One irk I have to the management is the league squad will probably be released Saturday at some stage and then we won't get a team for the game until an hour before the game with it obviously being a dummy team. So until throw in on Sunday we won't know the team.

BreakingBall123 (Sligo) - Posts: 93 - 21/01/2025 18:18:53    2586847

westvoice (Sligo) - Posts: 69 - 22/01/2025 09:09:35    2586898

I think it depends on your priority goals for the year whether Murphy is rested or not. Derry did win the league last year with the Glen lads but they looked tired through the championship.

I think getting out of Division 3 is more important this year than championship so I'd have him involved with a minimal training load.

I can understand if they rest him for a few weeks though.

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1786 - 22/01/2025 16:46:14    2586993

Westvoice, my understanding from the new rules is the GK can be an extra player in the opposition half, 13 on 12. It is risky but I can see the better outfield GK's taking advantage of that when in possession. Obvious situational awareness would be key and timing. I think this will only be evident later in the year though in better conditions or pitches.

As you say, all the teams are focusing massively on kickouts. The kickouts are going to be more 50/50 than ever. Break winning will be huge. I can't see many teams getting clean possession.

I do feel they brought in too many new rules, they let Gavin have to much of a leash and almost be unquestionable. The refereeing will be a biggest issue. Also whilst I know the GPA are all about player welfare, I see intercounty careers shorten due to burnout on a far larger scale and injuries increasing. I know the players will probably enjoy the game more.

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1786 - 22/01/2025 18:32:52    2587026

Summerhill beat St Jarlaths 2-13 to 1-10 in the Connacht A semi final this week. Final is against Leitrim schools v St Colman's. It would be great to get another Connacht A title. Fair play to all involved.

I think Summerhill won the Junior Connacht title as well.

If there is another wave of serious underage players coming through it bodes well. The A senior final is usually shown on connachtgaa.ie.

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1786 - 22/01/2025 19:48:11    2587033

sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 850 - 22/01/2025 20:49:43    2587040

Sligoman1234 (Sligo) - Posts: 468 - 23/01/2025 10:56:30    2587093

I see a few counties have published their league squads. This should be managed by croke park for all counties. Also match day squad has to be in to croke park this morning. Should also be published. Sligo panel prob won't be released til probably an hour before the game on Sunday.

westvoice (Sligo) - Posts: 69 - 23/01/2025 11:05:51    2587098

sligo joe (Dublin) - Posts: 850 - 23/01/2025 13:23:05    2587127

The Sligo football squad has been named for Offaly;

Casserly
Conlon
Cox
Cummins vice captain
Lee Deignan
Aidan Devaney
Ross Doherty
Oisin Flynn
Kilcoyne
Lally
J Lavin
Evan Lyons
Daniel Lyons
McGuinness
McLoughlin
McNamara
Mulligan
Niall Murphy Captain
P o Connor
D Quinn
Alan Reilly
Rossa Sloyan
Eoghan Smith
Spillane
Towey
Mark Walsh

Not sure on injuries, but notable absentees are Gordon, Dylan Walsh, James Donlon, Daire O Boyle and Luke Marren. Devaney and Lyons are the GKs and I doubt we see either out the field much if at all. Has Matt Henry committed at all? It will be interesting to see how we do without Carrabine.

Notable that Doherty and Murphy are included after Coolera's campaign. As I knew already Murphy would be involved. Having watched the games tonight we have loads of 2pt scoring options. Defence's open up a lot more in the last 15 mins too. Great to see Reilly back involved and Sloyan make the 26.

No real surprise with this management, Id expect very little surprise with the starting team. All the best for 2025.

Big statement from Kildare tonight with flanagan as manager introducing more u20s. Fermanagh were competitive in Div2 last year but new rules won't suit their style.

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1786 - 25/01/2025 22:19:32    2587532

Well that was just shocking. Certainly a game of two halves and even though we missed a fair few good chances in the first half I didn't expect what happened in the second to occur. Offaly were full value for their win but kicking 15 wides gifted them the game, as well as two points from Devaney hesitating with one and going too short with another. He then started to panic with kickouts and we had a terrible success rate on our own.

I think the sideline were too slow to bring on changes. It was what 50mins before we introduced subs but the rot had well and truly set in. We had no leaders up front especially in the second half. Lally played well in the first but some of our lads really enjoying running into the tightest angle possible to get a shot off when they were in far better position when they received it.

The fact that Clare and Fermanagh were both beaten means the second spot is wide open, so there still is a chance for everyone. I don't see us beating Kildare and to be honest if we perform like that again it's the bottom end of the table we need to be watching not the top. The only hope is that it can't be any worse but I'm hoping that anyway.

Really missed the likes of Murphy (for full game) and Carrabine up front today. Offaly towards the end were running riot and looked like they had plenty of legs in them. Their GK getting two fine points from play put the icing on the cake for me. Let no one say it was the new rules anyway that cost us. Well below par performance and I hope it's a real wake up call for the panel and management.

Sligoman1234 (Sligo) - Posts: 468 - 26/01/2025 19:27:48    2587759

A big surprise especially the margin of defeat for Sligo senior footballers. Results like that will rightly leave supporters such as Sligonian asking is the best got out of this talented group of Sligo players under their current management.

Drax_the_destroyer (UK) - Posts: 321 - 26/01/2025 19:39:51    2587762

The bad starts continue under McEntee. This is year 5 and they still can't get it right.

