Following the Semi Finals I Feel it is Just, to praise James Horan and the Mayo team for their commitment to Playing the Game how they felt it should be played. The highlight of this being the battle between Keith Higgins and James O'Donoghue. This was one of the finest battles between 2 players I have ever seen and in my opinion should gurantee both all stars. My point however is that Mayo stuck with their principals and rather than doubling up on O'Donoghue and playing 2 sweepers and suffocating the space, they stuck to their plan of 15 on 15 and left us with one of the best games of football in recent memory and where unlucky to come on the wrong side. My point is that if GAA mangers where more Like James Horan, Concentrating on maximizing their own performance rather than simply stopping the opposition performing, then we would have more games like this.

In the Upcoming final, Kerry will encounter the polar opposite, where Donegal will do everything they can to stop Kerry playing. while effective, I fear this will lead to a rather poor final, where Donegal will probably win. for the sake of football, I hope Kerry come out on top and that we see more styles like theirs, Dublin and Mayo, where it is 15 vs 15, total football, and we leave the blanket defence in the past.

manowar (Fermanagh) - Posts: 147 - 04/09/2014 11:07:39    1647831

Seriously pull the other one. Kerry gave us all a masterclass in cynical/defensive play.

johnnos bulls (None) - Posts: 527 - 04/09/2014 11:20:41    1647836

I've always said that managers should play to their own strengths first and foremost and set their team out accordingly instead of what you see from club to county teams around the country where it seems the team is set up to counter the opposition. While you have to be aware of threats etc on the other side my personal opinion is that you line your team out how you want to and let the opposition worry about you.

Offside_Rule (Antrim) - Posts: 4058 - 04/09/2014 11:23:43    1647839

still see u Fermanagh folk love ur neighbours if u think for 1 minute Kerry will play offensive u are greatly mistaken Kerry are and have been the most defensive team in championship this year.But like all year u guys just listen to pundits and we all know they get it right.!NOT
One quote from spillane d o Sullivan like a great quarter back wearing 14? just cant say de word defense its Kerry after all m murphy wears 14 he has to stay close bla bla bla get my drift

thebadbounce (Galway) - Posts: 87 - 04/09/2014 12:00:01    1647852

I think you'll find that the spelling is 'principle' not 'principal'. The title of this thread as a result is totally misleading. If I was looking for a thread on GAA principals, then I'd be expecting to read something about Brian Cody and Ger Loughnane!

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 04/09/2014 12:02:30    1647855

The opening post here is nonsense. Mayo's deployment of Higgins in a man-marking role had nothing to do with their principles, as evidenced by them playing a sweeper in front of O'Donoghue the previous week. It was a tactical change in order to try and win a game, and had nothing to do with James Horan's philosophy on how the game should be played.

And as for Kerry, they showed on Sunday, just as they have all down the years, that they can be as cynical and dirty as any team in Ireland when the feel it is required. They haven't won 36 AI by being nice fellas.

Thomas Clarke (Tyrone) - Posts: 1002 - 04/09/2014 12:04:11    1647856

I dont know what your talking about. In the first game the did double team o donoghue..... But it proved ineffective .... Mayo didnt stick to any particular set of principles the played the game they had with the plaers at their disposal....And they simply werent good enough its that simple they had a range of tactics over both games and it was just not good enough... As for lording praise at horan ... Why ??? With the players available to him i think he should have achieved more as a manager... He won connacht four times but lets be real thats like saying kerry won munster 4 times in a row....I think it was easy get inside his head and subsequently the players..... I think if praise should be given it shold got fitz in kerry and jimmy in donegal. Two managers who have the ability to get the absolute maximum out of their players.

And regarding tactically jimmy should be praised for last sunday not frowned upon. Donegal gave an exhibition of power pace defending attacking they had it all. Many teams are setting up defensively but jimmy mad an art out of it last sunday.

I have said in previous while every one wanted dublin to be split in two ... That dublin were beatable but the team would have to match their power and pace which donegal did .... i also said on record that mayo would not have the ability or tactical know how to beat either dublin or donegal....

ritchie (Cork) - Posts: 346 - 04/09/2014 12:14:47    1647866

There never is, or never was, anything wrong with sterling defensive play as so beautifully exhibited by Donegal the last day. However they also displayed fine attacking prowess and this should not be ignored. The only team who failed to score a goal, much less three, in the semi finals were the Dubs and nobody is condemning them

Oldtourman (Limerick) - Posts: 4321 - 04/09/2014 12:14:49    1647867

thebadbounce
County: Galway
Posts: 39

1647852
still see u Fermanagh folk love ur neighbours if u think for 1 minute Kerry will play offensive u are greatly mistaken Kerry are and have been the most defensive team in championship this year.But like all year u guys just listen to pundits and we all know they get it right.!NOT

