All-Ireland Final, September 18th, 2016 - Dublin v Mayo

[ballinaman]

http://gaaprostats.blogspot.ie/2016/09/why-mayo-came-so-closeand-whythey-didnt.html

[BennyHarp]

I believe Mayo may have gone all in with their performance on Sunday and may have left it behind them to a certain extent. Difficult to maintain that level of intensity for another 70 mins. I can only see Dublin improving and one if not more of their forwards stepping up to make the difference in the replay.
I hope to be proved wrong.

A few well worn clichés here. The RTE panel would be proud.

I'm not convinced by the Dublin forward line. They look great when flat tracking a Leinster team programmed to take their beating but Connolly looks spooked by the very sight of Lee Keegan, Brogan and Flynn are living on past achievements, Kilkenny has talent to burn but this looks wasted as he runs around in circles picking up lose ball in his own half, shovelling the ball sideways. He appears to have lost the confidence to kick a long range point which was a big feature of his game when he burst onto the scene. Dean Rock will be lying awake sleepless tonight still agonising over his performance last Sunday - I hope for Dublins sake that he isn't a confidence player and McMannamon is a one trick pony who is meat and drink to a tight marking defence. The big danger for me will come from impact subs such as Mannion or Andrews who are capable of playing a little bit more off the cuff. Mayo are well matched v Dublin in their defence so don't make the mistake of thinking the Dublin performance up front was just a bad day at the office.

I lost a small bet on Mayo winning on Sunday but if they can put in a similar defensive performance as the last day, get Diarmuid O'Connor into the game and get the O'Se brothers to just do the feckin simple things right then I'd be fairly confident of recouping my money a week on Saturday.

[moysider]

I have had mixed feeling since Sunday! Actually I have strange emotions. We have done this drawning championship games the last two years and we have come out bad in the replays.

We have missed a huge chance. The lead up to this final was all about Dublin. Beating Kerry in the final. Their Character. Their 27 game unbeaten run. Their forwards. Their subs bench. Their backroom team. It's wonder Mayo togged out at all, if the media was to be believed. Even the natives down west bought into the story. Streets and Villages all over Mayo had never been as dead before a AI final (never!). This was set for the ambush and Full marks to our lads, they give 100% and more. They had a game plan and they executed it perfectly. Well almost perfectly. Regretfully, I think we have missed the boat. The opportunity was there, but fate seems to have put it beyond our grasp. The pendulum has swung. The media have started to talk about Mayo. Dublin are forewarned. There won't be many new surprises next Saturday that Rochford can pull from the hat. Just like last year, Dublin will learn form the original fixture and punish Mayo.

A horrible feeling is in my gut that Cillians equalising point is only prolonging the agony!

I dunno. Who knows?
These games have a life of their own. I would be more hopeful going into the replay than I was for Sunday.
Sure Mayo have to do it all again but so do Dublin. Performances at the high end of any sport are not something that can be taken for granted. Mayo's lack of form coming into the final was disheartening but they showed some form the last day and that should be encouraging. That should boost confidence as well. A couple of lads like Doherty and Durcan had their best games for some time and a few more have more to give.
A lot has been made of the 2 freaky goals but we recovered well from them. Dublin players and even the fans were not energised by them. Perversely they were not the worst goals to concede. They were the result of good goal opportunities for Dublin anyway. If Brogan or Rock scored from play it could have well energised them to go on and have better games tan they did.
They pendulum swung back to Dublin in second half due to some silly stuff by us. Dublin got into a winning position largely picking off Mayo errors.

The next day will throw up its own misfortune for us probably. However our biggest 'misfortune' the last day was not the ogs which could not be legislated for, it was individual errors in second half that could be avoided.  That can be addressed. In the past we lost due to tactical naivety or complete system failure. That was not the case the last day.
hopefully some of the injury rumours are just rumours and we have a full deck to play with again.

[blanketattack]

I have had mixed feeling since Sunday! Actually I have strange emotions. We have done this drawning championship games the last two years and we have come out bad in the replays.

We have missed a huge chance. The lead up to this final was all about Dublin. Beating Kerry in the final. Their Character. Their 27 game unbeaten run. Their forwards. Their subs bench. Their backroom team. It's wonder Mayo togged out at all, if the media was to be believed. Even the natives down west bought into the story. Streets and Villages all over Mayo had never been as dead before a AI final (never!). This was set for the ambush and Full marks to our lads, they give 100% and more. They had a game plan and they executed it perfectly. Well almost perfectly. Regretfully, I think we have missed the boat. The opportunity was there, but fate seems to have put it beyond our grasp. The pendulum has swung. The media have started to talk about Mayo. Dublin are forewarned. There won't be many new surprises next Saturday that Rochford can pull from the hat. Just like last year, Dublin will learn form the original fixture and punish Mayo.

