Gaa 2013

[geysir]

Too much is made out of expecting great football to be played in the AI final. Doesn't mean excellence is not served up.
Excellence with Dublin was how they steadied themselves after getting the run around in the first quarter, there was just that unquantifiable confidence they had with their game, something that takes years to build and then to carry it with you into the AI final and see it work out on the pitch, was an amazing spectacle. I said it there and then after the 15 min mark to the immediate audience, that Dublin have it. Nothing penetrated that sheer force of 'we are going to win', in fact Dublin didn't need to do all that cynical fouling late on.
For my eyes, that was a gripping final.

Mayo don't play with a sweeper, the ease with which Mayo destroyed Donegal (1/4 final) and toyed with Tyrone (semi final) was outstandingly impressive. Their approach to attacking was way ahead of anything seen this year. A better football team can come in to the final and be beaten. They can be beaten by a cynical team, or they can be beaten by a better team on the day. Mayo just have that natural excellence in the skills of gaelic football, like Kerry.
The Mayo forward line didn't perform, there were issues apart from football ability, which had something to say there.

Then the other issues, Dublin have a 1.3m population and a bottomless barrel of cash to fund the quest for the holy grail.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Yes, the whole population of Dublin loves/supports/plays GAA. Or sports come to that. Not

'Blow-ins' aside, the 'expectation' factor is much a handicap as anything else.

[BonnieShels]

Maybe, disappointed Maigh Eo didn't turn up but at least they didn't bottle it until the last play of the game.
Watched the game with a lot of Mayo heads yesterday and with one exception, were very philosophical and good sports.

Good luck to 'em.

I think that's the one shining light to take from it for Mayo people.
How they were only a point ahead at half time I don't know.

The calmness that Jim Gavin displays is rather frightening.

Its just calculation though. The chances of scoring a goal from that position is pretty low in football, considering the bodies in the way. Take a point, and 50/50 shot of winning possession from the kick-out, and then having enough time to make an attack for an equaliser? I think that's a more likely way to get back to even scores before full time, if the team is doing their job right from the kick-out.

Agree totally on the cynical fouling. Only thing is to make punishment worse somehow. Red cards that late wouldn't make much of a difference, maybe add yards on if its professional foul automatically? Increase size of penalty area?

There were a lot of bodies in the square it could easily have gone anywhere and bounced in or back out to a Mayo player.

They were relying on winning a kick out after the point which was daft considering they were getting nothing from Cluxton all through the second half.

And as Cluxton knew it was likely to be the last kick of the game he was under no real pressure to attack with it; just find a man and leave it at that.

To lose by two is the same as losing by one. A stupid idea to go for the point.

To be fair Dublin's laziness as the game drew to a close was worrying as they were comfortable and 3 points up the Mayo free at the end shouldn't have been a free that could have won a match from the Dublin point-of-view.

Note which character is looking up to the big screen to see if he's on it

Funny, there's no big screen facing Enda from that side of the ground.

There's no way that the cynical stuff should detract from Dublin's triumph, every team just plays the rules as they currently stand. If I remember correctly, Bonnie was disgusted by Mayo's cynical stuff in last year's semi final, and will no doubt be equally, if not more disgusted with Dublin's antics this year, otherwise we might think him/her is a hypocrite.

As regard Ulster cynicism, if you took out Tyrone from that equation, the red bástards of GAA cynical crimes against football, then you're taking out most of Ulster's cynicism. If you watched the Ulster final, you certainly didn't see a purist team like Monaghan, haul, maul or drag Donegal players to the ground with 10 minutes to go.

I have a vague recollection of being disgusted at Mayo last year but that was the realms of desperate men. You'll have to root out my posts. I accept your recollection.

I though Dublin resorting to that at the end whilst understandable was no more acceptable or palatable. Though having 13 players on the pitch in the dying minutes meant there were no real options for weary bodies.

Is it just me or if a player like Michael Darragh McCauley is in line for player of the year then GAA football is well and truely fupped! He's not even the best midfielder in Dublin for Christ's sake.

I thought he was magnificent.

And Mayo - ah Mayo - I was up in Killala for the semi against Tyrone, they love their football, but there was a real sense of "something bad is bound to happen" on the day of the final - the whole Co. needs a change of mindset - go up to Croker and just take the damned thing!

