Gaa 2013

Freeman has really stood up to the mark since O'Connor went off. Impressive display, delighted for him.
 
Game's not over just yet. 15 mins left and 5 points in it. Tyrone have come close to getting through twice in the past five minutes so if Mayo are leaky, Tyrone could score a goal yet.
 
Big Papi said:
Game's not over just yet. 15 mins left and 5 points in it. Tyrone have come close to getting through twice in the past five minutes so if Mayo are leaky, Tyrone could score a goal yet.
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Which is why we've just move Higgins back. Expecting a nervy finish, just need to get over the line.
 
I can't remember a set of backs so comfortable in knocking the ball over the bar. Lovely score from Keegan.
 
That's that. Tyrone started well but Mayo came back into it well. Tyrone just don't have enough point scorers in the team, and they lack pace too.
 
Good performance second half, Tyrone just couldn't live with our pace breaking from the half back line. Not a great performance overall, but maybe that's what we needed.

Unlucky Irwin, good performance from your lot for the first 15 or 20 minutes but I think the loss of Harte and O'Neill weighed heavy in the end. I think it's fair to say that the better team on the day won out.

I think Dublin should be heavy favourites after that. We'll struggle to live with them and our pace won't count as much.
 
Big Papi said:
First time ever that Mayo have had both senior and minor finalists in the same year.
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This makes me happy.

I'm already pricing flights from Bangalore to Dublin for a quick weekend. Reckon it could be worth the grand...
 
Well done mayo. Better team by a good distance in the last hour. Deegan was a joke as per with refs and Tyrone gamed but mayo would have won anyway. I'll be shouting for them in the final.
 
Christ I'm wrecked. Had a fair scoop of pints yesterday during and after the match, went to bed around 10ish (I think) but as usual with me and day drinking I was wide awake at 4am and haven't slept a wink since.
 
lem8sh said:
The other semi is the final
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I still fancy Dublin to win Sam as I think they are the best team in the country right now. I would fancy Mayo to beat Kerry though.

I can see Dublin doing a proper number on Kerry on Sunday, I can't see Kerry living with the pace of the Dubs. Only caveat would be if Donaghy finds form at full forward and exposes the Dublin full back line like Cork tried to do.

It's refreshing to see gameplans built on the speed of moving the ball winning out this year, with the Mayo and Dublin styles being very similar.
 
I think that was the very best thing for Mayo yesterday. A big fright in the first 20 mins and then cruise control thereafter. Normally I'd give Mayo no chance against the other pair but I'll give them the favourites tag this year and as I said earlier in the thread, with no Ulster team there to shout for Mayo will be getting my support this year.
 
ah yeah, it's been 60-odd years so let them on. With moses saying they're a pain-in-the-arse, I suppose any county starved would be. Kildare in '98 were unbearable.
 
Look, some of them can be a pain in the arse and amazingly cocky, but in fairness I know a lot more sound Mayo lads than wankers. It's just that the wankers are generally huge wankers. Look at the Hogan Stand post on Facebook today where they posted the article in which Mickey Harte had the temerity to complain (wrongly imo) about the tackle on Harte. The abuse was very personal that he got and not really on for someone like Mickey who has done so much and given up so much for the game despite repeated personal pains.

I think a lot of the cockyness comes from Provincial success but then provincial success recently for Galway and Mayo isn't a lot to crow about. They've gone up to Croker as underdogs every other time and generally got their arses handed to them but this time they will be favourites. I can see them beating Dublin who will be their opponent in one of the best finals in a long while.
 
Irwinwastheking said:
Look, some of them can be a pain in the arse and amazingly cocky, but in fairness I know a lot more sound Mayo lads than wankers. It's just that the wankers are generally huge wankers. Look at the Hogan Stand post on Facebook today where they posted the article in which Mickey Harte had the temerity to complain (wrongly imo) about the tackle on Harte. The abuse was very personal that he got and not really on for someone like Mickey who has done so much and given up so much for the game despite repeated personal pains.

I think a lot of the cockyness comes from Provincial success but then provincial success recently for Galway and Mayo isn't a lot to crow about. They've gone up to Croker as underdogs every other time and generally got their arses handed to them but this time they will be favourites. I can see them beating Dublin who will be their opponent in one of the best finals in a long while.
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I see Killian Young broke his ankle in a training match. Nightmare for the lad. Hope he makes a quick recovery. With him out and Donaghy off colour I think this will be a close match. Kerry's midfield has impressed me recently and they finally seem to have got someone to step up after Dara pictured below retired. Gooch is having a brilliant year and the pace and smarts is in the Kerry forward line for all to see it's just can they shut down the supply to the Dublin forward line and will the Dublin forwards choose the right options which they have failed to do in some of the recent matches. Really looking forward to this one but too close to call for me.

