team but would we be able to survive next 5 years at current level of we are only getting 1 - 2 players a year from either of these squads. Good to see a spread of players from different clubs today but seeing st.mullins supply 1 and myshall 2 is a worry also. Hurlers have always outperformed footballers maybe CB could give them a bit extra funding see how far they could go. ITSCHOLAR (Carlow) - Posts: 304 - 23/03/2024 18:04:24 2532884 Link
Replying To Overthebar53: "Is Jordan morrissey injured or is he gone travelling /working abroad, heard some whispers, anyone know?" Travelling he is finished for this year anyway I hear Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1673 - 24/03/2024 07:15:52 2532967 Link
Replying To Overthebar53: "Judging by the performance of the minor hurlers today you're on the money barrowsider. That's 4 or more years now that we haven't been able to field a decent minor team." I wouldn't be as familiar with the underage hurling scene as I am with the football but there is no strong team coming in either, I would follow results from 14s up in both and it's not very encouraging, the only thing that saves hurling is you find your level usually in the B side although that may not be the case in the future, I'm not sure why it's dropped off, maybe some of the hurling men on here could enlighten us, my own suspicion is we may have been a bit ahead of the curve with dev squads at hurling compared to some of the other weaker counties and now they have caught up. Football is in dire straits, we are bottom of the pile and it's hard to see it improving with finance being withdrawn, possibly a new model of doing those squads is required but it won't really matter until we address the standard of the club game in the county, currently we have spring leagues running for 16s and 18s and we have a considerable % of walkovers each week, for me anyway those spring leagues would be a great chance to do something different, maybe a 7s league so everyone fields and clubs with greater numbers could run a few teams in them, or alternatively play the spring leagues with area teams again the stronger clubs could stand alone but it would mean we could get a really good calendar of games for our young players Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1673 - 24/03/2024 09:55:53 2532988 Link
Replying To Barrowsider: "I wouldn't be as familiar with the underage hurling scene as I am with the football but there is no strong team coming in either, I would follow results from 14s up in both and it's not very encouraging, the only thing that saves hurling is you find your level usually in the B side although that may not be the case in the future, I'm not sure why it's dropped off, maybe some of the hurling men on here could enlighten us, my own suspicion is we may have been a bit ahead of the curve with dev squads at hurling compared to some of the other weaker counties and now they have caught up. Football is in dire straits, we are bottom of the pile and it's hard to see it improving with finance being withdrawn, possibly a new model of doing those squads is required but it won't really matter until we address the standard of the club game in the county, currently we have spring leagues running for 16s and 18s and we have a considerable % of walkovers each week, for me anyway those spring leagues would be a great chance to do something different, maybe a 7s league so everyone fields and clubs with greater numbers could run a few teams in them, or alternatively play the spring leagues with area teams again the stronger clubs could stand alone but it would mean we could get a really good calendar of games for our young players" Carlow football was very strong in the early 1960s and this was built on the back of very good Eire Og, O'Hanrahan's and Tullow teams. In turn these sides were created from urban underage 'street leagues' of the 1950s, which then disappeared. I am not sure exactly how they worked. Because I am not from either town. Is there anyone here who could explain the format? Because it seems your seven-a-side idea is something along those lines. 7 a side games on a half-sized pitch, running from March to June could be very good plan IMO. CARPS (Carlow) - Posts: 742 - 24/03/2024 10:23:28 2532995 Link
Replying To CARPS: "Carlow football was very strong in the early 1960s and this was built on the back of very good Eire Og, O'Hanrahan's and Tullow teams. In turn these sides were created from urban underage 'street leagues' of the 1950s, which then disappeared. I am not sure exactly how they worked. Because I am not from either town. Is there anyone here who could explain the format? Because it seems your seven-a-side idea is something along those lines. 7 a side games on a half-sized pitch, running from March to June could be very good plan IMO." I'm not sure how they worked either. I do think we need a fresh look at how we go about our games though, I was involved with a team in an under 16s 7s tournament last year and thought it would be ideal for a spring league, every Monday night could be a festival of football out in the center of excellence with 6 games running off at the same time. Brilliant for promotion of the game too. Could do likewise with hurling Barrowsider (Carlow) - Posts: 1673 - 24/03/2024 11:42:08 2533009 Link
Replying To CARPS: "Carlow football was very strong in the early 1960s and this was built on the back of very good Eire Og, O'Hanrahan's and Tullow teams. In turn these sides were created from urban underage 'street leagues' of the 1950s, which then disappeared. I am not sure exactly how they worked. Because I am not from either town. Is there anyone here who could explain the format? Because it seems your seven-a-side idea is something along those lines. 7 a side games on a half-sized pitch, running from March to June could be very good plan IMO." I am sureclots of people of a certain vintage remember the street leagues My father would have been one the drivers of the hurling street league When I played in them there were 4 teams The Town . The Park The Cresent The Country The Carlow Town hurling clubs success was infeel a direct result of those summer leagues The county championship winning side was full of ex Street league players, some of whom had no idea how to hurl at 12 yrs of age but were coached and became very able hurlers Blackbog (Carlow) - Posts: 726 - 24/03/2024 11:52:37 2533011 Link
Replying To Barrowsider: "Travelling he is finished for this year anyway I hear" I saw lots of people shaking hands with him there today so must be some truth in it. Another big loss that we can't afford Overthebar53 (Carlow) - Posts: 295 - 24/03/2024 17:47:50 2533210 Link