County Under 21 football championship

[Lone Shark]

I think we could do with a thread to pull all of this stuff together - it's certainly not easy keep track of them from outside the county anyway.

I was at the Wheery vs K/K game last night and to say that it was controversial would be an understatement. Mick Mahon changed his mind about the score a few times - at various stages he gave and took away a phantom point from Wheery. He walked off the field declaring Wheery the winners by a point, but later changed his mind and called the game a draw - by which time many of the K/K lads had already showered off, so no extra time was played.

For the record, I was keeping score and I did make it a draw, as did most of those in attendance, so I don't think this was an injustice or anything.

Wheery beat Gracefield by five on Saturday so this was a quarter final - but beyond this I've no idea what's going on in this competition. Any insight out there?

[Hyper]

Shamrocks and St Colemans drew again last night aet. That replay is on Sunday. I think three games are down for Friday

[RhodeRunner]

St Michaels (Rhode) play Edenderry Friday night in Rhode

[Kemo Sabe]

tullamore playing st colms thursday week feb24 .tullamore very strong again will take a good team to beat them .

[Lone Shark]

St. Colm's beat Broughans in the first round (I believe that they came back from 2-6 to 0-0 down in that one as well? Is this the case?) meaning that their game with Tullamore must be a quarter final. Likewise I heard Rhode were down to play Shannon Gaels, so I'd guess that their fixture with Edenderry means that they must have won that and this must be a quarter final also. If Wheery vs K/K is a third quarter final, then by my reckoning the winners of Shamrocks and St. Colemans must be down to play the winners of Clara and St. Manchans - or have I left anyone out?

Once again I have to say that the absence of any definitive fixture list or anything is a real shame. Assuming Clara are due to play Manchans at some stage this weekend that game would be no more than a fifteen minute drive away and yet there's no info as to where or when it's on. Madness.

[theman]

St. Colm's beat Broughans in the first round (I believe that they came back from 2-6 to 0-0 down in that one as well? Is this the case?) .

Yes unfortuently it was the case. Score was 2-8 to 2-1 at half time. Full time was 2-11 to 4-7.
Colms got 2 lucky second half goals and were playing with the wind. The u21 is turning into a bit of a joke, no one takes it serious anymore!

[Archangel]

Once again I have to say that the absence of any definitive fixture list or anything is a real shame. Assuming Clara are due to play Manchans at some stage this weekend that game would be no more than a fifteen minute drive away and yet there's no info as to where or when it's on. Madness.

I've been on about this a few times lately. The county website is a JOKE. One of the key elements of the games is knowing when the actual game is on, so, letting people know when & where it's on is a vital part of that, wouldn't you think?

Also, I'm surprised by how many clubs don't have a website, as the standard one is free from the gaa.

[Mighty Pair O' Hands]

St. Colm's beat Broughans in the first round (I believe that they came back from 2-6 to 0-0 down in that one as well? Is this the case?) .

Yes unfortuently it was the case. Score was 2-8 to 2-1 at half time. Full time was 2-11 to 4-7.
Colms got 2 lucky second half goals and were playing with the wind. The u21 is turning into a bit of a joke, no one takes it serious anymore!

St. Colms took it serious but only in the second half !

St. Colms and Tullamore is a quarterfinal clash - next Tue in Tullamore I believe.

[Lone Shark]

I've just got clarification of this and I won't lie, Wheery hat on or otherwise, this is bollix of the highest order.

The hurling clubs asked that there be four seeded teams put straight into the quarter finals, which made some sense for them as they have twelve teams and this would guarantee that some of the weaker clubs wouldn't go straight into a first round game against a really strong club (though as luck would have it St. Brendans aren't seeded, but that's another matter).

