Sheehan and Brosnan made no impact at all. Sheehan was only left on for the frees but he missed a couple at a vital stage, and as someone mentioned in another thread surely someone else can kick the frees. Brosnan I never rated.

The O'Neill gamble didn't really work for Tyrone, although he did show one glimpse of his class to set up the goal. Tyrone won due to their tremendous workrate and determination, and the brilliance of Cavanagh.

Has anyone else noticed that Cavanagh has a slightly unusual style of kicking when he shoots at goal? It's difficult to execute and requires alot of skill but he does it very well.

Anyway congrats to Tyrone, worthy winners. And not a bit of puke football to be seen!

aidangalway (Galway) - Posts: 648 - 22/09/2008 10:56:04    104267

Just when you thought the Paul Galvin saga was over, we have more revelations from Paddy Russell of how he was degraded by Galvins behaviour and comments made. I'm yet to meet one player who was polite towards a referee when getting sent off or for that matter a referee that wasn't able to take a bit of abuse. Russells comments are certainly well timed in view of his book release, no doubt this will be one of the many incidents which will take up a few pages.
We've spoken on this board before about discipline (the lack of) in gaelic football. Every year there seems to be calls for a clampdown on certain fouls, resistance to changing of rules by county boards yet everyone else involved in the GAA knows that there is a need for stronger discipline not to mention that we have a whole new portfolio of disgraceful scenes at club matches this season from the back pages of the national media - but who says there's a problem with discipline eh.
Last week we had the announcement that a mentor from Mullingar Shamrocks could be facing a 2 year suspension and that both themselves and their opponents Tyrellspass who were involved in a mass brawl in a club match are facing hefty fines. I'd be giving odds of 3-1 that the mentor will face that suspension. The GAA's track record of handing out heft suspensions and making them stick is incredibly poor lately. Sure in the same week we found that Buffer's Alley from Wexford have been reinstated into the local U-21 hurling championship after a successful appeal to Leinster Council. Their U-21 game against St Martin's was abandoned 10 minutes from time because of a melee involving players, officials and supporters. Wexford ruled that both clubs should be suspended from the local U-21 championship and had also proposed fines of ?3,000 for both, which were subsequently halved by the Wexford Hearings Committee. Leinster Council have now upheld the Buffer's Alley appeal which means they are free to resume action in the second round of the local U-21 championship and their fine was also lifted, but St Martin's, who also went to Leinster, had their appeal rejected.
Lets forget the technicalitys by which these guys got off but imagine if you were a parent and brought you child to a game that ended like that - only to know that no one was going to pay for bringing the game into disrepute. Sure why don't you bring a child to Dame Street on a Sunday at 4am and watch a scrap between a crowd of drunken yobs.
I can guarantee you now, that this time next year and the year after we will have another ton of stories, pictures, supsensions and appeals of mass brawls. Until something is done to make discipline stick, we will always have this carry on.

holymoly (Dublin) - Posts: 757 - 29/09/2008 10:12:43    109875

So here us Dub fans are again - another manager appointed that nobody knows just how good or bad he will be. Us Dublin fans live in a perpetual limbo in regards our knowledge of just how good or bad our team is. Last year we lost heroically to the eventual AI champs by 2 points and then this year we fall apart when we faced a Tyrone team that just caught fire at the right time. This isn't the first time we've been here and I don't expect it to be the last.

I was surprised that Paul Caffrey was given an additional year on his 3 year term. For all the progress Caffrey had made he never looked like a manager that could bring us on another level and I also felt that he was never a strong tactician. Be that as it may, DCB obviously didn't have anyone else in mind to take over last year nor felt that strongly that Caffrey should leave. So is it any real surprise that we have now appointed a manager with no inter county experience?

I've hear numerous suggestions about the Vincents Mafia getting their man in the hot seat again - I really don't see the point of this argument. Our last 3 managers were from different clubs and none of them have any AI medals in their back pocket. Vincents are the current AI club champions so why not look to a team that has had some success on a grander scale than just the Dublin club championship.

