NFL Build Up:Live BLOG MY STARTING TEAM

We know the Squad for the League,  We know the Fixtures for the League and we even know the Westmeath team in the league opener!

Two things we don't know, sorry three things we don't know however, are.....

1. Our Team for Sunday

2. Is Darren Clarke and Mark Brennan Suspended for this game?

and

3. How bad are our 3 injury concerns (PK Andy and Shev)?


2 and 3 I cannot answer.......

and 1. Regardless of injuries and possible suspensions I will attempt to Guess, now,  before the Team is named tonight. 

Stay Tuned.....Live Blog on the way


Goalkeeper

 1. Neil Gallagher

Reasons: Best keeper in Louth

Full Back LIne  

 2. John Bingham   3. Jamie Carr  4. Pop Rath 

Reasons: With the lively inside line of Westmeath, there is no need for Dessie back there. Pop will pick up Glennon again.
John Bingham has played his way into the team on Merit and his first league start will be on James Dolan who will suit his game down to the ground.  Starting a debutant will raise everyone else game as his youth and enthusiasm will rub off on others.
Leaving Jaime Carr to possibly go out the field on Foley which will also Suit Jaime's game.

Half Back Line  

5. Derek Crilly   6. Liam Shevlin 7. Adrian Reid


Reasons:  The Whole reason behind the Adrian Reid half back experiment was for him to exploit opposition defensive wing forwards. Sunday will be the perfect platform to attack, attack and attack some more! Hopefully causing them to change their game plan. The Same goes for Crilly on the other flank.
Liam will hold the middle at centre back and will have his hands full with McCormack.

if Liam doesn't pull through, Derek goes Centre half, and Gerry Hoey comes in Right half not ideal in this crucial game as Derek hasn't convinced at 6 but has the potential, shame he got injured there during the O'Byrne cup campaign.

Midfield  
  8. Paddy Keenan        9. Ronan Carroll

Reasons: The old reliable midfield partnership will start the new managements maiden league campaign.
PK wasn't right for the first championship game in Navan last year and missed the qualifer exit....so he'll be chomping at the bit to match up with Bannon and Heslin. Ronan Carroll is a confidence player if he starts the game well he'll play well, lets hope he starts well. Louth definitely have the the potential to gain an upper hand at midfield especially with Heslin playing midweek with UCD.

If PK doesn't play (with a calf strain) I reckon Dessie will start there. played there this year and marked Heslin already this season.


Half Forward Line

10. Andy McDonnell 11. Jim McEneaney 12. Peach Califf 

Reasons: All from the same minor team and all flourishing under the new regime. They all offer something a little different also (Jim free's and Peach is an option for kickouts and Andy's workrate) making the half forward line altogether, very balanced. 

If Andy isn't fit i reckon Brian White will come in on the wing.

I have been informed that Mark Brennan and Darren Clarke are definitely suspended 

 

Full Forward Line 

13. David Reid        14. Shane Lennon 15. Eoin O'Connor


Reasons: Darren Clarke out with suspension leaves us in a pickle especially with JP, Colm Judge and Derek Maguire not fully up and running yet.  

It means we will either have like for like inside with two target men Lennon and O'Connor or we will have David Reid inside with Lennon forcing O'Connor uncomfortably out the field. 
Maybe during the game they will rotate and the variation will help our forward play and chances of creating scores.



Thats it, thats my team. We will hopefully know tonight what the team will be...worringly injuries and suspensions leaves us a little unsettled and somewhat short preparation wise.
We could see a number of changes from the O'Byrne cup sides and some new faces being thrown in for the first time this season. Brian Donnelly, Derek Maguire Colm Judge etc



 

 

NFL BUILD UP: Westmeath First Blood

Have Westmeath foolishly named their team too early? 
or 
is it a Statement of intent? 

here's our hand Louth!! we're confident enough to show ye now......deal with it!

Westmeath Team


Gary Connaughton;

Mark McCallon, Kieran Gavin, Kevin Maguire;

Michael Curley, Paul Sharry, Dorian Harte;

Paul Bannon, John Heslin;

Ger Egan, Callum McCormack, Kieran Martin;

Ronan Foley, James Dolan, Denis Glennon.

To be honest to them it will be the Strongest Westmeath team we will have faced so far. 

It's has a balanced look about it.

Hard working half forward line with Callum McCormack leading the line on the forty, he caused us problems on numerous occasions last year coming off the bench in Navan and in Mulligar during our Qualifier exit.

Their Defence has got an upgrade too. 

Kieran Gavin is possibly the full back there is in the country has gotten over his long term thigh injury to start instead of John Gaffney.  Corner back Mark McCallon is one to look out for too, the pacy  defender has been one of Garrycastle's standout performers in recent season's.

The pace of their inside forward line is the most frightening and with Ronan Foley a natural winger Speedsters James Dolan and Denis Glennon will be left inside with lots of space to exploit.

They also Boast the services of Desmond Dolan who will come off the bench at some stage to give the midlanders some experience to guide them home to victory!? We'll see....

and with the Louth Team to be named after training on thursday night it's up to Aidan O'Rourke now, to call their bluff...........


