Roscommon GAA Discussion Thread

Renegade1

was at the game tonight and agree with the above. The Clann corner forward is cathal callinan very good player maybe didn't have the engine to match his talent at minor level but certainly looked more mobile tonight as too did a number of other players. impressed with Compton at midfield tonight broke a lot of ball, worked incredibly hard, improved his tackling and used the ball well. Muloolly was a bit shaky under the high ball but that may be down to rustiness. thought Brian Stack playerd very well and can play in a number of positions. impressed with Kelly (Ross Gaels) at right half forward very intelligent use of the ball. As above Henry Welsh continues to impress.

Interesting to see no cathal shine named on the bench for Sunday?

Syferus

Minors beat Mayo 2-20 to 1-02 in their opening Connacht Minor League fixture tonight in Chatlestown too, gracelessly played by Mayo at same time as the U21 match, preventing the minor panel and management going to the U21 game. Serves 'em right.

The U21s' passing was a delight tonight. With so many injuries and non-match fit key players it was a really solid performance, but not without its rough spots, particularly letting a 13 man Galway maintain hope until the death with a lazy goal concession. More reason to keep the lads grounded and focused on Sligo.

nice_guy80

Syferus wrote: »

Minors beat Mayo 2-20 to 1-02 in their opening Connacht Minor League fixture tonight in Chatlestown too, gracelessly played by Mayo at same time as the U21 match, preventing the minor panel and management going to the U21 game. Serves 'em right.

The U21s' passing was a delight tonight. With so many injuries and non-match fit key players it was a really solid performance, but not without its rough spots, particularly letting a 13 man Galway maintain hope until the death with a lazy goal concession. More reason to keep the lads grounded and focused on Sligo.

When the senior team set the tone with the quality of play, it's great to see the U21s and.minors follow suit.
For years we couldn't win games at U21 and minor, now other counties hats playing us. Long may it continue

megadodge

Renegade1 wrote: »

Interesting to see no cathal shine named on the bench for Sunday?

Yeah, I just heard that. I wonder what the story is, because longterm his physicality is absolutely vital to Roscommon around the midfield area?

Comic Book Guy

The game tomorrow is deferred on Tg4 lads.

Looking forward to see how we cope with their physicality and intensity.
Toughest game thus far, they would be closest to championship pace of the teams we have faced to date.

Syferus

megadodge wrote: »

Yeah, I just heard that. I wonder what the story is, because longterm his physicality is absolutely vital to Roscommon around the midfield area?

McStay-FOD not willing to play players who aren't fully fit. Shine is over his injury but still needs time to reach IC levels of fitness. Keenan apparently told the same after his travels meant he only got back about a month ago.

I imagine both will have key roles to play in the summer. Management are building a team that is chosen on merit and that's absolutely excellent to see.

Renegade1

Syferus wrote: »

McStay-FOD not willing to play players who aren't fully fit. Shine is over his injury but still needs time to reach IC levels of fitness. Keenan apparently told the same after his travels meant he only got back about a month ago.

I imagine both will have key roles to play in the summer. Management are building a team that is chosen on merit and that's absolutely excellent to see.

hearing slightly different today that Shine just isn't training that well/hard and its more of a selection choice than fitness RE C.Shine! was told today Keenan isn't too far off the required fitness levels and will be part of the match day panel soon!

any thoughts on James McDermott? big follower of the club championship for the last couple of years but don't recognise the name to be honest!

Syferus

Renegade1 wrote: »

hearing slightly different today that Shine just isn't training that well/hard and its more of a selection choice than fitness RE C.Shine! was told today Keenan isn't too far off the required fitness levels and will be part of the match day panel soon!

any thoughts on James McDermott? big follower of the club championship for the last couple of years but don't recognise the name to be honest!

Shine looked noticeably bigger than usual each time I've seen him this year, last Sunday included. Management are being consistent in their application, they didn't risk Murtagh against Kerry, Cork or Down because he wasn't 100% and it both allowed him to get fit and likely kept our U21s in the championship in the process.

