Gaa 2007

[woody27]

ya id say the cats to win by 6 or 8 points at least. limerick are lucky to be there it was unfair on waterford to meet both cork and limerick twice. Every team has an off day and pulls through but waterford could not afford one this time round with having to play teams twice. But the best of luck to them but i think it will be a sad journey home.

[paul_oshea]

some good pics here of croker:

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/champion...crokepark.html

[Marked Man]

Bernard Brogan had the ******** sign flashed at him by a Kerry back after he missed an easy first half point attempt. Doubt it bothered him, it didn't bother me, but I would have thought it would have bothered the "goading" police posters. I guess not...

[booster 03]

ya id say the cats to win by 6 or 8 points at least. limerick are lucky to be there it was unfair on waterford to meet both cork and limerick twice. Every team has an off day and pulls through but waterford could not afford one this time round with having to play teams twice. But the best of luck to them but i think it will be a sad journey home.

like waterfords one a few weeks ago is it??? stop cribbin about losin to us, we gave ye enough credit for beating us in the munster final!

[micls]

Bernard Brogan had the ******** sign

What's the ******** sign

[Docboy]

Have to laugh at a lot of the comments from the non-Dubs on here. Does anyone seriously think that Jayo, all 5 ft 5 inches of him, goes out of his way to intimidate & goad players. What happens year on year is that the opposition hard men show how tough they are by targeting him. Sure a bit of goading goes on but it only seems to be remarked upon if it's "one of the jackeens". Get over yourselves.

Brogan and others allowed these tactics to upset them which they really should be able to see for what they are & avoid. Oh well, maybe next year. And of course there'll be no intimidation or rough-house tactics in the final now will there?

[kingdom hoop]

Have to laugh at a lot of the comments from the non-Dubs on here.

Have to laugh at a lot of the Dubs comments on here!! Check out second 11 of this video(http://youtube.com/watch?v=MWZ0erH4a-E) to realise how butter-wouldn't-melt-in-his-mouth-Sherlock felt the brunt of Kerry's hard men!

Every Dublin fan knew how rough Kerry would be. Why didn't the dublin team and management?

I would suggest that this is because Dublin management know more about the Kerry team's habits than the supporters do!

On the ref, I can safely say that he is pathetic. He's reffed many a Kerry game, is always bad, and usually goes against us. Yet again on Sunday he was very poor, and again was that bit worse for Kerry, especially in the first half. Sitting in a pretty mixed part of the Cusack Stand, it was blatantly apparent that the Kerry crowd were more vociferous than Dublin, many Dubs around me agreeing that John 'Bad One' Bannon gave them some very soft frees. There only, from my vantage point, seemed to be one time(Shane Ryan) where Dublin were hard down by. (then again, I'm not sure the advantage rule is written into GAA rules, its probably down to the common sense of the referee, so it can't come as a surprise there was no advantage played!!)

However, as far as I'm concerned, I was delighted with the way Kerry played and the spirit and endeavour shown. Losing our talisman, Dara O'Sé, early in the game could have rocked the team, especially our two new young defenders. But to their credit they played very well, never letting their man, if he did win the ball, to go past them.

I think Dublin have a very good team and aren't at all far off the top. It just seemed that the Kerry team could tap into the store of teams of yore, relax, and seize victory. Sunday was one of the best days in Croker I've had for a while. The sense of achievement I felt is perhaps a mark of the strength of the Dublin team. We were just quietly confident, half fearful, and so when we won in the pleasing style of the second half in the face of 60,000 baying Dubs an exhilarating rush washed over me. I didn't quite shed a tear but the manner of the victory genuinely did fill me with enormous pride and the pleasing realisation that each and every player seemed to think that donning a Kerry jersey is indeed something special! A great history can do this, as can a great manager. This year we seem to have the beautiful balance necessary to house Sam for another year.

--------

Grace is an undervalued word in sport. Grace in victory, grace in defeat. Anyone who read Keith Duggan's Sideline Cut in Saturday's Irish Times will appreciate the effortless grace Kerry football radiates. He closed the article with an immortal line(in my book at least!) Kerry folk. If they weren't so likeable you would really have to hate them.

[paul_oshea]

very good post hoop. fair play.

scummy dubs. only messin though i think any kerry supporter would agree that shane ryan deserves a shot at sam and a winners medal.

[woody27]

like waterfords one a few weeks ago is it??? stop cribbin about losin to us, we gave ye enough credit for beating us in the munster final!

I am from wexford not waterford. How many times did you have to play tipp??? and a brutal wexford team beat them You had your all ireland against waterford. I would put my house on the cats beating you they have not even got outta first gear yet sheff will outscore limerick on his own. Remember 1996 yee bottled it then and the same will happen against the cats i cant believe you think you even have the slightest chance against them. Put a 50 euro double on kerry and the cats to sweeten the journey home from croker.

[DmanDmythDledge]

I was sure we were going to get the win until Cluxton had a rush of blood. Had them on the ropes.

[geysir]

Check out second 11 of this video(http://youtube.com/watch?v=MWZ0erH4a-E) to realise how butter-wouldn't-melt-in-his-mouth-Sherlock felt the brunt of Kerry's hard men!

On the ref, I can safely say that he is pathetic. He's reffed many a Kerry game, is always bad, and usually goes against us. Yet again on Sunday he was very poor, and again was that bit worse for Kerry, especially in the first half.

