I think the argument that Ulster are the reason for the 'negative', your own words, approach to the game is a non-runner. The facts are this, the game has moved on substantially over the past two decades. You cannot compare the game we played in the early 90's to the game played today. The major reason for this is that there is now, whether we like it or not, a more professional setup in all county teams. With the increased amount of money being pumped into our county Senior teams there becomes an increased amount of risk of losing. The pressure on players now is higher than it has ever been before, back in our day do you remember several month drinking bans and eating the 'right things' before games? My personal opinion is that I find it a lot more intersting to see teams develop tactics over a couple of years (maybe it is just more noteable in Antrim as we were void of tactics for so long), and the great thing about sport is that no matter how much you can work on tactics class will always shine through more so in Gaelic Games as it is essentially one of the simplest field games in the world which is why it is so pure. Ulster have pionnered the way we think about football now, that is true, but change is inevatible. In 10 years we will be talking about some one else changing the game. Build a bridge. Get over it.

MacAontroim (Antrim) - Posts: 26 - 02/06/2010 11:29:53    665210

Pat Mc Gee:: your opinion about the Armagh v Derry game is funny as you describe it as dull and then we seen the longford and louth game which was about as much excitement as a nun's tea party

MuineachanAbu (Monaghan) - Posts: 661 - 02/06/2010 11:35:05    665214

Yeah, but its an silly generalisation. Sure the Derry Monaghan qualifier last year was one of the the most enjoyable open games of football in the championship. Nevermind generalising all nine counties together, Ulster counties always get defined by their worst performances, everybody else appears to get defined by their best. You'd swear every game some teams played was a joyous celebration of sporting beauty.

Ultimately ye are the losers, as the rest of us are capable of enjoying games on their individual merits without dumb agendas.

I could easily just annouce "Connacht football is rubbish, its all x,y and z" Proceed to watch Connacht championship games and come on here after, saying "I told you so, x, y and z happened and its terrible to watch, ruining the game"

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12456 - 02/06/2010 11:48:43    665223

Breffni39
I'll tell you what if you can sit there and tell me that,Monaghan, Derry and Armagh play an open brand of football that is entertaining and skilful you are telling a blatant lie. I would not stereotype Ulster but the counties that are mentioned above are the worst i have seen the last 12 months. To throw these statistics around about x amount of handpasses, x amount of tackles, x amount of assists blah blah blah, its just modern horse manure that does not tell the story of the game. Take Mayo i admit we do a lot of handpassing, christ sake it led to the Galway goal last year and it looked terrible. Mayo were at that for years but it's not what you would remember as a spectator, you would remember the silky skills of Mac and his 7/8 long foot passes in the game or Dillons skills or Morans runs. Galway have lovely footballers that play a nice brand. Dublin play a nice brand. Kerry have some of the most talented players we will ever see. Cork have some nice footballers and are attack minded, out of ulster Tyrone and Down have some nice attacking footballers. Above all the teams i have to say Monaghan are the worst even Banty in his body language,its just defend defend defend, does he look away when there attacking?His personality even comes across as defensive in interviews.

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 02/06/2010 11:50:08    665226

51longago
County: Mayo
Posts: 618

Are you saying nobody outside of Ulster plays the same type of football as the counties you mentioned?

Breffni40 (Cavan) - Posts: 12456 - 02/06/2010 11:55:34    665237

51longago:::get a grip of yourself. Blaming it on Monaghan. So what if we are a defensive team. Maybe Mayo should take a leaf. Maybe then Mayo wont be crumbled in croker. And as for the attack on banty, his body language and interviews!! Are you for real. By any chance have you a MBA in Physcology? Im guessing you dont so stop talking nonscence

MuineachanAbu (Monaghan) - Posts: 661 - 02/06/2010 12:04:30    665251

Lads where are ya going saying i generalised ulster. I said tyrone and antrim was a great game to watch, but the fact is that some ulster teams are negative and just go out to defend. As said monaghan and armagh are probably the 2 worst culprits. There is a big difference between using smart tactics and just getting your whole team behind the ball.

Never once did i say that leinster football, especially my own county was better than ulster. Longford and louth was an awful game, because of the lack of quality not because of negative defense minded tactics. Two of the best forwards of the last decade were playing in the derry armagh game in paddy bradley and stevie mcdonald, but the longford forward could have been playing and it wouldn't have made a difference. The fact that ulster has some of the best players in the country and we dont get to see them playing properly is the real travesty here.

I cant see the point of all of this defensive muck. has any team ever defended their way to the AI title?

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 02/06/2010 12:09:28    665255

I'll tell you what if you can sit there and tell me that,Monaghan, Derry and Armagh play an open brand of football that is entertaining and skilful you are telling a blatant lie.

You talk utter *****. Have you not watched any games Armagh have played this year? You think Armagh are a negative team based on one game?

Armagh 2-16
Donegal 0-6

Armagh 0-17
Down 1-12

Armagh 1-10
Derry 1-7

Scored 3-42
Conceeded 2-25

When the NFL 1 and 2 finals were played tell me which game was more entertaining?