I wouldn't have begrudged them the victory but I just knew they'd fall short again.

[BonnieShels]

That's why Dub fans are sometimes regarded as the Millwall (scum) in the GAA world, no class

Mayo just have to start on time in the final, it was criminal of them to dawdle for the first 15 minutes in the sf to give that bunch of tyrants from Tyrone, a glimmer of hope in the first half.
If Mayo are still standing after the Dubs shoot their load in the first 15 minutes. then I'd expect them to win.
It should be close game though, but I'd expect Mayo to end the game much stronger than Kerry did.
Kerry's energy levels in the last quarter of the sf, made Dublin look like super athletes.

Only from the likes of yerselves. The Cork and Meath fans now they are on a different plane of scummery altogether.

Well I'm a Dub by birth and wanted Maigh Eo to win last year. Have so many pals/acquaintances from that part of the world, know all about how long them and their folks have been waiting;beyond Galway & the Rossies, seem to be most people's 2nd favourite county as they have been such chokers.

And for that one reason, wouldn't begrudge them an AI tomorrow. Though still hope the Dubs do it but not as much as v.certain other counties who shall remain nameless.
Personally, would prefer the Dubs to win a hurling AI title. One day...

Shoulda been this year bar that dubious red card.

Excellent by the Dubs on the day and that's what matters, they outplayed a better football team. They took a while to settle into the game but once they did, they didn't let go of the supremacy. Cluxton's kick outs were crafty, somehow the Dub forwards were able to create a number of 'one on one' goal scoring chances and could afford to miss most of them. Mayo looked rattled by the challenge of the Dubs, rather than them not turning up on the day, if you know what I mean.

Bang on the money.

Mayo forwards let the side down. It was the major worry going into the game & it came back to haunt us. Didn't deserve to win an all Ireland on that performance....the maddening thing is that Dublin were there for the taking, this wasn't a Kerry side filled with top class players. Sickening altogether.

What happens now though? Is there stomach for another tilt? The more I think about it I think that's them done.

Mayo players saying the ref said they had more time when Cillian kicked the point over.....should have still drilled it in & hoped for the best.

Disgracful shot selection as I said. Don't know what he was thinking. 2 points down with a free with the last kick of the game. There's only one choice for me.

[IsMiseSean]

Mayo just have that natural excellence in the skills of gaelic football, like Kerry.

Your post was going so well and then you came out with this gem...

[Charlie Darwin]

The Dubs didn't need to indulge in the cynical fouling but they couldn't help themselves,
the mask just falls off and they turn into lawless cage fighters. Mayo were not any better at it last year.
It's just when Dublin do it, they look like crazed animals, like that O'Gara.

Just watching it again and I'm not sure how you've managed to reach this conclusion. Dublin played the last 15 minutes with effectively 13 men as O'Gara was crocked and O'Carroll was concussed and could barely stand up. Any team would commit fouls in that instance. The mystery is how Mayo managed to miss so many easy scores in that final period - and give some up - when they had such numerical dominance.

[geysir]

Just watching it again and I'm not sure how you've managed to reach this conclusion. Dublin played the last 15 minutes with effectively 13 men as O'Gara was crocked and O'Carroll was concussed and could barely stand up. Any team would commit fouls in that instance. The mystery is how Mayo managed to miss so many easy scores in that final period - and give some up - when they had such numerical dominance.

O'Gara was acting the macho maggot earlier on in the game, fouling and standing over the downed player shouting some nonsense.

There's no context for justifying cynical play in the 10 - 15 minutes, to destroy the other team's momentum and waste time, except that it can happen under the rules as they stand now.
Not every team does that stuff and as I said, Dublin didn't have to, they had the game won. Just because other teams do it, does not provide a context for it in the game. Just about everybody is totally fed up with it in gaelic football. And there it comes again in the AI final, the best team in the country are doing it.

[Charlie Darwin]

Well O'Gara's an idiot.

Well there's no real justification for cynical play except that it works, I suppose. McManoman's rugby tackle towards the end being an example that halted Mayo's momentum. To be cynical, you'd think it has to be clever and have a purpose, whereas lot of the supposedly cynical fouling by Dublin towards the end was needless stuff within kicking distance which looked more like tiredness and a result of being completely outnumbered.

