Yesterday might have been pretty crap as regards the weather but it was a good day for the Sheepstealers who had an unexpectedly easy win over Leitrim up in Carrick to book their place in their second successive Connacht final. I know – this is the second year where they’ve been the beneficiaries of a ludicrously lop-sided draw and they haven’t really had to break sweat at all to make it to the provincial decider but I guess we’re not exactly the kind of punters who should be talking about the quality of opposing teams and, as the dictum goes, you can only beat what’s in front of you.
What’s in front of either ourselves or Galway now in the Connacht final on July 17th is a resurgent Roscommon who will go into the decider as holders of the Nestor Cup and who will have the added advantage of defending it on home soil. The Rossies love to play at Hyde Park and they know they’ll have big home support there, with a crowd that’ll get behind them vocally if they start to do the business on the field. No way, then, can our meeting with the Tribesmen on Sunday week be styled as the “real” Connacht final.
If there’s one proverbial fly in the ointment for the Ovine Rustlers it’s the five-week delay they now face before the Connacht final. Once again, the Connacht Council have excelled themselves in the art of fucked-up match scheduling: not only are the Rossies being left to kick their heels for half the summer, if they then lose the final they’ll have only six days to wait before facing into a fourth round qualifier which, if they were to win there, would then be followed by an All-Ireland quarter-final the following weekend. Is it any wonder we’ve had no Connacht representation in the All-Ireland semi-finals since 2006?
But this shouldn’t bother the Rossies, not according to Mickey Moran who reckons they’ll retain their Connacht crown. What do you think? Now that Carthygate has proved to be a load of something about nothing, I’ve given that particular poll the curly finger and have replaced it with a nice new one soliciting views on who you really think will win Connacht dish ear. No spinning now, lads, give it to me straight.
I tipped them in 2009. We went berserk and lashed them in Castlebar. However it was the two games v Meath, us and them that showed they were not as bad as what we did to them and that we weren’t as good.
The pendulum has swung big time towards them. Settled team, the emergence from persistent injury of Senan Kilbride, the threat of Donie and the hard work of the defense. Mid field aint bad either.
I expect them to win Connacht. Are you surprised that the Connacht council has made such a f**k up? Bear in mind the streamlined organizations they graduated from.
Listening to Fergal O Donnell last night I got the feeling he cannot wait to get stuck into what’s left over after the so called “Big Two” rumble. Don’t think Fergal will worry too much. Wasn’t it great to see so many footballers kicking long range points yesterday, Murphy from Carlow, a host of Wexfords boys, Senan Kilbride, the Donegal lads. Eight man defence my a**e.
Remember Ros look good but over the two years they have beaten Leitrim twice, and Sligo. They have yet to put a credible performance in against a big team. The Connacht Final will be their first real chance at that.
Was very impressed with Roscommon yesterday given the conditions. They seem to have some very natural forwards with Cregg, Higgins,Shine and Kilbride. They have two decent midfielders but I think their backline no more than our own is their for the taking. If Mayo were to overcome Galway and win enough primary possession at midfield and the breaks and starve that Roscommon forward line i would fancy us to cause an upset in the Hyde.
Roscommon are at their most vulnerable when favourites. Fergal O Donnells biggest test is to bring those boys back down to earth….a feat many of his predecessors never manged to achieve.
I yield my place in the line of dislike towards Roscommon to no one but I am also a realist. The team Fergal O Donnell has is not the team his predecessors wilted under. This team is O Donnels own creation.
So what if they beat only Sligo and Leitrim last year, we could not beat Sligo nor Longford and London in normal time inside the last year. Offaly beat us a few weeks ago.
I would go easy on the “big team” stuff, the Rossies may yet become that alas ourselves and Galway are deluding ourselves if we mistakenly assume that title.
As an exercise assuming we beat Galway, who do we get to mark Kilbride and Shine?. Who picks up Gregg? I suppose we cod ourselves that we will also take the midfield.
You’re spot on Ontheroad. Why should the Rossies fear either Galway or ourselves? Look at their achievements. Sligo last year soundly beat both Galway and us and then were overturned by the Rossies.
This year Leitrim overcame that perceived Sligo challenge (in Markievicz Park as well) and then they were in turn “demolished” at home by the Ros visitors.
So as far as I can see it’s pretty easy to see what team is riding high in Connacht. They are the reigning champions and they have home advantage for the final. Fergal O’Donnell is no fool. In his post match interview he was already talking up the opposition even though no one knows who it is yet.
They also have 5 weeks to prepare for this ONE game, which will guarantee this Ros team greatness in the eyes of their supporters and predecessors.
Finally you can get the Rossies to win Connacht on Ladbrokes at 2.87 (roughly translating as 15/8). They are the reigning champions coming back to defend their title and on home soil. Rather generous odds I think in a 2 horse race.
We are 6/4 to regain the Connacht title and we till have to overcome Galway. Hopefully the odds offered will be justified by results.
Wouldnt pay too much attention to Mickey Moran’s comments but if we have to deal with all never ending doom and gloom around because of the economy AND the rise of the Rossies then I’m getting the fuck outta this country.
They do put together a decent team once every 40 years (1940s, 1980s) so while they are a it early they are due one. Where my passport?
Roscommon favourites? whoever wins the Mayo v Galway game will be odds on favourites for the Connacht title no doubt.
Yes Roscommon have improved & will be at home but Galway & Mayo both won with a bit to spare on their last visits to the hyde & not to mention the 09/08 games.
This game will be a huge step up for the Rossies make no mistake.