GAA 2015

It's funny being at a game and getting caught up in an atmosphere and thinking that it's unreal, to come home and find out that Brolly called it a pile of shite at halftime and that the general consensus is that it was dire stuff. Mad really, but I suppose it's obvious that it happens. I for one really enjoyed the game.

The notion from moses that only one team tried to play football, I mean, where do you start with that? I could talk about the statistics (free count and card count) but the ref being bad doesn't support that argument or I could talk about the off the ball stuff highlighted by the Sunday Game (and all across the internet), but the argument about the COC/ROC incident will come back to haunt me.

The best argument I could make about how the game panned out is summed up as follows:
  • Dublin were afraid of Mayo. In terms of their midfield at least - Cluxton was trying to avoid having to kick the ball further than 20 yards at all costs as they didn't stand a chance down the middle. This lead to a lot of laboured build-up by Dublin.

  • Mayo were afraid of Mayo. We can't trust our full back, and therefore need at least one lad in front of him to cut off supply lines. Which lead to a lot of laboured build-up by Dublin, and when mayo won the ball a lack of support inside the 45.
That's basically it I think.

Dubs let themselves down a lot in terms of the off-the-ball stuff, and McQuillan was only really decent because he was equally crap to both teams. Tomas O'Se was absolutely right on the Sunday Game last night.

Final word to the Dub fans - a seriously sound bunch. Great atmosphere, loads of shouting and hurling abuse at the field from both sets of fans and still great craic together afterwards. And top class reaction in the 13th minute for young Darragh Doherty.

Can't wait for the weekend already - between the football replay Saturday, the hurling final Sunday, and the Ireland game on Monday, there won't be room for a ride this weekend.
 
The Black Pearl said:
Jaysus, and what part of the county are you from? Hurling man and a hatred of Tipp, must be up around the Portumna region? I'll probably know you, I do a lot of travelling and talking to people from around the county.

The days of the small fragile forwards are looking like they're gone now thank god.
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The city! Although I do have Portumna mates. The abiding memory of my childhood from hurling is deeply, deeply hating Nicky English :D
 
Gee Male said:
It's funny being at a game and getting caught up in an atmosphere and thinking that it's unreal, to come home and find out that Brolly called it a pile of shite at halftime and that the general consensus is that it was dire stuff. Mad really, but I suppose it's obvious that it happens. I for one really enjoyed the game.

The notion from moses that only one team tried to play football, I mean, where do you start with that? I could talk about the statistics (free count and card count) but the ref being bad doesn't support that argument or I could talk about the off the ball stuff highlighted by the Sunday Game (and all across the internet), but the argument about the COC/ROC incident will come back to haunt me.
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If Mayo tried to play football and only managed 2 points from play in 63 minutes than they failed miserably. The ref was shite, to both sides, the only consistent thing he did was get both penos wrong.

The Dublin kick outs was an attempt to draw Mayo out of their half, which they refused to do until halfway through the second half. Had they come out and played an open game then the Dublin forwards would have had more joy. I think that was Mayo's game plan, copied from Donegal who nullified us twice with the same tactic.

I think the Mayo tactic was as the game played out, sit deep and hit O Shea with the long ball, and in fairness to him I think he won every one of them. And an awful lot of O Connors frees came from that. The Dublin defenders were more fecking stupid than cynical to keep doing that with O Connor being so deadly from the dead ball.

RTE agree btw.

"All the talk beforehand was of Mayo's danger man, full-forward Aidan O'Shea, and Mayo were unashamed about directing as many of their early attacks as possible towards the big Breaffy man.

It met with limited success. O'Shea was fouled for two frees that Cillian O'Connor converted. But he was also twice penalised for over carrying as Dublin got three and four men around him.

Mayo appeared to lack other options in attack and were grateful for O'Connor's free-taking ability as he scored all but one of their first-half tally from frees."
 
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unchanged_lineup said:
The city! Although I do have Portumna mates. The abiding memory of my childhood from hurling is deeply, deeply hating Nicky English :D
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The City, not so bad. Isn't it small world now too. I'd know a fair few lads in there now, some of them I'd say you'd probably know yourself. A few Mervue Utd lads there.

