Donaghy's "tackle" on Ryan

[MacDanger]

This has been briefly touched upon in a couple of other topics but I kinda felt it deserved a topic of it's own - however if the general feeling is that it doesn't I'll be happy for it to be merged.....

With 10-12 odd minutes left in the Dublin v Kerry game on Sunday and Dublin having gotten the last 3 scores, Shane Ryan was through on goal and was taken down by Kieran Donaghy in one of the crudest tackles (especially when you consider the positioning of it) I have seen in Croke Park for a long long time.

Had he scored the goal, who knows what would have happened; as it stood Dublin got their point and we all know how it finished out.....

The incident was barely discussed either after the game or that evening by the RTE "experts". I am quite sure if it had been Whelan (not my fav Dub by a long shot) or say Francie who made the same tackle on Gooch/MFR, I have no doubt that O'Rourke, Spillane & Co would have been up in arms over cynicism ruining the game, puke football etc etc.........And they would have been right.....

As it was, Donaghy got a yellow card when I feel that a red would have been more suited and it was brushed under the carpet by the RTE analysts.

There were of course other incidents in the game that were uncalled for but none had the same impact on the game as this one.......

[clarshack]

when i said kerry were up to more shit than dublin - this was one of the examples i meant yet i was castigated for saying what i did. kerry have cried for 2 years about gooch being rugby tackled by PTG (nowhere near the ball) yet not a peep about this. there are too many members on this board with the blinkers on! getting fed up. gonna shoot through like bud!

[The Real Laoislad]

I thought he should have let Ryan play on as he was on his feet running at goal when he blew the whistle
But then these decisions have a habit of levelling out over a season..
Was it Bryan Cullen who took about 40 steps with the ball for Dublins first goal versus Laois?
If they hadn't scored that who knows what would have happened either..
Similarly Longford should have been given a goal v Laois and they could have went on to beat us and we would never have made Leinster Final,So as i said they even themselves out over a season,You get some and you don't get others

[MacDanger]

Have no complaints about the ref, he made the decision on the spot so.....

But you'll see Irish lads making lighter tackles in France in a few weeks.....

[J70]

As it was, Donaghy got a yellow card when I feel that a red would have been more suited and it was brushed under the carpet by the RTE analysts.

Is there a rule in gaelic football that says fouling someone when they're clear on goal is a red-card offense?

If not, what's the problem?

[galla]

Brushed under the carpet the same as when Canty kicked Peader Byrne on the floor the previous week

[FL/MAYO]

That tackle warrented more than a yellow card, there was a goal on if Donaghy did not foul Ryan. I thought Donaghy should have been sent off for that foul. Cluxton though made the biggest blunder of all and this in my opinion was the main reason Kerry got the win in the end.

[stephenite]

There is no 'professional foul' rule that I'm aware of so the Ref could not have sent Donaghy off in this instance.

Having said that, perhaps it's time to look at introducing  a straight red for this type of foul. I'd have no problem with a man getting sent off for deliberately playing the man (however innocuous the challenge) to stop a potential match winning score

[FL/MAYO]

There is no 'professional foul' rule that I'm aware of so the Ref could not have sent Donaghy off in this instance.

Having said that, perhaps it's time to look at introducing a straight red for this type of foul. I'd have no problem with a man getting sent off for deliberately playing the man (however innocuous the challenge) to stop a potential match winning score

Ya but in cases like this where the player has a chance to score a goal there should be a rule that it is a sending of offence but as someone else said it all evens out over the course of the year. If that was a Mayo player bearing down on goal and he was fouled like that I would go through the roof.
I don't know if this was mentioned on a previous thread but did Dara O'Shea try to take someone out of it before he went of injured in the first half? Kerry are as cynical as any team in the country.

[magpie seanie]

It is worth mentioning this alright MacDanger. It was a crude foul alright and the reaction of the Sunday game panellists highlights their hypocricy. I seem to remember in the "puke football" semi final of 2003 that McMenamin did something similar and they were outraged on the programme. As someone else mentioned there was no analysis of Canty's questionable footwork in Peadar Byrne's direction yet compare that to the character assasination carried out on Graham Geraghty earlier in the year.

To me it's RTE that are wrong. Either highlight every incident of this nature or none at all.

On the tackle by Donaghy I suppose its one of those that if you were on his team you'd be glad he did it and if you were against him he's a cynical fecker. Not very sporting but part of the game.

[MauriceMalpas]

There is no rule that suggests a red card is warranted when a cycnical/professional foul is committed, thats not to say it shouldnt be addressed. Thus, the yellow was the correct punishment. I was delighted he made the tackle as would any fan who's country player made it in order to prevent a clear cut goal chance.

ALSO comparing a crude foul the Star made on Ryan to stop him progressing with the Gooch being taken out by Francie is a waste of time. There is no grounds for comparison.

[ONeill]

This does need to be addressed. The GAA always seems to make a move on an issue a little later (a decade or two) behind their, dare I say it, friends across the water when it comes to rule changes, but usually follow suit eventually.

Tyrone committed one of these tackles late on v Kerry in the final of '05, I think on Brosnan when he was straight through.

The Oxford Engl. Dict. has no earlier meaning for "follow suit" than the one from card games, "to play a card of the same suit as the leading card; hence often, fig., to do the same thing as somebody or something else." The phrase used was originally "follow in suit," now obsolete. Earliest quotation: "The elder begins and younger follows in suit as at Whist" (1680).

[resdubwhite]

its done and dusted now. Free and yellow card were correct decisions i'm afraid. Also there is no advantage rule (which I believe should be changed) in football.

[orangeman]

For God's sake - if Donaghy had been sent off for that there would have been about 4 players left on the pitch.

[Bensars]

It was crude. However it wasnt a more than a yellow card IMO.

Any manager would tell his defenders( or whoever) it was a good tackle. It was at a very important stage of the game and to concede a point rather than the goal was ( and always is) the main aim.

Experienced players are conceding "tactial" frees week in week out all over the country, it doesnt make Donaghy a bad person.

Bottom line he committed a foul based upon the rules of the game, the referree dealt with it, he was punished with a yellow and a point conceded against them.

Nor should there be a compulsion to follow the rule changes of " across the water" just for the sake of it. We have unique games,atmosphere, attendences etc. imagine the scrutiny some of amateur players will come under if ever such a rule was introduced.

We dont have professional players and therefore we shpould not have legislation for professional fouls