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Replying To LongfordgaaAbú: "New season and same whining that an opinion expressed on an open forum is somehow "taking a club down by talking them up" from you. Calm down." That is exactly what you are doing. Plain as day. The last three years you have been posting the same thing. We beat Mullinalaghta a couple of years ago and the "future is green". We should be up there and one of the favourites but declaring a clean sweep of titles already when no team has played each other near full strength is silly. liosbreac6265 (Longford) - Posts: 258 - 08/05/2025 15:42:46 2607632 Link
Some mega wins clocked up by the leaders in divisions 1 and 2. Both unbeaten at the halfway mark. Division 1: Clonguish 6-13 (31) Granard 1-7 (10) Division 2: Grattens 6-16 (34) Connollys 1-6 (9) If the county team don't qualify from the group in Tailteann, the county lads will be back for the last 2 rounds for division 1 and last 3 rounds for division 2. On results so far, you'd have to strongly fancy each to finish top. LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 617 - 10/05/2025 17:44:05 2608100 Link
What has happened to the state of football in the county, we are well on the way to being a divison 4 team and tailtean cup regulars for a long long time unless something changes. We over the past 15 years have had some good underage teams. 3 minor finals in leinster in this time, winning 2. Louth in the senior leinster final tomorrow have been in 1. We seemed to start to go downhill rapidly after padric davis time finished. Bad management selection by those involved in the selection processes since. We won the leinster minor last year but will these players be properly looked after? Talent has never been an issue in our county, we have a small population which doesnt help when players opt out but there are lots of other factors. Have never seen as little intrest in the county team before and personally county board have only themselves to blame, look after themselves and has always been the way. Its a sad state of affairs. LFORD68 (Longford) - Posts: 10 - 10/05/2025 23:29:55 2608267 Link
It has been quite some time since longford were this bad. The level of disinterest is at an all time low. Even the players are not interested. Next year will be ever bit as difficult. John45 (Longford) - Posts: 12 - 12/05/2025 08:16:12 2608661 Link
Replying To John45: "It has been quite some time since longford were this bad. The level of disinterest is at an all time low. Even the players are not interested. Next year will be ever bit as difficult." Very unfair to accuse the players of not being interested. The players and management are trying but this is down to long term issues and the fix will not be quick for hopefully we can bounce back but it will take time Clonbonnyrabbitt (Longford) - Posts: 55 - 14/05/2025 11:32:33 2609501 Link
Replying To Clonbonnyrabbitt: "Very unfair to accuse the players of not being interested. The players and management are trying but this is down to long term issues and the fix will not be quick for hopefully we can bounce back but it will take time" Well the players are not interested. Look at the quality of absentee! Leaves you with an inferior team taking to the field. So I stand by that comment. John45 (Longford) - Posts: 12 - 14/05/2025 12:16:04 2609520 Link
Five years ago we were capable of beating louth consistency and we did that. Hopefully, we can progress back to that Rockshorecider (Longford) - Posts: 63 - 15/05/2025 18:22:56 2609887 Link
Replying To Rockshorecider: "Five years ago we were capable of beating louth consistency and we did that. Hopefully, we can progress back to that" Ita going to take a lot of work, we are so far behind in terms of structure and development but my main concern is intrest in the county, we have become a laughing matter and when i speak to people their is no pride in the county anymore. The county board need to make changes and fast. If you go back to 2009 when they bought land to build a centre of excellence which turned into a disater and a loss of money. In 2011/12 we won back to back leagues, ending up in div 2 in 2013 and sufferred some unlucky defeats. Around the time we had good minor/u21 teams, they should have had a place to train by then if not for poor decision making, have heard about county senior teams having to regularly go to Dublin to train or sometimes even struggling to find a place to train in Longford. Hopefully their has been some progress made on new development beside pearse park. I dont agree that the players dont care, they are there to represent the county which is all you can ask. There are definately other players in the county who are better but have opted out for whatever reason. Can only take your hat off to Louth, they had a bit of drive and belief in them going back to appointing Mickey Harte. We have gone for the ordinary since Davis tenure. Billy O'Loughlin ( a wasted year) said in an interview early on quote - At the start of the year the then new Longford football manager Billy O'Loughlin said he would be ignoring the "defunct and lopsided" Leinster championship. Well Billy the Leinster championship is alive and well if you tuned into last Sunday. Hearing this at the timd i wasnt surprised tht so many opted out since. Players that played in and won leinster underage titles. Louth proved with belief and structure and proper decision making anything was possible. We were far ahead of Louth 10 years ago, now we are 10 years behind. LFORD68 (Longford) - Posts: 10 - 15/05/2025 23:11:06 2609930 Link
