Messages

Was the system broken by the tactics of the Teens?
I do find it Ironic that the man who contributed most to lateral football is commissioned with ridding us of  it.

Club Tyrone annual members' night next Thursday 18th at Garvaghey.

We have a good panel lined up for a chat, including a Derry man!

I haven't been invited.

It seemed to me like W'Meath did not respect their opposition.

I imagine the mental side of that is tougher than the physical.

Depends,

Is the physical self inflicted?

At this stage I think we should get Donald Duck to manage Meath. Colm so out of his depth it is unreal. No disrespect to Longford but to concede 3.12 is an absolute disgrace Dublin could inflict the biggest ever defeat on Meath. With the return of Jordan Morris and the best player not on Meath team last few years James Conlon we looked better upfront. But we are so so bad defensively it is unreal. I fear what will happen next weekend but worse still I fear what will happen to Meath going forward if we don't change management at end of championship.

Why should Meath be arsed about taking the Leinster football championship seriously? They can't win it and they need to focus on the Round Robin. Why should fans pay to see matches in the Dublin side of the Leinster championship ?  Nobody who voted for the system at Congress did much forward thinking.

So if they are resigned to losing leinster, where are they going to get the belief / hope of winning Sam

Very entertaining game of football.
Well done Cavan

I love the seeing a pitch covered at half-time with young and old, fathers and mothers with their kids etc. pucking and kicking a ball about. No issues.

A great sight.

Conversely, I've seen kids being hunted off pitches i.e. Athletic Grounds at inter-county club championship games by 'jobworths' and it's only 2 or 3 kids looking to kick or puck about, not 500 children.

A joke.

We've gotten soft.

There's a growing culture in Gaelic Games that pitches must be pristine.

There's too much praise and thanks put into the efforts of groundsmen to present them pristine.

There was no greater pleasure than getting your opponent face down in a cow pat.
God be with the days when we turned the herd off the pitch to start the game.


Sometimes the herds were massive. As many as 4 on occasion.

Some mental gymnastics being employed on this thread when it comes to 'peaking'. It seems that whenever a team wins a few games that it was down to them specifically targeting those games above all others. And when they lose it was down to them timing their 'peak'. All done with the benefit of hindsight or no inside knowledge of their training programmes.

These top county teams are so meticulously prepared now that I don't believe any side has any significant advantage over each other in terms of fitness or S & C programmes. Most of these lads now maintain a very good general level of conditioning all year round. If there are smaller advantages they will be found tactically or in other areas. But the primary advantage will still remain the quality of player available, nothing to do with peaks.       

Yep.
When Dublin beat Derry in celtic park Derry and Mickey Harte had bottled it, and feared Dublin. When they  trounced Tyrone, they were the real deal.
Everything they done was calculated and fluid. They were the masters of the game and everyone else were to be also rans.
They didn't beat Derry and suddenly it was all about the players that were not playing, but nobody will  identify   the players to be replaced.
Dublin will only improve and Derry were playing at their limit.
As in all matters the narrative must suit the bias.

I see Colm Boyle saying that today as well. Derry couldn't beat the dubs at 70%. The week before he tipped the dubs to win comfortably and now he's quoting the players missing. Dublin's biggest fans in the media are often the former Mayo players. I think by bigging up the Dubs it helps build up their team who could never beat them

I was thinking about this.
Now in my opinion had Dublin won the game by 3 or four points you might get away with saying they were running at 70%. But when they actually only just manage a draw, with a late free you would be wondering why a team, with so much skill, ability and ambition cant sum up enough intestinal fortitude to raise their game by one or two percent to see the dogged lesser opposition off. Unless of course you are already running at 100 percent.

Leinster GAA chief says provincial football and hurling championships are 'alive and kicking'

Maybe hurling but he must be living in a different world to the rest of us when it comes to football. Take Dublin out and you'd have a competitive championship.

Dublin probably won't be beaten in Leinster until another one of the teams becomes established Division one team and that doesn't look to be happening anytime soon.

It's a race for 2nd place at the moment which gives you a 2nd seed spot in the All Ireland championship group stage. Meath might see themselves as the 2nd best but have got the short straw getting Dublin.   Anyone of Kildare/Westmeath/Louth could reach the final making it interesting on that side of the draw.

Anyone who thinks Leinster football is alive is deluded.

The fact that the head man in Leinster is in denial about the problem is the most concerning fact. How long before they pull their heads out of the sand? Do stadiums have to be empty before they take some action on this.