McDermott is the starting midfielder for Ros Gaels and has been in good form the past year.

megadodge

Renegade1 wrote: »

any thoughts on James McDermott? big follower of the club championship for the last couple of years but don't recognise the name to be honest!

'Jimbob' plays midfield for Roscommon Gaels.

He's a good solid club player, but I don't think he's good enough for inter-county.
I'd love to be proven wrong, as he's a nice lad, but his lack of mobility is obvious even in club games.

As far as I know he has an end of December birthday and as a result missed out on the 2006 minor success (he'd have made the team) by a day or two.

Nice win again for Roscommon, they will be favourites for the Connacht title at this stage.

Syferus

Deleted User wrote: »

Nice win again for Roscommon, they will be favourites for the Connacht title at this stage.

Lol.

Great win today, some fantastic football and some good defending to boot. Team looks utterly fearless now and that's great to see.

Should be some crowd for the Mayo match in the Hyde now.

Syferus

Syferus wrote: »

Lol.

Great win today, some fantastic football and some good defending to boot. Team looks utterly fearless now and that's great to see.

Should be some crowd for the Mayo match in the Hyde now.

Its easy keep Mayo 30 metres out and we can't score, no capable forwards. Roscommon could do some real damage to the Mayo team morale, McStay will love the payback.

Syferus

Deleted User wrote: »

Its easy keep Mayo 30 metres out and we can't score, no capable forwards. Roscommon could do some real damage to the Mayo team morale, McStay will love the payback.

McStay would never take satisfaction from beating his own county because of a personal grudge. Rarely would you meet men with more love for their county than McStay and McHale. Maybe satisfaction in a job well done if it coming to pass.

What the Mayo county board did to both of them was shameful and I'm sure Roscommon supporters will be the ones to remind them of their mistakes if this continues.

The Assistinator

Syferus wrote: »

Lol.

Great win today, some fantastic football and some good defending to boot. Team looks utterly fearless now and that's great to see.

Should be some crowd for the Mayo match in the Hyde now.

The best performance I've seen this year bar none (Donegal man here) we just couldn't live with yous, when we got back to two points the goal came at the perfect time for ye well done on the win.

megadodge

That was some result!

Even more impressive was the manner in which it was achieved. Roscommon played superb football throughout and look so well drilled. Considering the amount of quality players that are unavailable at the moment the manner in which they are playing is remarkable.

I know it's only March, but it's hard not to get excited with a team that seems to be getting better with each game. Hopefully this is not a false dawn.


While the whole team deserve plaudits, I just have to mention Conor Devanney. His foot passing is on a different level to almost anyone out there. He's so uninhibited with the ball and has the ability to open any defense. Please, please let the management team keep doing whatever it is they're doing with him.

Renegade1

a great win yesterday really impressed with how organised we were, how we pressed up on the kick outs and were constantly communicating. our tackling and foot passing has greatly improved since last year and it is really paying off.

Niall Daly was hugely impressive in my opinion gave us a great engine from midfield. Seanie Purcell brings a lot of calm in the centre half back position and he controlled that area of the field for me yesterday. I thought David Murray was outstanding yesterday linking play, tackling, organising etc.

i was really really impressed with our work rate yesterday and in the previous games. it reminds me of the minors in 06.


One thing i have noticed at the few trainings i have seen and all the games is David Casey in the line. he is organising a lot of the defensive work with McHale and I am hugely impressed with him. He is very calm on the line constantly advising the players and it is working extremely well!

the thing is we are still missing Donie and C.Shine, Niall carty, D.Murtagh, Ian Kilbride was out yesterday and Higgins and Keenan will be two more additions. we have never had a more competitive and well rounded squad! I presume c. Cafferky is out for the year (ACL)?

