McGee's article would have validity if Galway won, but they didn't and you have to ask why that is so. Its all very well playing an archaic attractive game, a romantic throw back to some mythical pre-historic time. But this is 2013, like it or lump it you have to play in the here and now. Now personally I would go an watch a Galway team play, but thee are teams somewhere between the "Ulster" style and the brand played by Galway. Now there is no way I'd go to a game say with Tyrone in it even if playing my own county life is way too short for that malarky. But Galway do have to compete and playign that brand they'll be murdered.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4953 - 31/07/2013 08:53:31    1448389

I think most of the traditional teams try to play football.Dublin flirted with the blanket defense,but now play good attacking football.But Kerry,Meath and Galway also can be a joy to watch,obviously the latter two have a bit of ground to make,but at least they try to play football.

ziggy32001 (Meath) - Posts: 8354 - 31/07/2013 09:13:33    1448394

tiobraid
County: Tipperary
Posts: 1183

1448380
I expected Cork to hammer Galway but having been at the game, I can honestly say Galway were excellent and a young exciting team. Most enjoyable of the 6 teams to watch and by some distance. A small bit of experience cost them. But a team building for the future.
Some comments on here are arrogant and jealous! For me Galway have a chance of an All Ireland in 2/3/4 years, Donegal/Tyrone supporters I dont think ye will be contesting All Irelands then! Any of the negative comments on here are from people who didnt see the game
______________________
Check back tiobrad, I think you'll find that it was ashures comments that were disingenuous to the rest of us, not the other way. Of course its nice to watch free flowing football tinged with naievity but there is more than one way to skin a cat, and I would prefer it if people could recognise that rather jumping on the 'lets slag Ulster' bandwagon.

brendtheredhand (Tyrone) - Posts: 10897 - 31/07/2013 09:13:53    1448396

Most of the critcism of the article is from Northern posters. No surprise there. However are ye not missing the point. Off course we in Galway know where are. A young developing side that has a lot of work to do to get to the top table. The point is that it was refreshing to see open football that lacked the cynicism of teh modern day game. However it is ironic that Seargent starts slagging us about how our football died 10 years ago and it ain't coming back. Yet many Cavan folk plug their underage policy (and rightly so) and how they have won 3 Ulsters u21s in a row. Seargent may i remind you that we also have decent underage winning 2 of the last 3 u21 all-irelads. While this is no gurantee of senior success how this translates to our football not coming back to me does not add up. How do we know this? Surely history tells us football is cyclical. Where we have failed is unlike Kerry and Donegal to name but two we have not adapted to a changing style that has emerged since 2003ish. However we have hope and a hardcore of support that were loud and proud last Saturday. As an aside i have nothing against the Breffini Blues and believe ye have a decent chance on Sunday but more importantly good to see the unerage makeing an impact at senior.

kiloughter (Galway) - Posts: 1973 - 31/07/2013 09:36:14    1448410

I think if neither Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan or Tyrone don't win the AL or Make the final then foorball may change for the better. More teams will be looking for the middle ground of Defence and Attack. Attack is the best form of defence we all know that. If Mayo, Kerry or Dublin win the All Ireland i think there may be shift in thinking from Managers for next year. For me this would be ideal as i think fitness levels in most counties will improve and other counties like the Galways, Meaths, Kildares & others will take confidence from the fact that they are not that far behind the bigger counties (Don't slate me for Saying Galway, Meath & Others are smaller counties). Look the fact is Football is different in 2013 than it was in the early 00's but it still the best game in the world (Hurling is top of that list as well) and will always bring up arguments & Disagreements but i think this just shows the popularity of the Gaa within & Outside Ireland.

chriscart580 (Meath) - Posts: 376 - 31/07/2013 09:47:30    1448421

I agree switec 100%.

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 31/07/2013 09:55:56    1448428

chriscart580
County: Meath
Posts: 72

1448421
I think if neither Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan or Tyrone don't win the AL or Make the final then foorball may change for the better. More teams will be looking for the middle ground of Defence and Attack. Attack is the best form of defence we all know that. If Mayo, Kerry or Dublin win the All Ireland i think there may be shift in thinking from Managers for next year. For me this would be ideal as i think fitness levels in most counties will improve and other counties like the Galways, Meaths, Kildares & others will take confidence from the fact that they are not that far behind the bigger counties (Don't slate me for Saying Galway, Meath & Others are smaller counties). Look the fact is Football is different in 2013 than it was in the early 00's but it still the best game in the world (Hurling is top of that list as well) and will always bring up arguments & Disagreements but i think this just shows the popularity of the Gaa within & Outside Ireland.

Good post, which gets the point in favour of open football across without slagging teams who favour a different approach. Other posters take note!!

