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Club Championships 2019 - 3 Like(s)
I said here after the county semi final that I didn't think Tourlestrane were really that good a team, by which I meant that in the sense that they should be enjoying such a overwhelming dominance of Sligo football as they do right now, and a fair few seemed to disagree. Might be no harm to consider that after another one-and-done in Connacht by them, and their worst defeat in it yet. The optimism that seemed to be around about their chances in Connacht was a bit of a mystery, and as it turns out misplaced.
In their credit, in this decade they have won six championships, including the last four in a row, not done since the 60s. They have also won eight league titles, the last five in a row, and 7 out of 8. And they have had some ridiculous run like only losing 1 or 2 league games in that time, as well as being unbeaten in about 25 games or so in championship. It is fair going to be fair to them, to keep up that level of success.
Against that though they have now lost their last six Connacht club ties, and a team that has posted such big scores inside the county has managed just 0-5, 0-9, 0-5 and 0-6 in the last four years in Connacht. And you're going back to the early 90's since they beat a non-Leitrim team in it. When you see what Mullinalaghta achieved last year, where they were showing signs of being competitive in Leinster even before they broke through, it does show them up a bit.
But the real problem in looking at their success is a simple one, what is it that they have beaten? Club football in the county is surely at its worst standard going back to the 90's. In the previous decade you had the three big teams Curry/Harps/Tour driving each other on, with another 6 or 7 teams dipping in and out of title contention but generally able to put it up to any of the three on a given day. And the county champions were able to compete with and occasionally beat the top teams in Connacht. Now you have two teams that contested Connacht finals in a mess, Harps are barely staying in senior but Curry couldn't even manage that. And how many clubs can say that the team they have now is better than what they had in the previous decade? Not too many I'd say. This isn't Tourlestrane's fault of course and it's not something that'll be solved easily or quickly, but it does reflect where football in the county is right now.
The other thing worth noting is that for a team that are so far ahead of the rest in the county, their contribution to the county team has been so limited. Only McIntyre I think played in the championship this year and there was maybe a handful more involved in the panel. Now it's not unusual that a good solid team without any real stars can achieve a lot in many counties, it happens often enough, but surely not to be so far ahead of the pack as they are. The combination of being so far ahead to make the club scene seem so uncompetitive - as probably reflected by such a badly attended county final - along with them then not making any headway in the provincial championship, never mind being genuine contenders, and then not driving the county team on at all, all makes for a very frustrating picture.
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 04/11/2019 12:39:54
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Sligo JFC 2006 Winners - 2 Like(s)
Replying To fb: "I can completely agree..I think 8 teams in each champo is a no brainer...you'd have 3 very competitive championships and young lads no matter what clubs they are with would be playing a decent standard. Also think relegation in champo should be scrapped and you play in whatever one that corresponds with your league status . you could maybe bring in an exemption if a team did get relegated in the league and then won the champo the same year , little chance of thus happening tho." Yeah it would make for better standard of championships across the board if they trimmed them back to 8 each, with the rest in Junior B, which would be improved too as more reliable second teams would be competing in it then. The Junior A as it is is weak enough except for the fact that Easkey couldn't arrest their slide, but unless Collooney can stop them they'll bounce back up. But the hammerings that those two teams dished out in their Junior groups are like what was happening a few years ago in Intermediate before the numbers were cut, so change will be needed to get that grade to bemore competitive, even if it is far better than what it used to be ten years ago.
If you had an 8-8-8 arrangement this year we could have lined up like this:
Senior - Tourlestrane, Mary's, Tubbercurry, Harps, Mullinabreena, Coolera, Calry, Molaise.
Intermediate - Curry, Drumcliffe, John's, Farnan's, Geevagh, Shamrock Gaels, Castleconnor, Bunninadden.
Junior A - Enniscrone, Pat's, Michael's, Easkey, Ballymote, Tourlestrane, Owenmore Gaels, Cloonacool.
Junior B- Curry, Harps, Mary's and the rest in it this year.
Would make for far better competition in my view.
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 12/09/2018 12:11:24
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Sligo 2019 - 2 Like(s)
Replying To NewSligofan: "Team for Sunday
1. Kilgannon
2. Gordon (Curry)
3. Laffey
4. Gordon (Easkey)
5. McNamara
6. McIntyre
7. Cummins
8. Kilcoyne
9. O'Kelly Lynch
10. Cawley
11. O'Connor
12. Carrabine
13. Marren
14. Murphy" Think we're up against it enough as it is without starting with only 14 players!
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 13/05/2019 16:23:08
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Gaps Between County Title Wins - 2 Like(s)
Replying To leitrim4sam: "I'm always interested in clubs winning county titles and bringing pride and celebration to their part of whatever county it is.
