A New Hope - GAA 2020

[Diable Rouge]

The Sunday Game viewers have picked their best team since the programme launched in 1979, and most of the final XV pick themselves, but there will still be plenty of controversy - no room for Ois?n McConville as an Armagh representative, or Trevor Giles from Meath? Likewise, the great Galway team of 1998-2001 and the Cork team of the late Eighties will feel aggrieved to be excluded.

[elguapo4]

Fitting 15 players in from 40 years is always going to be difficult. Tomkins for Connolly would give Cork it's recognition.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

The Sunday Game viewers have picked their best team since the programme launched in 1979, and most of the final XV pick themselves, but there will still be plenty of controversy - no room for Ois?n McConville as an Armagh representative, or Trevor Giles from Meath? Likewise, the great Galway team of 1998-2001 and the Cork team of the late Eighties will feel aggrieved to be excluded.

Surely the ridiculous improvements in skill, speed, fitness, tactics, and technique means that only players from the last couple of years should really be eligible for consideration. That Kerry team of the eighties were great in their time, but they wouldn't get a touch of the ball against sligo or fermanagh today

[Diable Rouge]

Rising Kerry star, and now AFL prospect Stefan Okunbor speaks out about his experiences of racism growing up in Tralee - thankfully, relatively few, but no excusing the seriousness of those that did occur.

[elguapo4]

It's a pity that he looks like he's going to the AFL.

[Diable Rouge]

GAA release their plan for a return to action - pitches will be open for training from June 29th, club championships will resume on July 31st, and the All-Irelands will begin on October 17th:

https://www.gaa.ie/news-archive/news...-gaelic-games/

[Diable Rouge]

https://twitter.com/Buailtin/status/1269963688284426245

[Diable Rouge]

GAA club games can be held from July 17th onwards - crowds would be a maximum of 200 then, and 500 after July 20th, which would be usual for most club games until you get to county final level:

https://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2020/06...-on-wednesday/

[elguapo4]

In normal times yes, but my local club is St Oliver Plunkett/Eoin Rua, where you can see the Brogan brothers,amongst others, play for free in a public park. I'd be worried about the amount of people who would turn up with little other entertainment available.

[Diable Rouge]

A Jingle Bells final, with the football All-Ireland happening on December 19th, and the hurling final scheduled for the 13th.

[elguapo4]

Lovely, it normally pisses rain at the final anyway .

[elguapo4]

Shane Dowling of Limerick, one of the finest Hurlers of the modern game, has announced his retirement because of a knee injury, aged only 27.

Meanwhile, Dublin player Jack Mc Caffrey has dropped out of the squad for this season. He's a doctor in a hospital in Kilkenny, so has other things on his mind at the moment.

[elguapo4]

One of the most sacred tenets of Gaelic football and Hurling is the fact that everyone is amateur, and plays for the love of the game and nothing else. So,the news that Dublin forward and free kick specialist Dean Rock is charging for lessons has got the Twitterati from all over the country collapsing onto the chaise longue clutching a lavender scented handkerchief. Other inter county players who are probably doing the same thing were quick to defend him.

[Diable Rouge]

East Belfast GAA, which was established this year to promote the sports in loyalist areas, have received a suspicious package last night:

https://twitter.com/EastBelfastGAA/status/1291300492337975296

[Diable Rouge]

It appears spectators will be banned from all Irish sporting events again:

https://www.rte.ie/news/coronavirus/...covid-19-blog/

[elguapo4]

Yeah cause nothing spreads Covid like 200 people in a large stadium.

In other news, ex Dublin all Ireland champion Alan Brogan has re graded to intermediate, which is like Wayne Rooney moving to the conference North.

[Diable Rouge]

And this is before you get to Donegal, Kerry, Leitrim and Meath!

https://twitter.com/unakavanagh/status/1296006766812110848

[Diable Rouge]

What should have been one of the marquee club games of the season throws in at 7.30 tonight, as Dr Crokes face Austin Stacks in a straight knock-out county championship encounter. The absence of crowds, of course, has upset the apple cart, but the game will be available live on TG4.

[Diable Rouge]

One of those rare occasions where a game lives up to the hype - Stacks trailed by five points deep into injury-time, but Kieran Donaghy inspired a dramatic comeback, whereby the Tralee side notched 1-2 to force extra-time. Crokes ultimately pulled away in that period, aided by a penalty, but a magnificent advertisement for the club game.

[elguapo4]

Fair play to Donaghy, he can still do it. He's the bete noir of Dublin fans but personally I always liked him. Probably comes from a night in Tralee in a packed pub. Star, Paul Galvin and their girlfriends were there, Donaghy was friendly to everyone, Galvin looked like a right moody prick.

[elguapo4]

Today should be the All Ireland football final. If Dublin qualified, I should be having pre match pints in the Hut pub in Phibsboro

[elguapo4]

Rathdowney GAA club chairman Tom Barry stepped into the breach when only 12 players were available for their C teams game against Annanough. According to County regulations, a team needs at least 13 players to start, so he went In goal.

Tom is 72! Even more amazingly, Rathdowney won by 8.08 to 2.02, and one of the goals he conceded was a penalty.

[elguapo4]

Central council have decided that the All Ireland football and Hurling championships will go ahead . Absolute madness, trying to shoehorn them into 10 weeks in autumn and winter, during a pandemic, with the club championship being on at the same time. All Ireland football final is due to be held on the Sunday before Christmas, that's a great idea!

[elguapo4]

Apologies, the Football championship starts on the Halloween weekend, so its 6 weeks.

[Diable Rouge]

TBF, the All-Ireland club has been cancelled due to the pandemic, so only the county championships, which are hurtling towards the semis in most counties by now.