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Defensive in what way exactly.As being astute enough not to lose. Kerry have racked up massive scores in the 5 championship games to date. 1-17 V Clare. 0-24 V Cork. 1-20 V Galway and 1-16 and 3-16 in the two games V Mayo.Averaging 22 or so points doesnt sound too defensive to me.

kerryeye (Kerry) - Posts: 76 - 04/09/2014 13:06:55    1647894

It's a nice sentiment but it is a myth. Nobody plays man to man anymore, it simply does not work in the modern game. McGuinness was very clever in playing Gallager as a full forward at the start of the game, Gallager then moved back out the field and Rory O'Carroll followed him out the field leaving a gaping hole down the middle. It is the subtle things like this that deserves to be appreciated as much the skills in the game.

Watch the game again and you will see Kerry and Mayo bring half forwards back into defence, and then push them forward again when they have possession, the same as the rest of the country.

JP91 (Armagh) - Posts: 316 - 04/09/2014 13:29:49    1647904

In the Upcoming final, Kerry will encounter the polar opposite, where Donegal will do everything they can to stop Kerry playing. while effective, I fear this will lead to a rather poor final, where Donegal will probably win. for the sake of football, I hope Kerry come out on top and that we see more styles like theirs, Dublin and Mayo, where it is 15 vs 15, total football, and we leave the blanket defence in the past


Manowar............ Omg, were you actually watching those games,I doubt your knowledge of football is minimal with these statements, 3-14 scored not bad for a team who go all out to stop the opposition

ben1977 (Donegal) - Posts: 364 - 04/09/2014 14:16:46    1647926

Not sure I agree with the opinion on Mayo. If they had packed the defence for the last 5 mins in the first game they would be in the final now and everyone would be saying they were a cynical team (just like 2012 when they beat Dublin). Playing man to man cost them. Kerry packed the defence for the last 5 min in the replay and won (but Kerry aren't cynical of course). I'd rather be in the final and have everyone giving out about how you did it.

As for the final, it will be more like the Armagh/Monaghan v Donegal matches as both teams pack the defence and hit on the counter. Donegal are longer at it and will be more patient and most likely win a slow, physical game 1-11 to 0-12 or something to that effect. One thing it won't be is a classic. We haven't had a good All Ireland final since 2000.

tirawleybaron (Mayo) - Posts: 1109 - 04/09/2014 14:22:07    1647928

no good all ireland since 2000?..what?...plenty of good finals since...tyrone kerry 2005 and 2008 spring to mind...2002 armagh kerry also very good and both dublin kerry and donegal mayo in 2012 were decent finals with lots of good intensity and great scores

fabio8 (USA) - Posts: 2182 - 04/09/2014 14:32:55    1647934

Some bitter men on here re: Donegal's blanket defense. Donegal scored 3-14 against Dublin (ie. 23 points) If a team is putting up big scores like that and their scores are coming from everywhere including the full back and they are able to defend as well as Donegal can at the same time, should they not do it!?? Or would people just prefer that they attacked well and defended less well!??? Donegal are super fit and attack and defend as a unit.... everyone is a defender when they don't have the ball and everyone is an attacker when they have the ball... they have unbelievably team spirit and their execution in the tackle is second to none. I would love to know why people have a chip on their shoulder about Donegal's so called system!?? Or are people still stuck in 2011 when Donegal were still in the early development stages under McGuinness and weren't as attacking!??

thechairmanseat (Donegal) - Posts: 23 - 04/09/2014 14:44:15    1647939

Some bitter men on here re: Donegal's blanket defense. Donegal scored 3-14 against Dublin (ie. 23 points) If a team is putting up big scores like that and their scores are coming from everywhere including the full back and they are able to defend as well as Donegal can at the same time, should they not do it!?? Or would people just prefer that they attacked well and defended less well!??? Donegal are super fit and attack and defend as a unit.... everyone is a defender when they don't have the ball and everyone is an attacker when they have the ball... they have unbelievably team spirit and their execution in the tackle is second to none. I would love to know why people have a chip on their shoulder about Donegal's so called system!?? Or are people still stuck in 2011 when Donegal were still in the early development stages under McGuinness and weren't as attacking!??

thechairmanseat (Donegal) - Posts: 23 - 04/09/2014 14:49:44    1647943

Ah sure....every team plays to their own strengths. I certainly enjoyed watching Donegal play last Sunday. Quick on the counter and very organized defense. Very interesting and not boring.

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11230 - 04/09/2014 15:09:10    1647954