The other counties in Leinster clearly need help and not just financial. There needs to be some sort of audit on it to see what the likes of Meath, Kildare, Laois etc are doing wrong and propose solutions. Otherwise a load of time, money and other resources will be wasted trying to keep up with Dublin.

I honestly think at this stage no one in Meath County Board has an answer to the problem. There was a lad appointed to over see S&C for all county teams but he walked away after 2 years. All of last years back room team with the senior team has left. You have to wonder why after winning the Tailteann Cup with a young team they would all leave.

Maybe they failed their end of year latin exam.

Some mental gymnastics being employed on this thread when it comes to 'peaking'. It seems that whenever a team wins a few games that it was down to them specifically targeting those games above all others. And when they lose it was down to them timing their 'peak'. All done with the benefit of hindsight or no inside knowledge of their training programmes.

These top county teams are so meticulously prepared now that I don't believe any side has any significant advantage over each other in terms of fitness or S & C programmes. Most of these lads now maintain a very good general level of conditioning all year round. If there are smaller advantages they will be found tactically or in other areas. But the primary advantage will still remain the quality of player available, nothing to do with peaks.       

Yep.
When Dublin beat Derry in celtic park Derry and Mickey Harte had bottled it, and feared Dublin. When they  trounced Tyrone, they were the real deal.
Everything they done was calculated and fluid. They were the masters of the game and everyone else were to be also rans.
They didn't beat Derry and suddenly it was all about the players that were not playing, but nobody will  identify   the players to be replaced.
Dublin will only improve and Derry were playing at their limit.
As in all matters the narrative must suit the bias.

I see Colm Boyle saying that today as well. Derry couldn't beat the dubs at 70%. The week before he tipped the dubs to win comfortably and now he's quoting the players missing. Dublin's biggest fans in the media are often the former Mayo players. I think by bigging up the Dubs it helps build up their team who could never beat them

Found his article.
He didnt name the players to be replaced on this team of titans operating at 70% that Derry couldn't beat at 100%.

Probably all the better for Mickey Harte.

'My only worry for Derry is that they were at their absolute peak and Dublin were maybe at 70%. And Dublin will raise the bar again come the Championship, I'm sure of that.'

How can he know that Derry were at their absolute peak, has he the inside track to their preparations? I'd say practically every county will improve come championship time. Derry haven't even gone on their foreign training camp yet, will they not learn things and improve their preparation there.   

And if Dublin were operating at only 70% as he suggests then they may as well just hand them Sam now.

But sure they were absolute perfection the week before when they beat Tyrone.
And Derry had no chance before the ball was thrown in.

How can Derry not improve, lachlann Murray is only starting. Mc Guigan was far from his best. Nialls Toner and Loughlin  are getting better each week.
There are heaps of room for Derry to improve

Some mental gymnastics being employed on this thread when it comes to 'peaking'. It seems that whenever a team wins a few games that it was down to them specifically targeting those games above all others. And when they lose it was down to them timing their 'peak'. All done with the benefit of hindsight or no inside knowledge of their training programmes.

These top county teams are so meticulously prepared now that I don't believe any side has any significant advantage over each other in terms of fitness or S & C programmes. Most of these lads now maintain a very good general level of conditioning all year round. If there are smaller advantages they will be found tactically or in other areas. But the primary advantage will still remain the quality of player available, nothing to do with peaks.       

Yep.
When Dublin beat Derry in celtic park Derry and Mickey Harte had bottled it, and feared Dublin. When they  trounced Tyrone, they were the real deal.
Everything they done was calculated and fluid. They were the masters of the game and everyone else were to be also rans.
They didn't beat Derry and suddenly it was all about the players that were not playing, but nobody will  identify   the players to be replaced.
Dublin will only improve and Derry were playing at their limit.
As in all matters the narrative must suit the bias.

I see Colm Boyle saying that today as well. Derry couldn't beat the dubs at 70%. The week before he tipped the dubs to win comfortably and now he's quoting the players missing. Dublin's biggest fans in the media are often the former Mayo players. I think by bigging up the Dubs it helps build up their team who could never beat them

Found his article.
He didnt name the players to be replaced on this team of titans operating at 70% that Derry couldn't beat at 100%.

Probably all the better for Mickey Harte.

Some mental gymnastics being employed on this thread when it comes to 'peaking'. It seems that whenever a team wins a few games that it was down to them specifically targeting those games above all others. And when they lose it was down to them timing their 'peak'. All done with the benefit of hindsight or no inside knowledge of their training programmes.