[Real ale Madrid]

Not a bad year for hurling I suppose. Final wasn't too bad either.

[ArdeeBhoy]

The understatement of the decade so far?

And deserved winners, btw.

[NeverFeltBetter]

I couldn't stop laughing when Nash scored that first goal. I know I defended the practice of taking a few steps on such shots because it's just "the thing", but when he stole something close to ten feet before hitting it, I couldn't believe he wasn't booked and told to take it again. And for his second half free on goal, I saw the ref have a word with him beforehand, presumably to tell him to cut it out.

Honestly, the ref sort of ruined the game for me. Clare got ahead by 8, and suddenly it was Cork free, Cork free, Cork free, Cork free.

[geysir]

That's 2013 GAA thread over for the year.
Only the county championships to be sorted out and most are probably at or around the semi final stage. My own home town club went though a runners up syndrome phase, 6 times losers in 10 years in Monaghan, before winning it. Then it took another 25 years before they contested another final. Mayo at least are getting to finals. But if they did manage to win one, then destiny should send them into the doldrums for a minimum of 2 decades.

I was watching the ladies final yesterday and the Rebelettes should be in with a great shout for team of the year. Offhand, I cant think of any other team in any sport who have managed a greater achievement (9th in a row or something like that) over the year. Naturally Dublin and Clare should get honourable mentions
It was a good year for Monaghan football, taking the 3 big Ulster titles, the seniors probably ranked about 6th in the country and the ladies just edged out by Cork in the final.

[BonnieShels]

It's not quite over...

http://www.rte.ie/ten/listings/35160...mpionship_Draw

then again do we dare start the 2014 thread on Thursday!

[IsMiseSean]

I've never understood the reasoning behind having the draw so soon after the finals.

[BonnieShels]

To keep the interest ticking over til November. And then we have Intl rules as well.

League kicks off in January and the beautiful cycle continues.

Plus it helps to bury the ridiculous proposals to bring Cork back up to Division 1A.

[NeverFeltBetter]

And Limerick!

Seriously though, I'm dreading another year of 1B, but whose fault is it that we're there? Too much screwing around with the league structure every two years.

[BonnieShels]

And Limerick!

Seriously though, I'm dreading another year of 1B, but whose fault is it that we're there? Too much screwing around with the league structure every two years.

Yip. Ididn't like the current change at all. But to change it after one season is ridiculous!

[NeverFeltBetter]

Apparently, footballers of Limerick, Tipp, Waterford and Clare are threatening to boycott 2015 Munster Championship if plans to seed it go ahead. And next years O'Byrne Cup.

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gael...cott-1.1548012

I'm not sure such a public stance was appropriate, since Munster Council and GAA will have to be seen to back down in face of player power for them to get their way now.

[Real ale Madrid]

And next years O'Byrne Cup.

McGrath Cup

And on the 1A / 1B thing - the dogs on the street knew Cork wouldn't be in division 1B next year. Not that I agree with it mind you.

Dublin and Limerick both won provincial titles because, imo, they weren't flaking the s**t out of each other trying to stay in division 1A for the previous 2 months.

[BonnieShels]

So I'm sure our man in Reykjavik is delighted that we have found ourselves a winning sponsorship deal with AIG...

AIG are new Dublin GAA sponsor in reported €2 million deal
Dublin GAA have teamed up with US insurance firm AIG in a sponsorship deal reportedly worth €2 million over five years.

The arrangement will see AIG takes over from Vodafone as the sponsors of the county’s hurling and football teams at all levels.

In a new departure, the ladies football and camogie teams will also come under the one sponsorship umbrella.

The agreement will come into effect on 1 November.

Dublin county board chairman Andy Kettle has welcomed the new deal and said: "This sponsorship deal is a really significant boost to everyone associated with Dublin GAA.

The strength of the Dublin brand is illustrated by our ability to negotiate this outstanding deal in a depressed economic market.

“AIG is a blue chip organisation with a proven track record in sponsorship and they are going to be an exceptional partner and they fully understand what we are trying to achieve in Dublin."

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2013/100...-million-deal/


So Vodafone and now AIG, what bets AON and Chevrolet to follow...