NFL Div 3 Squad and Matches 2016

Okay, with the O'Byrne Cup  campaign dying with barely a whimper it's time to turn our thoughts to the NFL Div 3 campaign.  First of course we need to give Cian some help in picking his squad (I'm sure he comes on here to figure out what he should do..).  I've been helpful enough to select my own squad of 34 for the competition (no need to thank me, Cian).  All opinions are my own:

3 Goalkeepers:
Colin Heeney (Celbridge)
Mark Donnellan (Maynooth)
Shane Connolly (St Laurence's)

13 Defenders:
Cian O'Donoghue  (Clane)
Ciaran Fitzpatrick (Kilcock)
David Hyland (Athy)
Emmet Bolton (Eadestown)
Eoin Doyle (Naas)
Fergal Conway (Celbridge)
Gavin Farrell (Castledermot)
Jonathan Byrne (Allenwood)
Kevin Murnaghan (Moorefield)
Morgan O'Flaherty (Carbury)
Ollie Lyons (Celbridge)
Peter Kelly (TMH)
Ryan Houlihan (Moorefield)


5 Midfielders:
Daniel Flynn (JTB)
Daryl Flynn (Moorefield)
Paul Cribbin (JTB)
Tommy Moolick (Leixlip)
Kevin Feely (Athy)

13 Forwards:
Adam Tyrell (Moorefield)
Alan Smith (Sarsfields)
Cathal McNally (JTB)
Eanna O'Connor (Moorefield)
Eoghan O'Flaherty (Carbury)
Keith Cribbin (JTB)
Mark Sherry (TMH)
Matty Byrne (Sarsfields)
Niall Kelly (Athy)
Padraig Fogarty (St Laurence's)
Padraig O'Neill (St Laurence's)
Chris Healy (TMH)
Neil Flynn (Maynooth)

To be honest it wasn't that hard..  Main players I didn't find room for were:
Tom Corley, Eamon Callaghan, Mikey Conway, Fionn Dowling, Ray Cahill, David Whyte, Seamus Hanafin, Hugh McGrillen.

Let's see how close I get to the final 34..

It's tough but my differences would be

Corley in front of Heeney.
McGrillen instead of Farrell
Cahill instead of Keith Cribbin

Other than that can't really differ too much. Need to have a bit more of a think

I'd have Corley in front of Heeney
McGrillen instead of Farrell
Cahill instead of Matty Byrne.

I wonder what everyones starting 15 would be...

I strongly considered McGrillen and Cahill actually and Ben McCormack is another (but he can play away with the '21s and hopefully make a good impression there).

4 0r 5 u21 team will go in 2 snr team/very good players wont name any not fair 2.

I wouldn't think you'd be a million miles off there Crofter. I'd change four or five but the gist of it would be the same. I think the main question is whether he counts U21 players and which ones in the official 34. For example he might keep the likes of Chris Healy with the 21s for at least a few weeks to leave room for more senior players. It'll be very interesting to see how it pans out.

mooresguy wrote:

4 0r 5 u21 team will go in 2 snr team/very good players wont name any not fair 2.

Ah go on ...

I don't see why it's not fair - you're just giving an opinion about who's a good player...

Nice one crofter. . Can't believe some of those forwards you selected ahead of ray cahill.

Can only go on my own eyes Seamus, and I'll admit I probably don't see as much club football as some of you guys. There's no doubt he's a good free-taker and I'd be delighted if he's selected and proves himself as an inter-county forward from play. I just haven't seen it the times I've seen him. Possibly didn't help that he was played in the corner on Sunday when by all accounts he may be better out the field. Which of my forwards would you put him ahead of ?
Matty Byrne is possibly the one I would consider him ahead of.

Cahill is well able to score from play. He regularly kicks 3 or 4 points from play for his club and that's mostly from centre forward. Kildare can't find a full forward who can score at all.

I'd have Keith Cribbin in ahead of Ryan Houlihan, presuming Cribbin will be fit for some part of the league. Houlihan is very loose and is a little rash in the tackle.