TOMORROW: MY LOUTH TEAM TO FACE WESTMEATH 

Louth and the sigerson

Last year I did a piece on the Sigerson Cup and Louth

http://louthandproud.blogspot.ie/2012/01/sigerson-and-louth.html

and not much has changed to be honest.....

Sigerson Cup

We still have a limited number of players involved with the elite university competition


A Possible 8 players actually

DIT: Gary O'Hare Na Piarsaigh
DCU: Brian Donnelly Cooley Kickhams

UCD: Paddy Reilly Brides and Andrew English Mochta's
Tralee IT: Barry O'Hare Roche Emmetts
Carlow IT: Jaime King Fechins and Robert Samson Joe's
NUI Maynooth:  James Califf Dreadnots


Trench Cup

2pm today(now)  see's Uni of Ulster Coleraine take on our own DKIT away in Coleraine, tough ask for a side with little or no tradition in the competition to get a win up there.

But, there is history between the two sides and Dundalk feel there is some unfinished business.

So watch this space!!!!

 9 home grown players involved in the Squad are:


Cathal Bellew Kilkerly Emmets Andy McDonnell Newtown Blues
Derek Maguire DYI
Bernard Mulligan St Joesphs
Timmy Smyth Mattock
Joe Flanagan O'Raths
Keith mcLoughlin  seans
Alan Quigley St Joesphs
Brian Fitzpatrick Plunketts


The timing of these competitions the week before the league has been a nuisance but, with only 6 Louth Senior players with a chance of playing means we are affected but minimal in comparison to other counties.



BEST OF LUCK TO ALL



Full list of SIGERSON Fixtures


(A) UL V DCU
(B) Athlone IT v IT Carlow
(C) Cork IT v GMIT
(D) UCC v UUJ
(E) IT Tralee v St.Marys Belfast
(F) UL / DCU v QUB
(G) Trinity v UCD
(H) NUIG v DIT
(I) IT Sligo v NUI Maynooth
Quarter-Finals - 13.02.13/14.02.13


First team named has Home Advantage

(J) B v C

(K) D v E

(L) F v G

(M) H v I


Semi Finals -22.02.13 - Athlone IT
J v K
L v M


Final - 23.02.13 - Athlone IT

NFL Build UP: Louth Squad

Louth Panel for the Upcoming League

Sent from Official Louth Source has 36 players listed.

I thought the League Panel could feature only 26 players?


Full List of 36

Quick Breakdown
2 Goalkeepers  
NEIL GALLAGHER, CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE
SEAN CONNOR, NAOMH PADRAIG
 
16 Defenders 
DECLAN BYRNE, NAOMH MOCHTA
JAMIE CARR, GORMAITHE BAILE NUA
GARY CONNOLLY, NAOMH MOCHTA
DEREK CRILLY, NA GAEIL
CATHAL BELLEW, EMMITTI CILL CHOIRLE
JOHN BINGHAM, NAOMH MHUIRE
DESSIE FINNEGAN, NAOMH PADRAIG
GERARD HOEY, NA GEARALTAIGH
CONOR MCGUINNESS, CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE
JOHN O BRIEN, SEAN O MATHUNA
ADRIAN REID, RAONAITHE MAITEOIGE
PADRAIG RATH, DREADNOTS CEANN CLOCHAIR

LIAM SHEVLIN, DREADNOTS CEANN CLOCHAIR

RAY FINNEGAN, NAOMH PADRAIG
GARY O HARE, NA PIARSAIGH
MICK FANNING, NAOMH MAIRTIN


5 midfielders 
RONAN CARROLL, NAOMH MHUIRE
JAMES CALIFF, DREADNOTS CEANN CLOCHAIR
PADDY KEENAN, NAOMH PADRAIG
CONOR RAFFERTY, CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE

BRIAN DONNELLY, CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE
  
13 Forwards
MARK BRENNAN, NAOMH SILBHEASTAIR
DAVID REID, RAONAITHE MAITEOIGE
DARREN CLARKE, NAOMH MHUIRE
SHANE LENNON, EMMITTI CILL CHOIRLE

ANDY MCDONNELL, GORMAITHE BAILE NUA
JIM MC ENEANEY, NA GEARALTAIGH
EOIN O'CONNOR, NAOMH PADRAIG
BRIAN WHITE, CICEAMS CHUAILGHNE

DEREK MAGUIRE, EIRE OG DUN DEALGAN 
COLM JUDGE, GORMAITHE BAILE NUA
KEVIN RODGERS, NAOMH MALACHI
JP ROONEY, NAOMH MAIRTIN
PARAIC SMITH, DREADNOTS CEANN CLOCHAIR



9 of the 36 players, underlined have not played in the O'Byrne Cup due to either Injury or University commitments.
 
9 Omissions from the 36 list who played and were involved in the O'Byrne Cup are 
Bernard Mulligan, 
Ruairi Moore, 
Paddy Sheelan,
Sean McCann, 
JJ Quigley,
Danny O'Connor,
Jackie Agnew,
Shane O'Hanlon,
Shane McCoy.