The other names passed about for the job were hardly that bit more inspiring either. The obvious choice was to start looking outside Dublin for a new manager - if we wanted someone with inter county management experience or better yet experience in winning AI's. Is it that they are stubborn or fundamentaly believe that Dublin should be able to produce its own inter county manager?

In any case, we are back in limbo land again over our prospects for next year. Will the league be a testing ground for new blood - will we take the league seriously this time - do we have a manager that can make the right calls at the right time - will we finally find a new full back......these are just some of the questions we have hanging over our heads right now which we won't have answered until next year.

holymoly (Dublin) - Posts: 757 - 13/10/2008 09:43:26    117723

I dont understand peoples worries re the 'Vincents Mafia' either. I'd consider it a definite positive that Vincents have such a foothold now in the Dublin camp. Might be just the thing to bring back some of the old blue swagger thats been missing for too long now.
As for Gilroy himself he needs to be given a fair chance. Beating Meath will be a massive priority,to get the fans behind him and because its Meath. But as for winning Leinster he can afford to be less than enthusiastic. Im sure he'll be making all the right noises and no doubt some players will be seduced by the term 5inarow but as regards the all-Ireland Dublin need a fresh perspective and its in their interests that Gilroy,Whealan et al can see this. The pendulum has definitly swung in favour of the qualifier route and winning a provincial chship can leave teams exposed. Dublin ought know this better than most(except maybe for Armagh) and while Im not advocating deliberatly going out to lose a game its quite clear that a modern manager whose remit is to win Sam Maguire must acknowledge that these days losing can be equally good for you as winning. Not convinced?? What did Micky Harte and Tyrone concede as the biggest factor in their drive to glory this year? Ans. Defeat to Down.

mossbags (Galway) - Posts: 1089 - 13/10/2008 19:16:10    118295

Roll-up roll-up to the freakshow that is the International Rules. See the violent aussie drongo's take on the unprepared Irish men still full of righteous indignation from the last battle!! Watch as 2 teams try to come to terms with what is sportsmanship and what isn't (what do you mean I can't punch you!!! Strewth!!!).

Call it a carnival show call it a joke call it whatever you want, is there any other game out there where so much is left to the imagination as to what is going to happen this Friday in Perth? I've been trying to distance myself from this game and simply put I wouldn't be surprised if we came out the other end of another drubbing by the Aussies. But, call it patriotism or whatever, when its our boys against anyone else, I can't help but get behind out team.

Some of you boys and girls might not remember this but I remember a time when this game, when played right, was a fantastic game to watch. One series in particular 1999, stands out for me. Picture the scene, the Aussies have promised retribution for the loss to Ireland the previous year and in front of their home crowd, they swore they would come away with victory. The irish team that we had for that contest was the best in my opinion - names like Donnellan, Joyce, Walsh, Canavan, O'Se, Moynihan, Whelan, Stynes, McDermott, Giles, Fay, Tohill etc, all playing at their very best. The football was exciting, it was competitive without descending into violence and to come away from Australia with an away victory was as sweet as nearly any major sporting victory in my humble opinion.

The Aussie ego is something to behold. They really don't take too kindly to people saying that they're better than them. This certainly doesn't just apply to the international rules - the australian media campaign to slag off England in the run up to the 03 rugby world cup final was enough to make most irish backpackers get behind the England team for the final. However, if you looked objectively at the last 2 series, violence aside, the football that the aussies played was awesome, simply awesome. One can't help but think that the moral high ground we took in both the 05 and 06 series was simply a way of hiding from the fact that the Aussies did gaelic football better than we can.

In any case, I'm looking forward to jumping off my seat on Friday screaming for one of our boys to give that aussie git a smack!!!

holymoly (Dublin) - Posts: 757 - 20/10/2008 10:24:44    122256

C'mon Holy - I know its Tuesday but where's the Supplement??? I know the sportscene is a bit quiet at the moment so maybe a piece on how Liam ended up getting engaged and your part in his downfall ......... I mean success would be apt?