A horrible feeling is in my gut that Cillians equalising point is only prolonging the agony!

Do losses to Longford not count?

[spoofer]

Hi folks, heading to Lanzarote with the family tomorrow for a couple of weeks and will miss replay. Anyone know whats best way to watch it online? Is rte player a goer? Pub might be an issue with 2 little ones!! 

[moysider]

Hi folks, heading to Lanzarote with the family tomorrow for a couple of weeks and will miss replay. Anyone know whats best way to watch it online? Is rte player a goer? Pub might be an issue with 2 little ones!! 

Wont be an issue in Lanzarote.

[blanketattack]

Hi folks, heading to Lanzarote with the family tomorrow for a couple of weeks and will miss replay. Anyone know whats best way to watch it online? Is rte player a goer? Pub might be an issue with 2 little ones!! 

Sky Sports streams are easy to find allegedly

[Chimley]

http://gaaprostats.blogspot.ie/2016/09/why-mayo-came-so-closeand-whythey-didnt.html

Interesting stats backing up what most of us saw on Sunday. SOS and Boyle playing a large part in Dublins first half tally and it didn't get much better for poor Seamie in the second half.

[highorlow]

Ballinaman that stats site is good in itself but it's unusual that yer man didn't talk about all the free's Dublin missed and the sideline.

[heffo]

I believe Mayo may have gone all in with their performance on Sunday and may have left it behind them to a certain extent. Difficult to maintain that level of intensity for another 70 mins. I can only see Dublin improving and one if not more of their forwards stepping up to make the difference in the replay.
I hope to be proved wrong.

I'm not convinced by the Dublin forward line. They look great when flat tracking a Leinster team programmed to take their beating but Connolly looks spooked by the very sight of Lee Keegan, Brogan and Flynn are living on past achievements, Kilkenny has talent to burn but this looks wasted as he runs around in circles picking up lose ball in his own half, shovelling the ball sideways. He appears to have lost the confidence to kick a long range point which was a big feature of his game when he burst onto the scene. Dean Rock will be lying awake sleepless tonight still agonising over his performance last Sunday - I hope for Dublins sake that he isn't a confidence player and McMannamon is a one trick pony who is meat and drink to a tight marking defence.

That Dublin forward line has won 3 x AI's and 4 x Div 1 National leagues - I'm not sure what standards are set in your county to get your approval. Kevin McManamon has made significant contributions at the highest level for three AI's, again I'm not sure what is needed for your approval.

Sunday was not a day for forwards to shine - Brogan has had a mixed year but is generally a big game player, Flynn was poor all last year after a stellar number of years - a groin operation over last autumn was supposed to fix the issue. He's been playing deeper since but he has had a quiet year by his standards.

[Hound]

Flynn was poor all last year after a stellar number of years - a groin operation over last autumn was supposed to fix the issue. He's been playing deeper since but he has had a quiet year by his standards.

Is he really "playing deeper"? He's just hovering between the two 45s, doing very little. With the very odd exception, he's simply not getting involved in attacks and not chasing back in defence. Against both Kerry and Mayo, his man had complete free reign. Flynn is getting the odd handpass, and then handpassing it on. I remember him kicking one ball in the direction of Bernard in the first half, I'm not sure if he kicked it at all in the 2nd.

I was disappointed that Gavin's initial subs were of lads who had just made mistakes, but at least they were trying to influence the game. Rather than the guy who was doing nothing. 

They are very harsh comments on a player who has been absolutely brilliant for us in the past, 4 All Stars, but I'm assuming  he doesn't read stupid message boards. Given he lasted 70 minutes before being taken off, I fear we're going to have to make do with playing with 14 men again next time.

[BennyHarp]

I believe Mayo may have gone all in with their performance on Sunday and may have left it behind them to a certain extent. Difficult to maintain that level of intensity for another 70 mins. I can only see Dublin improving and one if not more of their forwards stepping up to make the difference in the replay.
I hope to be proved wrong.