MuckrossHead (Donegal) - Posts: 5028 - 31/07/2013 10:10:19    1448435

Jagerbombs
County: Galway
Posts: 38

1448368 If Cork scored the 4-5 goals they should have and Meehan didnt score his wonder goal we would have lost by 11-12 points and we would be tslking about how far this Galway team is behind the rest of the pack.That is a fact
_____

True enough.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 31/07/2013 10:10:48    1448436

Nobody likes watching cynical fouling but I for one like to see an actual contest between attack and defense. I mean there were players just wandering about finding plenty of space inside the 45. It was like watching a challenge match. The Aidan Walsh goal is actually tough to watch because the defending is so bad. Pearse O'Neill plays a simple 1-2 and he is straight through. The covering man then drops back on the line instead of coming out to meet him. Once it comes off the post the Galway players completely switch off and there are 2 cork players waiting in the box completely unmarked. If that is how football should be played I dunno...

benjyyy (Donegal) - Posts: 1428 - 31/07/2013 10:15:31    1448441

The black card will sort a lot of this out...

If the refs go heavy on it from the word go then managers will have to address the issue very quickly

Sure it wont be a perfect thing... there will be incidents where it may not be warranted

But sure we already have cases of this with the yellow and red cards

Personally I can see it working well...

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 31/07/2013 10:24:32    1448446

I'm confused by this report. It sort of suggested that Galwayvplay a brand of free flowing football. Well against Armagh they pulled and fouled especially in the 5/10 mins when Armagh were going forward.... Each game has to be taken on it merits

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1688 - 31/07/2013 10:32:11    1448456

When Galway play well they are class and are a joy to watch, from minor team to seniors.
But there is something sadly missing in Galway, they have had 2 memorable performances, last Sunday and against Kerry in 2008. Both games lost but that is beside the point. The fact is these are the only 2 performances of note in the the last 6/7 years, mostly Galway has been chronic and it not all has had to do with a defensive strategy by the opposition team.

Any team can look attractive on a once off, but to replicate it game in and game out is the key.

I wouldnt actually call Galway the savious of football if I will be celbrating my 40th birthday (32 now) for the next good performance by Galway!

woops (Kerry) - Posts: 2073 - 31/07/2013 10:36:56    1448460

cuchulainn35
County: Armagh
Posts: 785

1448456 I'm confused by this report. It sort of suggested that Galwayvplay a brand of free flowing football. Well against Armagh they pulled and fouled especially in the 5/10 mins when Armagh were going forward.... Each game has to be taken on it merits

I agree, do people actually watch football matches themselves and then come to a conclusion or do they just listen to pundits giving out their ill informed views. Galway against Cork did not play man to man. Like any other team of this day their forwards were defending, their defenders were attacking. I seen it with my own eyes and its exactly why they did well in the qualifiers and nearly beat cork. The purist days of football are over even for Galway im afraid......before any one comes on here to disagree please watch the game beforehand and follow the movements of the Galway forwards.

cacsmckilly (Tyrone) - Posts: 1294 - 31/07/2013 10:43:42    1448465

chriscart580
County: Meath
Posts: 73

1448421 I think if neither Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan or Tyrone don't win the AL or Make the final then foorball may change for the better. More teams will be looking for the middle ground of Defence and Attack. Attack is the best form of defence we all know that. If Mayo, Kerry or Dublin win the All Ireland i think there may be shift in thinking from Managers for next year. For me this would be ideal as i think fitness levels in most counties will improve and other counties like the Galways, Meaths, Kildares & others will take confidence from the fact that they are not that far behind the bigger counties (Don't slate me for Saying Galway, Meath & Others are smaller counties). Look the fact is Football is different in 2013 than it was in the early 00's but it still the best game in the world (Hurling is top of that list as well) and will always bring up arguments & Disagreements but i think this just shows the popularity of the Gaa within & Outside Ireland

Monaghan played Meath in a league final this year in a game that was praised for it's open, attractive play and beat Meath on a scoreline of 2-16 to 3-08. That's 18 scores to 11. Monaghan did what they needed to do to win an Ulster title. They did what they needed to do to win a league title. That in a nutshell is your balance between attack and defence.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6178 - 31/07/2013 10:45:08    1448466

Greengrass
County: Louth
Posts: 2688

1448466 chriscart580
County: Meath
Posts: 73

1448421 I think if neither Donegal, Monaghan, Cavan or Tyrone don't win the AL or Make the final then foorball may change for the better. More teams will be looking for the middle ground of Defence and Attack. Attack is the best form of defence we all know that. If Mayo, Kerry or Dublin win the All Ireland i think there may be shift in thinking from Managers for next year. For me this would be ideal as i think fitness levels in most counties will improve and other counties like the Galways, Meaths, Kildares & others will take confidence from the fact that they are not that far behind the bigger counties (Don't slate me for Saying Galway, Meath & Others are smaller counties). Look the fact is Football is different in 2013 than it was in the early 00's but it still the best game in the world (Hurling is top of that list as well) and will always bring up arguments & Disagreements but i think this just shows the popularity of the Gaa within & Outside Ireland

Monaghan played Meath in a league final this year in a game that was praised for it's open, attractive play and beat Meath on a scoreline of 2-16 to 3-08. That's 18 scores to 11. Monaghan did what they needed to do to win an Ulster title. They did what they needed to do to win a league title. That in a nutshell is your balance between attack and defence