These top county teams are so meticulously prepared now that I don't believe any side has any significant advantage over each other in terms of fitness or S & C programmes. Most of these lads now maintain a very good general level of conditioning all year round. If there are smaller advantages they will be found tactically or in other areas. But the primary advantage will still remain the quality of player available, nothing to do with peaks.       

Yep.
When Dublin beat Derry in celtic park Derry and Mickey Harte had bottled it, and feared Dublin. When they  trounced Tyrone, they were the real deal.
Everything they done was calculated and fluid. They were the masters of the game and everyone else were to be also rans.
They didn't beat Derry and suddenly it was all about the players that were not playing, but nobody will  identify   the players to be replaced.
Dublin will only improve and Derry were playing at their limit.
As in all matters the narrative must suit the bias.

I have decided , with reference to my vast experience and astronomical wisdom, to leave the decisions as to best course of  action to Mickey Harte and the Derry team.
I do hope they are not offended by my failure to offer direction.
But I think it for the best.
Wouldn't want Jim Mc Guinness to feel that Derry had an undue advantage.

Dublin are (or were) playing off about 20 players. Kerry were similar. Derry are definitely better this year but the key question is that when it counts in those last ten in the tight games will they have enough in reserve. Last year they subbed McGrogan and then the sub got subbed so they definitely struggled for depth. Dublin and Kerry really squeeze in the last 10-15 minutes and that is where the game is won not the first 55 which the ulster teams are better at... Even look at the AI final last year where dublin outscored Kerry by about 7 to 2 or something like that in the last 10-15. I don't think it can be overstated how much damage Jack McCaffrey does with his pace off the bench.

That said I do see this argument people have about what if Derry lose McGuigan. What if Kerry lose Clifford or Dublin O'Callaghan. They then say what about Glass well what about Fenton.

Yep Down about 7th I would say about right. Sadly I think they'll have far too much for antrim but the armagh game the big test. Armagh will be sore from the last day which should get rid of any complacency.

Last years Ulster Final and Quarter Final should have sorted the complacency.

You men are some craic...you have Derry v Armagh in the final with Derry winning pulling up...

Armagh will be lucky to get out of Brewster Park next weekend and if they're lucky enough to win that they more than likely will play Down who always give Armagh their fill of it and if that match was in Newry i'd not be over confident going there with our record. Derry will have 2 really hard games to get to the final and as much as they're a great team I believe we have seen their full hand over the last while where other teams are not or have not been at full throttle yet or injured players due back. Derry are good but I still put Dublin and Kerry above them come July time and Ulster teams may well catch them on the hop too, they're not as good as everyone is making them out to be...A couple of aging players with some miles in the legs and a great man marker for McGuigan can go a long way to beating them.

Another cliché, showing their hand because they played well. Did Dublin show their hand when they beat Kerry by 10 points. I've heard people say Dublin aren't fully at it yet but the week before people were going to hand them Sam in March. As for aging players, i'd argue our age profile is very good. McKaigue obviously is old but he looks in great form this season. Rogers, McKinless and McFaul around 29 and the rest of the team are all early to mid 20s.

Derry are practically full strength and are doing well, my point being Dublin had 4-5 players still to come back into that team and Cluxton will find his man 99/100 for certain possession. Dublin will only get stronger. Kerry will improve too come late summer so that was my thinking from my earlier comment. Derry are the best team in Ulster from my eye test but are beatable and being in the tough side of the draw it could have an effect on them, only takes a suspension and an injury or two to do the damage.
Armagh will not win the All-Ireland but they can bloody someones nose on the way and can win Ulster if their luck is in.
If i'm ranking Ulster teams i have...
1) - Derry
2) - Armagh
2) - Tyrone
2) - Monaghan
2) - Donegal
6) - Cavan
7) - Down
- Fermanagh
9) - Antrim

Armagh, Tyrone, Monaghan and Donegal are all similar levels and capable of beating each other and if it falls right for them on the day with some luck can beat Derry too. If i'm honest Antrim are 9th but Cavan, Fermanagh and Down are similar level too but that level is below the level  of the quartet mentioned.

Its a fair point that Dublin have 4 or 5 players to come back in,
But I am wondering about the 4 or 5 players that had a bad game on Sunday and need replacing?
From what I observed half or more of that 4 or 5 might well be the more established players.