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Stepping Away And Retirements (Early)

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Replying To Black+Blue:  "The way Clarke and Barrett played last year they will be a difficult enough duo to replace... ??"
Agreed. In any case most teams would struggle to replace their goalie and full-back as they are very specialised positions at the heart of the defence, although hopefully Brendan Harrison will recover from injury.

Gleebo (Mayo) - Posts: 2208 - 25/01/2021 11:14:05    2328867

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Replying To KingdomBoy1:  "But will they be as strong as dublin in Croke Park mick? Remember they will have to play the dublin behemoth in dublins home ground and neither Galway or Tyrone have senior allireland winners on their teams.

Remember Galway Tyrone Mayo Donegal Monaghan and kerry will all have to play away games and will probably suffer injuries and possible suspensions."
Did nt we win 37 all Irelands in Croke park including many against Dublin. Any team can get injuries and on suspensions well the likely hood is most suspensions are players own fault.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3942 - 25/01/2021 11:39:07    2328869

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Replying To Gleebo:  "Agreed. In any case most teams would struggle to replace their goalie and full-back as they are very specialised positions at the heart of the defence, although hopefully Brendan Harrison will recover from injury."
I genuinely think Mayo are in a good place. Clarke was pushing on and Hennelly us a fine keeper too. You ré right about Harrison too. He can fill Barratts void. The other players were nt playing this year anyway. While all great players in their day their time was up. Retirements are not the biggest threat to Mayo. It's Galway who will have a much stronger panel to pick from this year.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3942 - 25/01/2021 12:07:55    2328874

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Replying To CiarraiMick:  "Did nt we win 37 all Irelands in Croke park including many against Dublin. Any team can get injuries and on suspensions well the likely hood is most suspensions are players own fault."
Agh now Mick, stop making sense like that or you'll be accused of not being a Kerry man... oh wait that's already happened.. Carry on....

Joking aside Mick at least you are reasonable in your opinions and will out both sides of the argument forward.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1994 - 25/01/2021 12:15:20    2328877

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Replying To CiarraiMick:  "Did nt we win 37 all Irelands in Croke park including many against Dublin. Any team can get injuries and on suspensions well the likely hood is most suspensions are players own fault."
Ya we did win 37 allirelands Mick but 36 of them were before the dublin money kicked in, and before dublin were moved permanently in to crokepark for league as well as the championship.

I'm telling you dublin are in the wrong competition and they need to be regraded into a new version of the railway Cup and intercounty football to proper county teams.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 25/01/2021 12:16:38    2328879

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Replying To KingdomBoy1:  "Ya we did win 37 allirelands Mick but 36 of them were before the dublin money kicked in, and before dublin were moved permanently in to crokepark for league as well as the championship.

I'm telling you dublin are in the wrong competition and they need to be regraded into a new version of the railway Cup and intercounty football to proper county teams."
Sure what bearing does Dublin playing league games in Croke Park have on your county's AI title ambitions? How many championship games did Dublin play in Croke Park in 2019 versus the year, had Dublin got to the final, that you last won Sam. I'd say it's probably the same. LSFC semi and finals have been held in Croke Park since as far as I can remember. Not sure where you're going with this pie in the sky excuse for Kerry's shortcomings on the pitch. Did Dublin playing a home league game in Feb 2020 in Croke Park cause Kerry to collapse to Cork in the championship last year? You're clutching at straws son.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4745 - 25/01/2021 13:10:44    2328885

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Replying To brian:  "Agh now Mick, stop making sense like that or you'll be accused of not being a Kerry man... oh wait that's already happened.. Carry on....

Joking aside Mick at least you are reasonable in your opinions and will out both sides of the argument forward."
Thanks Brian

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3942 - 25/01/2021 13:19:19    2328887

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Replying To Joxer:  "Sure what bearing does Dublin playing league games in Croke Park have on your county's AI title ambitions? How many championship games did Dublin play in Croke Park in 2019 versus the year, had Dublin got to the final, that you last won Sam. I'd say it's probably the same. LSFC semi and finals have been held in Croke Park since as far as I can remember. Not sure where you're going with this pie in the sky excuse for Kerry's shortcomings on the pitch. Did Dublin playing a home league game in Feb 2020 in Croke Park cause Kerry to collapse to Cork in the championship last year? You're clutching at straws son."
But it's not just Kerrys problem it's every1 outside of dublins problem.

