Time to look forward to 2019…
Fingers crossed, no retirements this year. Certainly none announced so far .
And hopefully no sabbaticals either! I heard the senior lads are on holidays from near end of December until about the 9th of January and all systems go from then…
A big pick of players to have a look at in the O Byrne cup – I wonder will Paul Clarke stay around to take the team again. Did a super job the last couple of years.
There are a couple considering it as far as I’m aware.
Paul Clarke officially joined the backroom team last year, so he may be heading off on the hollier too.
We knew that… Paul was a selector last year ( with a very specific coaching role also)
It’s whether he’ll stay doing the O Byrne cup role also next year.
Or whether that role will be given to someone else
Would they not be gone by now ?
Did I read Dublin only allowed enter O’B cup from semi final stage/after group stages? Might only have 1 game in O’B cup?
Yep. We have a BYE 'till the semis. Apparently, the rest of Leinster aren’t as thrilled as we are at using the competition to blood new players.
Fail to see the fairness/logic behind that decision…choose your battles/GAA dont always do logic I suppose…
Dublin also have the charity match against Meath this weekend and the blue stars next weekend to get a few more games
Assume it’s a timing issue, similar to why the hurlers are in the Walsh cup already, but Kilkenny, Galway and Wexford aren’t there until after Christmas.
If it’s the same as that the reason for it is due to the GAA collective training ban where Dublin were playing in the championship this year a good bit later than all other Leinster teams which means their not allowed back training or obviously matches until later in the winter.
I’m assuming considering the circumstances there has been some form of exception given for the Meath match.
I get it. Don’t agree with it, but I get it. A good run in the O’Byrne Cup gives us 5 solid games to give new lads a run out. Niall Scully can probably credit a solid O’Byrne Cup campaign for his 2017 starting jersey. Would he have been able to do that with just one or two games? If I were another Leinster county, I’d be delighted to take 3 of those 5 games from us.
I’m assuming Stephen Smith will be in the O’Byrne Cup side?
He will be. For Dublin or Westmeath, that is the question.
What about the charity aspect of the O’Byrne Cup? Doesn’t the money go to the injured players fund? If so, it would be the Dubs who would bring the bigger numbers to those games and more money. Silly either way to give us less games.
What sort of team will we have out tomorrow?? Meath are playing today in o byrne cup and tommorrow obviously, and have named 2 teams ,one for each game
Would imagine Smith will get a run. Was very good in the play off against Towers ©
I don’t think we do though, for away O Byrne cup games Dublin usually have a tiny crowd. It’s better for Parnell Pk games, but no better then other teams get for their home games.
Dublin support is a strange thing. Decent for league and championship, ok’ish for O Byrne Cup and downright pathetic for U21 and under.
It’s hard this year to pick out any new guy who could come through. O Shea of Kilamacud maybe the best chance.
If Madden hadn’t went to Australia I would have given him a chance later in the year.
Aaron Byrne and O Reilly will get a chance, but maybe a bit too early for them.
Not too sure I agree Wifi re Byrne . Turns 23 next year, would have thought that is plenty old enough. Whether he’s good enough is another question. Lovely footballer but had a poor club championship. Mightn’t have been helped my attempts to turn him back into a wing back.
O Shea from Crokes has no chance. None. Not enough pace. O Connor from Crokes will surely be looked at.