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Messages - Zulu

#16
GAA Discussion / Re: 24 hours with no GAA post
October 12, 2019, 03:59:34 PM
Quote from: From the Bunker on October 11, 2019, 09:26:32 PM
Quote from: Eamonnca1 on October 11, 2019, 05:19:06 PM
Quote from: BennyCake on October 11, 2019, 01:38:31 PM
Quote from: Ball Hopper on October 10, 2019, 07:51:41 PM
Is the GAA dead?

The county game is on life support. Give it a couple of years with a tiered championship, and you can switch off the machine.

One thing that will never die is the GAA obituaries industry. It's like Apple Computer in the 1990s, they were constantly "going out of business" too. The GAA's demise has been imminent for as long as I can remember, but in reality it's been going from strength to strength.

Look at the renaissance of hurling. The tiered championship doesn't seem to have done it one bit of harm. Today's system is an improvement over Cork obliterating Kerry in the Munster Hurling Championship to the point of people wondering what the point was of Kerry contesting it.

Yes the tiered system will be of great benefit to Offaly next year. Since it came in what county has it improved? Is there any? It has just created a plethora of yo-yo counties who win the Ring/Rackard/Meagher/McDonagh Cup and get relegated the next year.

People don't post as much because of posters like FtB who have just become chicken littles running around the place claiming the sky is falling in. His post on the tiered hurling championship is a good example of this chicken little syndrome. A tiered hurling championship gives smaller counties a chance to compete for something and to progress through the levels. Many of these counties have a handful of hurling clubs.

Does it improve hurling in the counties? Who knows but Sligo are never going to compete with Galway until they have far more hurlers to pick from. However, the tiered format at least gives the hurlers they have something to play for. I've yet to hear a hurler from a weaker county bemoan this system.

If the lads who think the world is going to end could stick to the many threads about that then perhaps the rest of us would post a bit more about the GAA.


#17
Quote from: An Fhairche Abu on February 21, 2019, 12:20:26 PM
Quote from: TheGreatest on February 21, 2019, 10:42:41 AM
Very surprised nobody has commented on this issue, a serious breach of accountability that reflects badly on how Galway GAA and Hurling is run, off the pitch.
This was well covered at the time it broke as a story - it wouldn't have been unexpected for those even with a passing knowledge of the rumours beforehand in Galway - so maybe you just missed it at that time, it's old news for a lot of people.

Quote from: dublin7 on February 21, 2019, 10:47:08 AM
Dubs can't be blamed is the obvious reason. As Pricey is so obsessed at how Dublin spend GAA money you'd think he/she would be furious at what has been going on (and still hasn't been resolved) in relation to the spending in Galway. County Board members should not have credit cards should be rule no 1 in Galway for starters
It's a certainly a very poor reflection of the financial (and otherwise) ineptitude of some of the most senior people involved in Galway GAA administration and why you would want to drag Dublin into this issue (besides making a stark contrast with the extremely professionally run Dublin county board to Galway's or having some form of a persecution complex) is beyond me.
I'm hopeful that longer term this will be a Rubicon crossing of sorts for Galway GAA but who knows in truth.

Quote from: manfromdelmonte on February 21, 2019, 11:29:10 AM
That's what happens when a county board doesn't employ a full time person to look after finances and day to day matters.
I think this is a key issue also with respect to competency, not all of the people at senior county board positions - who to be fair give a huge amount of time and effort to the association - have the ability that is required to excel at that level, that's just a fact of life.
Things can improve though, look at Mayo's fundraising efforts for this years New York trip compared to 5 years previously, they are not going in with the biscuit tins this time around.

That's the key point, though, big counties can't afford NOT to have a full time administrator running finances anymore. The money is too big for volunteers to manage, even if some have the skillset to do it.
#18
Quote from: omaghjoe on September 14, 2019, 06:57:47 AM
Gotta love these articles about how Dublin got outta jail etc etc.

The first game Dublin were threatening to run away with it a few times but Kerry got a bit o luck and held in there.


Even being ahead that late I never felt that Kerry would win it
And I think that Diblin left it behind them by not working some of those plays to a better position late on. Kerry were spent at that point, and they had 15men.

And Kerry's missed penalty, Cluxton's brilliant save to tip the shot onto the crossbar, McCarthy's save on the line and Clifford's easy misses?

Any team will struggle to hold Dublin at times but Kerry were full value for the draw and could easily have won the last day. Both teams will have regrets but I think Kerry delivered and can deliver again. I thought Kerry would win the first day and while Dublin are rightly favourites Kerry can push them all the way again. I'll go for Dublin this time but only after another cracking game and I give Kerry a great chance.
#19
Quote from: Blowitupref on September 04, 2019, 03:33:05 PM
Quote from: Zulu on September 04, 2019, 01:41:11 PM
Why?

