The Sunday Game

[straightred]

So all Sky pundits agreed that Monaghan man should have been black carded instead of Meyler.  O'Rourke ye tr**p.  Missed Dessie Dolan tonight for a bit of realism.  All the more reason never to talk to these gobshites.

Was Dessie not the co-commentator on the game that said the black card was correct? I may be mistaken.

The Meyler black card really has me baffled. Hughes came into his line of movement with his arms up, nearly diving at him. Meyler reacted in an instinctive way and in no way deliberately hauled Hughes down. Had Hughes not moved towards Meyler the incident would not have occurred, therefore Meyler did not instigate or deliberately take the man out. Hughes' eyes were fixed on Meyler long after the ball had gone, the arms were up because he was checking the run and trying to show he wasn't dragging him down. Cynical and deliberate, from Hughes. The laughter on his face after the incident just about confirms his intentions.

You've been at it all day here - trying to reverse engineer everything. Probably the only decision that went against you (and even at that there is no doubt that Meylor put his arm around him). Your team has rightly been called out for diving and cheating but you want to turn it into a "they were as bad as each other" argument. It won't work cause they weren't. It's a hollow victory made possible by soft frees, cheating and a bit of good football here and there in that order. I stress that order because the first point came from a dive - it set the tone for the day.

Explain reverse engineering. Is this something to do with those tractors that lad was singing about at half time?

More diversion - wouldn't expect anything else from you

[ONeill]

Interesting that O'Rourke says refs are corrupt and might not award frees because of their perception of what happened in previous games.

[north down]

Fair play to Pete McGrath on TSG tonight for not buying into the RTE bias against the Tyrone team. When Kerry, the Dubs, Meath etc dish out the dirt, rugby tackle, dive or feign injury it's good hard football or cuteness in knowing how to close out the game - double standards or what! Us boys from Ulster are allowed to play but we are not expected or supposed to win.

[redcard]

Interesting that O'Rourke says refs are corrupt and might not award frees because of their perception of what happened in previous games.

I think he was instructing them or at the very least hoping they would. There was some bile in his comments, especially towards the Tyrone management.

[straightred]

Fair play to Pete McGrath on TSG tonight for not buying into the RTE bias against the Tyrone team. When Kerry, the Dubs, Meath etc dish out the dirt, rugby tackle, dive or feign injury it's good hard football or cuteness in knowing how to close out the game - double standards or what! Us boys from Ulster are allowed to play but we are not expected or supposed to win.

Bullsh*t. If it was just about closing out the game then yes - the above is true. However the cheating was constant from the 1st minute to the last. We now have to suffer and endure another game that involves tyrone this year - that's the real tragedy of all this.

[Throw ball]

I think us Tyrone supporters have to accept the reason Monaghan's indiscretions were completely overlooked on TSG is that we are continually and consistently involved in a large proportion of the niggly, cynical games in the championship. O'Rourke was right to highlight the Donegal senior and minor, U-21 final and yesterday. We are always going to be under the spotlight and will continue to be judged to be the guilty party, even in 50/50 stuff like yesterday.

I am really disappointed that our fantastic football for the first 60 minutes will be forgotten and the last ten will be the legacy. Also, to those calling out Whealen for his hypocrisy, you are wrong. He may have acted the bollox on occasion but I can't recall him taking a dive to get another man sent off.

I have to say I agree with you here. Tyrone could easily be making a rod for their own back. As an Armagh man I always have the feeling that Armagh get the wrong end of the media analysis. For a few years Tyrone , I felt, got it a bit easier because of the goodwill following the tragic incidents that followed them. That goodwill has well and truly been eroded. The problem is that referees are human and I am sure watch shows like the Sunday game. All it takes is for the referee to hesitate over a decision because he has seen it highlighted that this or that player dives. It could cost Tyrone in the long run.

The Meylor black card is interesting. I only saw it on TV tonight but my initial reaction was that Hughes stood his ground with arms outstretched and that Meylor changed direction to run into him. Technically I think that is a black card. However, I feel it was harsh in that it was more like McManus brushing into Cavanagh near the end than a deliberate attempt to block a run.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Interesting that O'Rourke says refs are corrupt and might not award frees because of their perception of what happened in previous games.

I think he was instructing them or at the very least hoping they would. There was some bile in his comments, especially towards the Tyrone management.

