National Forum

A very enjoyable football championship.

(Oldest Posts First)

Well done.to virtually all the teams in the Championship this year who have provided us with some very enjoyable games. It seems that most counties have now ditched the ultra defensive, negative stuff and realise that scores ultimately win games. Two things I have noticed this year is the return of good accurate, foot passing and some great long range scores. The counties should give themselves a pat on the back.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9697 - 30/07/2017 10:19:11    2025736

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Replying To Ulsterman:  "Well done.to virtually all the teams in the Championship this year who have provided us with some very enjoyable games. It seems that most counties have now ditched the ultra defensive, negative stuff and realise that scores ultimately win games. Two things I have noticed this year is the return of good accurate, foot passing and some great long range scores. The counties should give themselves a pat on the back."
I can't agree fully with your assessment. It's been a mediocre championship at best. When you look at some of the mismatches with team that would have been usually close it has been disappointing in that regard. All of the provincial finals were washouts. The rossies caused a mini upset no doubt and great to see Kevin McStay answering some of his critics. Kildare and Down promised so much but ultimately aren't at the level we though.

I don't consider it a good championship by an stretch.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 30/07/2017 10:39:45    2025745

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Replying To Ulsterman:  "Well done.to virtually all the teams in the Championship this year who have provided us with some very enjoyable games. It seems that most counties have now ditched the ultra defensive, negative stuff and realise that scores ultimately win games. Two things I have noticed this year is the return of good accurate, foot passing and some great long range scores. The counties should give themselves a pat on the back."
You're right and its refreshing to see. Long may it continue.

DannyMcA (Dublin) - Posts: 260 - 30/07/2017 10:40:33    2025746

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Replying To Ulsterman:  "Well done.to virtually all the teams in the Championship this year who have provided us with some very enjoyable games. It seems that most counties have now ditched the ultra defensive, negative stuff and realise that scores ultimately win games. Two things I have noticed this year is the return of good accurate, foot passing and some great long range scores. The counties should give themselves a pat on the back."
I agree that the championship has been great. However teams have not ditched defensive football, score taking has just got better.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 30/07/2017 10:41:44    2025748

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The introduction of the mark from the kick out has definitely made a positive impact on football imho.

Some of the attacks straight from kick out have been a joy to watch this year

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1328 - 30/07/2017 10:44:22    2025751

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This is the best football championship I can remember in a long long time, even the Ulster counties are attacking with real purpose with the exception of my own county who are trapped in 2011.

You would expect great football from the top sides like Dublin, Kerry, Tyrone and the most entertaining of all Mayo. But there have been some terrific performances from Roscommon, Galway, Kildare, Down and Armagh. I also really enjoyed Carlow.

The mark has been a great inovation but teams are attacking more now. Its great to see teams kicking over the bkanket into the full forward line. I also feel teams are getting cute to the blanket defence and the game is evolving yet again. The only negative in the inconsistent application of the black card.

Green_Gold (Donegal) - Posts: 1873 - 30/07/2017 10:51:12    2025757

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well said, was at both games yesterday two really good encounters which encapsulated tge whole championship so far, going again today and hope they are two more great games

waynoI (Dublin) - Posts: 13650 - 30/07/2017 10:52:20    2025759

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The introduction of the mark from the kick out has definitely made a positive impact on football imho.

Some of the attacks straight from kick out have been a joy to watch this year

tearintom (Wexford) - Posts: 1328 - 30/07/2017 11:04:23    2025769

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Replying To gotmilk:  "I agree that the championship has been great. However teams have not ditched defensive football, score taking has just got better."
I wouldn't agree with that.

I think teams have gotten the balance right.

There are still zonal defences and teams still try to keep it tight at the back but the successful teams have realised they need to keep a certain number of players forward too so that they can counter attack effectively when the win the ball back.

Teams have gotten better at playing against a packed defence. There was an excellent Armagh score in the second half where they brought the ball back out from being inside the 45. They didn't play keep ball though to draw Kildare out, they got themselves into position and attacked again.

I don't think Armagh were great in attack for much of the game but when Murnin went off and the emphasis moved to Clarke being the main outlet they really started to click. The support runs that they got to him were impressive. Rafferty really added a lot. Fair play to McGeeney he used his players very well, getting lots of minutes into his subs. Campbell and Forker were very good yesterday but they'd worked very hard and were ready to be replaced when they were.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 30/07/2017 11:23:38    2025775

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Replying To daytona11:  "I can't agree fully with your assessment. It's been a mediocre championship at best. When you look at some of the mismatches with team that would have been usually close it has been disappointing in that regard. All of the provincial finals were washouts. The rossies caused a mini upset no doubt and great to see Kevin McStay answering some of his critics. Kildare and Down promised so much but ultimately aren't at the level we though.