I think if Kerry are level with about 20 to go and they really want to rattle Dublin then I would launch Donaghy from the bench and look to push the little fast lad who is a class finisher or Gooch up to feed off him. Might rattle the smallish Dublin full back line to cough up a goal or two.
 
Well done to Mayo men on 2 good victories. They can definitely go on & win both cups now. It would be nice for the people of Mayo, especially after all the heartbreak & "slagging" they have endured in recent years. I think they will have the vast majority within 31 counties rooting for them, me definitely included.

Some score by their minors, alas our own lads definitely suffered stage fright. Pity, because they would have scored more & this would surely have been one of the highest scoring football matches over 60 mins.
 
Too many missed goal chances STG but that said they were almost all well hit low drives but that lad in goals for Mayo had a clinker of a game.
 
I was only winding Gee Male up, Mayo men are no worse than anyone else, and like everyone else, much less annoying than anyone from Tyrone.
 
Tyrone are still a terrific side. Their attitude, non-panicky way of playing football is brilliant to watch. I think they'll have another shot at Sam, next year or the year after. Hopefully, Sean Cavanagh will still be with them because he's a class act.

Anyone any idea how Dublin/Kerry will go? I tempted to go Dublin by 4-6 but don't know if it's simply Kerry in the long grass.
 
I'm going for Dublin by 4-5.

I think it's time for a change now in Tyrone with Mickey handing over the reigns. There's loads of good managers in the county baying for a chance to manage them and tbf it's due a change.
 
lem8sh said:
Talk down here is that Donaghy won't start. Feckin hope so.
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Well, the talk was right:

Brendan Kealy; Marc Ó Sé, Mark Griffin, Shane Enright; Tomás Ó Sé, Peter Crowley, Fionn Fitzgerald; Anthony Maher, Johnny Buckley; Paul Galvin, Colm Cooper, Donnchadh Walsh; Darran O'Sullivan, Declan O’Sullivan, James O’Donoghue
 
lem8sh said:
Our strongest team bar Killian.
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Pity he misses out. He's a very good footballer and will be a big loss to the half back line. Still a strong side. I fear the midfield will nullify ours and the O'Sullivans and Gooch will enjoy the freedom of no sweepers. Been impressed by Walsh too this year. He goes about his business quietly like Kilkenny for Dublin but makes big contributions in each game. Getting excited now!
 
Met Kieran McGeeney yesterday. Introduced the lads to him and had a short chat about Kildare football. Very pleasant bloke and still looking as fit as a fiddle.
 
Because they signed a 5-year agreement with Bord Gais that the final would always be on in Thurles. Every team knew this at the start of the year. The Antrim County Board are up in arms about this even though they fixed a round of the Antrim Senior Club Football Championship on the same day as the Wexford match meaning 4 players missed out. They didn't give a feck about this championship 'til they won a game. For what it's worth, Clare offered to play the game at any venue south of the border but the GAA had signed an agreement.
 
Clare hammering the shite out of Antrim above in Ulster wouldn't do much for promoting hurling up there anyways so it's probably for the best it's being played in Semple stadium, the home of Hurling!
 
(1)After running a few checks, cannot find any mention, that a "ridiculous" final venue agreement is built into the deal with Bord Gais.

(11) So what if they get hammered, at least give them a fair deal.

Clare border to Thurles = 30 miles aprox. Antrim border to Thurles = 160 miles aprox.(+vast majority Antrim hurlers are 30-60 miles further North)

How many times have Galway hurling fans ( & I am one), given out about Galway playing Kilkenny in NEUTRAL Thurles, which is also unfair. . . But Antrim in nearly on a different planet to Thurles..... "come on, spare me please"!
 
So if Dublin beat Kerry on Sunday they should have the final in between Dublin and Mayo?

There was a 5-year agreement for Thurles to be the U-21 final venue, that's a fact. From the start of the year TG4 have been saying about the final being in Thurles. I saw that it was with Bord Gais but that was on a forum so I dunno about its veracity.
 
Paddy Andrews in for Cullen is the only change to the Dublin team that beat Cork. If only Alan Brogan was in there it'd be our best fifteen.
 
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