Still think i was harsh on the players trying their best? John45 (Longford) - Posts: 12 - 18/05/2025 22:02:49 2610788 Link
That was one of the worst displays from a Longford team i have ever seen. Not trying to have a pop at any of the players, as they are the ones who have committed to the cause for the year, but overall, we are falling so far behind the majority of other counties at the minute its alarming. The problems keep mounting up from the county board, a decline in the overall squad standard compared to other years, lack of interest within the county, to name but a few. While the standard of player we have available at the minute is not what we have had in the past 20 years, you would have to ask questions of where the level of coaching they are getting is at, as yesterdays game left a lot to be desired with how Fermanagh managed to make it look like a training game for almost 70 mins. Would worry even more for the next few years once the experienced heads such as Collum, Fox and Reynolds step away and should any of the younger lads decide to opt out, where do we go then? LongfordSham (Longford) - Posts: 124 - 19/05/2025 08:51:26 2610849 Link
Replying To LongfordSham: "That was one of the worst displays from a Longford team i have ever seen. Not trying to have a pop at any of the players, as they are the ones who have committed to the cause for the year, but overall, we are falling so far behind the majority of other counties at the minute its alarming. The problems keep mounting up from the county board, a decline in the overall squad standard compared to other years, lack of interest within the county, to name but a few. While the standard of player we have available at the minute is not what we have had in the past 20 years, you would have to ask questions of where the level of coaching they are getting is at, as yesterdays game left a lot to be desired with how Fermanagh managed to make it look like a training game for almost 70 mins. Would worry even more for the next few years once the experienced heads such as Collum, Fox and Reynolds step away and should any of the younger lads decide to opt out, where do we go then?" We are lucky there isn't a division 5. A lot of lads been brought into panels last few years and not getting a minute of football, then with the genius structure in place in the Longford league we play the vast majority of it with teams not allowed to play their county players. So some players are getting zero football for a good 6 months of the year at crucial stages in development. They should be allowed to play with their clubs, some county's can play the club championship around the county team, we have to wait until end of July most years. County final not on until same time every year, amount of teams in senior championship meant to be down further by now but thanks to mishaps over past number of years still has too many. How can you blame players for opting out of a non functioning setup, when between club and county they are involved close to 12 months of the year and getting what out of it. The u20 county this year too seemed to have maybe only 2 or 3 of the u17 winning leinster team which in itself is a laugh. Would love to know the incredible thinking behind this decision. LFORD68 (Longford) - Posts: 10 - 19/05/2025 09:36:38 2610862 Link
Very disappointing. I don't think its fair to blame the players though. We can argue over whether this one or that one should be there over someone else, but these lads put their hands up and they don't go out to lose. If we are all demoralised, imagine how it was for those lads coming off the field yesterday. First major change I would make is to ensure county lads go back to their clubs when there is no county game that weekend. We don't have the luxury of having lads sat around not getting game time during the inter-county season. There is no better preparation than a competitive club game. We are not in a place to be picky about wanting to avoid even the mere possibility of injury. Let them back to their clubs when no county game. There are ways to take the foot off the gas on training demands to get the right player welfare balance, but game time is more critical than anything and we are in danger of seriously damaging both the club and county scenes by doing things the way we are doing it. We have decent young players, they need to be minded. That requires structures and funding that I don't think we can afford. It's also demoralising to play in front of a mostly empty grounds (which also doesn't help the affordability issues). So I don't envy those trying to turn this around. The interest is flagging badly on all fronts, with so many games on TV in a compressed schedule to drag peoples interest away, and we don't have the deep pockets to have facilities that are first class to attract people in. PS - I couldn't believe Shannonside asked Solan if he was even going to bother with the Carlow game!!! LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 617 - 19/05/2025 12:07:19 2610921 Link
