Friday 29 November 2013

Leinster Finals(Plural) Preview



 Sunday's 1st December Line up 

Leinster IFC Final
Vs
Naomh Olaf
Haggardstown Drogheda 2pm


Leinster JFC Final
 Vs
 Two Mile House
 NewBridge 2pm

Little did both these teams know, when they started out in January that come December they'd be still playing football nevermind be involved in a Leinster final! 

It is a testament to their commiment to be still going for so long and so hard. It must be tough, to be still slogging it out especially in these conditions, but both sets of panels feel the prize on offer is worth the slog.

The prize on offer is be Leinster champions.

It is worth it....

Believe lads and Best of Luck!













Wednesday 27 November 2013

Players to look out for part 2


Leinster JFC Final
 Vs
 Two Mile House
2pm NewBridge


2milehouse seem to be on a good run at the moment winning the Championship (obviously) gaining promotion to Division 2 for the 2014 season and their minor side reaching the ‘A’ final along with the league decider.



Hunterstown will need to look out for the following:

Peter Kelly
Kildare Senior 
and All Star 2010
Their main man plain and simple

But they also have
Some Leinster minor championship winning Kildare Minors

Mark Sherry was Kildares captain see above video

Chris Healy is a nippy forward who plays on the wing
Adam Burke was the clubs minor player of the year and plays full forward
and finally Richard Drumgoole Maguire was also involved 



and
William Burke, Chris Julian and Shane D'Arcy were involved in the Leinster Junior winning team this season too.




Check out some more pictures here from the Kildare Junior final

http://www.adrianmeliaphoto.com/gaa-jfc-final-two-mile
and first round of leinster against Fenagh 
http://www.adrianmeliaphoto.com/gaa-fenagh-v-two-mile

players to watch out for Part 1

A few players both sets of teams need to look out for!

Leinster IFC Final
Vs
Naomh Olaf
Haggardstown Drogheda 2pm
 
 Gers will need to be wary of:
  
David Byrne
Leinster & All- Ireland Minor winning captain 2012
and
Dublin Panelist this season

 Left footer and adds Power to their half back line driving forward

Eoin Kinsella 
Former Dublin Junior
Their talisman and Scorer in Chief, he's their go to man in the forwards


 More Pics from the Dublin IFC final seen here



Saturday 23 November 2013

#LPU21 Latest



The Gers have been stumped by their leinster campaign and others have thrived.
yet the competition is still wide open!



Q/final line-up

23 NOV.

Clan na nGael 2-09 - 2-05 Baile Talún
Emmití de Róiste 2-05 - 0-19 St Brides
Clans and Brides Advance

26 NOV.
St Fechins 0-9 v Ardee St. Mary's 0-7
Naomh Mairtin 1-4  v O'Connells/Stabannon Parnells 2-14


Fechins and O'Connells/Stabannon advance


Semi Final Line up
30 NOV 2013


Clan na nGael v St Fechins
St Brides v O'Connells/Stabannon Parnells
 

Friday 22 November 2013

Lennon Cup 2014


Lennon Cup Final
Ardee Community College  Vs Marist, Dundalk 
7.15pm  Darver


This competition's popularity has risen in the past few seasons and rightly so...it's entertaining and a great opportunity to see some of the most exciting up and coming talent the county has to offer.
Tonight is no exception.
Ryan Burns is ripping up the Leinster junior championship with Hunterstown as we speak.
Dean Maguire exploded on the scene with DYI in this years intermediate championship.

Ryan Rooney was the best Minor in Louth this year and can play for two more seasons.

They'll all be on show tonight.

Ardee won the competition last season, the Marist actually won the shield last year but, last year counts for little really.

However you can count on it to be a great game. 



Lennon Shield
Scoil Ui Mhuiri Vs Joes CBS

7pm Darver

Saturday 16 November 2013

Leinster Club Weekend

The cream is rising to the top in the Leinster Junior and Intermediate championships.

This weekend not only is the standard being raised but the difficulty levels also have been notched up, as both team have to travel away from home for their respective semi finals.

On paper both teams look like they could get a win.....purely as the teams they are facing are from hurling counties but, it doesn't always work out like that.

The Gers are playing Wexford champions St Fintans and Hunterstown are playing the Offaly junior b runners up Birr.

Fintans are on a remarkable run of form...they won the junior last season and went all the way to the leinster junior final also...their main man and Wexford senior Joey Wadding. He plays in the middle for them.

That run of confidence and experience of last season will stand to them and makes them a tricky prospect for the Gers. Nevermind the fact the Haggardstown men are without their main man Jim McEneaney!

However dad and manager Eamonn will have them mentally ready like they were last week to play without him. Their squad is more than capable and they even unearthed a prospect in Johnny Breen former Dundalk soccer player to come in on the forty. If they don't advance it won't be for a lack of preparation.



