This is not a question about swarm defence, which is within the rules for sure. But watching the matches against Derry and ourselves recently, it is remarkable how many times Tyrone players seem to strip the ball from an opponents grasp. It is achieved more often than not by striking down on the arm/hand of the opponent on the run with a closed fist. Referees don't seem to react at all but surely it can't be legal? Sometimes they land on the ribcage if well timed.

MadgeKing (Cavan) - Posts: 493 - 24/05/2016 17:30:36    1858210

By the rules you can only tackle the ball or make a shoulder to shoulder charge.

Incidental contact where you are both competing for the balls is also allowed, although refs often blow this up, which as a defender is very irritating.

Striking an openers arm or chest is definitely not legal.

Refs are rubbish at implementing the rules surrounding the tackle pretty much in every regard.

Whammo86 (Antrim) - Posts: 4207 - 24/05/2016 17:45:17    1858212

closed fist is never legal

neither is striking the arm holding the ball.

but neither approach surprises me.

manfromdelmonte (UK) - Posts: 541 - 24/05/2016 17:52:21    1858214

According to the rules it must be an openhanded strike not a closed fist one.

Dubfan Abroad (Dublin) - Posts: 282 - 24/05/2016 17:55:11    1858216

It's legal until such times as Tyrone win.

Then there will be a CCwotRTECC meeting announcing that there has be a stop to this sort of thing, ie Tyrone winning.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 24/05/2016 18:34:13    1858230

Is this the best you can come up with ??? I think you should be more concerned about your match on Sunday and you might not be playing Tyrone in the semi final lol.

therapy (Tyrone) - Posts: 24 - 24/05/2016 18:50:49    1858235

Coming from a Cavan man!! As said above I'd be more worried about the snake lying in the grass on Sunday than Tyrone's solid tackling.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 24/05/2016 18:57:39    1858240

Every team in the country fouls when tackling, no exceptions. The fact that Tyrone dislodged the ball more times than most do suggests they are closer to actually striking the ball. Well done.

m_the_d (None) - Posts: 1099 - 24/05/2016 19:21:03    1858250

In a one-on-one situation refs will give a free if there is pulling of any kind or hitting down on the carrying arm. However, if a ball carrier is surrounded by a number of players, then the refs give the surrounding players free reign to pull, drag, hit etc. The ball carrier, the only one trying to do play constructively, is punished unless he releases the ball immediately. Crazy. This happens in all games, not just games involving Tyrone.

neverright (Roscommon) - Posts: 1648 - 24/05/2016 19:21:41    1858251

Tyrone....
Should they be legal full stop
animals!!!
;)

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8166 - 24/05/2016 19:24:17    1858254

Cavan mind games, pah!

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 24/05/2016 19:27:17    1858257

This form of tackling may not be strictly speaking legal, but it is definitely a skill. There are so many grey areas in the game of gaelic football in terms of what is legal and what is not legal, there would be constant rule breaking on view were you to audit a full game to the letter of the law. Over carrying the ball being one, feigning a hand pass another. etc etc.

I think that if we see more football played in the same way that Tyrone played on sunday, we are in for a great championship albiet at the business end of the summer. Any team with a chink in their armour going in to play tyrone will not give them a game at all.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3830 - 24/05/2016 20:01:49    1858265

Lord give me strength....

seanie_boy (Tyrone) - Posts: 4235 - 24/05/2016 20:33:53    1858279

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1422 - 24/05/2016 20:37:20    1858281

It is up to refs to blow whistle and Tyrone blew Derry away to be honest. However, the ref. was easier on Tyrone and maybe was a little scared of the Tyrone line. Similar situation in the hurling recently when Clare bet Waterford, ref. scared of Davy Fitz for sure.

maroondiesel (Mayo) - Posts: 1196 - 24/05/2016 20:59:02    1858298

Wasn't it a Tyrone player who took a bite out of the Apple in the Garden of Eden which led to the original sin? It was apparently also a Tyrone player who denied 3 times that he knew Jesus. Tyrone players were also allegedly seen shipping boat loads of grain, wheat, barley, cattle, pigs and sheep out of Ireland in the years 1845 - 1849.

Ulsterman (Antrim) - Posts: 9697 - 24/05/2016 21:08:44    1858303

If the ref says it is then it is , if the ref blows they you knows

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 25/05/2016 10:54:38    1858390

this is a good point raised by the OP. (though I'm not sure why he/she singled out Tyrone. I saw on "the Sunday Game" a clip where they highlighted the effectiveness of Tyrone's tackling . They showed it in slow motion and The Tyrone player clearly struck the arm of the Derry player. Yet the panel thought this was great tackling. I mean the whole game of gaelic Football is a total shambles as regards the "tackle" . the rules clearly state that it should only be the ball that is struck but 9 times out of 10 (and EVERY county is guilty of this) it is the player that is struck , yet no free is awarded. the game is clearly un-refereeable at the moment or at least being refereed wrongly.

s goldrick (Cavan) - Posts: 5518 - 25/05/2016 11:18:12    1858403

The Tyrone bashing is getting boring...

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 25/05/2016 11:25:50    1858406

I think the "half-foul" is the one to watch out for. We became masters of this under McGuinness. One man has a wee jersey pull or a slight slap to tempt the ref, but not enough to give the foul. It is enough to disrupt the ball carrier's momentum. Meanwhile another man or two, come in to legally dispossess the player when he is vulnerable from the first contact.

Lockjaw (Donegal) - Posts: 9115 - 25/05/2016 11:30:18    1858408