Syferus

Renegade1 wrote: »

a great win yesterday really impressed with how organised we were, how we pressed up on the kick outs and were constantly communicating. our tackling and foot passing has greatly improved since last year and it is really paying off.

Niall Daly was hugely impressive in my opinion gave us a great engine from midfield. Seanie Purcell brings a lot of calm in the centre half back position and he controlled that area of the field for me yesterday. I thought David Murray was outstanding yesterday linking play, tackling, organising etc.

i was really really impressed with our work rate yesterday and in the previous games. it reminds me of the minors in 06.


One thing i have noticed at the few trainings i have seen and all the games is David Casey in the line. he is organising a lot of the defensive work with McHale and I am hugely impressed with him. He is very calm on the line constantly advising the players and it is working extremely well!

the thing is we are still missing Donie and C.Shine, Niall carty, D.Murtagh, Ian Kilbride was out yesterday and Higgins and Keenan will be two more additions. we have never had a more competitive and well rounded squad! I presume c. Cafferky is out for the year (ACL)?

Caff will be pretty much out for the year last I heard. Might get some time with the club late in year if all is well.

To add to your list, Donie Smith, Tom Corcoran (perhaps the best midfielder on all those good U21 teams), Sean Mullooly and Harney are still to come back too. Was great to see Compton getting his compete with debut yesterday, all going well him and Corcoran will add a new dimension to our options in the middle in the coming years.

Renegade1

will be interesting to see how Donie Smith goes at senior level looked very impressive at u21 level but just hasn't progressed at Senior level just yet.

What is the story with Corcoran at the minute? too old for U21 isn't he? is he training with the senior panel I haven't heard!

thoughts on Muloolly anyone? i know he is playing at full back but watching him the other night the way he carried the ball and drove forward i believe he might make the break through in the half back line! he reminded me of the way Karl Lacey plays aggression, strength and pace with the ball carrying skills to match!

Syferus

Renegade1 wrote: »

will be interesting to see how Donie Smith goes at senior level looked very impressive at u21 level but just hasn't progressed at Senior level just yet.

What is the story with Corcoran at the minute? too old for U21 isn't he? is he training with the senior panel I haven't heard!

thoughts on Muloolly anyone? i know he is playing at full back but watching him the other night the way he carried the ball and drove forward i believe he might make the break through in the half back line! he reminded me of the way Karl Lacey plays aggression, strength and pace with the ball carrying skills to match!

Corcoran has been injured until very recently. I'd be hoping Mulooly stays in the FB line, we've almost too many HBs at this stage. Unless Carty can get fit we don't have any cover there bat switching Murray in. And I think Seanie and Murray together in the corners puts us at a big size disadvantage.

Renegade1

it will be good to see Corcoran back on the field really like his style of play and think he can offer a lot! I do agree about the full back line being light on cover McInerney has been a great find and I do agree Muloolly is the next in line to step in was just wondering where would his potential be maximized!

we have an abundance of half backs and for me Murray is a lot more comfortable there at this level!

megadodge

I still think the half-back line is our weakest line. I know midfield is struggling with injuries etc. but at least the potential is there when everyone's fit.

I'm not convinced with the half-backs. I like Seanie Purcell's and David Murray's aggressiveness, but it's only in the last two matches that Murray's fouling has calmed down. Whether that's experience or coaching I'm not sure, but until he consistently harries, hassles and shadows without fouling I'll have my doubts.

I think in the white heat of championship Stack is too light and while I think Conor Daly is an excellent footballer with ball in hand, his defending is just so-so. The same can be said about Niall, who had a stormer the last day, but that's because he was freed up from defensive duties.

I don't want to sound harsh on lads who are currently doing a great job, but we need to remember it's championship that counts and that's when we'll see what the half-backs are made of. I honestly hope to God I'm a million miles off and they all go on to get All-stars, but I've seen them all playing often enough to feel as I do.

