County senior football championship

[Lone Shark]

I would never claim to know the inside politics of the Shamrocks club, but Nigel Dunne is an extremely friendly and likeable young chap and I'd be amazed if he was unpopular anywhere, much less in a Shamrocks dressing room where he has been a huge performer for them for a good while now.

In fact I would go so far as to say that Saturday was perhaps the best game I've ever seen him play. I saw no evidence of him pulling out of battles for possession, instead he won nearly every ball that was kicked into him, he did his fair share of tackling, and if he held up the ball, it was only because Ward was being marked by two men and nobody from the Shamrocks midfield or half back line was bursting past the ball winner, making runs off the shoulder. He held things up because in a lot of cases, to do anything else would have been to give away possession.

I agree that Michael Stanbrook did well in very difficult circumstances and I'd have no problem seeing him get a county run early next year, but other than that I thought Shamrocks were very limited. They struggled at midfield, even after Alan McNamee was forced off, and they just got nothing going down the wings. In fact they coughed up a lot of possession by running into tackles because they just couldn't use the wide spaces. I also thought that their use of the extra man in the full back line was atrocious. Rhode full forwards did exactly the right thing - they stood in a cluster, and Padraig Kelly stood in the middle of them - meaning that when the ball was played out wide for Niall Mac, Niall Darby or Anton to run onto, the greater pace of the forward meant that they still got there first. That suggests to me that Shamrocks decided that they needed help in the full back line without giving a moment's though to how they were going to implement that strategy and how it would work against Rhode's method of playing.

As regards Ward vs Darby, I'd be slow to say that Darby marked him out of it simply because he always had the help of Shane Sullivan sweeping. Two on one is hardly a fair fight and I thought Ward did a decent job in the circumstances. Again, it reflects badly on Shamrocks that they couldn't take advantage of that extra man advantage elsewhere in the field.

There have been posts on this board speculating that Nigel Dunne is considering a transfer to Erin Rovers. Obviously that's a matter for himself and I'd have no insight as to what the lad is thinking, maybe he is considering it and maybe it's just wild rumour, but I will say this - based on yesterday, Shamrocks without Dunne would be no better than Erin Rovers without Dunne, and if Rovers do have his services in the next few years, they'll be a very decent outfit.

[paulwatts]

long john one suspects you are a fellow shamrocks man?????????
people high up in the club have been criticising nigel for years and i heard that he feels unwelcome by the club...who have repeatedly sent him letters and questioned his committment to the clud just cause he dosnt lick the 'higher powers behinds'....people around offaly only know the half of it so il leave it at that...but long john i suspect u knw more....

[Long John]

Not a clubman but I have lived in the Mucklagh for the last number of years and attend most games.

I think you are being very hard on the chap and his club saying he wants to transfer. How could that be credible. The gosson grew up in Rahan and went to school with all his team mates, how in his right mind would he want to transfer to another club especially one that he got plenty of abuse from in the hurling.

If he keeps his head down and works on a the few things already said he has the making of a county player in both codes.

[Georgio1]

I apologise to PJ Ward for questioning whether he would play or not(sure it wont worry him!). Rhode were too strong again, Shamrocks need players back like Coughlans and Delaney, and Molloy at full tilt.
Should be a tough tight final!

[paulwatts]

long john....you are glossing over the abuse his is subjected to.....and he is a great clubman ...he coaches all teams in the club throughout the year...and my son who is u10 loves him and thinks he is great...i went to watch a session a while back and he is top class with the kids..brilliant..he is not respected enough by the board . and youd know all this sis true because your from the area....on a differnent note the pollagh juniors invited him dowm to train their team for the upcoming final and they really enjoyed it, he also has helped james bracken coaching in th school down their...its so annoying our most prized asset is going..and i cant even blame him

[Long John]

Its great to see him coaching the youngsters. Giving a bit back to the club that made him what he is. I always like to see that. Underage is vital for this county and proper coaching is badly needed from a young age to get Offaly back where it was.