I'm not convinced by the Dublin forward line. They look great when flat tracking a Leinster team programmed to take their beating but Connolly looks spooked by the very sight of Lee Keegan, Brogan and Flynn are living on past achievements, Kilkenny has talent to burn but this looks wasted as he runs around in circles picking up lose ball in his own half, shovelling the ball sideways. He appears to have lost the confidence to kick a long range point which was a big feature of his game when he burst onto the scene. Dean Rock will be lying awake sleepless tonight still agonising over his performance last Sunday - I hope for Dublins sake that he isn't a confidence player and McMannamon is a one trick pony who is meat and drink to a tight marking defence.

That Dublin forward line has won 3 x AI's and 4 x Div 1 National leagues - I'm not sure what standards are set in your county to get your approval. Kevin McManamon has made significant contributions at the highest level for three AI's, again I'm not sure what is needed for your approval.

Sunday was not a day for forwards to shine - Brogan has had a mixed year but is generally a big game player, Flynn was poor all last year after a stellar number of years - a groin operation over last autumn was supposed to fix the issue. He's been playing deeper since but he has had a quiet year by his standards.

Fair enough, they have won 3 all Irelands - but are you confident that they are all still at that level? As things stand, I think Mayo match up pretty well against them and I don't subscribe to the view that they just had an off day and will improve significantly the next day. I may be proved wrong.

[heffo]

I believe Mayo may have gone all in with their performance on Sunday and may have left it behind them to a certain extent. Difficult to maintain that level of intensity for another 70 mins. I can only see Dublin improving and one if not more of their forwards stepping up to make the difference in the replay.
I hope to be proved wrong.

I'm not convinced by the Dublin forward line. They look great when flat tracking a Leinster team programmed to take their beating but Connolly looks spooked by the very sight of Lee Keegan, Brogan and Flynn are living on past achievements, Kilkenny has talent to burn but this looks wasted as he runs around in circles picking up lose ball in his own half, shovelling the ball sideways. He appears to have lost the confidence to kick a long range point which was a big feature of his game when he burst onto the scene. Dean Rock will be lying awake sleepless tonight still agonising over his performance last Sunday - I hope for Dublins sake that he isn't a confidence player and McMannamon is a one trick pony who is meat and drink to a tight marking defence.

That Dublin forward line has won 3 x AI's and 4 x Div 1 National leagues - I'm not sure what standards are set in your county to get your approval. Kevin McManamon has made significant contributions at the highest level for three AI's, again I'm not sure what is needed for your approval.

Sunday was not a day for forwards to shine - Brogan has had a mixed year but is generally a big game player, Flynn was poor all last year after a stellar number of years - a groin operation over last autumn was supposed to fix the issue. He's been playing deeper since but he has had a quiet year by his standards.

Fair enough, they have won 3 all Irelands - but are you confident that they are all still at that level? As things stand, I think Mayo match up pretty well against them

Of course they match up well to them - Mayo have been a top side for a number of years - they've been 'there or thereabout' but not good enough. I wouldn't be writing off triple AI winners on the basis of a wet day in Croker.

[lynchbhoy]

It's a straight shoot out between management and tactics

mayo showed they were far superior the last day on the line only for the own goals so this is where Dublin will win or lose the game. plan a and plan b to thwart the mayo plans to nullify dublins attack.

ref again will have a big say and needs to be more consistent  and equitable with his decisions.

a dry day might suit dublin but it's down to the strategies and tactics now.

this is great stuff. v intriguing.

can't wait for next game

[Lar Naparka]

http://gaaprostats.blogspot.ie/2016/09/why-mayo-came-so-closeand-whythey-didnt.html

Interesting stats backing up what most of us saw on Sunday. SOS and Boyle playing a large part in Dublins first half tally and it didn't get much better for poor Seamie in the second half.

I was almost on my knees praying for Rochford to take Seamie ashore before he did the obvious and replaced him.  There isn't a more hardworking, solid grafter in the business than Seamie but the lack of basic skills lets him down.
Nothing personal in that: I believe that his major faults can be eradicated with a bit of practice in training.
I remember only too clearly how the tactic of moving Aidan to the edge of the square and bombarding him with long-range ball from outfield misfired.
I think H&C tried this tactic, mindful of the damage Donaghy did to use in Limerick with Moran and others directing a string of pinpoint passes to him throughout the game.
I'm thinking of the Dublin games in particular here.
It was agony watching Seamie attempting to land shots in on Aidan. To put it charitably, his GPS system was backfiring and some of his efforts landed closer to the corner flag than the edge of the square.
He'll graft and grunt until he's ready to drop- there's no holding back but much of his efforts is wasted, wayward kicking and overholding the ball until he gets dispossessed time after time.
A bit of a bullock on the rampage like his younger brother, I'm afraid.