Offaly who lost to London, Limerick and Down in the Tailtean cup group stage go from that a few months ago to beating us comfortably. The input of Harte and Bree obviously already makes a difference.

On the game today we were 9-6 up close to HT and went scoreless for over 20 mins and fall behind 1-13 to 9 pts and eventually lose 1-17 to 13. It is time we got real about the senior set up. Offaly should not be beating us this easily. Whatever was said at HT didn't work and no change to their momentum. 15 wides by us is too many but they missed loads too.

With Fermanagh and Clare also losing it doesn't mean its over yet. Kildare at home is probably a must win or even draw now and that looks tough but the rest are clearly winnable. Our record in previous years after losing the first game is very good, and our record in Markievicz is formidable so I can't help but think we can win our 3 home games so I wouldn't be waving the white flag yet. You do need 11 pts min usually to get promotion so little room for error.

Hopefully we can turn it around quickly.

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1786 - 26/01/2025 20:49:27    2587774

Sligonian (Sligo) - Posts: 1786 - 26/01/2025 21:12:33    2587781

Made the trip to Tullamore and had an eerie feeling before throw in.
Sligo were extremely passive in possession and offered little going forward. O'Connor showed something for a spell, the rest of our attack was really lethargic. Alan Reilly had moments but a little disappointing in the end up, Lally wasn't really at it and McLoughlin was so disappointing. A lot of talk about bringing in younger guys but we seemed to lack experience around the midfield and were bullied in the second half. They will make fine players for Sligo but the younger guys who started never really got going, Mulligan, Casserly, Smith, etc. I'd note as well that Spillanes best performances come from the bench. He's never been a starter for me and I think Kilcoyne struggles in them physical encounters at midfield.
I thought there was an obvious lack quality. For the first time in a long time, we looked like a side that might be a division four team. Obviously Murphy and Towey not starting is a drop in quality right away. Carrabine immediately looks a seismic loss, is he definitely gone for the year? I heard murmurings of a comeback in Tullamore. Cummins as a line breaker was a notable absentee, too. We didn't break the offaly defensive lines at all and the sad part is, I don't think Offaly are good at the back. Offaly were however so much slicker on the ball in the second half.
I think McEntee and company got it wrong on the line. Far too slow in making changes and they looked unsure almost as to the new rules. Offaly used the touch and go several times to great success in getting up the pitch, I'm not sure we did once. Aidan Devanney has been a good player for Sligo but this was the perfect time to look at a change there. His positioning to me for the whole game was baffling and I'd have major doubts on the coaching done on this. If the kickouts were of a high percentage of success, you might live with it but we lost so many of our own. This needs to be evaluated if this rule stays in. McEntee and his coaching team are taking a risk that the keeper won't be a huge part of this new shake up in Gaelic Football. If he's wrong, it could be a disaster for 2025.
It's not the first time we have got off to a bad start but we've usually had a nice second game to get going. We don't have that luxury this time with Kildare next week. If we don't win, our promotion hopes are effectively gone which would be a huge disappointment. I've backed this management and think this team has made steady progress over the past 4 years, but yesterday it felt like we hit a wall. I hope it's a blip and we see a much better performance next Sunday.

johncreilly (Sligo) - Posts: 144 - 27/01/2025 07:29:06    2587820

johncreilly (Sligo) - Posts: 144 - 27/01/2025 07:35:26    2587822

johncreilly (Sligo) - Posts: 144 - 27/01/2025 07:39:45    2587823

We appear to have not gotten the memo about the keeper. I see Colm Parkinson on about it this morning. There is also murmurings that it could be scrapped after round two but at that stage for us that will be too late if we have lost two games. A win v Offaly would've made it irrelevant but now we are in bother and have to do something with little time to get it right. As far as I know Carrabine is still in Australia but his name did appear on a transfer list this week so who knows. Sligonian mentioned Offaly had a poor season last year (which is true) however mentioned Fermanagh were impressive in his comments re their loss to Kildare (They had a bad loss to Antrim in Tailteann)…again pushing his narrative. To be perfectly honest I don't know how we could've lined up much stronger without starting Murphy who has played 12 months of football solid. The players he mentioned not in the squad have not committed for various reasons…I think one may have not made the league panel. Keelan Harte might have to go straight in next week which in any other circumstance would be lunacy but this keeper 12v11 looks huge. We have always lacked physicality around the middle, Canice isn't huge and I think Paul Kilcoyne plays because he is the defensive cog, he is always the man getting back when we turn it over. He kind of reminds me of how Colm Cavanagh used to be for Tyrone, gets back and sits deep. Neither in the team for their arial ability. Kevin Feely could cause us serious bother next week around the middle. He was in full forward if I remember correctly in the Sam maguire game in 2023. Yesterday was very disappointing, hopefully we can turn it around. At least one gent got satisfaction in the loss and would've been lining up his attacks from half 3 yesterday afternoon.

BreakingBall123 (Sligo) - Posts: 93 - 27/01/2025 12:22:26    2587867

A positive was Rossa Sloyan making his debut. An impressive footballer and possibly our long term number 6… if you were to heed Sligonian tho no new players are given a chance and Barnes Murphy is still our centre back.

BreakingBall123 (Sligo) - Posts: 93 - 27/01/2025 12:46:03    2587874

MrUnderhill (Sligo) - Posts: 81 - 27/01/2025 14:22:03    2587927