JayoCluxton (Dublin) - Posts: 2688 - 28/10/2008 16:22:05    128126

Sorry JC but the office isn't open on a bank holiday.
I'm afraid you're just gonna have to wait until next Monday for the next installment

Trust me it will be worth it!!!

holymoly (Dublin) - Posts: 757 - 28/10/2008 16:44:39    128157

So after all the hype and the expectation, the International Rules went off without much of a bang - no pun intended.

After watching both games, you would really have to question the intensity of the Aussies. Were they instructed to not hit hard because the irish would just run away crying to mammy again and that both the GAA and AFL would lose out on this cash cow? Was the team selected by Mick Malthouse the best to choose from. Yes the thuggery and violence is not something that we want a repeat of, but my god would it be too much to ask for a bit of intensity? You wonder if the Aussies can only be intense by bringing a nasty streak to their game.

Although the last 2 series did contain some of the most disgraceful scenes ever witnessed in the hybrid game, one couldn't help but admire the Aussies ability to kick so well with a ball that should be completely alien to them. This skill seemed to be non existent with this years Aussie team as they made a number of unforced errors and kicked a lot of one pointers when an over was there to be taken.

Yeah there were some nice spots in the 2 games but really is it worth keeping? I like the idea of the game but I'm not sure if it brings out the best in both teams. Lets be honest here and admit that one of the most compelling aspects of this game is the fights. I'm not saying that this game needs a scrap just to make it interesting but a few hard and heavy challenges in a game like this doesn't go astray. The Aussies looked very diluted in some of their hits and you got the feeling that they were holding back in some challenges. Moments like Donaghy kicking a sweet point from near the touch line and the catches that Coulter and Cavanagh made as well as Canty's marshalling of the defence were fairly sparse over the 2 games.

If the game did go, I really wouldn't mind anymore and if it stayed I would feel the same.

As the aussies say, bring back the biff!!

holymoly (Dublin) - Posts: 757 - 03/11/2008 11:30:59    132273

Poor ol Biff, he hates manure!!!

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 03/11/2008 11:59:38    132303

Gonna be a bit lazy and give you all a little treat. My esteemed colleague Liam Hayes wrote another delicious article I know you all can't wait to get your teeth into:

www.tribune.ie/sport/article/2008/nov/09/the-second-coming-of-jack-oconnor-could-see-him-pr/

holymoly (Dublin) - Posts: 757 - 10/11/2008 09:27:30    137330

An ok article by Hayes but not as good as the real thing. Bring back the Monday supplement!

RMDrive (Donegal) - Posts: 2202 - 10/11/2008 12:27:24    137484

I don't like letting my fans down RMDrive
I promise to have another thrilling read next week

holymoly (Dublin) - Posts: 757 - 10/11/2008 12:50:50    137511

An ok article by Hayes but not as good as the real thing. Bring back the Monday supplement!
RMDrive , 10/11/2008 at 12:27
________________________________

More brown nosing - from a guy who was sarcastically looking for a Friday supplement!!! Sheeze - I dunno!

JayoCluxton (Dublin) - Posts: 2688 - 10/11/2008 13:00:36    137525

10/11/2008 12:50:50
holymoly
County: Dublin
Posts: 524

I don't like letting my fans down RMDrive
I promise to have another thrilling read next week

Good stuff HM.

RMDrive (Donegal) - Posts: 2202 - 10/11/2008 13:08:47    137540

Yeah read Hayes latest beauty. I think Jack summed him up in his book and radio interview. As a manager very successful with Carlow! As a opinion writer? Would not get him to write a letter to Santa.

Real Kerry Fan (None) - Posts: 2957 - 10/11/2008 14:09:46    137596

10/11/2008 13:00:36
JayoCluxton
County: Dublin
Posts: 2015

137525 An ok article by Hayes but not as good as the real thing. Bring back the Monday supplement!
RMDrive , 10/11/2008 at 12:27
________________________________

More brown nosing - from a guy who was sarcastically looking for a Friday supplement!!! Sheeze - I dunno!

