Originally posted by Blue Blood:
Shame about this just when we looked like sorting the defense. Wish him the best with it and hopefully he`s back for the Championship fully fit and raring to go.

Great news about Dalo.

From todays Independent:

Rory O`Carroll won`t be making himself available for Dublin`s 2011 league campaign, as he takes himself off to France for seven months as part of his studies.

O`Carroll, Dublin`s impressive rookie full-back, will be based in a village 90 minutes from Paris, where he will teach English and learn French as part of his UCD studies.

That means football will be put on the back burner for the entire league campaign, a situation he has no intention of changing.

"I won`t be back for league games," he confirmed. "I don`t think it would work to come back every week for league games. I don`t think it`s really practical. If you want to experience France properly, I don`t think you`d get the full benefit out of it if you were coming back every week."

O`Carroll, who has conveyed his plans to Pat Gilroy, admits it could put him under pressure to retain his place in next year`s championship.

Fitness

"I come back in early May and if I`m allowed to rejoin the panel I`d have a huge amount of work to do fitness-wise and football-wise," he admitted. "I`d have missed the whole pre-season so I`d have a lot of work to do. We`ll see what happens. we haven`t really talked too much about it."

O`Carroll, who took himself off to Asia as part of a planned trip after making his debut in the Leinster semi-final against Westmeath last summer, wasn`t happy with how this season went, despite the praise he got.

"Personally, you get a lot of people saying you had a great year, but we didn`t actually win anything. I usually measure my season through silverware.

"We had good success with the U-21s, but for the seniors Meath was a disastrous game, conceding five goals. Against Tipperary, in the next game, my man got a goal.

"We played quite defensively so that plays in my favour. You`re expected to play well in the full-back line if you`re playing that sort of game, so if you`re not playing well there`s something wrong.

"I thought it was good enough, but not good enough really. We didn`t win anything and that`s what you aim to do."

- Colm Keys

Irish Independent

Originally posted by arock:
I take it by the deafening roar of silence - zilch replies - he won`t be missed?

Originally posted by Blue Blood:


I don`t know the lad but he didn`t do himself a lot of favours going on holiday in 2009 mid Championship so that could be the reason no one will miss him... either that or people just don`t give a toss about Dublin 2011 at the moment. I`m sure D2 would prefer he concentrated on hurling but he may be a bit disillusioned with the Seniors after this year so couldn`t be arsed commenting?

This message has been edited - 07-sep-2010 @ 22:29

Originally posted by dubliner 2:


He should be concentrating on hurling and I seem to be one of the very few people who think he`s not the answer at full back. Directly responsible for three Meath goals and I didn`t think he played well vs Cork. I see Niall Corkery has taken a job in London. Again I`m not sure he`ll be missed but it shows you the state of the place when even Dublin lads have to put school/work before football. Don`t remember this happening before.

O`Carroll is going on Oct 1st and will be a much bigger loss to Crokes, who are gutted with injuries at the moment, right when the county football championship will be in the melting pot.

Originally posted by dubliner 2:
He should be concentrating on hurling and I seem to be one of the very few people who think he`s not the answer at full back. Directly responsible for three Meath goals and I didn`t think he played well vs Cork. I see Niall Corkery has taken a job in London. Again I`m not sure he`ll be missed but it shows you the state of the place when even Dublin lads have to put school/work before football. Don`t remember this happening before.

O`Carroll is going on Oct 1st and will be a much bigger loss to Crokes, who are gutted with injuries at the moment, right when the county football championship will be in the melting pot.

Originally posted by offaly:
Outside of the Meath game he was excellent this year and improved with each game, looks like he will be a top class fullback for the next 10 years.

He would be wasting his time with the hurlers as in all fairness to the hurlers they havent a hope of winning anything while the footballers are always there or thereabouts.I suspect that most of Dublins dual players know that and why most of them have chosen the footballers over the hurlers

This message has been edited - 07-sep-2010 @ 23:40

Originally posted by offaly:


Outside of the Meath game he was excellent this year and improved with each game, looks like he will be a top class fullback for the next 10 years.

He would be wasting his time with the hurlers as in all fairness to the hurlers they havent a hope of winning anything while the footballers are always there or thereabouts.I suspect that most of Dublins dual players know that and why most of them have chosen the footballers over the hurlers

This message has been edited - 07-sep-2010 @ 23:47

Originally posted by Blue Blood:


If the best hurlers in Dublin all played under Dalo for a couple of years who knows what they could win. A Leinster title is not beyond the realms of possibility in 2 years time!
I think the tide is changing ever so slightly with the dual players DAF... at least I sincerely hope it is!!

Originally posted by offaly:
I would say of all the dual players that left the Dublin hurling panel Conal Keaney was the biggest loss.He looked a brilliant prospect when he was hurling with Dublin.Would he be good enough to go back to the hurlers now because it looks like Gilroy doesnt really fancy him at the moment

Originally posted by sam:
Keaney hurling rumours starting early this year. Although I always thought he might be tempted back if he`s not getting his game with the footballers. Would love to see him back, big strong fella with plenty of hurling, has played more hurling over the last few years then Shane Ryan so should make the switch back easier. now if he could bring Ross o Carroll back with him ...

Rory has every right to go to France to further his studies. I`m just glad it`s not an injury ruling him out of the league.

Originally posted by The referee:
I am only speculating here but i have picked up sort of a vibe that maybe things are not all rosey in the football camp despite dublin`s relative success this year. just one or two things dublin gaa people have said to me. Got the impression from them that the panel are not entirely buying into the team select   ion and tactics but ran with it for the sake of unity and the jersey.

am i completely on the wrong track here?? the dublin posters here might comment

Originally posted by Blue Blood:


Not rumours Sam, hopes!!!

Following on from what D2 said above is news in the Metro today that Louth are losing 4 key players to Oz, John O`Brien, Michael Fanning, Brian White and Shane Lennon, because they can`t find work here. Terrible news for Louth.

Originally posted by The referee:

jez that would decimate louth - there is no chance that they would recover from losses of that scale.

Originally posted by The referee:


I see Rory left the pitch injured for the Kilmacud hurlers after 15 mins last weekend. Both he and Ross seem to be cursed with injuries. Ross hasnt played a decent consecutive batch of games in nearly two years now. Pity cos they are fine players and great competitors

maybe a rest from training and games whilst he is France might not be a bad thing. he has played a serious amount of games since he was a kid in hurling and football

Originally posted by Blue Blood:


Not rumours Sam, hopes!!!

Following on from what D2 said above is news in the Metro today that Louth are losing 4 key players to Oz, John O`Brien, Michael Fanning, Brian White and Shane Lennon, because they can`t find work here. Terrible news for Louth.

Originally posted by Galway Bay:
Not so sure I,d believe everything written in the Metro BB...Not exactly a hot bed for sports news or any other news come to think of it

Originally posted by sam:
That`s brutal news for bill if it turns out to be true, himself and Ross have been oozed with injuries the last couple if years, bill will be doing well to get back to his best now at all given the crucial experience he`s missed, shame, hope he can cone back better then before. Crokes are been savaged by injuries actually, between Ross, davoreb, griffin, and the o carrolls they`ve had \\e luck all round.