@Damothedub - I was at the game there today as a neutral and if there is an investigation into the brawl before the parade, the Cavan No.11 should feature prominently. Fair play to Paul Grimley for doing his best to try and stop it.

Ailteoir (Galway) - Posts: 904 - 08/06/2014 19:58:24    1600106

The way people are talking you would swear there are never any fights. It's Gaelic football not tiddly winks. Too many people here think they are watching the faries that play in the premier league. I was near the brawl . Clearly pre meditated by one team and what a coincidence Cavans biggest scoring threat gets hurt.

TheGremlin (Cavan) - Posts: 26 - 08/06/2014 20:07:07    1600112

Pity that this happened. A co-incident? Armagh line up behind Cavan flag to provoke a reaction. Cavan's best player ends up in a sling.

Donegalman (None) - Posts: 3846 - 08/06/2014 20:08:14    1600113

A lot of people clearly blaming one team without even seeing the footage. Il make my call after that. I think everyone getting a little wound up, two teams highly charged for a big champ game and a brawl, shouldn't have happened but did.

Brolly (Monaghan) - Posts: 4472 - 08/06/2014 20:12:28    1600117

Trouble should have been foreseen , marching season always brings its share , wrong flag after all the years of practice eh , who knew !

Damothedub (Dublin) - Posts: 5193 - 08/06/2014 20:24:14    1600131

Have to laugh at the indignation of the Tyrone posters.The Battle of Omagh isn't that long ago lads.If Armagh weren't involved today would ye be so quick to judge? There is no such thing as a neutral Tyrone man when Armagh are involved...

ceefarr (Mayo) - Posts: 39 - 08/06/2014 20:32:36    1600141

careful now!...down with this sort of thing!...ah i see the dinner party set are at it again...the politics of condemnation at work again

mayotyroneman (Tyrone) - Posts: 1821 - 08/06/2014 20:38:11    1600146

Sunday game should be good tonight.

Wouldnt be the first time i see this cavan team up to their lugs in thuggish behaviour. Last summer round 2 of the qualifiers they started a 30 man handbags affair

gotmilk (Fermanagh) - Posts: 4971 - 08/06/2014 20:40:16    1600150

You all need to ask why did Armagh line up in CAVAN'S space? Once we establish why Armagh players lined up in Cavan's space, behind our BLUE flag, then we can proceed further with this. Up to Armagh GAA to give us an answer on this.

Ned_Stormcrow (Cavan) - Posts: 1071 - 08/06/2014 20:46:14    1600154

Lads reading all the Cavan posts, and the people that weren't there you would think this was all Armagh's fault. McKeever Got shoved in the chest, that's what started the row. Dunne was in no way targeted and to suggest that is scandalous.

JP91 (Armagh) - Posts: 316 - 08/06/2014 20:55:22    1600166

I was at the game. Poorest Cavan have been for years never in the game and it would have been a crime if they somehow had gotten back into the game. Very Very poor. There are many talking points from the game though:
1. If Joe Brolly thought Cavan were like the "black death" then he should have a look at Armagh. LAst your they played a 7 man full forward line this year they play a 7 man half back line.
2.

offtheditch (Cavan) - Posts: 171 - 08/06/2014 20:55:53    1600168

So one Armagh poster claims Cavan started the brawl at the front of the lineup while another claims they started it by targeting Jamie Clarke who would have been right at the back. Someone's telling tall tales.

It's pretty clear that Armagh saw a brawl as the best opportunity to hurt Dunne without being clearly seen. Be interesting to see if a camera picked up what exactly happened him.

cavanman47 (Cavan) - Posts: 5249 - 08/06/2014 20:57:32    1600174

I am aware Tyrone play Armagh now but not calling for aaction. Its up to the powers that be.

i was listening to the radio and switching between RTE and Northern Sound. RTE were too busy with a big list of other matches to give this more than a passing mention. Northern Sound did mention it but didnt dwell on it either.

What I did pick up on was the performance of the referee. Once again he was poor. According to the Cavan commentator he repeatedly ignored players being held back when they were going for a 1-2 which is a black card offence. I dont understand why referees are persisted with after poor performances.
Why does it continue?

