Dublin GAA

[Declan]

  Dublin SFC Semi-finals/ St Vincent's 2-11 Kilmacud Crokes 2-9 :
With a fine defensive performance, St Vincent's outfoxed before outplaying the favourites to return to the county final where they will set about atoning for last season's defeat to UCD.It started like a chess match but ended as a fairly comfortable victory, not reflected on the scoreboard as Kilmacud Crokes slipped in for injury-time goals from Niall Behan and Liam Óg Ó hEineacháin. St Vincent's had already clocked out.It was an admirable but fruitless pursuit as the game had been put to bed by a late flourish of St Vincent's scores. Before the late Crokes goals, the winners led the second period scoring 1-6 to 0-2.In the personal marksman battle Tomás Quinn must take the plaudits as Mark Vaughan was held scoreless in the second half as he drifted further out the field in search of possession.This was a necessary evil for the Crokes inside forwards as the Ger Brennan-marshalled defence refused to give up anything cheaply.
The opening half hour attained a level of point-scoring that belongs in Croke Park during high summer. Three young men, all entrusted with the future of Dublin football, were responsible. Vaughan, Quinn and dual player Dermot Connolly made notable contributions in this feeling-out period. The usual Vaughan cameo came first. It started with a casual point from out near the left touchline, followed with a free and a curling 45.Before St Vincent's could reply Ray Cosgrove landed one of his trademark skyscrapers to put Crokes 0-5 to 0-2 ahead with 10 minutes on the clock.St Vincent's dominated the next 20 minutes. Vaughan's predecessor as the county free-taker, Quinn, opened his account but then fell short with two 45s, before he changed the game's rhythm with a well-taken penalty. Referee Brian O'Shea awarded the spot kick after Paul Griffin was adjudged to have foot-blocked a speculative shot from Neal Billings.Vaughan levelled it up with a massive free and Kevin Nolan had them back in front seconds later but Connolly and Quinn points ensured St Vincent's finished the half stronger.The signs were ominous for Kilmacud as goalkeeper Dan Nelligan had to save his team-mates on two occasions. Tactically, St Vincent's identified their opponents' pressure points and began to squeeze. The expected dominance of the Magee brothers, Darren and Johnny, in the middle third never materialised because of the presence of Hugh Coughlan and Michael O'Shea.
Crokes continued to pour forward but the mass defence was waiting. No player, especially Vaughan, was afforded time to steady himself before shooting. It suited St Vincent's that Crokes' chief marksman began drifting in search of the ball. Also, their usual target man, Mark Davoren, who wasn't named in the programme, didn't appear fit and was replaced entering the defining final 10 minutes.The ever-versatile Ó hEineacháin did knock over two scores from tight angles to bring it level but Quinn edged the northsiders back in front.Someone had to blink. After lifting yet another siege, Quinn fed substitute Patrick Gilroy who passed to Brian Maloney as he entered the square. The flying corner forward got his shot away before carrying the ball over the line.The game opened up, which suited St Vincent's, and after Connolly went close, Quinn landed the sweetest of long rangers to give them a five-point lead in the 54th minute. That lead was pushed out to eight after points from Quinn (free), Gilroy and Maloney.
Crokes came rushing downfield but Vaughan, with three men shadowing him, flashed a shot across the goalmouth. The most notable defensive trait saw Crokes forced out to the wings. Nobody was coming through Brennan's patch last night. There lies the ultimate difference.

St Brigid's 1-11 St Jude's 0-7 :
Once St Brigid's more illustrious names upped the tempo, and fouls within Joey Donnelly's range were curtailed, the 2003 champions ensured safe passage back to the Dublin football final.When their spine of Dublin players - Declan Lally, Barry Cahill and Kevin Bonner aided by famous county hopper Rory Gallagher - began to exert a clear physical superiority, the inexperienced opposition wilted.Gallagher finished with 0-6 but it was an excellently constructed 54th-minute goal, taken by Bonner, that provided the killer blow in this contest. Gallagher is back in the city after a stint as a Cavan man, his native county being Fermanagh.
Up to last night St Jude's had been the story of the Dublin championship. They removed many people's dark horses Oliver Plunkett's/Eoghan Ruadh in the last eight and brought the confidence gained from that victory into the opening stages here.
The free-taking of Donnelly has been their most reliable asset. By the interval he had three points on the board which, complemented by a neat strike from John Reilly and two from Kevin McMenamin, put them 0-6 to 0-5 in front.St Brigid's always looked capable of overpowering them though with Cahill prominent through the middle and Gallagher proficient from dead-ball situations. Bonner also weighed in with a score but it was Paddy Andrews's second point that levelled matters early in the second half. Cahill sauntered forward next to give them the lead for the first time and when Gallagher added another they looked comfortable.
The Jude's reaction was brave as they replaced their midfield and full forward but it was all over before the substitutes could work up a sweat. Andrews picked out a run by Declan Lally who in turn fed Bonner. The full forward finished low to the net.
The score was 1-8 to 0-6 with 47 minutes gone. Done and dusted.Bonner, largely anonymous in the initial stages, was now showing for ball and landed another point befitting his reputation. Gallagher added two more down the straight to leave nobody in any doubt of St Brigid's dominance.

