Combined Counties Football League

I hear they are running a bus. The Palace bar is taking a list, and will cost 15 euro per head. (i'll confirm later)

Willow are flying it at the moment, I didn't know they were still in the the Leinster Cup also. Peters have a much better team on paper but it goes to show the if the sum of all the parts add up greater than the individuals how well you can do.

Cotter Cup starting next week, with the two big guns on the national stage will their eye be taken off the ball allowing another team to sneak through? Anyone any thoughts?

To be honest cant see either slipping up this weekend in cotter cup all top sides have handy enough games ,I hear willow travelled to dublin and game was called off so id say they will be lookin to get the tie reversed to home...How is the numbers for the bus goin has there been much interest in the match against westport..

CCFL also includes Longford !! Div. 1 and 3 saturday.

** Attention **

CCFL Fines as of Wednesday, 14 January 2009

Clubs Please Note: All fines must be paid within 14 days. All players stand suspended until fines are paid. Club fines may be doubled if not paid within 14 days. All fines must be paid to Derek Collins who will issue receipts.

Taken from www.ccfl.ie

Massop, you are obviously towards the longford part of the woods, how come ye chaps never entered or went for the top couple of tiers of the CCFL. Is it purley down to the Saturday football?

Are there any other teams here who would like to discuss Saturday football, historically Ithink it is down to the availability of referees.(although I guess it is not as much an issue as it was because of floodlights now)

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Originally Posted by AlwaysAHoop

To be honest cant see either slipping up this weekend in cotter cup all top sides have handy enough games ,I hear willow travelled to dublin and game was called off so id say they will be lookin to get the tie reversed to home...How is the numbers for the bus goin has there been much interest in the match against westport..

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Haven't a clue on numbers, but there seems to be a small bit of interest, good wins for the top two again.. Peters seem to be flying but we'll see sunday its a big test.. Willow at home again huge game hope they can pull it off! Any predictions lads? Heard theres a new Athlone manager, I'd say he'll be pulling players from both teams?

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Originally Posted by spcorp

Haven't a clue on numbers, but there seems to be a small bit of interest, good wins for the top two again.. Peters seem to be flying but we'll see sunday its a big test.. Willow at home again huge game hope they can pull it off! Any predictions lads? Heard theres a new Athlone manager, I'd say he'll be pulling players from both teams?

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Is there anyone good enough?

Course there is. If you consider where ATFC have finished in the last couple of seasons there is not likley to be a huge cap betweem some players in the CCFL and LOI First division and the bottom half of that to boot!!

The thing is would players who are training one or two nights a week and playing on a Sunday fairly locally want to scrap at the bottom half of Div 1 playing all over the country on different nights each week? Some of the younger lads might see the proposition as attractive but the guys who have experience i.e The ones who would add to athlone or longford might see it differently.

I think there is good value at the bookies on an Athlone double this weekend. You'll get about 150 back for a tenner!

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Originally Posted by Fr Damo

Course there is. If you consider where ATFC have finished in the last couple of seasons there is not likley to be a huge cap betweem some players in the CCFL and LOI First division and the bottom half of that to boot!!

The thing is would players who are training one or two nights a week and playing on a Sunday fairly locally want to scrap at the bottom half of Div 1 playing all over the country on different nights each week? Some of the younger lads might see the proposition as attractive but the guys who have experience i.e The ones who would add to athlone or longford might see it differently.

I think there is good value at the bookies on an Athlone double this weekend. You'll get about 150 back for a tenner!

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Your right can't see the older lads wanting to travel half way around ireland for 50 a week, thats the problem though no one wants to play for athlone at the moment, hope they can turn it around but its a big job. Athlone are a great club.
There's about 4 at willow and about 6 at peters who would make the grade in my opinion, what you think? I might take you up on that double, few quid would be nice!!

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Originally Posted by spcorp

Your right can't see the older lads wanting to travel half way around ireland for 50 a week, thats the problem though no one wants to play for athlone at the moment, hope they can turn it around but its a big job. Athlone are a great club.
There's about 4 at willow and about 6 at peters who would make the grade in my opinion, what you think? I might take you up on that double, few quid would be nice!!

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Is the standard that good?
I know there is a few ex LOI players in both squads but realistically i doubt there is that many...and to be fair those lads have tried in the past but werent good enough then so why would they be up to the standard now? Not a criticism, just an opinion...................

Wouldn't agree with the 4 at willow and 6 at peters tbh, but certainly there are players in both squads who were better than down at Lissywollen, more over, there were players in other teams better than some of the Peters/Willow players!!
The league is not bad, and like all good Junior leagues I bet the very best 11 players (ie the best player in their position in their respective league) could compete at LOI first division, no doubts in my mind. Then you get into the arguments about the oscar traynor though.

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Originally Posted by Fr Damo

Wouldn't agree with the 4 at willow and 6 at peters tbh, but certainly there are players in both squads who were better than down at Lissywollen, more over, there were players in other teams better than some of the Peters/Willow players!!
The league is not bad, and like all good Junior leagues I bet the very best 11 players (ie the best player in their position in their respective league) could compete at LOI first division, no doubts in my mind. Then you get into the arguments about the oscar traynor though.

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I take your point but with proper coaching which doesn't and hasn't existed in the midlands for years these players could play. And yeah your right there's good players in the league other than peters, there's a few from mullingar maybe one from clara but thats it. The league isn't bad but it could be promoted better and run better, lets not get into the oscar discussion, if roscommon can get into the semi final theres hope for anyone, no disrespect to roscommon.