Replying To LongfordgaaAbú: "Very disappointing. I don't think its fair to blame the players though. We can argue over whether this one or that one should be there over someone else, but these lads put their hands up and they don't go out to lose. If we are all demoralised, imagine how it was for those lads coming off the field yesterday. First major change I would make is to ensure county lads go back to their clubs when there is no county game that weekend. We don't have the luxury of having lads sat around not getting game time during the inter-county season. There is no better preparation than a competitive club game. We are not in a place to be picky about wanting to avoid even the mere possibility of injury. Let them back to their clubs when no county game. There are ways to take the foot off the gas on training demands to get the right player welfare balance, but game time is more critical than anything and we are in danger of seriously damaging both the club and county scenes by doing things the way we are doing it. We have decent young players, they need to be minded. That requires structures and funding that I don't think we can afford. It's also demoralising to play in front of a mostly empty grounds (which also doesn't help the affordability issues). So I don't envy those trying to turn this around. The interest is flagging badly on all fronts, with so many games on TV in a compressed schedule to drag peoples interest away, and we don't have the deep pockets to have facilities that are first class to attract people in. PS - I couldn't believe Shannonside asked Solan if he was even going to bother with the Carlow game!!!" Agree totally that you cant blame the players there, and no doubt they are giving their best, we have to make do with we have. Its a pity likes of matthew carey hasn't more experience beside him to learn off, take pressure off. The structure between club/county at minute is a mess. Pearse park has never been as empty for football games. Dont agree with that money statement , I wouldnt be overly confident we have too much money, but look at the 350k that was spent in 09 for a bad bit of land, the Pearse park stand falling down situation, how can we have so many of these mishaps. There big difference between wasted money and not having money, LFORD68 (Longford) - Posts: 10 - 19/05/2025 12:57:48 2610940 Link
Replying To LFORD68: "Agree totally that you cant blame the players there, and no doubt they are giving their best, we have to make do with we have. Its a pity likes of matthew carey hasn't more experience beside him to learn off, take pressure off. The structure between club/county at minute is a mess. Pearse park has never been as empty for football games. Dont agree with that money statement , I wouldnt be overly confident we have too much money, but look at the 350k that was spent in 09 for a bad bit of land, the Pearse park stand falling down situation, how can we have so many of these mishaps. There big difference between wasted money and not having money," I also think those tasked with turning this around as you said or the main reason we in this situation. Thinking we need expensive facilities to entice players to wear the Longford jersey is mad. These players represented longford at underage , wining and playing in leinster finals. Under Paddy Christie he got a lot of these players back in and left them on the sidelines. He was applauded early on for winning o'byrne cups which shows the level of ambition, we beat louth in one these finals who had a clearly bigger plan. Id love to actually know do these last three managers from outside the county actively go to league games. Should be at every game they can, LFORD68 (Longford) - Posts: 10 - 19/05/2025 13:19:38 2610950 Link
It's rotten at the top and has been for years. Just look at the mess last year in the senior championship and again this year to allow teams play whatever division they want williesboy (Leitrim) - Posts: 496 - 19/05/2025 13:52:55 2610971 Link
Until the CB get a proper grip of the local championships and not let clubs rule then the county team will go no where. And as said above, why would anyone want to go into the county sit on the bench for 7 league games, 1 Leinster game and 3 Tailteann Cup games to only end up playing 2 league games for your club before championship. Spinx (Longford) - Posts: 1355 - 19/05/2025 15:14:28 2611010 Link
All County boards should be audited externally by people from other counties Rockshorecider (Longford) - Posts: 63 - 19/05/2025 15:37:28 2611022 Link
There are still several good players in the county of a good age not involved. I really think it will take an inside manager or a manager of a good outside reputation to get them involved. Our biggest issue is midfield, Dessie Reynolds is a great footballer and has been for several years but is having to play outside his natural position. David McGivney,Aidan McGelligot, Shane kenny, Ronan Sweeney The Macken brothers, Paddy Kiernan and several others. We could do with physical presence that these players would bring. All still around the 30 year old mark. Robbie Smyth the best forward in last years senior championship is only 31 so there are enough players still playing football in the county that would massively improve this team, if you add in likes of Matthew Carey, Oran Kenny, Arron Farrell,Andrew Flynn and the coming county u17 team. Also there are players like Robbie Clarke who deserve a chance at senior county level. A lot of players get brought into the senior team solely off the back of being involved on underage panels over the past number of years whether they were good players or not on their teams. We definitely would be massively improved in division 4 very quickly if we got the correct personnel involved. LFORD68 (Longford) - Posts: 10 - 20/05/2025 02:43:09 2611208 Link
Club championship draw on Monday night on shannonside at 8pm. LongfordgaaAbú (Longford) - Posts: 617 - 22/05/2025 16:46:27 2611779 Link
Replying To LongfordgaaAbú: "Club championship draw on Monday night on shannonside at 8pm." We get to see which group is a farce again in this years championship Clonbonnyrabbitt (Longford) - Posts: 55 - 23/05/2025 13:49:48 2611884 Link