Most people here were saying Kerry would be well beaten. Loads of 'experts' said Mayo lost their chance against Dublin in drawn All Irelands yet every time Mayo played this Dublin team in an All Ireland they went toe to toe and competed all the way. No reason Kerry can't go again.

Dublin are a great team and they've the ability to put any team to the sword. At times in the drawn game they looked set to pull away from Kerry but Kerry left a lot of scores behind them too and had they taken those it would have been a big mountain for Dublin to climb when they did get on top.

I think people are reading too much into Dublin's performance with 14. That's not evidence that they would have beaten Kerry with 15 rather it's evidence of the character, bravery, organisation and tactical nous of this Dublin team that they could still play as if they had 15 when a man short. I don't think any other team would have survived against Kerry with 14 players but I don't think Dublin would have been significantly better with 15, Cluxton just wouldn't have been marking Tommy Walsh!

As with the first day, Dublin are rightly favourites and if there's to be an easy winner it will be them but Jack Barry will cause Fenton the same problems his caused every time they've matched up, Moran is still Fenton's only real contender for best midfielder in Ireland and Geaney, Clifford, O'Se and O'Brien are still capable to tearing Dublin's defence to shreds.

The replay should be another great game and I'll be looking forward to it once again.

Mayo played all of the 2nd half of the AI semi final v Kerry in 2014 with 14 and Kerry only nicked a draw late on when 5 points down with 67 mins played. It was a more experienced Kerry team than the current one with the likes of M O'Se,A O'Mahony,A Maher,,D Walsh,J Buckley all starting.

That's five years ago and this is a very different Kerry team. But look, it's speculation to say whether another team would have survived with 14 against this Kerry team last Sunday. My view is they wouldn't but we'll never really know.
#20
Wouldn't agree with that at all. While it was 15 v 15 Dublin cleared a ball off the line, saved a penalty, a Kerry point skimmed the bar and Clifford missed two very scorable points but yeah, all the evidence is Dublin would have won 15 v 15!! Yes, Dublin came much more into it as the game went on and there were times when the Kerry defence were hanging on but it's ridiculous to say if it had been 15 a side Dublin would have won by 7 or 8. Games have ups and downs and there's nothing to suggest Kerry wouldn't have had their periods on top again.

Sure if Tyrone has a player sent off in the first half of the semi final you'd be saying Kerry would have been beaten by 10 points if it hadn't happened yet without a sending off they turned it around and beat Tyrone well in the second half.

We were told Kerry would be blitzed in the first game and they weren't and I doubt they will in the second game either. 
#21
Why?

Most people here were saying Kerry would be well beaten. Loads of 'experts' said Mayo lost their chance against Dublin in drawn All Irelands yet every time Mayo played this Dublin team in an All Ireland they went toe to toe and competed all the way. No reason Kerry can't go again.

Dublin are a great team and they've the ability to put any team to the sword. At times in the drawn game they looked set to pull away from Kerry but Kerry left a lot of scores behind them too and had they taken those it would have been a big mountain for Dublin to climb when they did get on top.

I think people are reading too much into Dublin's performance with 14. That's not evidence that they would have beaten Kerry with 15 rather it's evidence of the character, bravery, organisation and tactical nous of this Dublin team that they could still play as if they had 15 when a man short. I don't think any other team would have survived against Kerry with 14 players but I don't think Dublin would have been significantly better with 15, Cluxton just wouldn't have been marking Tommy Walsh!

As with the first day, Dublin are rightly favourites and if there's to be an easy winner it will be them but Jack Barry will cause Fenton the same problems his caused every time they've matched up, Moran is still Fenton's only real contender for best midfielder in Ireland and Geaney, Clifford, O'Se and O'Brien are still capable to tearing Dublin's defence to shreds.

The replay should be another great game and I'll be looking forward to it once again.
#22
People said Dublin would win easily here and that Mayo's opportunity was gone after drawn finals yet they were wrong about today and Mayo were just as competitive in the replays.

Kerry have room for improvement too. Neither Geaney or Clifford had great games and they really need to look at their own kickouts again.

Great game and delighted Kerry, like Mayo before them, showed that the Dubs can be challenged. Should be great game the next day too.
#23
Looking forward to what should be a great game. A lot needs to go right for Kerry but they're the second bet team in Ireland with, possibly, the best forward line so they've a punchers chance.
#24
Quote from: imtommygunn on August 29, 2019, 03:52:48 PM
I don't know if I can agree about defenders. As someone said in another thread Tyrone ended up kicking the ball up into the air for the FF line to win and they won more or less every one that was put into them. They didn't even need to resort to quality ball. Their FB line is really weak for this level.

That said their forwards are impressive. I am not convinced their HF line will count so much against Dublin but would still expect Geaney and Clifford to make a decent impact.