Myself there in the front row beside Tommy Walsh and in white Gary O'Connor Galway Utd's first team coach last Saturday fortnight at Maggot Shaughnessy's Memorial T'ment in Mervue Utd's place.



I can't stand Tipp either. My home place wouldn't be that far from the Tipp border so I would have had a lot of dealings with them on the pitches around Portumna and Lorrha in my younger days. To make a long story short It all sort of started back in 92' it was the year Kiltormer and Cashel King Cormac's had to play one another 3 times in the all-Ireland Club Semi-Final (ended up playing the 3rd semi above in Croker on Paddys day when it was the final that should have been played. I was at everyone of Kiltormer's county Championship games that year and all of their All-Ireland games, I witnessed the winning point Conor Hayes put over the Turloughmore bar from 90 yards out with the last puck of the ball below in Athenry in the county final. I was standing behind Damien Curly when he fired over a final minute equalizing side line cut from a good 40 yards out against Cashel King Cormac's in front of a packed house in Duggan Park Ballinasloe. They drew the following week again below in Cashel after extra time. Fortnight later and 5 minutes left above in Croke Park it was all square again when next thing Tony Furey comes on for Kiltormer, ref had the whistle in his mouth ready to blow for another extra time job when Packie Dervan sends in a high one to Tony who was standing 25 yards out from goal, Tony pulls and the rest is history. A shower of lads from a parish with only one pub and a post office went on after beating a team full of Tipp County players to beat a Birr team that was practically the Offaly team wearing green and red in the final in Thurlas by 4 points. The likes of it hasn't been seen since.
 
Pat Fox and Nicky English, them were the days, with the white boots of Gerry McInerney the best thing about Galway. :smirk:
 
moses said:
Pat Fox and Nicky English, them were the days, with the white boots of Gerry McInerney the best thing about Galway. :smirk:
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That's right and the long hair and tash to go along with them!

gerry-mcinerney-1989-4-630x454.jpg


He used to run a pub there for a few years in Ballinasloe shortly after he hung up those famous boots and it was some spot. But it got even better again when he didn't renew his lease and fecking Brendan Lynskey took it over, another hoor :lol:
 
moses said:
I find this a bit mad. Only one team tried to play football. Mayo scored 2 points from play in an hour of football. Just think about that. They were ultra defensive and just kept lumping the ball up to 14 st 6 '4" forward. Yes Dublin were very indisciplined at the back after they lost their best hope of countering O Shea in Rory O'Carroll after a few minutes with 10 stitches. If it was O Shea that went off the game would have been over in 15 mins. Yes Dublin were messy and mouthy and worst of all started acting the dick when 7 points up at the end, but only one team tried to play football. The first half was shite, but honestly that was Mayo's plan. An open game was a Dublin victory, that's why the Dublin kickouts were unchallenged to almost halfway. Donegal did it twice and Mayo were smart enough to copy it, but in my opinion that's a race to the bottom and ruins the game as a spectacle.

You are totally right, when Bastick went off it was an amazing capitualtion from Dublin, and we will really miss Connolly.
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Yeah I completely agree with you. How a team can only score 2 points from play in an hour is crazy and shows they didn't commit enough forward. The way I see it is that a team can come and produce that high intensity closing down game for a year or two but to maintain that level of intensity is tough unless you really enjoy the way you play. I still fancy Dublin in the replay but for me Bastick needs to start as MDMA is very much out of sorts and Rock needs to come to the fore and bring a big display to a big game in place of Connolly.
 
I dunno lads, I'm seriously not buying the argument that Mayo were the negative team last weekend. I fully agree that 2 points from play was pathetic for 63 minutes of football, but at the same time the amount of frees kicked in that time shows that Dublin were fouling us in positions we could score from. At the other end, Cluxton missed a couple of long range frees but that was it - Dublin weren't exactly creating loads of chances and bombing forward.