Well if you say he's going to pullagh and your his pal you must be in the know his character and loyalty. Couldnt see the sense in it myself. It would be a step backwards if anything. Two pullagh lads boxing the heads off each other recently and all sorts of fighting going on there, and the fact they sneer at young Dunne any game Ive been at involving the teams. The language thrown towards him from pullagh people in the hurling playoff recently was terrible with so many young kids around.

[paulwatts]

i agree they were abusing him...but if they had him i doubt they would...i heard numerous of our own slating him over nothing all the time...a rhode man behind me said ''what are they giving out bout dunne hes yere only player doing anything''...i just laughed...anyway im sick of talkin about this whole thing....clara v rhode everyone....whos guna do it????

[GOOFY]

Just to clarify something Long John, Brosna Gaels are four clubs, not one, so to say only pullas abused him at the hurlin is false, i heard much worse coming from his own "supporters" (and im not from either club).
Anyway i see your point, the fact is that most abuse stems from jealousy and any club would be glad to have him.Just hope that wherever he goes he will produce his best football, because on his day hes a real match winner.

[Long John]

Thanks Goofy, I am aware that Brosna are four clubs. I said some people from Pullagh were abusing him from the line because I know the people involved and they are indeed Pullagh club footballers. I hate hearing that sort of abuse at games especially with kids around. Its common at alot of games it appears. I was disappointed as I was at a few of their hurling games with Shamrocks people who gave Brosna support.

This rumour of him transferring to Pullagh has been going around the last number of years, anytime Shamrocks lose a game you hear Oh Dunne is off to Pullagh. And its the same people who know sweet Feck all about the team. Rubbish, I think the gosson must have a bit of cop on than that. I for one have lived away from my club for years and would never consider a transfer and I am sure theres many others the same. It all comes down to a persons character. I suspect its a small minority that always throw it out there trying to stir things up. The likes of Paul Watts and others would be better off contributing something to their club than trying to stir up trouble constantly. End of story.

[townman]

Thanks Goofy, I am aware that Brosna are four clubs. I said some people from Pullagh were abusing him from the line because I know the people involved and they are indeed Pullagh club footballers. I hate hearing that sort of abuse at games especially with kids around. Its common at alot of games it appears. I was disappointed as I was at a few of their hurling games with Shamrocks people who gave Brosna support.

This rumour of him transferring to Pullagh has been going around the last number of years, anytime Shamrocks lose a game you hear Oh Dunne is off to Pullagh. And its the same people who know sweet Feck all about the team. Rubbish, I think the gosson must have a bit of cop on than that. I for one have lived away from my club for years and would never consider a transfer and I am sure theres many others the same. It all comes down to a persons character. I suspect its a small minority that always throw it out there trying to stir things up. The likes of Paul Watts and others would be better off contributing something to their club than trying to stir up trouble constantly. End of story.

In all fairness why would he leave a club like Shamrock's that are senior in hurling and football and go to pullagh

[GOOFY]

Because townman, they are senior too

[faithfullad]

They are but, lets be honest, Shamrocks have a greater chance of success than Pullagh. Maybe Dunne could change that but I don't think he could on his own.

[townman]

Because townman, they are senior too

well they might be in only in one grade again the years out

[Lone Shark]

They are but, lets be honest, Shamrocks have a greater chance of success than Pullagh. Maybe Dunne could change that but I don't think he could on his own.

Very, very debatable whether Shamrocks without Dunne would be any better than Rovers without him.

[paulwatts]

lone shark i agree 100 per cent with you, like we got to the semi final this year..but if you through the year as a whole...it becomes clear we were overly dependent on nigel and pj . without one or the other we would be so average. we played a challenge before the ballycumber game and pj didnt get one score from play and only scored 2 frees....my piont being he hadnt the supply line...dunne creates everything and he may not score huge amounts but he creates 90 percent of our scores. if pollagh had his services i would feel they would actually be better equiped than us...because pollagh hav a well balanced team but are missing a good forward. alan lynam would be the link man and both pollagh and dunne would thrive. i feel pollagh with dunne would be as good as any1 outside clara and rhode....maybe tullamore.