Leinster 2007 Draws

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:14 pm

LEINSTER CHAMPIONSHIP DRAWS 2007

LEINSTER U21 FC - 1st rd: Dublin v Meath, Offaly v Carlow, Wicklow v Laois, Wexford v Westmeath. Quarter-finals: Dublin/Meath v Kildare, Offaly/Carlow v Longford, Wicklow/Laois v Louth, Wexford/Westmeath v Kilkenny. Semi-finals: Dublin/Meath/Kildare v Offaly/Carlow/Longford, Wicklow/Laois/Louth v Wexford/Westmeath/Kilkenny.

LEINSTER JFC - Quarter-finals: Kildare v Meath, Wexford v Kilkenny, Dublin v Louth, Laois v Wicklow. Semi-finals: Kildare/Meath v Wexford/Kilkenny, Dublin/Louth v Laois/Wicklow.

LEINSTER MFC - Round 1: Kilkenny v Laois, Wexford v Westmeath, Wicklow v Offaly, Dublin v Meath, Longford v Carlow, Louth v Kildare.

LEINSTER U21 HC `A' - Quarter-finals: Louth v Carlow, Kildare v Longford, Wicklow v Westmeath, Meath bye. Semi-finals: Louth/Carlow v Kildare/Longford, Wicklow/Westmeath v Meath.

LEINSTER U21 HC - Quarter-finals: `A' Winners v Dublin, Kilkenny v Laois. Semi-finals: `A' Winners/Dublin v Wexford, Kilkenny/Laois v Offaly.

LEINSTER IHC - Semi-final: Dublin v Kilkenny. Final: Dublin/Kilkenny v Wexford.

LEINSTER MHC - Round 1: Kildare v Laois, Wexford v Carlow, Wicklow v Offaly, Westmeath v Meath. Round 2 plus Round 3. Kilkenny and Dublin byes into semi-final.

Rynaghs Biffo · Post by **Rynaghs Biffo** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:27 pm

Not bad all round, although would prefer the U-21 hurlers to be playing more games, think playing Kilkenny fresh is like hitting a brick wall.

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 4:27 pm

Overall, other than the under 21 hurlers, we can't have too many complaints. However in saying that, there are a few things I'd have problems with.

(1) Apparently the minor football championship this year will have an "extended" back door, meaning that everyone who gets eliminated, irrespective of which round, will get a second bite - I strongly disagree with this. While I've no doubt it's good for them in a football sense, and our county in particular have benefitted from the partial back door in the last couple of years, these are still 18 year olds who are in the middle of either leaving cert or possibly college exams. They usually are playing minor, under 21 and adult football for their club, and in many cases are doing this across a couple of codes. These lads need less games, not more. Taking this point further, I'd be an advocate of moving minor to under 19, scrapping under 21 and playing the new minor in the spring when the under 21 is now played. Most decent 20/21 year olds end up on the county senior panel anyway.

(2) Why are we not in the junior football any more? I understand that there hasn't been the biggest will in the county to be interested in this, but it's a good stage for lads that possibly developed late and might otherwise not have been noticed by county selectors. I'm not a lover of wedging it with young lads that have had plenty of chances at under 21 level, but lads in their mid twenties that are solid club players - a few of them might surprise us. It's not like the team that won Leinster at this grade a few years ago didn't yield a few good players.....

(3) This is an absolutely dream draw for the under 21 footballers. There can be no more excuses at this level, we're long overdue a good run at this grade.

(4) It isn't clear from this, but it appears like the minor hurling is now straight knockout - we'll play Wicklow, followed by possibly Meath or Westmeath, before a semi final where we'll be big underdogs. Again, less games is better for lads of this age, but it hardly bodes well for our chances of toppling Dublin or Kilkenny.

Muck Savage · Post by **Muck Savage** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:20 pm

Agree LS on the Junior football. I've no idea why we can't put out a good team here. I understand that a lot of lads aren't that interested in it but the team in '98 (got beat in the AI) had a lot of lads that went on to the Senior team. There was at least 5 lads, apart from Karol Slattery all these lads were over 21 and hadn't been given a chance by the Senior team. That year it started off with the majority of the Senior fring players not bothering to show up for the games but by Leinster final day the management in fairness to them told them to P#@s off when they showed up to get a game.

For the U21 football, did Longford not have a strong Minor team a few years ago or was that this years U21 team. That Dublin team made the AI I believe three years ago also. Looking at our U21's this is the best team we have had for a long time and I hope they pull together, will Roe manage them also?

Pity about the U21 hurling, there are a few good young hurlers coming through. Look at the County final last weekend and there are a good few lads from both teams available. However, if your going to win it no better time to get Kilkenny.

Which team has the best chance? What are the minors like?

Lone Shark · Post by **Lone Shark** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:37 am

That's what I mean, I'm not talking about the juniors having lads like Hunt, Ryan or Kevin Lynam, but lads that are good solid players at club level who are possibly capable of more. These fellas could easily be waiting to be seen to be able to make the step up, and this is a good place to see that.

There's been so many false dawns with our under 21's that by now I'll believe it when I see it. Longford won't be bad, but to be fair we still should be beating them if we've anything about us at all. I think their minor team was 2002, but you'd assume they'll still have a few of them. I know our team is decent on paper, but that team that lost to Meath in Tullamore a few years ago looked really strong on paper and ended up losing to a team that lost to a team that lost the Leinster final.

Minor hurlers again should be reasonable, I think a good few of last year's lads should be available again, less sure about the footballers, I think they'll be more or less a completely new batch.