Renegade1

megadodge wrote: »

I still think the half-back line is our weakest line. I know midfield is struggling with injuries etc. but at least the potential is there when everyone's fit.

I'm not convinced with the half-backs. I like Seanie Purcell's and David Murray's aggressiveness, but it's only in the last two matches that Murray's fouling has calmed down. Whether that's experience or coaching I'm not sure, but until he consistently harries, hassles and shadows without fouling I'll have my doubts.

I think in the white heat of championship Stack is too light and while I think Conor Daly is an excellent footballer with ball in hand, his defending is just so-so. The same can be said about Niall, who had a stormer the last day, but that's because he was freed up from defensive duties.

I don't want to sound harsh on lads who are currently doing a great job, but we need to remember it's championship that counts and that's when we'll see what the half-backs are made of. I honestly hope to God I'm a million miles off and they all go on to get All-stars, but I've seen them all playing often enough to feel as I do.

i agree on every single point you made megadodge strongly so on Niall Daly he is way better in the loose! the only point I would make is that our half back line is very much part of a system and a unit while individually they might not be the best in the country i have been incredibly impressed so far but as you said we will have to see in the championship. in the system we are playing it appears much of the onus is on the full back line to be proper one on one defenders while the half back line are closing space obviously supplemented by the midfield and half forward line. it reminds me of how brigids played under McStay/Mchale none of their back six was outstanding but their system made them look it. I think our defensive structure and work rate will mask the deficiencies talent wise. the reason Mcstay didnt get/ wasnt hugely considered for the mayo job was because the players greatly dislike mchale due to comments on the radio etc and i think personally Mchale has more of an impact that mcstay. McStay won't work without Mchale and i think that says a lot!

Syferus

What? McHale is a selector and an important one at that but McStay's influence is massive. Even Fergie's own teams were no where near as adventurous as we are right now. Reminds me of Brigids under McStay. High press up the field, smart kick-outs, a focus on kick passing. Also McStay had Peter Domican, Stack Donnelly, Cunniffe and Grehan in that defence - the first a class IC defender, the second is an IC defender and the later three real leaders and excellent club defenders. He was blessed with one of the best defences in club football.

I think you're way off base there. McHale and Casey together have done excellently in their coaching roles but in the end it's the guys at the top that have empowered the style of player and the approach we're using. McStay and FOD look as a good a pairing in reality as they did on paper.

Hopefully we stick with them through the ups and downs for the four years. Best management I've seen for our county team in my lifetime.

Also the Mayo CB leaked the McHale story to cover their asses. It's very questionable if it's even true. McHale is usually solemn in media interviews and isn't out to attack any players.

Megadodge, I feel the Dalys are too good not to feature. You can teach them to be better defenders but it's hard to teach any player the skill they have as footballers. Conor and Niall are easily among the 15 best footballers in the county for me. Both more suited to wing back or HF than a central HB role. When you add in Ronan and players like Keenan and Carty to come back I think we've a pack of players in that area that if coached correctly can form one of our beat lines on the field. And Caff will be back in 2017. I think it's the middle that's still the big unknown and the continual sore thumb in the team. Only in 2014 with Cathal Shine and Kevin Higgins both fit have we even looked close to dominant in the middle and there's no assurances that magic can be recaptured. Corcoran and Compton will need time to adapt to senior.

That's where teams will try to target us. Doesn't matter if you have the best defensive HB like in Ireland if their men are repeatedly getting ball right on top of them.

Renegade1

Syferus wrote: »

What? McHale is a selector and an important one at that but McStay's influence is massive. Even Fergie's own teams were no where near as adventurous as we are right now. Reminds me of Brigids under McStay. High press up the field, smart kick-outs, a focus on kick passing. Also McStay had Peter Domican, Stack Donnelly, Cunniffe and Grehan in that defence - the first a class IC defender, the second is an IC defender and the later three real leaders and excellent club defenders. He was blessed with one of the best defences in club football.

