All-Ireland Football Qualifiers 2016

[Giovanni]

Ah feck off with yourself Lenny. Why didn't Armagh have the balls to appeal rather than hide behind the CCCC ?
Laois should have called their bluff and let the CCCC choose to throw Laois out or fine them.
Please note, if Laois thrown out it would not have entitled Armagh to be re-admitted.

You can't have a rule which only applies if the extra sub(s) has played more than a certain number of minutes or has had a major impact on the game. The rule and punishment have to be the same if the sub has been on the pitch for 30 minutes or 30 seconds. From this ruling what's to stop a team losing by 7 or 8 points bringing on 7 or 8 players at the same time to try to get back into the game with fresh legs. If they turn the game round and win at least they're guaranteed a replay based on this precedent.

This is an excellent point Lenny. And at what point in your hypothetical example do you think the referee or the 4th official might say "sorry lads - no more subs"? After the 7th one? After the 8th one? Or maybe he'd let them keep coming until the bench was empty? The idea of match officials is to avoid that kind of f**king around.

[Andy06]

Genuine question, is there any way to contact the Laois county board? Would like to know what explanation to have for why was this not observed at the time, and what measures they took when it came out that 7 subs were used.

[lenny]

Ah feck off with yourself Lenny. Why didn't Armagh have the balls to appeal rather than hide behind the CCCC ?
Laois should have called their bluff and let the CCCC choose to throw Laois out or fine them.
Please note, if Laois thrown out it would not have entitled Armagh to be re-admitted.

You can't have a rule which only applies if the extra sub(s) has played more than a certain number of minutes or has had a major impact on the game. The rule and punishment have to be the same if the sub has been on the pitch for 30 minutes or 30 seconds. From this ruling what's to stop a team losing by 7 or 8 points bringing on 7 or 8 players at the same time to try to get back into the game with fresh legs. If they turn the game round and win at least they're guaranteed a replay based on this precedent.

This is an excellent point Lenny. And at what point in your hypothetical example do you think the referee or the 4th official might say "sorry lads - no more subs"? After the 7th one? After the 8th one? Or maybe he'd let them keep coming until the bench was empty? The idea of match officials is to avoid that kind of f**king around.

Laois aren't the first team to use extra subs and the match officials just kept waving them on. It will more than likely happen again. The rule needs to be tightly adhered to with a fixed punishment or else the sideline official needs to take full responsibility and prevent it happening again. It's a complete farce.

[From the Terrace]

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[Giovanni]

In my view, the County Board should have looked for any precedent where the match officials prevented a sub from becoming on because the total number of available subs had already been used.

If there is precedent where the match officials took responsibility for the number of subs in the past (and I can't believe there isn't), then Laois could reasonably argue that it was up to the match officials to inform them of the error before it was made.

A lunatic would have come up with more logical rules.........

And Armagh are making no comment.........

[Unlaoised]

Have Armagh even accepted they will play this game ?

I hope they do and we kick SEVEN shades of Shite out of them down here!

[blueandwhite1]

Imagine if this was Dublin or Cork - would there be a chance in hell that this game would be replayed? Can't believe we are not even putting up a fight.

[Unlaoised]

Imagine if this was Dublin or Cork - would there be a chance in hell that this game would be replayed? Can't believe we are not even putting up a fight.

Fact ....But lets just get on with it now and win it going into the clare game in Ennis with two wins under our backs!

[Andy06]

Imagine if this was Dublin or Cork - would there be a chance in hell that this game would be replayed? Can't believe we are not even putting up a fight.

Fact ....But lets just get on with it now and win it going into the clare game in Ennis with two wins under our backs!

Best attitude I think Unlaoised. Its the hand we are dealt with and the County Board clearly arent going to fight it so best that everyone (especially the players) get the heads right for the Armagh game and focus on that.
The two weeks means at least we arent coming into a game against opposition that we havent had time to prepare for.
As someone said there really needs to be an improved Laois support there. No excuses about Ireland matches or Nowlan Park to through around!

[Heshs Umpire]

Ah feck off with yourself Lenny. Why didn't Armagh have the balls to appeal rather than hide behind the CCCC ?
Laois should have called their bluff and let the CCCC choose to throw Laois out or fine them.
Please note, if Laois thrown out it would not have entitled Armagh to be re-admitted.