He still hasn't got the taste of hat out of his mouth since 2003

[From the Bunker]

Look, Tyrone are the Bad Guys! But there is no smoke without fire. This is your style of play. You play on the edge and show discipline when dragging opposing teams into such ways and losing focus. It's a psychological way of getting the opposition to be more interested in getting one back cynically rather than concentrating on playing football and winning the game. It works (most of the time) it's within the (slender) laws of the game and Tyrone will use it until the laws change, or teams get cute and learn to cope (in an equally disciplined way).

The thing is, we in a way admire you getting to an AI semi final. You still have to score more points than you concede. But don't expect anyone to like you or want you to win. It goes against the grain. But don't worry about not being liked because not being liked more than often means you are usually winning (and not a soft touch). It's when you are liked (or pitied) you are in real trouble.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Look, Tyrone are the Bad Guys! But there is no smoke without fire. This is your style of play. You play on the edge and show discipline when dragging opposing teams into such ways and losing focus. It's a psychological way of getting the opposition to be more interested in getting one back cynically rather than concentrating on playing football and winning the game. It works (most of the time) it's within the (slender) laws of the game and Tyrone will use it until the laws change, or teams get cute and learn to cope (in an equally disciplined way).

The thing is, we in a way admire you getting to an AI semi final. You still have to score more points than you concede. But don't expect anyone to like you or want you to win. It goes against the grain. But don't worry about not being liked because not being liked more than often means you are usually winning (and not a soft touch). It's when you are liked (or pitied) you are in real trouble.

A big kiss to you there sir, bring it on! (And no, I'm not gay, though up the gays!)

[outside-the-wire]

All playing into Tyrone's hands! They will love being slated and use it as motivation in the semi final. But can they intimidate the Kingdom?

[paddyoslabs]

they deserve to be slated .knackers with three all-Irelands,Kerry won more in a month.and play the game the right way.

[omaghjoe]

How many indiscretions did Ciaran Whelan come out and apologise for throughout his career?

All manly stuff and boxes to boys heads. None of this soccer style diving and play acting you get from Cavanagh etc. 

So punching boys is ahead of diving now? Not according to the rules or the law.

Him and Cavanagh collided in 08 and Sean landed him on his arse, caused him to retreat into his shell where he remained until he poked it out again on the Sunday game.

[Windmill abu]

Interesting that O'Rourke says refs are corrupt and might not award frees because of their perception of what happened in previous games.

GAA referees at all levels deserve our respect and trust that they do their job as fairly as possible.

Colm O'Rourke's suggestion that they would cheat by not awarding frees for fouls in major games, not only questions their integrity but also sets a poor example to the youth who will show less respect to officials as they can no longer be trusted to do their jobs fairly according to the Sunday game.

[tyroneman]

The refusal to speak to RTE means we have little opportunity to rebut much of what is being said and the moral guardians of the game like Brolly, O'Rourke and Whelan can more or less say what they want with impunity.

By all means if Tyrone do something untoward discuss it but at least have the moral courage to add some context.

Sean Cav was dragged and hauled off the ball all over the shop on Sat. Was this mentioned? O'Rourke almost looked bereft when the clip of Finley punching Sean was shown. Couldn't brush over it quick enough.

Ask yourself what is the logic in Meyler hauling someone down when Tyrone have the ball and he is trying to join the attack.

And it's an absolute disgrace that panelists can now try and set agendas for referees and the disciplinary committee.

[Throw ball]

Interesting that O'Rourke says refs are corrupt and might not award frees because of their perception of what happened in previous games.

GAA referees at all levels deserve our respect and trust that they do their job as fairly as possible.

Colm O'Rourke's suggestion that they would cheat by not awarding frees for fouls in major games, not only questions their integrity but also sets a poor example to the youth who will show less respect to officials as they can no longer be trusted to do their jobs fairly according to the Sunday game.

That is codswallop.

All that O'Rourke was suggesting is that referees will see and hear all the talk of Tyrone diving and will question themselves if a free is really a free or are they being conned when refereeing Tyrone. It is human nature. It is not questioning their integrity.

If you ever read Oisin McConviles's book you can see him say Armagh got a reputation of being overly physical in 2003. This affected the way they played in the All Ireland final. For me it also meant that Tyrone got more 50:50 decisions. Do I think Brian White did not referee with integrity. Definitely not.