Should be a good final. Reports accurate Lynchbhoy?

[lynchbhoy]

reports are a tad kind in a couple of ways.
Exciting stuff , but like all championship games, fraught with mistakes. Hard but never dirty.
Judes destroyed a clueless Brigids in the first game, with Brigids only starting to find some kind of cohesion in the second half and it looked more out of natural ability than from any defined tactic to be honest. Once they stopped gifting the ball away they dominated. The judes lads played some great team attacking football in the first half and brigids had to be at action stations to make last gasp tackles to stop judes tagging on scores. Lucky to only be a point down at half time, we were cleaned in the first half. Have to admire Judes in that half. Second half we upped it (eventually) and the domination in posession was eventually turned into scores. Bonnar scored 1-1 near the end, but he was inj and shoul dhave been long off by then, and had a second more mobile forward in to assist Paddy andrews who was effectively playing up front on his own - brave from Bonnar, but a bit stupid by mgt risking his health. Barry Cahill gave an All star performance. Superb.

Vinnies were also last gasp defence for the whole first half v Crokes, who looked like they were about to open up and blow them away at any stage of the first half.
It never happened and then Vinnies started to dominate midfield and the speed of which loose or breaking ball was snatched (often from out of the hands of a waiting crokes player) was impressive. Vinnies were sharp.Ger Brennan was excellent, the two midfielders O'Shea and Coughlin wonderful. Great rearguard, but as they seemed to neglect taking points and going for goals in the first half, I thought they might have shot their chances.Obv they must have done their homework and thought Crokes were vulnerable in the FB line - so it turned out too.Despite a bright first half, all crokes big names faded - apart from the one man show of Pat Burke.
Looking forward to the final

[Declan]

Barry Cahill gave an All star performance. Superb.

Ger Brennan was excellent,

Hope Pillar and the selectors take note. Brennan ahead of Casey was something I thought would happen last year

[lynchbhoy]

big weekend for us
Our seniors (St. Brigids) play favourites St Vincents in the Senior county final at 8pm Bank holiday Monday parnell park
with the minor game before it at 6.15pm between na fianna and our minors.

The senior game will be interesting. A Vins team that shocked Kilmacud crokes will be very confident, and have a good team, built upon winning every scrap of breaking ball around the middle of the field - with the very talented under achieving st brigids team looking like they didnt know what they were doing in the first half of the semi final, then just exploded and killed off st judes in the second half. Our biggest asset is our strong defensive play. Hopefully the team will have clicked back on track in terms of getting the ball forward for the final. We can win it, but not if we dont find the cohesion we seem to be lacking.

Minors - this shoul dbe all that is good in underage football. However in the last game (championship league phase) between the teams, na fianna seemed to want to pull, drag, sledge/slander/goad, feel up bums and anything else they could do to stop us playing football.
In a straight shoot out, I would expect to win. A lot will depend on the ref.
I have a few concerns that I wont go into on here until after the game.

looking forward to it though.

Scored two points in parnell park last night - one at either end ...well we were training there (as na fianna did the prev night) and I took the opportunity to do what I never had the chance to do in my own footballing career!
What a pitch!

[Declan]

Best of luck Lynchbhoy. Hope to make it in on Monday for what should be 2 good games

[stephenite]

Result?

[KIDDO]

St Vincents won by 2 points.

[stephenite]

Thanks Kiddo

Any word on Lynchboy's Minors?

[Owenmoresider]

na fianna seemed to want to pull, drag, sledge/slander/goad,

A Dublin team goading? Well I never. Seems Pillar has it drilled into all of them.

feel up bums

But now that's going just a bit too far!

Vincent's were waiting a while for that title, 1984 was the last IIRC? How could they fare out in Leinster?

[Gnevin]

Was an average game with one of the greatest saves i've see pulled off on a GAA pitch. It was just top class . Have to say  Brennan ran Bridget's defence left and right

[Gnevin]

Thanks Kiddo

Any word on Lynchboy's Minors?

Bridget's Won by 5

[lynchbhoy]

senior game was poor. Vincents controlled it, though it was a dogfight. Poor standard of football as both sides played close marking defensive games - well Brigids more def. they had to be.so, Vincents kept up their breaking ball domination from the semi finals and our lads could not get going.
Ger Brennan imo now shoul dbe playing wing half back for Dublin, or at least given a longer run to see if he can replicate that form at intercounty level.
Disappointing result but we didnt deserve to win. The team really had no strategy of how to get the ball forward.