If you can't see that dublin starting to play all their home league games in Croke Park in 08/09 as a benefit to the dublin footballers then your blind or you don't want to see the problem that caused for every other team jox

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 25/01/2021 13:35:23    2328888

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Yes the more often a team plays on a pitch the more comfortable they are on it of course. Actually in 2008 and 09 Kerry played Derry 2 years in a row in the league final. 08 was played in Parnell Park and Derry won. In 2 009 final was played in Croke Park and Kerry won. I also recall 1997 league final v Cork was played in Cork. Kerry won league this year but there was no final but the last final we won was in Croke Park in 2017 against Dublin.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3942 - 25/01/2021 13:48:26    2328889

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Replying To KingdomBoy1:  "But it's not just Kerrys problem it's every1 outside of dublins problem.

If you can't see that dublin starting to play all their home league games in Croke Park in 08/09 as a benefit to the dublin footballers then your blind or you don't want to see the problem that caused for every other team jox"
Sorry KB you're going to have to call it out for me. If Dublin play 3 league games in Croke Park on freezing cold Feb nights with an understrength league team in a 2/3rds empty stadium and this is somehow fatally damaging Kerry's AI winning chances then you'll have to point out the bleeding obvious to me.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4745 - 25/01/2021 15:34:35    2328896

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Replying To Joxer:  "Sorry KB you're going to have to call it out for me. If Dublin play 3 league games in Croke Park on freezing cold Feb nights with an understrength league team in a 2/3rds empty stadium and this is somehow fatally damaging Kerry's AI winning chances then you'll have to point out the bleeding obvious to me."
I know with you being a dub jox and yer team not having to play many games (hardly any infact) outside of yer home ground that you probably can't understand that home advantage means a lot in sport, it's called "home advantage" for a reason.

We haven't lost at home in the championship in 27 years.

Also it's very handy that ye can blood yer new players in Croke Park in the league in front of a 2/3rds empty stadium.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 25/01/2021 16:03:34    2328899

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Replying To Joxer:  "Sorry KB you're going to have to call it out for me. If Dublin play 3 league games in Croke Park on freezing cold Feb nights with an understrength league team in a 2/3rds empty stadium and this is somehow fatally damaging Kerry's AI winning chances then you'll have to point out the bleeding obvious to me."
3 freezing nights in Feb with an understrength team ?... isn't that not the O Byrne Cup Joxer lol !

If Paul Conroy got to play 100 of his 110 championship matches in Pearse Stadium then wouldn't he have the advantage of familiarity if the final was played there ??.... that's not anti Dublin or anyone else...surely that's just a simple fact ?....

I don't think home advantage is why Dublin have won all those finals but in tight games it surely gives those players a small % advantage being familiar with the pitch and being comfortable inside the stadium ?

Black+Blue (Galway) - Posts: 134 - 25/01/2021 16:07:48    2328900

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Replying To Joxer:  "Sorry KB you're going to have to call it out for me. If Dublin play 3 league games in Croke Park on freezing cold Feb nights with an understrength league team in a 2/3rds empty stadium and this is somehow fatally damaging Kerry's AI winning chances then you'll have to point out the bleeding obvious to me."
Dublin playing all their games in Croke Park is a very big advantage. Even if there is some slightly weakened teams. You are used to the pitch, the crowds even if theyre smaller in some league games.

If you play well over 70% of your games in this one venue that holds the latter stages of the all ireland series then its a major advantage. you can build an routine for getting to ground, on pitch etc when you play in this ground all the time.

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3758 - 25/01/2021 16:11:06    2328901

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I agree CP is an advantage but that's life. Most Dubs admit it's an advantage. Home venue is an advantage but that's life. I agree Dublin should not play away or neutral games in CP but I have no problem whatsoever with them playing home games in Croke Park. As a matter of fact I'd prefer they did as more fans can get to see the games live then. When Covid is over and we can go to games again it will be great. Parnell does nt have a big capacity and many would lose out if Dubs don't play in Croke Park.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3942 - 25/01/2021 16:18:58    2328902

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The Croke Park advantage (whether you agree or not ) isnt going to change in my time....the only solutions are

A- build a new national stadium in the Centre of the country and keep if for Semi-finals + Finals ONLY of all Mens and Ladies football competitions ...that way no one can have a perceived advantage....not going to happen

B - ask Dublin GAA to build their own stadium to hold 40/50 thousand and keep Croke park for all Semi finals + Finals of all Mens and Ladies football competitions...that way no one can have a perceived advantage...not going to happen

C - let Dublin play ALL their home games outside of semi finals + finals of all competitions in Parnell Park to a vastly reduced amount of supporters.... not going to happen

D - get Dublin to play 50% of Leinster or Qualifier matches away from home... unlikely to happen

E - keep going as we are...most likely option

so there's not much point in arguing it any more...just accept that's an advantage Dublin will continue to have.