That link doesn't do it
"This video has been removed due to terms of use violation."

On the Ref conspiracy against Kerry, an analysis of all the incidents by 3 ref observers (including one Kerryman) have the opinion that he got the vast majority of decisions right.
Probably the Kerry bias thing, is that either he is very sharp at picking up on the Kerry strokes or Kerry are not very good at getting away with foul play.

Usually moaning about a ref's appointment before a game is to put extra pressure on the ref in the Dubs backyard or to get your excuses in early.

Definitly not in the proud Kerry tradition to be whinging about the ref before a game. Betrayed a lack of total faith in their own abilities to overcome the Dubs. Kerry players spent too much time in the first half questioning the ref's decisions while the Dubs just got on with the quick free kick. I'd expect their manager to sort that one out before the final.

[kingdom hoop]

On the Ref conspiracy against Kerry, an analysis of all the incidents by 3 ref observers (including one Kerryman) have the opinion that he got the vast majority of decisions right.

Not sure of what you speak but if you're talking about the Sunday Game analysts, bear in mind the lambasting the ref got on RTE after the game. I wouldn't be surprised if a complaint was made by the GAA telling RTE to put a nicer sheen on things so that everyone goes to bed without doubts as to the ref's competence. This quote would, reading between the lines, seem to evince as much;

Referees spokesman Fr Seamus Gardiner said: Pat Spillane summed it up when he asked the panellists if they felt that John did OK and they said ‘yes’.

Having watched the replay I'm in no doubt the ref, probably unwittingly, gave Dublin three of four soft frees within scoring distance while it seemed a Kerryman had to be fouled twice to win a free. The foul count was Kerry 27, Dublin 17, which does seem a bit off. I know Kerry are a tough team, you have to be, but I really, tinted glasses cast aside, don't think we are dirty or cynical(watch the way the defenders defend and its evident they are honest).

Anyway, all this talk detracts from what was a great performance from a team that is endearing itself in a big way to the Kerry public. Legend status is being assured for a few while others are becoming great players.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Any comment on your buddy Mark Vaughan? He looked lost yesterday, poor little boy

He wasn't great and Dublin needed more than a 3 point haul from him, even if one of them was brilliantly struck, to challenge. That said there weren't many frees/45s in scoring range (though he did miss one howler) and that's what he's there for mainly so he was always likely to struggle to rack em up. Still himself and Cluxton, who got far too much abuse over one mistake after an otherwise excellent season, should get nods for All Stars.

[paul_oshea]

ryan would be way ahead on the all star list

[geysir]

Anyway, all this talk detracts from what was a great performance from a team that is endearing itself in a big way to the Kerry public. Legend status is being assured for a few while others are becoming great players.

Even when a Kerryman wins they have a go at the ref
The free kick statistic is unbalanced but you might have noted that Vaughan hardly had any frees within his range. (anyway, Sheehan's? 55m was the real thing)
The one thing I can't take is the cynical thuggery to put a player out of the game and into hospital, I won't mention the old Meath team here.
IMO Kerry play the game as close to perfect for winning these days as is possible. Hard as nails but fair with a quality versatile squad capable of playing the best football. As a team, always aware of where the game is at in any phase and enough of them know what they need to do in order to win it before the end.
They have dropped the cynical stuff - from the previous manager?

[paul_oshea]

The free kick statistic is unbalanced but you might have noted that Vaughan hardly had any frees within his range. (anyway, Sheehan's? 55m was the real thing)

Yes and did anyone notice what Mooney said after that? It still doesnt compare to a certain free from 65 yards out to earn a replay in a Connaught final

Or in the semi-final against meath in 91 when the same player hit another mighty free.

[Aberdonian Stu]

ryan would be way ahead on the all star list

He had an awesome game on Sunday and he's long due one but I don't think this was one of his better years. The man is a legend and the cult hero of long suffering Dublin fans so there's no-one I'd rather see get one but I can't see him getting it.

Paul Griffin though should definitely be up for consideration, had a great year when the rest of the Dubs defence floundered.

[Superhoops]

He wasn't great and Dublin needed more than a 3 point haul from him, even if one of them was brilliantly struck, to challenge. That said there weren't many frees/45s in scoring range (though he did miss one howler) and that's what he's there for mainly so he was always likely to struggle to rack em up. Still himself and Cluxton, who got far too much abuse over one mistake after an otherwise excellent season, should get nods for All Stars.

Have I read this wrong or are you really suggesting that Mark Vaughan should be getting an All Star this year

There are at least 6 and probably 10 corner forwards ahead of him on this season's performances.

[Aberdonian Stu]

Well you're half reading it wrong. The otherwise excellent season refers to Cluxton not Vaughan so my apologies for any confusion there.

I do think Vaughan should be in the reckoning for an All Star, he was a difference maker when he played this season. Hence nod was the term I used rather than definite win. Right here, right now I'd probably give it to him but that could easily change come the 16th of September.

In hindsight I should have put Griffin ahead of him in the pecking order for an All Star as well. It's a pity he's played in such a poor defence this year because he's been astounding, comfortably his best season to date.

[Soko]

Vaughan wouldn't make 4th string All star if they were handing them out. He takes frees, thats it. Nothing more to his game except his horrible personality