LAST UPDATE | 4 Jan
SUNDAY’S ALL-IRELAND senior club football semi-finals have both been postponed following pitch inspections and will now be played instead next Saturday, 11 January.
Dr Crokes of Kerry were due to meet Errigal Ciarán of Tyrone in O’Moore Park, Portlaoise, with the second semi-final pitting Coolera Strandhill of Sligo against Dublin’s Cuala in Breffni Park.
After O’Moore Park failed a pitch inspection early on Saturday morning, GAA officials announced that Breffni Park is also unplayable following an inspection on Saturday evening.
Both games have now been refixed for the same venues next Saturday, 11 January, with the Central Competitions Control Committee due to confirm the new throw-in times on Monday.
Irish qualified out half who doesn’t play for any of the three other provinces,…..has to be Garth Steenson!?
@Bo Jangles Gavigan: or AJ McGinty?
@Fergus Robson: Not sure AJ is still IQ as he has declared for the US and is their starting out half. It’s either Steenson or he’s bluffing and it’s Keatley or JJ.
@Fergus Robson: bo jangles who???
@Bo Jangles Gavigan: “…think laterally at times” – has to be Keatley. Steenson of 2-3 years ago would have been a great option alright. Bit auld now?
@Alexi: I’d agree about his age but saying that he’d be a great short term option for a few years while they develop some talent and he’d provide some quality leadership to an Ulster team who’ve admitted themselves are in transition.
I reckon it’s all a big bluff though and we could very well end up seeing Keats at Ulster yet.
@Bo Jangles Gavigan: agree about steenson as a stop gap/ mentor outhalf. He has huge influence at exeter and look how well they’ve consistently performed
@Bo Jangles Gavigan: @fithypete makes sense but on a separate note, I would guess he is very settled at Exeter.. must be there a good few years now
David Nicofora doesn’t get the credit he deserves
I dont mind having an Irish option but the reality is we have NIQ spaces, plenty of spare wages given who we have lost and a paper thin squad (especially in the backs). We need to bring in 2/3 more players
Outside bet could be Tyler Bleyendaal. He is or is about to be Irish qualified and would expect now to be behind Carberry
@Patrick Barton: Wouldn’t be surprised given Ulster’s history of signing injury prone players
@Patrick Barton: keep him in Munster. Pay your own wage bill..
I would rather see Ulster stick with McPhilips, Lowry and Curtis. It’s not as if we are going to win anything. None of the other names mentioned are realistic.
We keep hearing how Joe and DN are committed to making Ulster strong again but little sign of it. No coach until 2019, no physio or s and c coach, no CEO.
Player pool is threadbare with 12 players leaving, Marshall out with Acl and Ludik out
with a career threatening injury
DN claims someone will fill in for McFarland if he does not come till 2019. We were told that Farrell was going to help out after the 6 Nations. He never arrived.
@Patrick Barton: if he can stay injury free he’d be the best choice from an Ulster point of view. Good player, did very well for Munster in the 2016/17 season but kind of imploded towards the end. Having said that, he had Williams at 9 when his form dipped and I wouldn’t say that was a coincidence!
@Daniel Casey: He’s one injury away from retirement. Keep him on your wage bill.
@Trevor Johnston: thank you Trevor, perfectly put.
Jack carthy to Ulster is the word on the street…
@Anto Whelan: Moving 2 or 3rd choice is fine. But it’d be a poor form to move Connacht’s in contract first choice. It would be a real sign of what the IRFU think of Connacht.
Mark my words Madigan will be back at Leinster if sexton gets injured.
@Chris Mc: There is literally no hope of that happening. Madigan is in contract and earning far more than Leinster or IRFU would want to or should pay him. A short term injury deal wouldn’t be an option, and considering Madigan won’t be avail until he’s 30 and we have Ross Byrne (plus the fact Madigan isn’t great) it’s just not realistic, no matter how much you keep pushing it!
@Chris Mc: u don’t rate Ross Byrne or Frawley?
@Chris Mc:
All the talk about Madigan, his not even that good.
He had glimpses with Leinster and Ireland, that’s all tho. Plus his age profile. And obviously his wage bill.
@Jim Demps: the only other Irish our half is like to see at Ravenhill next season apart from Ross Byrne is Jonny Sexton , and that won’t happen . So Ross Byrne is the best Irish option available and that was the case before Carbery went to Munster .
@Peter Dickson: and I have fat fingers.
@Jim Demps: Chris doesn’t rate them. The rest of us do.
@Peter Dickson: Ross Byrne isn’t going to Ulster
@Conor Paddington: I haven’t seen anything of frawley but Byrne is a fine player. Not perfect like Chris wants but he’s only 23.
I’d imagine the Irfu IQ team are negotiating with someone from abroad who’s got Irish ties that no one has suggested yet. ( I was thinking Simon Hickey but he’s signed for Edinburgh) Mike Haley was a bolt from the blue but a fine signing for us.
@Jim Demps: frawley yes I rate him very highly but he’s very inexperienced , Byrne is a very good player but plays too deep and I’m not sure of his defence. Just not my cup of tea.
My point is if sexton gets injured Leinster will buy and the carrot of playing for them and a shot at another World Cup would be hard to resist.
Mad Dog?
@Philip Farrell: They can’t buy him as the petition to rename the RDS has enough signatures I hear….
@grandslamkbo: What’s it to be El Madrigal or Madigan Square Gardens?
Magidan has really improved in both and defence under pat lamb. Started most games and great breaks and tackles this season. He is great option but is already on lucrative contact.
@slyi: Madigan has been playing 2nd tier rugby . If he didn’t look good/better something would be very wrong .
I dont know why people mention Madigan for Ulster? he’s reported to be on a €500,000 salary double what Jackson was being paid and he isaqq half the player at outhalf.
Has only made first choice 10 in the second tier, couldnt push past Gopperth, Jackson, Keatley or Hinkley.
He’s not worth what Ulster were paying Jackson, so would he really move to Ulster for less than half of what he is being paid now? Its a non starter.
DN said it wouldnt be someone already at a province and I cant see Steenson moving at this stage of his career. All the NH would be signed up for the season and if Ulster have troubke getting McFarland early i cant see them biying someone out of contract. It all points to a non capped super rugby player with a Irish parent/grandparent we didnt know about.
Has to be either Steenson, Madigan, Bleyendaal or JJ.
@Peter Nagle: why not keatley?
Burns brothers IQ?