Black+Blue (Galway) - Posts: 134 - 25/01/2021 17:03:43    2328905

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Retirement thread going well I see. :D

TheUsername (Dublin) - Posts: 4517 - 25/01/2021 20:51:24    2328930

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Replying To KingdomBoy1:  "I know with you being a dub jox and yer team not having to play many games (hardly any infact) outside of yer home ground that you probably can't understand that home advantage means a lot in sport, it's called "home advantage" for a reason.

We haven't lost at home in the championship in 27 years.

Also it's very handy that ye can blood yer new players in Croke Park in the league in front of a 2/3rds empty stadium."
Yeah but you're playing largely hurling counties in your home ground in the championship. Is it any wonder that you haven't been beaten in 27 years. Croke Park is hardly a home ground in the true sense of the word when you consider that teams like Kerry, Mayo and Tyrone probably play there 4 times a year in league, league knockout stages, AI series business end. I don't see Dublin playing 4 times in a real home ground like Fitzgerald every year. Seasoned Mayo players must have played in Croker about 40 times at this stage. Hardly a true away ground for any of the big contenders. Dubs have a pretty good record in their 2 games away in the championship each year. Ask Tyrone.

Joxer (Dublin) - Posts: 4745 - 25/01/2021 23:22:20    2328957

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Replying To TheUsername:  "Retirement thread going well I see. :D"
Amazing the way even a thread to recognise players stepping away from the game and to wish the well gets dragged down to a Dubs have every advantage rant by one poster on here..

Simply amazing...

Dunno if I said anything since Keith Higgins announcement but best of luck to him, gave everything for Mayo and played both codes. Go well Keith.

brian (Meath) - Posts: 1994 - 26/01/2021 08:58:15    2328970

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Replying To Joxer:  "Yeah but you're playing largely hurling counties in your home ground in the championship. Is it any wonder that you haven't been beaten in 27 years. Croke Park is hardly a home ground in the true sense of the word when you consider that teams like Kerry, Mayo and Tyrone probably play there 4 times a year in league, league knockout stages, AI series business end. I don't see Dublin playing 4 times in a real home ground like Fitzgerald every year. Seasoned Mayo players must have played in Croker about 40 times at this stage. Hardly a true away ground for any of the big contenders. Dubs have a pretty good record in their 2 games away in the championship each year. Ask Tyrone."
Well I get your argument but just to fill you in on a few facts Joxer. Kerry play alot in Tralee also but yes have nt been beaten in championship football in Killarney s Fitzgerald stadium since 1995 which was by. a hurling county as you say. A hurling county that has more all ireland football wins that Mayo and Tyrone put together. Also besides Cork Clare Tipp Limerick etc in the championship in Killarney Kerry have played non hurling counties like Kildare Longford Mayo and Tyrone.

CiarraiMick (Dublin) - Posts: 3942 - 26/01/2021 10:13:17    2328974

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Replying To Joxer:  "Yeah but you're playing largely hurling counties in your home ground in the championship. Is it any wonder that you haven't been beaten in 27 years. Croke Park is hardly a home ground in the true sense of the word when you consider that teams like Kerry, Mayo and Tyrone probably play there 4 times a year in league, league knockout stages, AI series business end. I don't see Dublin playing 4 times in a real home ground like Fitzgerald every year. Seasoned Mayo players must have played in Croker about 40 times at this stage. Hardly a true away ground for any of the big contenders. Dubs have a pretty good record in their 2 games away in the championship each year. Ask Tyrone."
Croke Park is absolutely Dublin's home ground and to say otherwise is disingenuous. For the all Ireland semi-final against Tipperary, 4 of Mayo's starting 15 were playing their first senior game in Croke Park. Compare that to Sean Bugler and Paddy Small going into their 1st semi-final.

MayoDan (Mayo) - Posts: 459 - 26/01/2021 10:46:58    2328977

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