One thing I noticed was that all year Dublin had Cooper and McMahon bombing forward, as well as McCaffrey and McCarthy. Last Sunday, I don't think Cooper or McMahon crossed the 65 once, and I don't remember McCarthy touching the ball at all. It was fairly clear to me that Dublin abandoned their normal game plan for a way more defensive structure.

Jim McGuinness in the Irish Times agrees with me too, and I'd be listening to him before any of the RTE reporters:

"Defensively, their new system was in full flight and at times I felt they looked like a defensive team as opposed to the all-out attacking force of previous seasons."
 
The Black Pearl said:
I think it's fair to say that football is going through a phase now where it won't be winning over to many new followers. The last few championships hasn't threw up that many what you'd call end to end, full on crackers. This years championship entertainment wise has being nothing but pure tripe. Sad thing to say and nothing left of it only a semi final replay and the final.

Alright if you're into tactics and statistics in a big way or playing footballing manager games but lets be honest the vast majority of GAA supporters aren't. Not many of the neutral GAA fans (majority of the country including myself) that love to sit back on a Sunday, put the feet up and watch the match on the telly will be gone on the shite gaelic football has served up in the last few years.
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http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2015/0901/724982-galway/

Check out the second comment on that article... someone backing me up :D
 
Gee Male said:
I dunno lads, I'm seriously not buying the argument that Mayo were the negative team last weekend. I fully agree that 2 points from play was pathetic for 63 minutes of football, but at the same time the amount of frees kicked in that time shows that Dublin were fouling us in positions we could score from. At the other end, Cluxton missed a couple of long range frees but that was it - Dublin weren't exactly creating loads of chances and bombing forward.

One thing I noticed was that all year Dublin had Cooper and McMahon bombing forward, as well as McCaffrey and McCarthy. Last Sunday, I don't think Cooper or McMahon crossed the 65 once, and I don't remember McCarthy touching the ball at all. It was fairly clear to me that Dublin abandoned their normal game plan for a way more defensive structure.

Jim McGuinness in the Irish Times agrees with me too, and I'd be listening to him before any of the RTE reporters:

"Defensively, their new system was in full flight and at times I felt they looked like a defensive team as opposed to the all-out attacking force of previous seasons."
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Didnt McMahon go to fullback when O'Carroll got injured? With that change he wouldnt go forward and would be more defensive. Cooper would go forward against a weaker side but he was retained at the back and probably not encouraged to bomb on because Dublin feared the OShea factor and wanted bodies around him. I think both sides didnt know what to expect from each other. Next week will be interesting having gotten to grips with each other. Very tough to call.
 
unchanged_lineup said:
http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2015/0901/724982-galway/

Check out the second comment on that article... someone backing me up :D
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You're some man for one man, some boyo! When I went out to the shed last night after the news for a bucket of turf, two cats walked backwards into the shed when they spotted me coming. That's enough for me now, we're only a few days now from welcoming the Liam McCarthy cup back to Galway. I can't fecking wait.

I can't stay for long now cause Irish TV are coming to the Lady Gregory in Gort tonight to do a special on the final, chat some local characters, family members of some of the players, bit of Ceili music and stuff and I've a load of shite to get done before I can head up.

Take her handy.
 
The Black Pearl said:
You're some man for one man, some boyo! When I went out to the shed last night after the news for a bucket of turf, two cats walked backwards into the shed when they spotted me coming. That's enough for me now, we're only a few days now from welcoming the Liam McCarthy cup back to Galway. I can't fecking wait.

I can't stay for long now cause Irish TV are coming to the Lady Gregory in Gort tonight to do a special on the final, chat some local characters, family members of some of the players, bit of Ceili music and stuff and I've a load of shite to get done before I can head up.

Take her handy.
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Sounds like fun! The overload of Galway stuff on RTE has me awful nervous...
 
Can't wait to head into this game today, myself and the auld lad got tickets last night for the hill. Even better news is that Connolly has been cleared to play!

 
iSparky said:
Can't wait to head into this game today, myself and the auld lad got tickets last night for the hill. Even better news is that Connolly has been cleared to play!

