I have said it before but Joe Brolly is one of the few pundits who calls the game before hand. He certainly was the only one to call all Donegal matches. Listen Joe is a Derry man and as a Tyrone man he could rub us up the wrong way in his early days if you let him. But as a Tyrone fan I stiil enjoy listening to Colm, Pat, Joe etc on RTE. With regards to Mayo some of the fouls against Dublin were very poor and I believe have led to the new proposals to curb delibrate fouling. This was the issue Joe addressed and you can not say he was wrong.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1792 - 13/01/2013 10:51:58    1317474

doublehop
County: Kildare
Posts: 2609

1317469
Great piece by Tommy Conlon on this today in the Sindo:
It's a very fine line between passion and propaganda

Excellent piece that I feel captures the hub of this whole argument. Yes we could argue till the cows come home over other issues surrounding the game but I feel this article gets to the point of horans outburst!

jono (Mayo) - Posts: 350 - 13/01/2013 11:10:16    1317478

Byanthon.......Do you think Brolly gets his predictions right? He nearly always gets it wrong with Mayo for our q/f s and s/f s. ''Cork will wipe the floor with Mayo'' ring any bells? Shrugging his shoulders and tutting at half time in a Mayo/Galway match at Mayos performance, labelled Ciaran Mac a sweedish milkmaid, what did Mac do in the second half of that game along with the Mort whom he also labelled , aye thats right they went out and destroyed Galway on their own.

He has got it wrong many many times with Mayo from 04 Tyrone game to the Cork game in 11, he could of even got it wrontg this year v Dublin but i can't recall, ive stopped taking heed of him tbh.

Not too bothered these days what he has to say but he does not call it right with Mayo as he just goes for whoever we play from a Galway game onwards.

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 13/01/2013 12:03:29    1317494

One team will always be talked up more before an All-Ireland. Donegal had the better story behind them and had taken out some big guns on the road to the final. Mayo had won one serious game. Horan should be looking at the configuration of his back line and his defensive match ups early on. It was a perfect game for Mayo in that Donegals players had never been that far before and the hype could have caused them difficulties and indeed did for a spell of 20 minutes or so which Mayo failed to capitalise on.

Mayo need to look internally first for the reasons for their All-Ireland defeat. They are not far away but they will lose credibility and the benefit of the doubt among officials if they keep coming out with this nonsense.

Stuckinthepast (Galway) - Posts: 472 - 13/01/2013 12:11:53    1317499

spilllane writing in s world has a pop about donegals style, its all opinions and bug bears with some people.
its not who is right or wrong ,its just opinions. (history can definetly cloud some pundits views)

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 13/01/2013 12:53:41    1317512

The only thing that will win us an all Ireland is us looking at ourselves and admitting we were not good enough last year.....it is up to James and our player to prove everyone wrong this year or in the next few years.

We can't blame media etc.

On the issue of brolly...I genunally believe he has a problem with mayo and always has. Maybe a mayo girl broke his heart. I remember him slagging ciaran McDonald about the colour of his hair.....did he ever slag mulligan of Tyrone about his hair? No....brolly is not worth getting worked up about so ill eave it there. I nearly feel sorry for him

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11652 - 13/01/2013 12:58:06    1317518

It's just more fodder for the 'Mayo whinge brigade' to feed off!
They finally grew a pair on the field last year, now its time for
them to grow a pair off field!

Brolly only pointed out the obvious about Mayo last year, it is
nowhere near the level of bitterness that a certain Pat
spewed about Tyrone in 2003! Which didn't influence the
referee at that time! In fact Pat's comments re-enforced
the strength and resolve of Tyrone. I remember there weren't
too many bleeding heart journalists on Tyrone's side regarding Pat's comments!

Last year they turned 'handbags on a football field' in
January into 'south central LA!'

A pinch of salt should be taken when reading the subjective opinions
of journalists, whether they be broadsheets or gutter press!
At the end of the day we are all entitled to our opinion, even Pat
and Joe, and even moomoo and themaster!
Man up Mayo!!

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 13/01/2013 14:28:11    1317530

Agree with Muckross...why has it taken til now for Tommy Conlon to speak about this.... Why did Tommy Conlon not mention the waffle from Liam McHale on Newstalk the day before the final...definitely worth a few points to Donegal if McGuinness had chosen to play it to our boys in the dressing room before the final.... For Conlons information, Brolly was the only pundit to call it right all year about Donegal. The joke is actually on Tommy Conlon talking about the Donegal v Tyrone Ulster 'Final' in the article. Hard to take a reporter like that seriously when he can't even get the basic facts right!