Armaghgeddon (Armagh) - Posts: 539 - 02/06/2010 12:20:01    665271

well "an foirgael" idont know how old you are or how many games you've seen but i dont look at stats about handpasses or anything else i watch the game and give my opinion. what i saw was when tipp had the lead in the first half they did try this so called blanket defence as kerry were playing against the wind and tipp put a lot of pressure on their halfback line ,thats why there was so many handpasses specially in the first half. everybody knows that kicking the ball is the way out but at that particular 10 or 15 minutes thats why so many handpasses thats all in saying. they won the game didn't they. mayby if tipp played like when they started it might be a lot closer game.

chicago09 (Kerry) - Posts: 694 - 02/06/2010 12:29:18    665285

ULSTER LADS:::: Dont pay attention to the Mayo lad or Longford. They are just Ulster Bashers.

MuineachanAbu (Monaghan) - Posts: 661 - 02/06/2010 12:34:45    665293

Listen would all you people that seem to know everything about football eg. Longford quit your whinging. Your county can't employ the tactics properly so therefore you cricticise them just because you know that you will never amount to anything so hush up and concentrate on winning something with your own counties like good fellas and just leave ulster to ulster. After all it's the most exciting provincial championship ;-)

oh_aye (Down) - Posts: 71 - 02/06/2010 13:04:20    665346

Nah im not as ulster basher, just an negative football basher. We'll let the game speak for itself. Im hope its an exciting, free flowing, high scoring game. But i doubt it will be.

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 02/06/2010 13:20:02    665381

No matter how blanket a defence is , the better teams will break it down eventually. No Ulster county won anything without havin classy scoring forwards to compliment the defence. Even the much maligned Armagh had McDonnell and Clarke in 02. Why do some posters become so exercised about blanket defences. There is a massive amount of skill in defendeing resolutely. Noone should fear it. Embrase the blanket!

gaelantrim (Antrim) - Posts: 1616 - 02/06/2010 13:25:43    665392

Gaelantrim thank you, that is what i've been saying all along. You have to attack and defend to win games. some of the ulster teams are just not doing the attacking so well.

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 02/06/2010 14:19:14    665481

patmcgee
County: Longford
Posts: 163

665197


But no matter what way you looked at it kerry still had 14 behind the ball so then you try and twist the answers or topic in hand .


nok02
County: USA
Posts: 122

665109


You asked for links you got one and there all over you tube there blanket defence tactics now go away and watch them . Oh sorry mulligan was man of the match in 05 my mistake so get over it .And once again you have arrived back with insults how how petty.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/06/2010 16:08:45    665656

This was posted as a new thread but as the topic is the same it has been brought in here.

ochonlir

02/06/2010

16:36

It's all red Hugh's fault

He Started the defensive tactics by Throwing his hand to win the day. A very defensive manoeuvre indeed. He should have been sporting enough to let his opponent win the day. Modern day red Hughs are no better, they stop their opponents winning instead of standing back and letting them play. Points scored against teams (outside Ulster) who stand back and admire their opponents like what happens in the munster Championship are way more entertaining. The kerry player nonchalantly strokes the ball over the bar much to the delight of the purist. Forwards must not tackle! How dare the Ulster Forwards disregard this rule, HOW DARE THEY. Mugsy has the bare faced cheek to Score a wonder goal and how does he repay the Dublin defence, by tackling them that's how, it's disgusting. mcDonald blocks down a ball and not content with that sticks it over the bar, sickening stuff. Oisin is a record scorer as he taps ove point after point, gut wrenching puke football. Red hugh you have a lot to answer for!

Administrator (None) - Posts: 535 - 02/06/2010 16:51:57    665741

no dell...you said that kerry have been doing it for years.....back up the statements with evidence or simply don't write down outlandish idiotic statements


SIMPLE AS!

nok02 (USA) - Posts: 534 - 02/06/2010 16:53:20    665745

nok02
County: USA
Posts: 123

665745


Google the 70s and 80s matches and you will find out for your self . now go away as there all there on you tube to see .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/06/2010 16:56:07    665753

Dellboypolecat
County: Tyrone
Posts: 11350


But no matter what way you looked at it kerry still had 14 behind the ball so then you try and twist the answers or topic in hand .

______________________________

I thought you were held in high regard on this site as a good poster but you're coming out with absolute rubbish, most posters in an argument will actually argue coherently, but you are actually accusing kerry of being a boring defensive team. Then you accuse me of saying that tyrone were are defensive team, which i never said.

Its all just a smokescreen as you have nothing worthwhile to say. Do you watch much football?

patmcgee (Longford) - Posts: 520 - 02/06/2010 17:07:15    665784

patmcgee
County: Longford
Posts: 165

665784

I never accused kerry of this i only stated the tactics used by tyrone and armagh where used by kerry and other teams . Now if you want to start insulting me that is grand go ahead but i will stop responding to your childish rants from you and your buddie noko2 . I have coached teams and played the game and now a ref as alot on here are well aware of .

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 02/06/2010 17:27:38    665830