These cuts are an Interesting insight into the management's thinking. 

Have they taken a risk and selected some injury doubts ahead of fit players just to have them available to come in during the league which spans from this Sunday till April.

So basically, this will be the squad come Championship but, are they relying on reputation too much?

STILL MORE TO COME LATER 

NFL Build Up: Division 2 Fixtures 2013

Okay folks, get the diary out! and Pencil these bad boys down 


7 games

Sun Feb 3rd Westmeath (A) Mullingar

Sun Feb 10th Galway (H)

Sat Mar 2nd Laois (A) Portlaoise

Sun Mar 10th Wexford (H)

Sat Mar 16th Armagh (A) Armagh

Sun Mar 24th Derry (H)

Sun Apr 7th Longford (H)


The next 3 months will be GAA filled with a game every few weeks. 

Great excitement and importantly, exciting entertainment awaits......

Schedule

The Schedule break down has been kind to us this year. We have 3 away trips compared to 4 last year. but that’s where the kindness ends I'm afraid.

Sure, we play 2 of the better ranked teams from last season Galway and Derry at home, but these are serious teams and it is not like Drogheda is a feared fortress!

Also we have, not one, but two of the relegated teams from last years Division 1, Armagh and Laois away from home, with the added difficulty of playing them under lights on a Saturday night.  

Suddenly Division 2 and Survival looks Daunting, to say the least!

Crucial

Westmeath. in Mullingar. this Sunday. is crucial. 

They are our nearest rival ability wise but playing them first up and getting a win early doors is essential, for confidence and relieving the pressure of the drop alone.
Although it is our other away tie, Louth are very familiar with Westmeath and Mullingar and where we play will not be the significance factor when deciding the outcome. (more on this later in the week)
Where the Draw has been somewhat kind to us is the match up of the two promoted teams from Division 3. We face Longford and Wexford at home. These two teams are the one's management will have have pencilled down as possible teams to take points off so the fact that we play them at home will stand to us.  

Summary

Thats the thing about Division 2, it looks manageable on paper but take your eye of the ball in reality and you will go down i.e. Meath and Monaghan last year.

Getting points on the board early and unexpectantly, keep you up. 

6 was the magic points number last season and from unexpected sources Two Draw's in Derry and Galway.

That figure should be enough to keep us up this season again.

It is essential we Beat Longford and Wexford at home but first, We must get the ball rolling with a win against Westmeath, Sunday. 

Those 3 games sum up Division 2 for us. It is all about Survival, Anything else is a bonus.

NFL Build Up: 5 League Places

Aidan O'Rourke said in the Demo this week, that he was very impressed with the depth of quality that's there.

Rightfully so, He used the warm up competition very wisely using up to 36 players in total!

The Squad nevermind the Team is very difficult task.

But With a little over a week till the first league game (the 3rd of February against Westmeath in Mullingar.) and a week since the end of our O'Byrne cup campaign.


I've decided to name my 5 certainties to start that day in Cusack park. 



1. Paddy Keenan
Numbero Uno, PK is number one on the team sheet, everytime, all the time! 
Lets move along shall we.

2. Andy McDonnell
An absolute revelation so far in 2013, worked his socks off in pre-season and it showed. Andy was our best player by far, covered every blade of grass in each game he was involved in and with that, his confidence has also grown.

3. Neil Gallagher
The Cooley man is the best goalie in the county and one of the best shot stoppers in the country. The Thursday night in Navan confirmed all of this!
Numerous saves and a penalty stop on his best night in a Louth jersey so far.

4. Adrian Reid 
Playing in an unfamiliar position, left half back. Reido has adjusted to it very quickly and has shone there also. Mostly because it suits him there, Coming on to the ball, attacking and marauding forward. Switch of the season if he is left there.

5. Darren Clarke
Clarkie is our top inside forward. Full stop.
The man scores like his oxygen is going to be cut off if he doesn't. Who plays alongside him or in front of him might be uncertain and open to alot of competition but Clarke's place is secured. Suspended or not.
 

I will pick my Full team next week closer to the game but digest these five first please. 


Agree? disagree?
let me know your five!? 

either comment below or tweet me or facebook me over the weekend












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Looking For a Physio? 

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Then Look no Further than the

We are the Physiotherapists chosen for the Louth GAA Senior Football and Hurling teams 2012 and 2013. To show our support and Loyalty to our county, I would like to take this opportunity to discuss our business and physiotherapy skills that we can provide for your club.

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-Open late evenings and weekends.
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-Full time reception Staff.
-Flat rate of €35 per physiotherapy session.

We offer a fair price due to the current economic climate to make it easy and affordable for your players recovery at the highest of Standards.

If you would like to discuss this further or set up a meeting  

contact Robbie at 042 9394040
or www.louthphysio.ie  
and @louthPhysio 

located at 
45 Barrack St, Dundalk & Upper Mell, Drogheda