Threads like this should be banned.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6182 - 23/06/2013 20:02:54    1413616

Fair enough Flaker...honest explanation accepted...!

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 23/06/2013 20:09:15    1413621

Former_Poster
County: Meath
Posts: 10

1413598
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.



--------------------------------------------

Most sensible post I've read all evening!

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 23/06/2013 20:11:23    1413622

cuchulainn35
County: Armagh
Posts: 747

1413601
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

I will answer that question to best of my knowledge but am open to correction. I would estimate there were about 3,500 at both Cork games, 6,000 at Kerry v Tipperary and 4000 at Kerry v Waterford (the figures are rounded and open to revision).

I have some questions for you.

(1) why did you ask me those questions?
(2) How are they relevant to my previous post? Maybe they are not, may you just wanted to know?
(3) what happened after 1990 that made football better for you? or is that just your mid-point approximate? (you said you have been watching for 50 years-fair play to you, you have seen more than I-my first ever game was in 1987).

bennybunny (Cork) - Posts: 3917 - 23/06/2013 20:12:21    1413623

The funny thing is that none of the people complaining on here choose to comment on the following

1. The level of fitness commitment & energy that saw a game played at full tilt for 70 minutes.
2. Some great scores from play & long distance frees especially McFadden & Murphy.
3. Great defending from both sides.
4. The fact that the conditions would have made any attractive open football impossible.

Yes there were a lot of fouls but the black card next year will take care of that. Football is fine. If you choose to see only the negative then that's your business but it doesn't tell the whole story.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 23/06/2013 20:17:33    1413627

Welcome back muckross, the Karl Lacey of HS,
the Donegal defense was very leaky over the
last few days in yer absence! LOL

TheGateKeeper (Tyrone) - Posts: 2843 - 23/06/2013 20:22:30    1413633

GateKeeper
I go away for a couple of days & the place goes to pieces!!!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 23/06/2013 20:26:52    1413639

Great defending muck haha there was 13 men behind the ball at all times it's not that hard to defend with that cover, it's horrible to watch and something needs to be done, it would be rugby league if the ball was oval for gods sake. Not a ball kicked all day terrible stuff.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 23/06/2013 20:29:04    1413644

What satisfaction do you get seeing a player kicking the football?

Former_Poster (Meath) - Posts: 394 - 23/06/2013 20:34:18    1413649

Clondalkin

Not one of the 22000 crowd left Breffni early today despite the wind and the rain! All remained to the final whistle... i suppose you would have needed to have been there to understand why instead of trolling from your desktop.....:-)

Lifford Gael (Donegal) - Posts: 1925 - 23/06/2013 20:36:03    1413651

clondalkindub
County: Dublin
Posts: 3649

1413644
Great defending muck haha there was 13 men behind the ball at all times it's not that hard to defend with that cover, it's horrible to watch and something needs to be done, it would be rugby league if the ball was oval for gods sake. Not a ball kicked all day terrible stuff.

"Something needs to be done" I would have expected better than that from you clondalkin. If the day had been dry with no wind the it would have made for a more open game but the conditions were really difficult. It wasn't horrible to watch & neither Brolly or O'Rourke agree with you. Spillane's head may well explode tonight but to be in agreement with Padgeen should give you pause for thought.
This much I will tell you, if Dublin, or anyone else for that matter, are not willing to scrap like Donegal & Down did today they will win no All Ireland.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 23/06/2013 20:37:23    1413653

Muck it's horrible, and Down were just as bad. You need to look at the bigger picture here , if this happens in every game people will stop watching and going to our games. Where has the skill gone? Only for McFadden is savage at long range point taking that would have been the worst game of football all year. I think it was 5-2 in points from play shocking stuff. There needs to be a rule were you can't have 14 men in one half of the field , people go to football to see good defending and GREAT forward play but with 14 men in one half that's more or less impossible. Fair play to Donegal they have a brilliant system in place that works but I hate it.

clondalkindub (Dublin) - Posts: 9926 - 23/06/2013 20:56:39    1413691

CLONDALKIN...There needs to be a rule were you can't have 14 men in one half of the field ,
bring in go games for Donegal and their likes

beal (Mayo) - Posts: 1388 - 23/06/2013 21:00:11    1413699

clondalkindub

You played the same way in 2010 and 2011. Were you as vocal in your criticism of Dublin in those years?

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1435 - 23/06/2013 21:00:43    1413702

Good post Former Poster, the game today's was basically rugby - 14 lads on each team there just to handpass snd tackle and one to try to kick the points. Huge effort and discipline from the players today but very little skill shown by either team.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4655 - 23/06/2013 21:00:44    1413703

Clondalkin,
That's fair enough. I can understand your hating it but believe me when I say that there were 23,000 odd people there today who really enjoyed & were gripped by a fierce contest played out over 70minutes in terrible conditions. The black card being introduced next year will I believe answer many of your concerns.

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 23/06/2013 21:04:37    1413712

Heres a question for you all. Firstly how many on here still play gaelic football? Secondly, how many of your clubs are using/introducing similar tactics ie. lots of handpassing, men behind the ball etc? Thirdly, if your club is doing this how many of you are speaking out against it??

I have observed my own club at home and my adopted club in kildare and handpassing and defensive play is very much to the fore. So it seems that the majority of counties and clubs feel this is the way to go.

frankbhoy77 (Antrim) - Posts: 1300 - 23/06/2013 21:06:55    1413714

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

----

The rules need to be changed.

Its not really cynical fouling, its just logical defending so long as its in the rules that you get away with it. For example stop an attacker at midfield and you stop a point with no consequence to yourself so a team is going to be coached to do that.

Rules need to be changed so that each foul that stops a goal opportunity gets red and each foul that stops a point opportunity gets yellow.

tyroneed (Tyrone) - Posts: 753 - 23/06/2013 21:08:32    1413719

Muckross .....23,000 odd people there today who really enjoyed..
exactly!

beal (Mayo) - Posts: 1388 - 23/06/2013 21:09:50    1413720

frankbhoy77
County: Antrim
Posts: 946

1413714
Heres a question for you all. Firstly how many on here still play gaelic football? Secondly, how many of your clubs are using/introducing similar tactics ie. lots of handpassing, men behind the ball etc? Thirdly, if your club is doing this how many of you are speaking out against it??

I have observed my own club at home and my adopted club in kildare and handpassing and defensive play is very much to the fore. So it seems that the majority of counties and clubs feel this is the way to go.


You have hit the nail on the head. The problem is greater than Donegal. They have the top class players to pull off such a system whereas lesser teams including a lot of club teams are now trying the same thing. A lot of these teams can't do it and the whole set up looks half arsed and shambolic.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8458 - 23/06/2013 21:26:17    1413755