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Makes a mockery of the disciplinary system though, no? Should Mayo have had the right to appeal for it to remain? It must have been decided at 5am this morning, it was before I was up and I'm up since 6am.
 
unchanged_lineup said:
Makes a mockery of the disciplinary system though, no? Should Mayo have had the right to appeal for it to remain? It must have been decided at 5am this morning, it was before I was up and I'm up since 6am.
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Statment from the DRA



Reason for overturning the decision was because "The Panel's decision related to lack of fair procedure afforded to Mr. Connolly at an early stage in the GAA's internal disciplinary process which unfairly hindered the preparations for, and presentation of, his defence."
 
iSparky said:
Statment from the DRA



Reason for overturning the decision was because "The Panel's decision related to lack of fair procedure afforded to Mr. Connolly at an early stage in the GAA's internal disciplinary process which unfairly hindered the preparations for, and presentation of, his defence."
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Would love to know what that means. Written report of the proceedings will not be available for another 2 weeks.
 
Shouldn't have been rescinded but I'm not complaining one bit. Can't wait for it now.
 
Brolly claiming Connelly was right to get off because we have to follow the laws of the land.
Ridiculous. It's a sport with it's own rules and legislation ffs.
Should the mayo man be done for assault since poor Connelly was acting in self defence?
 
dhm91 said:
So what, it's a technicality?
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Yes. And it means every red card will now be challenged because there is no way cases can be built for fair procedure in a weeks turnaround. SO you might aswell scrap the red card. Everyone will make the three appeals or however many it takes and get them thrown out. Disgraceful decision.

cyberman said:
Brolly claiming Connelly was right to get off because we have to follow the laws of the land.
Ridiculous. It's a sport with it's own rules and legislation ffs.
Should the mayo man be done for assault since poor Connelly was acting in self defence?
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Brolly's a clown. Connelly was sent of for striking, which he did. He didn't get off because it was self defence, he got off on a technicality.


Great game though. Really hoope Mayo win it. Good to see Mayo improving at the front and going for it a bit more. Just need to get O'Shea some support.
 
GAA corruption and incompetence rife. Bad for credibility; bad for the neutral fan. Second goal by Dublin was a foul. Red cards for Dublin mean something different to everyone else. Still it was a nice day out.
 
Ah Mayo bottled it again lads. But at the same time, Dublin got lucky. Fenton took a terrible shot and it fell straight to Brogan for the first goal and Brogan over carried it and threw the ball for the second. But still, Mayo should have been able to control the game more. They had a four point lead with 10 minutes to go. Look at what Dublin did the minute they took the lead. They controlled the game, slowed it down and kept possession until something opened up. And if nothing opened up they had wasted a minute. Dublin looked excellent for the last ten minutes and once they got the lead it was game over.

You just have to wonder what goes through Mayo heads when they have a lead with 10 minutes to go in these big games.
 
In the end greater Dublin composure won the day and the last goal was a cracker. I think they just about deserved it but that stuff with the red card devalues the result, the competition and the sport, which is something I take no pleasure in saying.
 
Ah the aul corruption card. There's a bit of Scouse in all of us looking for a way out.
 
Tincanalley said:
In the end greater Dublin composure won the day and the last goal was a cracker. I think they just about deserved it but that stuff with the red card devalues the result, the competition and the sport, which is something I take no pleasure in saying.
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Stop the lights, I couldn't care less if he was playing or not but devaluing the sport ? Get over it. If sport was 'devalued' every time it was supposed to have been we'd have no sport left.
 
Anyway wasn't it 7 points? like we should have won by last week if we weren't dickheads.
 
Keith Duggan wrote a great piece in the Times today about GAA as panto and Dublin being the big bad wolf., so true listening to ye aul wans.
 
After all that Connolly did feck all. Dublin deserved to win and even if Mayo hadve won, they wouldn't have had a hope against Kerry.

Gonna be some scramble for tickets this year, the ideal final.
 
That was class, the atmosphere was something else.
 
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