What is the biggest gap between a last senior title and that clubs next title that you can remember in your county. Be it football or hurling?
In leitrim Annaduff won the football title in 2004 for the first time since 1928, 76 year gap, it's the biggest gap I can remember in leitrim. Fenagh St. Caillins, if they win it this year (one of the favourites to do so and let's hope they do) will bridge a 91 year gap going back to 1932.
Surely there is bigger gaps and more celebrated ones through the country. Unfortunately first time winners don't come in to this as great as they are indeed. Let's find the biggest gap between winning one and winning it again…." The Sligo football final of 2000 must surely be unique in regard to long gaps. Finalists Bunninadden and Coolera had both only one previous title win, Bunninadden in 1891 and Coolera in 1907, over 200 years combined!
Bunninadden won it with a last gasp goal to bridge their 109 year gap. Coolera had to wait a bit longer but they did win in 2005, so ending a 98 year gap.
ChasingShadows (National) - 29/08/2023 18:31:29
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Club Championships 2019 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To NewSligofan: "Champion is full of first round reports this week I see." Yes just the three intermediate games ignored and two paragraphs on one of the senior games.
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 31/07/2019 12:17:52
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Under 20'S - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Maggiepie: "And then we wonder why a Galway team in 1st gear beat us by 13 points.
Everything you say in your post points to the fact that the organization of games within our County is a shambles . The gulf in class between Sligo and Galway was laid bare last Sunday and only the best type of coaching will close this. We have the Centre, let's put it to good use." You'd certainly think we'd get used to how to deal best with playing with or against the wind from being in Scarden if nothing else.
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 21/05/2019 14:17:54
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Sligo Club Fixtures 2019 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To eoinog: "Players don't seem to mind the venue's but they have a huge issue with games on a Sunday evening at 6. When game is over they might have to head for Limerick, Dublin, Cork and all buses and trains are gone.... This has been brought up at the last 2 conventions . As for having double headers, it's all down to finance. More money for the coffers. You also need a warm up pitch if you are having double headers. Can't expect spectators to go to a game at 2 which is over at 3.20 and second game not on till 4 cos the players rightly so need a full warm up. However there are pitches that can accommodate this. Tubber, Bunnyland, Collooney, . Pitches unsuitable are Tourlestrane, Ballymote etc etc" Ballymote has a pitch for warming up on as well.
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 18/07/2019 21:56:49
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Sligo GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Replying To eoinog: "Anybody at the challenge between Sligo and Mayo. Not a word on any Sligo social media site about it . The team that was on the program that appeared on the Sligo Twitter page wasn't anywhere close to the team that actually started. Woeful *****. Not sure is it the team Mgt or the Co Board that's at fault there. Who is this Howley lad that started" Don't think we got a single team lineout in advance of a game all last year so that's no great surprise.
ChasingShadows (National) - 05/01/2023 19:02:53
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The positive Sligo GAA thread - 1 Like(s)
Great win for the hurlers today.
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 09/06/2019 17:31:00
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Sligo 2019 - 1 Like(s)
Replying To MourneRising: "Down always bring a few hundred diehards, although the weather might reduce the numbers. Presumably there will be parking available on the main road back to Sligo ?" They're allowing parking on the N17 road (to Galway) anyway, not sure about the N4.
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 31/01/2019 09:36:16
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Galway V Sligo - Salthill June 3Rd - 1 Like(s)
Replying To Sligonian: "Pointman -Your a negative pessimist not a realist, I believe in whats possible so I had a far idea we could get hammered too but will always be willing to back the Players publicly before the match and try and see a way we could win. Opinions aren't facts either but i feel its best to be as positive as you can before matches as a supporter.
How is it an obsession with FOD, he interviewed for the job but Corey beat him because the guys making decisions in Sligo football shouldn't within a million miles of the CB, do you honestly think that looks sane now and even then with both their previous CVs? So what if Roscommon people were torn, not everyone is happy with Managers of any team, that was a lot to do with club rivalry. He still won a minor All Ireland and Connacht senior with teams who overachieved.
To what extent are any of ye the barometer of opinion in Sligo football as a supporter or Coach? What have yee done? What has your horse manure friend done and newSligofan?
Who's your local candidates Pointman then and why?
Were yee at the Galway game, give us your tactical nous and knowledge review? Ye hardly went to see us lose by 21pts?
Carew and Corey were always going to fail miserably, they had never managed at intercounty level. That's the key rather than if there inside or outside choices. Carew had earned it more I will say as a selector.
Look forward to yere answers" Carew had managed Waterford for two years before landing in Sligo fwiw.
ChasingShadows (Sligo) - 15/06/2018 10:09:57
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