I don't agree with seeding myself, but the clubs wanted it so fair enough. However the same logic was then applied to the football, which made no sense because there were thirteen teams. So because four teams were seeded straight into a quarter final (Rhode, Edenderry, Clara, Tullamore) then the other nine had to play off for the other four slots, meaning that two clubs would have to play two rounds to get to the same stage that the aforementioned four clubs were at before a ball was kicked. Those two were Wheery and Gracefield.

Garbage of the highest order. If Tommy Byrne had to seed teams (which he didn't - no-one in football asked for this) he could easily have seeded Clara and Tullamore, and then had the two semi finalists from last year (Rhode and Edenderry) toss a coin for the third seeded slot. Then the remaining ten teams play down to five, add in the three and you have your quarter finals. Ludicrous.

So the quarter finals now are:

St. Colms vs Tullamore
St. Patricks vs St Michaels
St Manchans vs Clara
Wheery OR K/K vs St Colemans OR Shamrocks.

Am I being biased or does this just make no sense whatsoever?

[On the Ditch]

Quarter finals predictions:

St. Colms vs Tullamore - Tullamore win
St. Patricks vs St Michaels - St Michaels win
St Manchans vs Clara - Clara win
Wheery OR K/K vs St Colemans OR Shamrocks. - hard one maybe K/K.

Is the semi-final draw made?

Looking back at previous years Rhode won at minor beating K/K in the final, but it was a bit of a suprise as I recall - first time K/K team were beaten in the county. Depending on the semi-final draw I fancy Clara and St Michaels to contest the final (if the avoid each other). Clara have been beaten in a number of U16, minor and U21 finals in the last few years, I feel this could be their year.

Tullamore to have a very short reign as champions.

[Mighty Pair O' Hands]

Am I being biased or does this just make no sense whatsoever?

Agreed that it appears total nonsense.

However, the strange thing is that at U21 level playing extra games can actually help a team (especially for the amalgamated teams as the players can get used to each other).

[the weasel]

I know this is a bit off topic but loan shark, do u know if a hurling draw was made yet? because its meant to start in a few weeks and i havent heard anything yet.

[keephercountry]

I was at the st.colmens and shamrocks game on saturday great game, was suprised to see the replay fixed for the tuesday night 3 days isnt alot of time to recover after a game that went to extra time.A week day for u21 games isnt very convenient for clubs either trying to get players home from college.It seems to me that the county board want this championship to be finished as soon as possible with the next round fixed for friday night and from what i hear the replays are schedualed for sunday morning.
After the game tuesday night the referee wanted to play another period of extra time after the first period if both clubs agreed to it.whats the rush with most championships starting later this year???

[Lone Shark]

I was at the st.colmens and shamrocks game on saturday great game, was suprised to see the replay fixed for the tuesday night 3 days isnt alot of time to recover after a game that went to extra time.A week day for u21 games isnt very convenient for clubs either trying to get players home from college.It seems to me that the county board want this championship to be finished as soon as possible with the next round fixed for friday night and from what i hear the replays are schedualed for sunday morning.
After the game tuesday night the referee wanted to play another period of extra time after the first period if both clubs agreed to it.whats the rush with most championships starting later this year???

Agree completely - Wheery will be on their third game in a week this Saturday as well, and I've no doubt that the quarter final between the winners of the Wheery/KK and Shamrocks/Colemans fixtures will probably be chased onto the field midweek next week as well. The county board are treating this championship like an inconvenience, when for a lot of footballers out there it's their main championship in 2009. The rush is no doubt because they're worried that once intercounty minor championships and the like start up, that there will be too much crossover and players will be unavailable for one reason or another. Another example of the many being inconvenienced in order to serve the elite few.

Games in midweek at this grade are barmy at the best of times. Where do they think all these lads are from Monday to Friday?

[Archangel]

Shamrocks V St. Colemans is on Sunday 11.30am in Mucklagh is what I heard. That will be 3 games in a week.. I know they are young fit lads, but it's still a lot to ask. The physios were working flat out at the replay on Tuesday night trying to keep players going in extra time.