You can't have a rule which only applies if the extra sub(s) has played more than a certain number of minutes or has had a major impact on the game. The rule and punishment have to be the same if the sub has been on the pitch for 30 minutes or 30 seconds. From this ruling what's to stop a team losing by 7 or 8 points bringing on 7 or 8 players at the same time to try to get back into the game with fresh legs. If they turn the game round and win at least they're guaranteed a replay based on this precedent.

What rule are you referencing there lenny? Just curious.

[Saint75]

A lot of people to blame here:
1. GAA for not having the 4th official deal with this. What else does he do???
2. Management and Officials for letting this happen. General disorganisation all year by all reports.
3. County Board for bowing to the GAA again with no fight. No brains or balls in there clearly.

We need get over it as a team now and blow Armagh away. Get at them early. They won't have the stomach for it as they know their year should be over. No player wants to win this way.

[blueandwhite1]

A lot of people to blame here:
1. GAA for not having the 4th official deal with this. What else does he do???
2. Management and Officials for letting this happen. General disorganisation all year by all reports.
3. County Board for bowing to the GAA again with no fight. No brains or balls in there clearly.

We need get over it as a team now and blow Armagh away. Get at them early. They won't have the stomach for it as they know their year should be over. No player wants to win this way.

I'm sure Armagh will be gunning for this game, a chance of redemption. I'm sure they will convince themselves that they deserve another bite at the cherry. 2 weeks gives them plenty of time to get their heads right. If they win they will forget about Laois fairly quickly.

[Saint75]

A lot of people to blame here:
1. GAA for not having the 4th official deal with this. What else does he do???
2. Management and Officials for letting this happen. General disorganisation all year by all reports.
3. County Board for bowing to the GAA again with no fight. No brains or balls in there clearly.

We need get over it as a team now and blow Armagh away. Get at them early. They won't have the stomach for it as they know their year should be over. No player wants to win this way.

I'm sure Armagh will be gunning for this game, a chance of redemption. I'm sure they will convince themselves that they deserve another bite at the cherry. 2 weeks gives them plenty of time to get their heads right. If they win they will forget about Laois fairly quickly.


I think you can convince yourself to a point as a player but they are only human. Anything they do this year will be tainted by the fact they were beaten.

[Tony]

Right, time for a bit of cop on.

1: Who's fault was it? Laois.

2: The rules state that we could have been fined, replay match, or thrown out. We were 2 points up with 72 mins gone when sub was made. Could plausibly have made a difference. Therefore Rematch seems fair.

3: Let's just get back up and win this one again. We know we can do it. No point moaning and groaning. It was a Laois error and it's a fair outcome.

4: In a way we can see this as a positive as it will give the lads more time to develop our system and another championship match when they are few and far in between for us is welcome in my eyes.

5: Armagh will be up for this but we are the better team and if we've any ambition, we will be up for this and show we're the better team for the 2nd time. No the GAA is not out to get us. It was a Laois error and we've paid for it. What matters is how we react.

[The Monument Road]

Right, time for a bit of cop on.

1: Who's fault was it? Laois.

2: The rules state that we could have been fined, replay match, or thrown out. We were 2 points up with 72 mins gone when sub was made. Could plausibly have made a difference. Therefore Rematch seems fair.

3: Let's just get back up and win this one again. We know we can do it. No point moaning and groaning. It was a Laois error and it's a fair outcome.

4: In a way we can see this as a positive as it will give the lads more time to develop our system and another championship match when they are few and far in between for us is welcome in my eyes.

5: Armagh will be up for this but we are the better team and if we've any ambition, we will be up for this and show we're the better team for the 2nd time. No the GAA is not out to get us. It was a Laois error and we've paid for it. What matters is how we react.

Good post Tony. Lots of people losing the run here i think. As Tony says a rule was broken and we are being punished. The bigger issue here is the very amaturish CB we have.The buck stops here as they are responsible for this mess. ( Chairman admitted it in an interview today)
They cannot manage their own Bye laws as was proven by Portlaoise's successful chalange to them recently.
They made a huge blunder with the relegation rule a couple of years ago. And as for the transfer rulings that have happened over the past few years was disgusting to say the least....