BIG SACKS (Tyrone) - Posts: 1681 - 08/06/2014 20:58:49    1600176

Armagh lined up behind the band first so naturally they would line up closest to the touchline so cavan wouldnt have to pass through them. Unfortunately cavan number 11 an goalie instead of lining up went straight for the armagh players so cavan started it.Who looks to see which flag to stand behind or even the one holding holding the flag could have moved. I love everyone slating armagh when dunne probably was one of the first in to row.Ultimately cavan through the first blows so responsibility lies with them.

sumleftboot (Armagh) - Posts: 24 - 08/06/2014 21:04:46    1600184

All a big fuss over nothing. Twill be forgotten about within 2 or 3 weeks when both teams are out of the championship. For now let them enjoy their few minutes of fame

mike03 (Limerick) - Posts: 2000 - 08/06/2014 21:10:11    1600192

Just watching the news there disgraceful behaviour by all concerned i hope the spectator with the glasses is also found out

stimpy (Monaghan) - Posts: 5 - 08/06/2014 21:19:57    1600198

I was at the game and what saw was the Cavan goalkeeper as one of the main ppeople involved, TV camera will have it,,,, also at half-time when the Armagh management took the armagh players to one side, why did Euguene Keating run into the Armagh huddle - silly!!!

cuchulainn35 (Armagh) - Posts: 1688 - 08/06/2014 21:21:41    1600200

The exact same thing happened between these two teams 10 years ago in the Ulster semi-final at Clones. Cavan had a man sent off before the match started and played the whole game with 14 men only to lose at the death 0.13-0.11. As the ref took no action the powers that be will be able to punish the guilty.

Byanthon (Tyrone) - Posts: 1792 - 08/06/2014 21:25:49    1600201

I was at the game. Poorest Cavan have been for years, never in the game, and it would have been a crime if they somehow had gotten back into the game. Very Very poor. There are many talking points from the game though:
1. If Joe Brolly thought Cavan were like the "black death" then he should have a look at Armagh. Last year they played a 7 man full forward line this year they play a 7 man half back line.
2. Cavan don't have the forwards to trouble any of the more seasoned and physically tougher teams like Armagh. I genually believe that this drives the management to utilise the system that they do rather than them restricting a bunch of forwards that otherwise would overcome their marker man for man.
3. Having said that there are degrees in everything and when Givney and Keating got early and direct ball into them they won possession got frees and givney had a goal chance. apart from those few early chances no early ball went into the full forward line. I wouldn't call the "hail Marys" at the end as good direct ball into the forwards when Armagh had 12 men behind the ball.
4. The Prematch Row - I have to say (and this is my genuine unbiased view) that the row was clearly intended and orchestrated by Armagh, Cavan fell for it. I was standing in the stand directly above where the row was and it was as clear as day. McKeever and Armagh were emulating Martin Johnson and England by lining up for the prematch parade behind the Cavan flag. When the Parade was called for they assumed this position very quickly and were in that position well before Cavan could have got there. When Cavan went to their position behind the flag Armagh wouldnt move and the pushing and shouldering began. This however quickly developed into a mass "All in" brawl and Cavan's Dunne and Armagh's Clark were a clear target by both teams when it erupted. Dunne (the smallest player on the pitch) went to the ground from some severe hits. Clark was taller and better able to break free which he did. One aspect of the brawl which I find particularly unsporting and clarifies in my mind that it was premeditated was the fact that a very public and eminent former Armagh midfielder was standing exactly at the point where the row started and he was extremely vocal in ensuring that Armagh should stand where they were and shouldnt move to their correct position. He was calling this from before anyone copped what was going on. Additionally he was very good at riling his croonies surrounding him.
5. Having said all that I was in the main close to and chatted to Armagh supporters all during the game and the general view was how poor Cavan were and how shocked they were that Armagh won. All in all they were generally embarrassed by the tactics before and after the game and in particular with the few Armagh supporters that say fit to take a few swings at any Cavan players that were been manhandled close to the side line barriers.

HAving said all that I dont believe Dunne would have made a difference to the end result.

offtheditch (Cavan) - Posts: 171 - 08/06/2014 21:28:13    1600207

Incredible, seems a bit strange that Cavan's main threat was KO'd, a rather convenient coincidence. Odd too the way some posters find it so easy to excuse this by blaming the other county. The truth will out and hopefully lengthy bans dished out for the violence.

arock (Dublin) - Posts: 4954 - 08/06/2014 21:28:56    1600208