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The first of the club action starts next weekend. Fixtures sent out from the county board this morning.

U21 Preliminary round Friday 24th January
Kilcormac/Killoughey V Gracefield 8pm in Mountboulus Ref Chris Dwyer
Na Fianna V St.Vincents 8pm in Geashill Ref Noel Cooney

Preliminary round Saturday 25th January
St.Colms V Tullamore 2.30 in Doon Ref Basil Cronin

First round Saturday 25th January
St.Broughans V Shamrocks 7.30pm in Walsh Island Ref Pauric Pierce

I have sympathy for the county board here but it is a real shame the way that clubs have to play championship football this early in the year. As is always the case, the hardest part about the under-21 championship is getting over the first game - from then on they can build momentum but just getting fifteen onto the field in the first round can be a huge challenge.

In terms of fixtures, the St Vincents vs Na Fianna game looks like a humdinger and if you knew both teams were ready for this, it would be a great encounter.

Na fianna have not trained and i believe that they dont have any interest in this competition. It was the same last year against edenderry/ballyfore. Na fianna only had 17 togged out and they have 14 until 5 mins before the game started. I think these games are played too early

this championship probably wont be finished till october or november, the first few rounds will be rushed through and then a total ceseation of games then. Not really fair on the players involved

Na Fianna V St.Vincents 8pm in Geashill Ref Noel Cooney
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Na Fianna V St.Vincents is switched to sunday at 12noon in Cappincur.

Result from tonight
K/K 1-09 Gracefield 2-09

thats a good win for Gracefield, K/K would have been strong enough.

Preliminary round results
K/K 1-09 Gracefield 2-09
Na Fianna 0-06 St.Vincents 4-21
St.Colms 1-03 Tullamore 3-06

First round result
St.Broughans 2-11 Shamrocks 3-06

Friday 31st January 1st round games
Gracefield V Shannon Gaels 8pm in Gracefield Ref Fergal Smyth
Wheery V St.Vincents 8pm venue TBC Ref Noel Cooney

Saturday 1st February 1st round
Durrow V Tullamore 2.30pm in Durrow Ref Damien Brazil

puzzled wrote:Friday 31st January 1st round games
Gracefield V Shannon Gaels 8pm in Gracefield Ref Fergal Smyth
Wheery V St.Vincents 8pm venue TBC Ref Noel Cooney

Saturday 1st February 1st round
Durrow V Tullamore 2.30pm in Durrow Ref Damien Brazil

Do Ferbane or Birr pitches have flood lights fit to hold this or will this be played at a neutral venue? No pitch in Daingean parish have proper flood lights. This should be a great game!

St vincents vs wheery has the makings of a great game. Vincents by all accounts haven been training since before xmas for this competition. one of the favourites for championship will be knocked out fri night . Ferbane have talented players it will come down to what type of preparation they have done. St vincents have 3matches that I know of played and won. Vincents by 2 pts

Durrow vs Tullamore. I expect tullamore to win this but it wont be too handy a few of these lads know each other very well haven played minor together but tullamore with a few games under there belt should win this. With most of the tullamore team either winning a senior or junior championship medal last yr that experience will help. Tullamore by 6 pts

gracefield vs shannon gaels I dont know much about either team. .

Player for player, there's little or nothing to choose between Wheery and St Vincents. You'd expect lads like Gethings and Carroll to dominate midfield, while Wheery might have a slight edge in terms of scoring forwards, but that said, the advantage of getting a game under your belt and knowing your best team is massive at this level. It's like saying that Meath vs Laois would be a good match in the Leinster championship - it would, but if Meath were primed and ready and Laois were still at O'Byrne Cup level, then the match will only go one way.

When I saw that Vincents hammered Na Fianna, I knew that they'd be too strong for this and now that you're telling me they've played games and have trained since December, I'd go so far as to say it could be a cakewalk. Usually the first time that the Ferbane lads meet the Birr lads (if any come over - last year I don't believe there were any) is in the dressing room before the game. Even among ourselves, I'd say if they've managed one session, that would be the height of it. We needed this game at around semi-final level, not now.

The meeting of Gracefield and Shannon Gaels could be a good one. On paper Shannon Gaels should be very strong, they were competitive at 2011 minor and adding in Darragh Corbett, not to mention whoever else they might see from Shannonbridge, will be significant. Again it's a lot down to readiness - Gracefield will know their best players and I recall they had a decent group at minor a couple of years ago, so if they've trained on, they could be very capable. I'd give a narrow vote to SG, but not much in it for me.

Tullamore to cruise past Durrow I expect.

Are the Under 21 Football Championship games going ahead this weekend despite Pitch/Weather conditions, Offaly Allianz Div 3 Footbal League vital game on Sunday and Sigerson Cup competitions? . It seems unfair to all to have a straight knock-out competition played in current conditions. Seems to be a case of "get the games played" and ignore "Player Burn-Out Issues".

I believe the Wheery vs Vincents tie is rained off. So I've been told anyway.

Result from friday night

Gracefield 2-05 Shannon Gaels 0-12