Fully argee that the League final was an open game but since the Ulster Championship has started they are not playing the same style. Are you telling me that Monaghan v Antrim was a good open game?? Or Monaghon V Cavan was a good open game?? Donegal v Monaghan the same. They have opted for the Ultra defensive system for the Ulster Championship and it has worked for them. Don't get me Wrong i am Not begruding or slagging off Monaghan. They set out with a Goal of Winning Ulster and they have done that. My point is that most people have only seen Monaghan on TV this year in the Ulster Championship so they will consider them a Defensive team and thats why i included them in the beginning of my post. Do you think Monaghan v Tyrone is going to be an open Game?? I don't. I'll still watch as it will be a battle ot wits and tactics and i am hugely interested to see how Monaghan get on. I see them winning if i'm honest. And that in a nutshell is the point i first made

chriscart580 (Meath) - Posts: 376 - 31/07/2013 10:57:55    1448482

Lads ye should buy a book called how to play Gaelic football by Dr Eamon O'Sullivan .

KingdomBoy1 (Kerry) - Posts: 14092 - 31/07/2013 11:02:43    1448490

I think what Eugene meant was neutrals would like to see less of the mass defending and less handpassing and more kicking of the ball. Can't people understand that? Now every response is Eugene is stuck in the past, the game was rubbish anyway and hes anti-Ulster. I looked at the responses under his article in the paper and I think I'll just give up on it at this stage. The internet is not the place to try and talk sense, just read the comments under a youtube video. It all ends in a hape.

Grey_Wolf (Leitrim) - Posts: 236 - 31/07/2013 11:03:34    1448492

I cant understand the huge amount of stick Tyrone football gets on here, in fact I think their brand of football is a joy to watch and when played to well its probably what all GAA managers should strive to achieve.

Fine Tyrone are not as strong as they once were but if you look back on their 3 All Ireland wins their football was a joy to behold, and in virtually all their games on their way to those All Ireland championship victories province they racked up huge scores turning defence into attack in droves, and if they lost the ball they worked their socks off to get back to help out in defence.

Armagh were different very seldom played with the same attacking fluency or intent as Tyrone they mostly grinded their way to victory.

Of course we get the all too frequent accusation of cynical fouling aimed at Tyrone just like Kilkenny these pundits only like to highlight those two teams sins (or imagined sins?) while deliberately ignoring other teams cynical fouling and anyway there's refs employed to stamp out the cynical stuff, but its always tunnel vision by TV pundits and rival supporters alike when it comes to both Tyrone and Kilkenny.

Give me Tyrones style of play anytime, great defence complimented by quick counter attacking football, what more can you ask?.

kildarecat22 (Kildare) - Posts: 257 - 31/07/2013 11:19:23    1448519

1448466 chriscart580
County: Meath
Posts: 73



Fully argee that the League final was an open game but since the Ulster Championship has started they are not playing the same style. Are you telling me that Monaghan v Antrim was a good open game?? Or Monaghon V Cavan was a good open game?? Donegal v Monaghan the same. They have opted for the Ultra defensive system for the Ulster Championship and it has worked for them. Don't get me Wrong i am Not begruding or slagging off Monaghan. They set out with a Goal of Winning Ulster and they have done that. My point is that most people have only seen Monaghan on TV this year in the Ulster Championship so they will consider them a Defensive team and thats why i included them in the beginning of my post. Do you think Monaghan v Tyrone is going to be an open Game?? I don't. I'll still watch as it will be a battle ot wits and tactics and i am hugely interested to see how Monaghan get on. I see them winning if i'm honest. And that in a nutshell is the point i first made

Firstly an open game is not necessarily a good game nor is a defensive game necessarily a bad game. The essence of any game of football/hurling is the intensity of the contest. Next Saturdays game will not be open. It will however be a contest. Eugene McGee's article exhibited his preference for the type of football he would like to se but it also exhibited his prejudice as he was dismissive of how others feel they need to play. To consider Monaghan a defensive team is incorrect. They have played both ways this year and won. Galway have not done that. Galway's football is delightful to watch but unfortunately for them it was unsuccessful and they lost. That is the kernel of the discussion. Do you play open football and fail as did Armagh and Galway or do you do what it takes to win ? Dublin were able to win Leinster playing open football. However teams will have noticed that they are vulnerable at the back. Will Dublin tighten up and sacrifice some of their attacking flair ? Will their supporters demand change ? The bottom line is you do what you have to do to win. You certainly do not play football to have your hair ruffled and be told how beautifully you played by prejudiced journalists like Eugene McGee.

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6178 - 31/07/2013 11:22:30    1448521

Grey_Wolf
County: Leitrim
Posts: 128

1448492 I think what Eugene meant was neutrals would like to see less of the mass defending and less handpassing and more kicking of the ball. Can't people understand that? Now every response is Eugene is stuck in the past, the game was rubbish anyway and hes anti-Ulster. I looked at the responses under his article in the paper and I think I'll just give up on it at this stage. The internet is not the place to try and talk sense, just read the comments under a youtube video. It all ends in a hape

Who determines what is sense ?

Greengrass (Louth) - Posts: 6178 - 31/07/2013 11:23:50    1448523