Cahill is dropped and is not good enough for intercounty standard.

Taibi wrote:

Cahill is well able to score from play. He regularly kicks 3 or 4 points from play for his club and that's mostly from centre forward. Kildare can't find a full forward who can score at all.

I'd have Keith Cribbin in ahead of Ryan Houlihan, presuming Cribbin will be fit for some part of the league. Houlihan is very loose and is a little rash in the tackle.

Sounds great. Cahill must have had an off-day when I've seen him as his shooting seemed rash and decision making not great. Like I say I probably haven't seen enough of him. I had both Cribbin and Houlihan in my squad actually although I'd Keith in as a forward rather than a defender.

The issue with Ray is his best position is centre forward. And I suppose the question is is he an inter county centre forward ?.
I would have him ahead of sherry. Mcnally. Byrne. K cribben. Eanna and healy. All just an opinion.

I know club and county are very different but Cahill has been one of the best club footballers in Kildare over the last few years. I would definitely include him on the panel for now and give him more time.

Whats the story with Smith? Heard people saying he decided not to come back this year but not sure if that's true. No sign of him playing in The O'Byrne Cup anyway. Is he injured?

I see Neil Flynn wasn't taking the frees for maynooth uni.. Must be a good reason why JD wouldn't have him on them.

Ray is also both footed a rarity in kildare forwards.

Was Sean Campbell not called in ?.

He wasn't playing seamus

Neil Flynn wasn't playing against Westmeath but he was taking them in all the other games. JD seems to be doing well with them.

That's good to hear. Thanks.

I heard last night that a number of players were back training with their clubs last night. Terrible shame that the league panel hasn't be officially announced yet, or has it.

Has anything changed after all the changes ????????

Just looking at the fixtures.. 4 at home.. but the 3 away, westmeath, Longford and tipp won't be easy, and all will fancy their chances I'd say.

Gaa1928 wrote:

I heard last night that a number of players were back training with their clubs last night.   Terrible shame that the league panel hasn't be officially announced yet, or has it.

Has anything changed after all the changes ????????

No announcement that I've seen though I've heard from a few supposedly knowledgeable people that Cahill didn't make it.

Panel being named tonight according to official sources

The Full panel for the Kildare Senior Footballers for the Upcoming Allianz Football League will be named later this evening - Kildare GAA Offical

1. Mark Donnellan Maynooth
2. Tom Corley Moorefield
3. Ollie Lyons Celbridge
4. Peter Kelly Two Mile House
5. David Hyland Athy
6. Ciaran Fitzpatrick Kilcock
7. Hugh McGrillen Celbridge
8. Liam Healy Moorefield
9. Eoin Powderly Kilcock
10. Emmet Bolton Eadestown
11. Eoin Doyle Naas
12. Fergal Conway Celbridge
13. Kevin Murnaghan Moorefield
14. Keith Cribbin Johnstownbridge
15. Ryan Houlihan Moorefield
16. Johnny Byrne Allenwood
17. Cian O' Donoghue Clane
18. Tommy Moolick Leixlip
19. Kevin Feely Athy
20. Matty Byrne Sarsfields
21. Daryl Flynn Moorefield
22. Eoghan O'Flaherty Carbury
23. Paul Cribbin Johnstownbridge
24. Daniel Flynn Johnstownbridge
25. Adam Tyrell Moorefield
26. Mark Sherry Two Mile House
27. Rob Kelly Straffan
28. Èanna O' Connor Moorefield
29. Alan Smith Sarsfields
30. Eamonn Callaghan Naas
31. Fionn Dowling Suncroft
32. Neil Flynn Maynooth
33. Niall Kelly Athy
34. Pàdraig O' Neill St Laurence's
35. Cathal McNally Johnstownbridge

Interesting. No Mikey Conway, Padraig Fogarty, Morgan O'Flaherty, Ray Cahill, Shane Connolly, Seamus Hanafin, Seamus McNally....

Only 2 Keepers?