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 13/01/2013 15:00:54    1317545

an extremely biased piece by conlon...why write it now?....clearly just isnt a fan of joe brolly..yes what liam mchale had to say didnt exactly help

ffgg (Longford) - Posts: 2571 - 13/01/2013 15:20:49    1317551

@ffgg - in response to a blatant piece of biased punditry by Brolly. I can understand why Brolly has it in for Galway, but what did Mayo ever do to his beloved Derry to deserve the same treatment?

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 914 - 13/01/2013 16:10:24    1317588

What treatment Ailteoir? Brolly called it as it was. Simple as. Mayo were a disgrace in that All Ireland semi and tried the same tactics in first 20 minutes of the final. A stronger ref would have brandished two red cards to Mayo in that opening quarter in the final.

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 13/01/2013 16:14:03    1317595

Lifford Gael
County: Donegal
Posts: 1598

1317595
What treatment Ailteoir? Brolly called it as it was. Simple as. Mayo were a disgrace in that All Ireland semi and tried the same tactics in first 20 minutes of the final. A stronger ref would have brandished two red cards to Mayo in that opening quarter in the final.


Lol just lol.

51longago (Mayo) - Posts: 2981 - 13/01/2013 16:28:37    1317613

Lifford, in the semi-final Mayo were not the only team guilty of cynical fouling. If Brolly 'called it as it was', he would have highlighted the antics of both teams. But like I said, he does seem to have a problem when it comes to Connacht teams - he also likes having a go at Galway hurling!

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 914 - 13/01/2013 17:49:20    1317679

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-football/tommy-conlon-its-a-very-fine-line-between-passion-and-propaganda-3350308.html

mayo5051 (Mayo) - Posts: 106 - 13/01/2013 18:15:30    1317696

Ailteoir
County: Galway
Posts: 334

1317679 Lifford, in the semi-final Mayo were not the only team guilty of cynical fouling. If Brolly 'called it as it was', he would have highlighted the antics of both teams. But like I said, he does seem to have a problem when it comes to Connacht teams - he also likes having a go at Galway hurling!

Brolley can be harsh and controversial at times, but a seriously doubt he dislikes Connaught teams. He has been brutally critical of many Ulster teams, including his own native county. I would Imagine the likes of Tyrone, Armagh, Monaghan, Antrim, Down, Donegal, Cavan, Derry and Fermanagh could all list quotes of his that they took exception to. In fact most teams in Ireland could claimed he rubbed them the wrong way at some stage.

GaryMc82 (Derry) - Posts: 3026 - 13/01/2013 18:23:47    1317702

Conlon obvisously gets his facts right. Donegal 26 fouls against Tyrone in the Ulster final. Must of missed that game myself!!!

DLlegends (Donegal) - Posts: 503 - 13/01/2013 18:26:57    1317706

Tommy conlon says Brolly was gushing of a 2011 donegal team that had reduced Gaa to a farce,
Brolly lashed Donegal after the Dublin match in 2011.
So Conlon is misleading to suit his arguement also.
Im not pro Brolly ,and i actually think he is poor at analysing Matches as they happen,
He is good to listen to after he has had a few days to gather his thoughts,
More for winding people up as much as constructive critcism.
Us Dubs get given out to for the media building us up, but we get our fair share of journalists writing with hidden agendas, there wasnt any DUBS on after Mayo match saying that Horans comments before match could of influenced the ref.

AthCliath (Dublin) - Posts: 4347 - 13/01/2013 18:34:02    1317710

In fact I'd o so far as to say that Mayos cynical fouling in the semi robbed the country of an epic All Ireland final! Horans comments and now Conlons comments are laughable!

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 13/01/2013 19:20:12    1317749

Nothing Brolly said had any influence on the two goals that Donegal scored at the beginning of the final.
Time to move on, 2012 is over, & we will have more than enough to keep us occupied in 2013.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 13/01/2013 19:21:45    1317752

Lifford Gael
County: Donegal
Posts: 1600

1317749
In fact I'd o so far as to say that Mayos cynical fouling in the semi robbed the country of an epic All Ireland final! Horans comments and now Conlons comments are laughable!

Wind in your neck there.....ye won the all ireland be happy with that. Now what are you saying? Should Mayo be banned from All Ireland finals......brolly said something along those lines I believe

yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 11652 - 14/01/2013 08:48:32    1317887