Hunterstown really are stepping into the unknown....Birr the club are so well known nationally for their hurling exploits but not at all for their football...who even knew they were a dual club! 

Birr do possess recent Offaly senior football players Sean Ryan and Stephen Lonergan in their squad combined with the aggression and fitness of the dual hurling members of the panel will make them a raw force for Hunterstown, literally.

The thing that gives me further hope about Hunterstown not the fact they've went away from home already this season and won or the fact they've 2 wins on the trot in this competition or the fact they have some serious scoring power but the fact that Birr are in the competition by default....losing the junior final to the Tullamore second team. 


These games are too tight to call so I'm not calling them them but I will say, We seen last week in Drogheda that it is crucial you take your chances, if you don't at this level you lose....as the Blues found out.

Hopefully we'll have two Louth teams in two Leinster finals come sunday evening!


 Sunday Line up 

Vs
St Fintans
Piercestown 2.30pm



 Vs
 Birr
  Birr 2.30pm





Friday 15 November 2013

Friday night Lights Louth U21 champo Update

okay so it isn't a straight knockout competition!!
as Round 2 kicks off tonight but the groups or table is nowhere to be seen!!? 
Supposedly it is a back door but losers are playing winners??
Confused?? 
I really am...... if you know whats going on let me know!?


Last week 6 of the 7 away teams won!?

Naomh Martin, St Brides, Mary's Ardee
O'Conn/Stabannon, Mattock/Hunterstown, Glyde/Seans/Westerns
 Clans V Gers game was refixed?

Friday 8pm
Kilkerley/Mals vs Baile Talun
Clans V Mattock/Hunterstown

Fechin's Vs Plunkett's
Dreadnots Vs O'Connells/Stabannon 
Joes vs Brides

Saturday 7pm
Pats Vs Mary's
SOM Vs Naomh Martin

Wednesday 8pm
Gers Vs Roche

Follow all the scores here with Hashtag  

#LPU21


Dreadnots V Plunketts

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Division 1 Play off

Crucial game tonight

They've both got to this playoff game the hard way......the Jocks beat the Pats and reached 10 points thinking they were safe, they go and lose the last round of the league.

While the Marys were stunned to lose promotion and the Division 2 title
in Hunterstown...since then they've beaten the Glyde and Brides.

So hard to call.

Naomh Martin Vs Mary's Ardee 
8pm Kilkerley  



Tuesday 12 November 2013

Management Merry-go-Round

and so it begins........

Quick off the mark  to get their house in Order for 2014 is the Oliver Plunketts...

They have selected Colm Coyle to manage them next season.


The former Meath half back and manager's main task will be to lead them to a Junior Championship, nothing else will suffice for the men from Mell.

It's not like he hasn't talent to work with, they've won 2 minor championship in the past decade. (2003 and 2012)

They've struggled in the past two season's with expectation, if Coyle can instill some of his mental toughness he possessed as a player then the appointment will be a success.








Saturday 9 November 2013

Leinster Mash Up Sunday

we're on such a rich vein of Leinster form and it can only get better tomorrow


Newtown Blues Vs Summerhill 
Gaelic Grounds 2.30pm

Louth versus Meath contests are always that bit special mainly for the bragging rights of supporters. 
No change here as the standard of Louth football will be judged against the standard of Meath. So regardless of whether you like the Blues or not...We'd all like to see them win so we can stick it to Meath folk.

I know football standards are not that simply judged but I'll throw any muck available at the slightest Meath fan.


I think we can be confident in this Blues side on Sunday also...they've a game under their belt in this competition and they are very familiar with Drogheda at this stage. So their chances of doing well bodes well.
However, we have to be aware that this is a Meath team and they usually full of character so where they play or getting them early in the competition does not matter in the slightest.

They won the Meath Championship in 2011 also crashing out to Brigids in first round. Conor Gillespie in the man mountain the Blues will have to worry about more importantly Conor Barton, his Kickouts will be crucial to keeping the ball away from the impressive Gillespie. Up front, wing forward and county man David Larkin sums them up the best

solid without being overly spectacular.

This is why I think the Blues will advance, the blues defence can hold this Summerhill attack and they have the sheer forward power in Judge, Andy and McGinn to win on minimum supply. 

As bragging rights and as a county lets hope so.

 
Geraldines Vs St Malachy's
Haggardstown 2.30pm

Fancied the Gers to do the business here with ease and go on a good run in Leinster that was until I opened the local papers to see Jim McEneaney is definetely out and Gerry Hoey and Baz Hamilton possibly out also.

Disaster!


Nobody said it was going to be easy anyway so the Gers will have to put the head down and work that wee bit harder for scores without Jim. I think they can and will do so. Shane O'Hanlon will pose a threat on the edge of the Square at this time of year and with Traynor and Josh Arrowsmith either side they should be productive

This is also a home tie too....so it will hopefully settle the Louth men down earlier and help them to advance. St Malachy's from Westmeath most recognisably player is Alan 'Buddah' Mangan, lively Westmeath forward of the last Decade.