I don't consider it a good championship by an stretch."
You're very negative on every thread since yesterday,i'd imagine it would be another story had kildare got through

achara (Monaghan) - Posts: 561 - 30/07/2017 12:20:15    2025810

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Replying To achara:  "You're very negative on every thread since yesterday,i'd imagine it would be another story had kildare got through"
That's a bit of a deflecting reply to be honest. I am merely commenting on the games that have been played to date.

Yes Kildare v Armagh was an enjoyable game of ball without a doubt and the quality was also very good.

The Down v Monaghan game was good for the first 30 mins and then the second half was very one sided. Can you disagree with that?

Kildare v meath this year was also one sided. Kildare v Laois was one sided.

Tyrone v Down was one sided. Galway v Donegal was one sided. Kildare v Dublin ,well the more I look back on it the Dubs never really stretched their legs and still won comfortably enough.

The provincial championships were a non event apart from Connaught.

So based on the above I don't think it has been an exceptional year for football.

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 30/07/2017 12:33:49    2025814

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Replying To daytona11:  "I can't agree fully with your assessment. It's been a mediocre championship at best. When you look at some of the mismatches with team that would have been usually close it has been disappointing in that regard. All of the provincial finals were washouts. The rossies caused a mini upset no doubt and great to see Kevin McStay answering some of his critics. Kildare and Down promised so much but ultimately aren't at the level we though.

I don't consider it a good championship by an stretch."
What did Down promise? Awful league, one good performance against Monaghan doesn't promise anything.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 30/07/2017 12:41:49    2025818

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Replying To gotmilk:  "What did Down promise? Awful league, one good performance against Monaghan doesn't promise anything."
A good performance doesn't promise anything? Wheres the logic in that?

daytona11 (Kildare) - Posts: 4012 - 30/07/2017 12:44:12    2025822

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Replying To daytona11:  "That's a bit of a deflecting reply to be honest. I am merely commenting on the games that have been played to date.

Yes Kildare v Armagh was an enjoyable game of ball without a doubt and the quality was also very good.

The Down v Monaghan game was good for the first 30 mins and then the second half was very one sided. Can you disagree with that?

Kildare v meath this year was also one sided. Kildare v Laois was one sided.

Tyrone v Down was one sided. Galway v Donegal was one sided. Kildare v Dublin ,well the more I look back on it the Dubs never really stretched their legs and still won comfortably enough.

The provincial championships were a non event apart from Connaught.

So based on the above I don't think it has been an exceptional year for football."
There were other good games particularly in the qualifiers.

Cavan Monaghan
Down Armagh
Cork Tipperary
Cork Waterford

Mayo Derry
Tipperary Armagh
Mayo Cork
Cavan Tipperary
Meath Sligo
Meath Donegal

The quality of the play in some of the other games has been better than recent years.

Not all games will be close. It's just not realistic to expect that.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4210 - 30/07/2017 14:09:07    2025863

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Replying To daytona11:  "A good performance doesn't promise anything? Wheres the logic in that?"
You said down promised so much. What promise did they ever show?

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 30/07/2017 14:12:12    2025865

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Replying To Whammo86:  "I wouldn't agree with that.

I think teams have gotten the balance right.

There are still zonal defences and teams still try to keep it tight at the back but the successful teams have realised they need to keep a certain number of players forward too so that they can counter attack effectively when the win the ball back.

Teams have gotten better at playing against a packed defence. There was an excellent Armagh score in the second half where they brought the ball back out from being inside the 45. They didn't play keep ball though to draw Kildare out, they got themselves into position and attacked again.

I don't think Armagh were great in attack for much of the game but when Murnin went off and the emphasis moved to Clarke being the main outlet they really started to click. The support runs that they got to him were impressive. Rafferty really added a lot. Fair play to McGeeney he used his players very well, getting lots of minutes into his subs. Campbell and Forker were very good yesterday but they'd worked very hard and were ready to be replaced when they were."
I agree to an extent but I think players are getting scores they wouldn't traditionally get. Teams are breaking a lot quicker this year than they have in the past. If you look at games players are still flooding back in numbers.

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 30/07/2017 14:30:14    2025873

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Dare I say it - with a Div 3 team making it to the AI QFs and Carlow arguing that they were respectable against strong opposition - voices against a B Championship will only grow stronger.

omahant (USA) - Posts: 2570 - 30/07/2017 21:46:01    2026244

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