As I have explained in another post, today is the dawning of a new era and I'm no longer playing your games! Liam seems to be well up for a row if you really need one. Mention Ovaltine. That should get things going ;)

RMDrive (Donegal) - Posts: 2202 - 10/11/2008 14:39:08    137616

Apologies for the late post loyal readers, but today I want to talk about inter county managers. Colm O'Rourke touched on this subject in his Sunday column in the Indo. But this got me thinking about the current shambles that a number of countys have found themselves in over the last year or so. Its bad enough that countys have this internal squabbling or county board officials that don't seem to know their a** from their elbow but the main victims in all of these situations is the players. If memory serves right, we had 8 or 9 managers who finished this year out of their position that they were in at the start of the year. Some after only a year at the helm.
Now I'm going to propose an outrageous reason as to why we have such internal squabbling and a non stop merry go round of managers in inter county positions - MONEY.
I can't help but wonder why there is such a fight over the Donegal position or for that matter why Gerald McCarthy wouldn't just walk away from the current mess that is the Cork hurling job. Is it pride? Is it the need to strive to make your county a force to be reckoned with in either hurling or football?
Lets take the Donegal job as an example shall we. We all know the current mess where Declan Bonner and Charlie Mulgrew find themselves on one side, John Joe Doherty on the other and the Donegal County Board making an absolute mess of the whole situation while the players are still disgusted about the treatment of Brian McIver. If I was shafted in the same way that Bonner and Mulgrew feel they have for a position that is a non paying one (as its supposed to be), would you not just walk away? Sure the DCB have made a complete mess of this situation and if everything were to believed according to newspaper reports then I would be pretty ****** off if I was Bonner or Mulgrew. But would I be making such a fuss about it? Absolutely not. Going to the DRA and making a case or having to put in the time making sweeping statements would put an awful strain on any person who is supposed to be keeping up a full time job (granted I don't know what either Mulgrew or Bonner do). Are they really fighting this thing so much because they got stepped on by the DCB and John Joe Doherty? If so then these lads have stronger principles than me for trying to nail down a job where the only reward is serving your county?
We get the usual spin on all of these things but lets first start admitting to ourselves that there is payment in these jobs - granted some pay more than others. More than likely, the people that have walked away from jobs which they've only been in for a year left because it was too much hassle for them and they simply didn't need that amount of stress in their lives. For an amateur sport, there seems to be a huge amount of emphasis on professionalism - professional training, professional preparation, training trips to some resort in spain or portugal. How often do we hear about county boards running up huge amounts of expenditure during the year - I find it hard to believe that this is all down to the training and preparation work a team goes through every year.

holymoly (Dublin) - Posts: 757 - 18/11/2008 14:05:34    143979

good post holymoly - have been thinking along those same lines for a while now - Cant for the life of me understand why Mc Carthy in Cork is still hanging in there as manager, its obvious that he is going to be the loser when the dust eventually settles. After the outbursts he has made at players and they have made at him they have undoubtdedly reached a position were something is going to have to give and no doubt it will be Mc Carthy. I dont know how is right and who is wrong but surely Mc Carthy can see that he is going to have to go if the whole thing is to be resolved.

In the case of Donegal - Bonner keeps on about clearing his name - clearing his name of what - he was nominated for a job that someone else then got and he is on about clearing his name. In both cases there is obviously another agenda which we are not privvy to and like you holymoly I smell a rat. Having said that if you were to believe the rumours of what some inter county managers are getting in their 'expenses' then maybe we could begin to understand these guys trying to hang on to these jobs.

bocerty (Tyrone) - Posts: 539 - 18/11/2008 16:48:36    144155

Holymoly is away today, in his absence he wanted me to tell you all how much he loves and respects every last one of you, you guys are, in his words, "just super". You stay classy Hoganstand.

Liamwalkinstown (Dublin) - Posts: 8170 - 24/11/2008 13:33:27    148367

liam, you are a legand. really enjoyed that last post.

what are our chances against kilmacud? they have an awesome amount of talent.

Rhodejim (Offaly) - Posts: 2888 - 24/11/2008 17:09:32    148643