The minors, well that went much according to plan.
Our hard hitting intense footballing style was too much for a game Na Fianna side. We expected them to do the same pulling, trash talking dragging game as they played when we beat them in the leage section of the championship.
We didnt really do ourselves justice in the game, but we kept it tight and we were worthy winners.

its been a long hard two years and I an going to take a break from it now. I started training this squad for this championship this time last year. We trained christmas eve and the day after st stephens day. Our new all weather pitch was a major reason for us being able to train and thus winning the championship.We were fit, we did all the hard hitting training (punching, taking hits, physical torture exercises), mental toughening up training  from Nov - Feb along with football, football , football all the time. We could have changed 7 positions in the team and it wouldnt have made much of a difference.If anything we would have an even better side
if we made a lot of those changes. 9 of our lads are minor again next season.
Its a great result for the club. We just need to get the seniors playing some kind of football to a formula that can harness the massive talent we have and exploit opponents weaknesses.

I'm delighted.

[Declan]

Well done on the Minor win Lycnhbhoy - team are credit to ye.

We just need to get the seniors playing some kind of football

correct - Very negative match and disappointing viewing from a nuetrals view but well done to Vins. Hard to believe its 84 since they last won it.

[billy the kid]

I think the GPA should be ashamed of themselves they are undermining everything the GAA stands for.  What they are asking for is Pay for |Play dressed up in fancy clothes.

They are an elitist Organisation who are only concerned with themselves and I firmly believe its a case of a few leading the many.

Don't get me wrong i totally agree with players being treated well and looked after if they get injured but they are always looking for more and more.

Currently every season inter-county players in Derry get:

2 pairs of boots
2 full kits a season,
2 full sets of training gear. (1 wet and 1 normal)
1 rain jacket
1 zip up top
1 jumper
2 polo shirts
1 tracksuit
Home training Equipment
Free access to state of the art gym

All the above are official Derry gear from O neills with emblems and crests and this is only the gear I KNOW FOR CERTAIN they get!

Also they have access to a top class physio, team doctor dietician and heart screening facilities.

they receive meals after ALL games and on the way to away games

they get fed after every training

and they also get VERY GOOD rebates on their mileage expenses.

Again these are jut the things i KNOW FOR CERTAIN!!

for each national league game they receive 4 passes each allowing friends and family to gain admission to the games for FREE and the passes can be used for both hurling and football even if only involved in one code.

They receive at least 2 and sometimes more FREE tickets for ALL championship matches they are involved in

They receive 2 good tickets for the all Ireland final in their code (hurling or football) for FREE

Before the club championship begins they receive a pass allowing them to gain FREE entry to ALL championship matches within the county in EITHER code at ANY level
 
The above list was given to me when I asked a PRESENT COUNTY PLAYER from our club about conditions at inter-county level.

I don't think anyone would begrudge them these things as the gear and medical farcicalities are a MUST and so are the mileage expenses and the meals.

The other stuff are added perks and again I would say Just right they are training very hard and giving a big commitment to Our County.

Looking at the list I would say our county players are fairly well looked after wouldn't you? And this is just the example of our county alot of other counties like Armagh and Tyrone get even more gear and perks which again is fair enough.

But to ask for money and to make out that they are so hard done by and listening to some of their leaders you'd think some were hardly fit to feed themselves and on the way to financial ruin is an absolute myth and border line lie!!

What ever happened to being proud to play for your county and pride in the jersey? That used to be enough to make people play for their counties.

Has Pride and honour fallen of the radar of the GPA in their obsession with self-worth and self-gain.
If pride in the jersey and being honoured to represent your County plus the list i have supplied aren't enough to make individuals play for OUR county teams do we really want them to? The type of character who would undermine the very fabric of our great organisation to line his own pockets.   

I was also informed by the County player from my own Club that most county players don't want to strike but are being openly pressurised to do so. Is this Democracy?

Its also evident the GPA are so far removed from the grassroots GAA and the supporters that they haven't noticed that the vast majority are strongly against it, but why would they listen to us mere mortals?

Down Manager Ross Carr has the right idea:

If these prima donnas strike and refuse to play Each County should find a panel of players who will represent their counties for pride honour and the other perks i listed. There would be a stampede to trials and it would totally negate the strike and render their actions futile and meaningless.

We cannot let the elitist few hold the rest of us to ransom while they try to gain financially for doing what most TRUE Gaels consider an Honour and a privilege – PLAY FOR YOUR COUNTY 

[The Forfeit Point]

i was just wondering if anyone of ye know how come DCU and DIT dont compete in the dublin championship when UCD do??