Sure lets go back to kicking the ball halfway up the pitch to a man who was on the beer the saturday night before. Sorry for me football has evolved into a great sport. Most of those who have gripes are from the traditional counties who aren't use to seeing the underdog have his day

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 23/06/2013 18:15:35    1413458

No I don't think the game is in decline, Donegal today has been exposed as a mediocrity albeit with huge self-believe, if they play like that against some of the top counties they'll get well beaten. So the Donegal v Down game represents the bottom of the barrel, but there is enough better counties out there who will entertain and ensure a future for the game. So football is will survive

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4956 - 23/06/2013 18:19:48    1413467

22,000 people in breffni today..none of them complaining about the quality of football...the game in breffni was a great spectacle and thats what people came for...next week there will be at least 20,000 again in clones, and the media will again be complaining a bout rubbish ulster football...people vote with their feet,and this is what people want to see...good hard fought close games

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 23/06/2013 18:23:25    1413470

the sooner that cynical fouling stuff stops the better!! jesus that game today was absolutely awful!! Puke football Pat.....PUKE!

loyal82royal (Meath) - Posts: 260 - 23/06/2013 18:28:31    1413484

Donegal played in front of a fairly full breffni park. the supporters don't seem to mind. their last match was sold out too. hopefully a cavan v donegal final.

Jack_Goff (Meath) - Posts: 2920 - 23/06/2013 18:28:40    1413485

Royalio11
County: Meath
Posts: 174

1413376
The game is not in decline.

As lads are saying this blanket defence will be exposed.
If players run at a team like Donegal, and can shoot (Down either spilled 9/10 ball or passed it behind them)
Also Donegal's cynical fouling will not go unnoticed

Exactly, the only way you'll beat Donegal is on the counter attack, and you need to do it fast, very fast. If you start handpassing the ball up the field in a casual way, they'll foul you and it'll give them time to re-group at the back. Against Cork in the first half last year Cork exposed their system, I'm surprised others have not copied this. In addition, teams have to get a lead on Donegal and that's when we'll see them open up a bit. They're masters at protecting a 3 point lead.

Sergeant_Slash (Cavan) - Posts: 2182 - 23/06/2013 18:31:14    1413488

I read all the time about how bad Ulster is but you never hear anyone boasting about how good the football in the other three provinces have been because we know the answer to that.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 23/06/2013 18:31:46    1413490

Terrible to watch but they are good at it and it gets them results. Can't knock them when it works.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8458 - 23/06/2013 18:37:30    1413498

Leitrim and London match today was a cracker in the traditional sense

beal (Mayo) - Posts: 1388 - 23/06/2013 18:42:28    1413501

At this stage with the constant fouling ya might aswell forget about bringing in the mark from AFL and take the below the waste tackle which would suit many players these days................ having said that I feel donegal are good to watch with fine players and giuys who are proffesional in there outlook and should be respected by all including hurling followers.

Fishermantom (Limerick) - Posts: 569 - 23/06/2013 18:43:10    1413502

Football is not in decline but if more games were played in similar vein as todays Donegal Down game then yes the sport of Gaelic Football would suffer greatly
That game was horrible viewing at times. Teams with 12/13 players in their own half when in possession and then breakin up field - horrible viewing

ormondbannerman (Clare) - Posts: 13473 - 23/06/2013 18:51:50    1413517

Leitrim v London was a cracker....albeit with only 1 score more than the Donegal Down game even with blanket defenses. Hmmm

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1435 - 23/06/2013 18:56:01    1413524

That game today was utterly awful. Granted the conditions were poor but it was awful watching. What gets Gaelic football supporters back up is when hurling fans pontificate how great their game is. In my opinion (as a person with a slight preference for hurling-and it is slight) both games need administrators to tackle cynical fouling. It is rife in both games. I don't think the referee was brilliant today but at least on one occasion he penalised a Down player (Laverty I think) for grabbing a Donegal players arm and dragging him to the ground. I thought fair play to the ref for that. If the ref did that for every game instance in very game, we would get rid of that part of the game.

We have too many rucks in hurling and gaelic football. Barry kelly gave a free to Cork today at a vital stage as a Clare player jumped on the ball. They were furious. Look at it again, the ref was dead right. if all referees did this for every instance of players diving on the ball we would soon get rid of that aspect to our games as well.

I do not think we need legislation for the amount of handpassing. Surely people can see that constant handpassing actually just plays into a blanket defence system and supports. If all forwards are retreating when you get the ball in your full back line, then surely one accurate kick pass takes 7 or 8 of them out of the game, a further kick pass taking another three out of the game. Conversely, one or two handpasses just helps the opposition to create their blanked defence formation.

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 23/06/2013 19:07:40    1413541

One score less i thought Benjyy. Anyway beal were you at the game?

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 23/06/2013 19:09:50    1413544

A Donegal man was just on Take Your Point complaining about Down an their blanket defence! Classic!!

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8458 - 23/06/2013 19:13:31    1413556

Yeah, had connections in both camps...not a puke footballer or manager in sight. Like I said great entertainment and open football, but not likely to cause any upset at the top table.

beal (Mayo) - Posts: 1388 - 23/06/2013 19:17:09    1413561

Give the full context - not half stories - I was listening to it to....he was responding to the point about Donegal being singled out for criticism of a blanket defence when the reality was that Down played 14 men behind the ball - half stories and half truths sound better though Flaker...isnt that right...! Not so 'classic' when the full story is explained..!

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 23/06/2013 19:21:30    1413568

The notion of attractive football versus 'puke' football is interesting.

I mean from a spectator point of view what is the attraction in watching a forward kick score after score unchallenged from 30 and 40 metres? It might be fun if you're the forward but as a viewer, what makes it so enjoyable?

Similarly what is so unattractive about the game in Cavan today? So we didn't see loads of scores or even shots but we did see bravery and athleticism. Why do GAA supporters ignore this and not applaud it? Many of same supporters get satisfaction watching other attritional sports such as rugby and say boxing.

From my own point of view, I find a game like the one today as enjoyable as any other. I think it's the competition of it all that I like, players giving life and limb for an hour and a half.

My guess is that the whole idea of attractive football comes back to one thing - change. It must be a basic human instinct to resist change?

If all games were similar to the one today, I don't think Gaelic Football would suffer. Eventually it would be accepted as the norm and people would continue to laud the great sport that is Gaelic Football.

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 23/06/2013 19:47:04    1413598

well bunnybenny in cork,

how many people went to see Cork v Limerick or Clare or Kerry v Waterford - nobody left Breffni early today.

I have been watching GAA for over 50yrs and i think since 1990 the game has improved and got better

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1691 - 23/06/2013 19:48:32    1413601

Lifford I am only having the Craic, I have already said in a previous post that if they are winning it doesn't matter what people think. If Mayo did exactly what they did and won an All Ireland would I take it? I would bite your hand off! The problem is rubbish teams are trying to copy their style, not Jimmys fault, it is just unfortunate that teams think it is the way to go.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8458 - 23/06/2013 19:57:40    1413613