I think you're way off base there. McHale and Casey together have done excellently in their coaching roles but in the end it's the guys at the top that have empowered the style of player and the approach we're using. McStay and FOD look as a good a pairing in reality as they did on paper.

Hopefully we stick with them through the ups and downs for the four years. Best management I've seen for our county team in my lifetime.

Also the Mayo CB leaked the McHale story to cover their asses. It's very questionable if it's even true. McHale is usually solemn in media interviews and isn't out to attack any players.

Megadodge, I feel the Dalys are too good not to feature. You can teach them to be better defenders but it's hard to teach any player the skill they have as footballers. Conor and Niall are easily among the 15 best footballers in the county for me. Both more suited to wing back or HF than a central HB role. When you add in Ronan and players like Keenan and Carty to come back I think we've a pack of players in that area that if coached correctly can form one of our beat lines on the field. And Caff will be back in 2017. I think it's the middle that's still the big unknown and the continual sore thumb in the team. Only in 2014 with Cathal Shine and Kevin Higgins both fit have we even looked close to dominant in the middle and there's no assurances that magic can be recaptured. Corcoran and Compton will need time to adapt to senior.

That's where teams will try to target us. Doesn't matter if you have the best defensive HB like in Ireland if their men are repeatedly getting ball right on top of them.

Apologies I didn't make my point as well as I could have and I see how it read poorly. What I meant was defensively Mchale is a gem and that is why McStay values him so highly that Mchale has the big impact in the defensive element I am in no way doubting the attacking and man management element.

I forgot Peter Domnican as he hasn't played due to travelling he slipped my mind. I do agree that it's a great club level back six but they improved massively under Mchales Mentorship and have dropped off rapidly since that management left. I would personally argue about Stacks level but that's personal opinion.

I agree about Fergal and McStay they are a great partnership and will take us very far. They are getting the backing from the county board that they deserve and have a highly professional set up.
On the Mayo county board issue RE McStay and McHale this isn't the place for it but I'd disagree.

I'd agree about the Dalys brilliantly talented and I really like Conor at Half forward he had that knack of making the right run and picking the right option with the ball.

nice_guy80

Good win for Under 21s yesterday v Sligo.

Minor league win v Sligo too.

Winning is a habit and there's now a good culture of high standards and performances in the county across all teams

Pique

Is the Hyde good for the game on Sunday, does anyone know?

yabadabado

Pique wrote: »

Is the Hyde good for the game on Sunday, does anyone know?

Yeah it has to be .Been perfect weather the last 10 days so unless there is extremely poor conditions this week it will be fine.

Pique

yabadabado wrote: »

Yeah it has to be .Been perfect weather the last 10 days so unless there is extremely poor conditions this week it will be fine.

This week isn't promised great but hopefully nothing torrential.

yabadabado

Pique wrote: »

This week isn't promised great but hopefully nothing torrential.

Its not supposed to be great with rain promised the next few days but the pitch wasnt in that bad of shape 2 weeks ago.
A person I spoke to that had walked both The Hyde and Pearse Pk reckons the Hyde was pretty similar and could have held down game but they didnt want to risk it.Plenty of maintenance work done on it the last 2 weeks.

Syferus

yabadabado wrote: »

Its not supposed to be great with rain promised the next few days but the pitch wasnt in that bad of shape 2 weeks ago.
A person I spoke to that had walked both The Hyde and Pearse Pk reckons the Hyde was pretty similar and could have held down game but they didnt want to risk it.Plenty of maintenance work done on it the last 2 weeks.

Three big matches on it in eight days. Put up or shut up time for the CB. Mayo and Dublin senior games won't be moved.

For me the U21 final is now the biggest game by far scheduled for the Hyde but it's also the one where I can see the Prenty Council pushing for a move (they have power on that one whereas the NFL is centrally organised meaning the host county is the one who gets to make the venue choice) if there was a question mark over the Hyde.