Bracknagh-Shannonbridge

[mykneehurts]

This game wasn't exactly full of mesmerising football but it did have a very interesting finish. David Corbett's goal was one of the slowest shots I have ever seen in my life but sure it did the trick either way. As for his younger brother, he must have been still blinded by the pyrotechnics of Greenday's stage performance which I am led to believe he Wittnessed (Get it? Wittness was the old name for Oxegen? Come on, TheManFromFerbane must have got that one!) the day before for the goal because that is the only possible way he could have let that ball hit him in the face.

Anyway, the real fun came at the end when the "injured" Paul Deeley had a wee scrap with a Bracknagh player. Dustin landed two of the sweetest punches I have ever seen in a football match and landed another one minutes later on another player.

However I do have a few questions. Firstly, why did Eddie Dunne only send one man off for the first row? If he sent him off for retaliation then surely Deeley should have walked too. It could be argued that he was only striking in self-defence but nonetheless he was fighting and should have gotten the line.

As for the second incident, there was no action taken whatsoever. I honestly think that Eddie missed it which begs the question why doesn't a referee think a senior championship match warrants the presence of independant umpires and linesmen? If this persists we will continue to see such biased linesman performances as we saw at the Ferbane-Tullamore match recently.

Another worrying thing is the fact that as Deeley, an eighteen-year-old, was being beaten on the ground by three Bracknagh players not one Shannonbridge player ran in to stop it. The only player that did anything was the Turley lad (his first name escapes me at this moment in time) who had been substituted. He ran in and dragged the Bracknagh lads off Deeley before he was attacked himself on the way to the dressing room.

On the plus side Minor and I got in for free.

[Lone Shark]

I wasn't fortunate enough to have been in attendance at this game (!!), but I've heard some quare stories out of it all the same - umpires jumping up and down in celebration at the Bracknagh goal, some Deeley related shenanigans and all in all some blind refereeing.

Regarding unbiased umpires and linesmen, I can see why a referee might have difficulty rounding up 6 lads to help him out - however possibly a system where unbiased local lads are asked to do it as part of the deal for the club getting the game might be feasible. To be honest though it's hard enough get referees these days, so barring you do something along the lines of agree to hire young lads with an interest and a knowledge of the rules under something like the summer jobs scheme (does that even still exist?) I don't think we're likely to see a solution any time soon.

As for the fighting going on, that does seem odd that the Shannonbridge lads didn't step in. Paul Deeley would be well able to look after himself in a schools game or even an under 21, but a watchful eye from some of the senior lads would be necessary in games like this. It's surprising too - who else was in the forward line with him? I'd have thought lads like McEvoy and Claffey or John Ryan would have been straight in if they were there.

[TheManFromFerbane]

Its hard to know, sometimes older players like that think that the younger players need to learn a valuable lesson. Now I wasn't there but if Deely was provoking the incident then some of the older lads might be thinking let it go for a while and if he looks in serious danger then help him. It might seem harsh but if younger players want to start things like that they must be able to handle themselves. Now I wasn't at the match so I don't know but its been known to happen. If Deely was just attacked out of nowhere and no-one helped him that would be a different story.

[mykneehurts]

Well, Paul certainly over-reacted but in a decent way. He was willing to stand his ground but three Bracknagh players were punching him on the ground and no-one did anything. John Ryan was after being brought on and was fifteen yards tops from the incident. I don't know where the rest of the older lads were situated.

Now that you mention it Lone Shark, I do remember at least one umpire jumping for joy when Bracknagh got their goal. Very unusual indeed. But in fairness there were no real controversial incidents involving scores at either end so that wasn't really an issue. Anyway if Shannonbridge let Bracknagh have the two umpires at the same end then it is their own tough luck. They would have no-one to blame for any partial decisions but themselves.

[Lone Shark]

Well, Paul certainly over-reacted but in a decent way. He was willing to stand his ground but three Bracknagh players were punching him on the ground and no-one did anything. John Ryan was after being brought on and was fifteen yards tops from the incident. I don't know where the rest of the older lads were situated.

I can see TMFF's point, but it just seems odd to think that two lads would have their markers in baling into one of their own players and just be standing around. If it was mano a mano then fair enough, let Deeley finish what he started, but three on one sounds like trouble to me.

Now that you mention it Lone Shark, I do remember at least one umpire jumping for joy when Bracknagh got their goal. Very unusual indeed. But in fairness there were no real controversial incidents involving scores at either end so that wasn't really an issue. Anyway if Shannonbridge let Bracknagh have the two umpires at the same end then it is their own tough luck. They would have no-one to blame for any partial decisions but themselves.

Story I heard was three umpires to one in favour of Bracknagh - which would suggest that no Shannonbridge person was available/willing to balance things out. Seems odd though. I'm sure there were a few of the subs that were named out of courtesy rather than having any real chance of featuring.


That was another feature of the Ferbane Tullamore game that I meant to comment on at the time - Ferbane had a heap of subs named that were injured and clearly not going to play. I can understand the courtesy, but at the same time there were only about 4/5 subs that were fit to come on, even in an emergency. Surely more options would have been good, even if they were just juniors?

[TheManFromFerbane]

it just seems odd to think that two lads would have their markers in baling into one of their own players and just be standing around. If it was mano a mano then fair enough, let Deeley finish what he started, but three on one sounds like trouble to me.

Fair Point

That was another feature of the Ferbane Tullamore game that I meant to comment on at the time - Ferbane had a heap of subs named that were injured and clearly not going to play. I can understand the courtesy, but at the same time there were only about 4/5 subs that were fit to come on, even in an emergency. Surely more options would have been good, even if they were just juniors?

We have had lots of younger lads down training with us even before the Tullamore game, most of them well capable of making the team. But for some reason the thought they weren't "supposed" to come to the game. We had a meeting earlier in the day and when we realised what was going on we tried to call all of them but they all had other things they couldn't get out of (work etc...) but hopefully they will all be there for our game against Shamrocks.

[turk]

lads, what was the final score??

[Lone Shark]

Shannonbridge won by a point, 2-8 to 1-10.

As things stand now in the group -

Ballycumber P3 - 6pts
Edenderry P3 - 4pts
Shannonbridge P4 - 4pts
Erin Rovers P3 - 2pts
Bracknagh P3 - 0pts

Of the remaining games, Bracknagh need to win to force a playoff to avoid relegation, And Erin Rovers can have a chance of a playoff if they win - assuming Edenderry lose to Ballycumber - which is a big ask bearing in mind Ballycumber have nothing to play for.

A little part of me would kind of like to see that happen - can you imagine the craic next year in group C - Rynaghs come up from intermediate, Ferbane and Doon finish bottom of their groups and join Shannonbridge and Pullough in the one group. A west Offaly Championship right there.

[turk]

i don't like this strong group/weak group crack. it leaves a lot of teams in a comfort zone. those 5 teams in the weak group however would be good crack

[TheManFromFerbane]

A little part of me would kind of like to see that happen - can you imagine the craic next year in group C - Rynaghs come up from intermediate, Ferbane and Doon finish bottom of their groups and join Shannonbridge and Pullough in the one group. A west Offaly Championship right there.

Oh yee of little faith, we're not out of this race yet!!

[Lone Shark]

Oh yee of little faith, we're not out of this race yet!!

I'm thrilled to hear it.

I was speaking strictly on formlines of course.