I'm not sure that's true, I thought some of the ball in was very good. On top of that I think McShane and Donnelly are a pretty potent twosome themselves so struggling against them isn't evidence the defenders are that bad. I think it was Off the Ball where it was suggested that Kerry were standing off a bit in the full back line to avoid goals. I actually said they might do that against Dublin but I didn't notice they were doing it against Tyrone.

I don't think their full back line id brilliant but I think teams are so well coached now and you rarely have 3 forwards in there that the very best full backs will struggle against good forwards if isolated. People are also saying Kerry can't play a sweeper and I can't see how Kerry haven't coaches who couldn't coach that.

Dublin, I think, are the team we know more about and Kerry will have more scope to plan for them and bring something different. Maybe I'm making an argument to suit what I think but I've a feeling Kerry can give this one a good rattle.
#25
Quote from: imtommygunn on August 29, 2019, 03:06:11 PM
Dublin very rarely do one on one defense though. They do pull a lot back and break at pace.

True but all teams end up with 14/15 behind the ball at times. I don't think one v one references our traditional concept of that but I think both Dublin and Kerry set up so that each defender has to mind his own house more often than others bar Mayo.

I don't think anyone could make a strong argument for a Kerry win but I think it isn't as clear cut as some are making out. If Kerry are to win it might resemble something like 1982 where they hit the front with a freak goal late in the game. However, they've a lot going for them - brilliantly talented forwards, one great midfielder, a bench and, IMO, better defenders than they get credit for. If you are to beat Dublin you have to be able to take your chances and Kerry are the best equipped in the country to do that.
#26
Well I'm not a Dub so you doubt wrong I'm afraid. You're entitled to your opinion and you may be right but I don't think the Dublin defenders are much better than Kerry. They are good footballers but I think in one v one situations they struggle as much as anyone and if Kerry go man to man they'll get joy.

Their bench has some big names but Connolly has played hardly any football and others like O'Sullivan and Andrews are not playing to the same level as in previous years. I wouldn't argue Kerry have the better bench but they've plenty of good footballers to come in too - Tommy Walsh, Jack Sherwood, Jack Barry, James O'Donoghue to name a few.

Dublin do have a better bench and probably a better defence but I wouldn't agree it's as clear cut as you're making out.
#27
Quote from: Taylor on August 29, 2019, 09:38:18 AM
While I would love it to be a tight game and the GAA need a tight game more than ever, no matter how the Dubs supporters try to dress it up they will win by at least 7.

Not much difference between the firepower on each side but the Dublin defence and their bench are far superior.

The worry would be if it is a tight game it will paper over the cracks in the association.

If, as I expect, it is a damp squib with 25mins to go hopefully it will force the GAA to do something about the imbalance that currently exists between the Dubs and the rest of the country (not Dublin's fault by the way)

Are they though? I think the Dublin defenders are decent but they've had it easy against the many teams who drop off Dublin. When teams have gone man to man the Dublin defenders don't look markedly better than many others.

You don't make a Kerry senior football team unless you're a good footballer and while many of the Kerry defenders are more half backs than full backs I suspect they're nowhere near as bad as many here are suggesting.

The Dublin bench is better but again, I'm not sure they've a much better bench. A good few of their game changers are older and, I think, less effective now.
#28
True, that's one of the reasons I'm really looking forward to this as I think it could be a real shootout. If Kerry fall too far behind it could be a washout but as long as they can stay in touch or get in front it could be a game for the ages. Geaney will take watching and Clifford (bar injury) will surely be in future discussions of the best ever. I don't see Kerry's youth being a disadvantaged as Kerry lads are raised on playing All Ireland finals so if they're good enough, which I think they are, they'll be ready on Sunday.

I don't see either team play a permanent sweeper but will have players dropping back to have a sweeper when they get turned over. I suspect Kerry, like Mayo, will attempt to play keep ball and be patient in attack as you don't want to get turned over by Dublin when your full backs are exposed.

I also think Kerry, like other top teams, will have been planning for Dublin from the start of the year and may have been able to roll out some well thought out plans in the last 3 weeks. Everybody expected to see Dublin here and a few teams would have hoped to be here so I think we'll see a few things that Dublin haven't seen before.
#29
I don't see Byrne being dropped but the match ups will be fascinating. There's more focus on what Kerry will do but Dublin have their headaches too and I don't think they've anyone who matches up particularly well with Clifford. 
#30
Exactly Easytiger95. This is the All Ireland final match thread, there are other threads for those who want to post the same thing they've posted about Dublin's finances 1000 times before. There's a legitimate discuss to be had about GAA financing of Dublin but there's a thread for that so if that interests you post there. If you want to talk about the actual match post here, surely that's a reasonable request? There could be a very good game on Sunday and Dublin are facing a county that hasn't hang ups about anyone and forwards who can post the kind of score to trouble Dublin.