This new athlone manager seems to mean business, he's already been to ccfl games, its the first time anyone bothered to go for more than ten minutes, hopefully Athlone can push on?

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I take your point but with proper coaching which doesn't and hasn't existed in the midlands for years these players could play.

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Don't agree and Neither would P Nicholson. There is good coaching at underage level, Robbie Benson, Jack Carty, Alan Sheehan and others who simply moved to Dublin clubs to play at a better standard. Maybe your grip is with how the ADSL is run and probably not to be discussed here.

Good to hear the new manager has been at a few games, also I see Padraig Moran has been appointed his assistant.

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Originally Posted by Fr Damo

Don't agree and Neither would P Nicholson. There is good coaching at underage level, Robbie Benson, Jack Carty, Alan Sheehan and others who simply moved to Dublin clubs to play at a better standard. Maybe your grip is with how the ADSL is run and probably not to be discussed here.

Good to hear the new manager has been at a few games, also I see Padraig Moran has been appointed his assistant.

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lads was away the weekend, heard the willow peters games were brilliant, can anyone fill me in on the games going mad to hear!! who played well? what were the peno's like?should willow have won?

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Originally Posted by spcorp

lads was away the weekend, heard the willow peters games were brilliant, can anyone fill me in on the games going mad to hear!! who played well? what were the peno's like?should willow have won?

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I was at the Westport V Peters game, and it was very good match. On clear cut chances created, Westport Utd should have won, but St Peters were excellent also. They played about 80 minutes in total with 10 men. Westport were slow to start but should not have gone behind when they did. It was an excellent goal from No 9 with a powerful shot from about 18 yards. Westport's goal was a lovely glancing header from Hoban.

Peters took the lead again in the second half after about 15 minutes with a good header from 9 again after a cross from 7. This goal was definitely against the run of play. Westport scored the equaliser some few minutes later by McLoughlin. Peters defended desperately for most of the remainder of the half but they had one great chance to go ahead but shot was saved by 'keeper. Westport had 3 great chances to kill the game in the closing quarter but were not able to do so. Extra time did not offer a lot as both sides looked very tired (Peters with 10 men and Westport lacking match fitness being out of season). The penalties from both sides were excellent 8 -7. It was hard to be a loser in this one. The good pitch at Milebush suited both teams.


Peters can go further in this competition but mouthing by some players and lack of concentration will not win games, but they are a good footballing side with strength in the correct places. Good luck to Peters, and I am a neutral from Castlebar. The 4 and 5 at the back were impressive, and 7, 9 and 11 were also very good. Central midfield pairing were probably good players as well but need to keep the mouth shut more and concentrate on the game. The goalie did his work also.

Back to league and cup action this week,,willow in leinster cup i can see them winning at home 2.1 i think..and peters at home to clonaslee will be a great chance to close the gap 4 0 i think ,clara also entertain ck united which will be a fiery contest so say the least.. 3 2 to clara..killavilla to beat mullingar ath at home..Great win for peters last weekend with a home draw anythin is possible in next round has a midland team ever got that far in junior cup..

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Originally Posted by AlwaysAHoop

Back to league and cup action this week,,willow in leinster cup i can see them winning at home 2.1 i think..

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Peters can close the gap this weekend leaving a very couple of nervous weeks for the willow park boys. They will do well to win at the weekend (on the back of a peno loss) but if they do will show great spirit and will stand them in good stead.

I hear the Brendan Place want's a friendly against an athlone team made up of Peters and Willow lads? How does that benifit either club? Are we going back to the bad auld days where ATFC dn't care for the amature clubs in the towns? Surely a game against a reasonable Athlone team would bring the Amature clubs on and therefore benifit AtFC in the longer term, not to mention it might bring a level of good will towards them and us.

I can not see how this would benifit either club as they would lose there best players..surely the the 2 clubs managers have not agreed to this to let there players play in this match..
especially with peters in the last 16 of fai junior cup..athlone is a great club and every player should want to play for there local senior club i would just be worried if they would get a fair crack at it down there
as it is a big step up but junior football has been overlooked in athlone for long enough now a few local sides are doin well and people want to no.Its just my own view on it.Sayin that with people like paugie moran envolved it great to see athlone goin in the right direction..

You couldn't stand in the way of a player if Athlone coma callin!! And you forget, Athlone may want a player to join but that player will have to want to play LOI to join them!

I think both willow and st peters management would like to take on an Athlone side regardless of the risk of losing a player or two, and if ATFC want to sign some one let them ask the player and the club and be open about it. Not this crap about putting two teams together to form a hyprid with the only target being to benifit ATFC.

I have been following ATFC since 1985, my first game was a 3-2 defeat to Shamrock Rovers. Liam o Brien and Noel Larkin were playing for the Shams. I followed them in 88 when we went up as Div 1 champs, followed them going up with mickey although we were behind sligo (paugie was playing on the left for sligo, they beat us 2 0 in mels in the decider) but for the vast majority of the last twenty three years I have followed them have been in the second tier. Why are Athlone a great club if we are in the Second tier constantly and don't give locals a chance as you say. Sorry to stray off on this tangent.

Great draw for peters will be a serious challange for the team but the games that the club would want i suppose thats what its all about...Any news on where it will be played and will peters be at full strength for it,id say there will be a lot of interest in the town for this 1 as the club brought a nice crowd to westport...