Expect to see more annoying #NGA tweets tomorrow evening!

Full score by score updates here on for Leinster Club game on Sunday afternoon @ 2:30pm

Aswell as updates from Haggardstown for the Leinster game also!



Friday 8 November 2013

Friday Night Lights U21 Championship


Louth U21 Championship 2013
first team named are the home team

Fechins V Naomh Martin
Dreadnots V Plunketts
St Pats V St Brides
Kilkerley/Mals V Mary's Ardee
Roche V O'Conn/Stabannon
SOM V Mattock/Hunterstown
Joes V Glyde/Seans/Westerns
Friday 7.30pm
Clans V Gers
Tues 7.30pm
Great competition and often overlooked due to fixture congestion. How and ever I'm not here to rant! I'm just delighted it is actually going ahead.

It can be a really beneficial learning environment for young players and teams. I actually think players at this age are not playing enough football.
It, being their possible last game as collective makes it more meaningful to the players involved also. Pity the Blues and Cooley are unable to field.

2010 minor Champions Joe's will start as favourite but with the nature of the competition and knockout format itself....don't be surprised if their is a shock winner. 


Tonight add this hashtag to update the Louth under 21 champo tonight

  

 Spread the word 
 

 


Tuesday 5 November 2013

We did it again

Louth GAA Did what again?? 

Produce Another Irish international thats what!

Mattock Rangers and Louth Hurler Brian Corcoran was part of the Irish Under 21 Squad  that defeated Scotland 4-9 to 2-4  at the Hurling Shinty International in Inverness.


Brian With his Proud Parents Tony and Audrey



A great achievement for a Louth man to be involved amongst the absolute cream of Irish hurling talent at that age group. Brian also chipped in with a point for himself also!


Saturday 2 November 2013

Sunday Funday



Right folks take you pick its all there for you on this Sunday funday!
 

Mid Louther's might be tempted to go to Ardee to see 

Hunterstown Rovers play Carrickendmond at 2.30pm

in the Leinster junior football Championship Quarter final!

The Longford opposition are actually intermediate finalists but Hunterstown still should have enough in the tank to take care of them.


If Louth hurling is your game....why not take a wee drive to Greystones not so lovely this time of year.

Pearse
Óg play Éire Óg Greystones.....at Half 2 

Louth Senior hurling Champions play Wicklow intermediate champions having the experience of last year and playing in the Leinster League will have them well prepared to travel away and win.



oh and last but not least.....
Cardinal O'Donnell Cup Final!!! 


Pats and Cooley
2.30pm
Páirc Naomh Bríd, Dowdallshill 


One of Louth GAA's Blue riband competitions but often overlooked and this sunday's showcase is no different.
Originally fixed for 1pm and then changed to clash with Hunterstown's game. 


So the contest for the arguably second most significant medal in Louth Senior football after will be played on a sunday afternoon in November, not ideal is it?

Sunday afternoon games are usually played at the same pace you lounge around your living room, slow and lethargic!

It's a pity really and I know we can't play the competition off any earlier but we should do our best to respect the players that have played in it since it started back in April, a full 7 months ago!

One simple solution could have been to play it under lights on a Saturday night..great atmosphere and gives the players an opportunity to celebrate properly afterwards.

Bottom Line the Competition deserves more respect and publicity

okay, rant over.

The game itself is hard to call.....because it is over 2 weeks since they won their semi's...hard to know who is fit or unfit and games at this time of year are usually determined on weather and playing conditions under foot.

Motivation
Cooley will want to come away from the year at least winning something and not losing a final while the Pats will want to add their dominance in the record books in recent seasons.

Verdict
Cooley to finally break the Pats Hoodoo













Friday 1 November 2013

Louth Team of Champions

I mentioned it yesterday in a tweet, that a whole host of Players could be drafted into the Louth setup from each team that won their respective Championship as soon as their Leinster campaign ends and it got me thinking

Newtown Blues
Geraldines
Hunterstown Rovers
Loads of talent there and Here's my possible team of Champions.



First 15

Conor Barton

Tiarnan Hand, Thomas Costello, Ciaran Carrie

Stephen Moonan, Gerry Hoey, Jimmy Murray

Michael Rogers, Keith Lynch

Paul Carrie, Jim McEneaney, Andy McDonnell

Colm Judge, Hugh McGinn, Ryan Burns


Subs
Alan Fedigan, Conor Brannigan, Alan Landy, John Kermode, Shane O'Hanlon, James Craven, Brendan Lennon,Glen Traynor.

 Agree or Disagree?
Let me know or tweet me who I missed out on?!