Dublin V Donegal

[sligoman2]

Very disappointing to see Dublin play that shtye for the last 10 mins.   I'm getting g fed up with football, time to bring in some changes before the entire entertainment aspect disappears...

[Kuwabatake Sanjuro]

A diktat to referees to work to rule when teams are taking the piss like that would help. Every time Kilkenny got the ball in that period he took a minimum 6 steps. Most players hit 5 steps without getting called up which is fair enough as it would destroy the game and a referee has to employ common sense but when the piss is taken like that something has to be done.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

From RTÉ, and I can only imagine the opprobrium to be absolutely heaped on a team other than the Jacks were we to engage in similarly regressive stuff:

"The Dubs saw out a 2-15 to 0-16 success but they were holding possession rather than attacking for parts of the second half as Donegal struggled to get the scored the needed."

[omagh_gael]

It's been impossible to get away from the commentary that Donegal have significantly changed their model of play. Is there seriously that big a difference between ourselves and Donegal? We're labelled as ott defensive yet from the two games today all I could see was Donegal dropping a few long hopeful balls into the FF that they got feck all from.

[yellowcard]

The reality is that Dublin have morphed slowly from a Harlem globetrotters side in 2014 (they played some unbelievable attacking football that year until Donegal sucker punched them) into an efficient functional machine. They no longer have the out and out flair of old but have adopted to a more modern defensively structured approach. The days of the old Brogan and Connolly individual flair have disappeared and have been replaced by a more rigid blander style.

Something tells me that Kerry are equipped to derail them this year, they are missing that old spark. Gavin will regret the day that he effectively discarded Connolly.

[ONeill]

If you want to walk the walk with the Dubs go for it. If Donegal had decided to be a bit braver and push up on the Dublin half back line then there would be no talk of keeping the ball. You only keep it if teams allow you to keep it. However, Donegal weren't brave enough to chance it. Not Dublin's fault. If you're 4 up then it's up to the opposition to do something about it.

[Hound]

I don't mind Dublin doing it to draw out defenders, but there were times where they were counter-attacking with numbers in support and they just stopped and turned back.
Kilkenny in particular did this at least twice, running backwards towards his own goal.
Horrible to watch.

No doubt it was horrible to watch, but it's Donegal's fault for allowing us to do it rather than pushing men to attack us!

100% agree that Kilkenny was the one player who took it too far. He was utterly ridiculous at times, in particular those two instances you referred to when Dublin had beaten the first line and were in really good attacking position, but he decided to turn around! That was idiotic and very frustrating. As it was also to see him continuously gesticulating at other Dubs to slow it down and keep going back.

He's had a great year at full forward so it's disappointing to see him revert out the field where he does that bullshit. Although he'd a poor enough game while he was in at FF, a couple of bad wides.

But the other Dubs in general for the last 10 minutes just played it clever. Take no risks if the opposition are that far behind and refusing to come out and tackle. But push forward when it's on. Just need not to pass it to CKK in future!

[joemamas]

I don't mind Dublin doing it to draw out defenders, but there were times where they were counter-attacking with numbers in support and they just stopped and turned back.
Kilkenny in particular did this at least twice, running backwards towards his own goal.
Horrible to watch.

No doubt it was horrible to watch, but it's Donegal's fault for allowing us to do it rather than pushing men to attack us!



100% agree that Kilkenny was the one player who took it too far. He was utterly ridiculous at times, in particular those two instances you referred to when Dublin had beaten the first line and were in really good attacking position, but he decided to turn around! That was idiotic and very frustrating. As it was also to see him continuously gesticulating at other Dubs to slow it down and keep going back.

He's had a great year at full forward so it's disappointing to see him revert out the field where he does that bullshit. Although he'd a poor enough game while he was in at FF, a couple of bad wides.

But the other Dubs in general for the last 10 minutes just played it clever. Take no risks if the opposition are that far behind and refusing to come out and tackle. But push forward when it's on. Just need not to pass it to CKK in future!

Thank you for your first line.
You have said what 90% of the country were thinking.

Pure shit

[redzone]

A diktat to referees to work to rule when teams are taking the piss like that would help. Every time Kilkenny got the ball in that period he took a minimum 6 steps. Most players hit 5 steps without getting called up which is fair enough as it would destroy the game and a referee has to employ common sense but when the piss is taken like that something has to be done.

Not sure if anyone else noticed it but scully took 8 steps for his first goal. Big turning point

[Farrandeelin]

Brian Howard man of the match?

[Dinny Breen]

A diktat to referees to work to rule when teams are taking the piss like that would help. Every time Kilkenny got the ball in that period he took a minimum 6 steps. Most players hit 5 steps without getting called up which is fair enough as it would destroy the game and a referee has to employ common sense but when the piss is taken like that something has to be done.

Not sure if anyone else noticed it but scully took 8 steps for his first goal. Big turning point

I did but over carrying is epidemic across both codes by all teams, I would be aggrieved over the penalty the ref give advantage for and then didn't come back to. Scandalous!

Referee bottled it in front of the hill, the benefits of playing at home include those type of decisions.

[straightred]

A diktat to referees to work to rule when teams are taking the piss like that would help. Every time Kilkenny got the ball in that period he took a minimum 6 steps. Most players hit 5 steps without getting called up which is fair enough as it would destroy the game and a referee has to employ common sense but when the piss is taken like that something has to be done.

Not sure if anyone else noticed it but scully took 8 steps for his first goal. Big turning point

I did but over carrying is epidemic across both codes by all teams, I would be aggrieved over the penalty the ref give advantage for and then didn't come back to. Scandalous!

Referee bottled it in front of the hill, the benefits of playing at home include those type of decisions.

I dont think he was giving a penalty there - 13m free more likely. Either way you're right though - poor decision. Murphy eventually got a great score from that possesion but it should have at least been a tap over free

[shawshank]

I can't understand the criticism of Dublin. They are winning the game, the tactic for me was as plain as the nose on your face, keep the ball in the middle and defensive half and draw the defensive team who need the ball to win out and create holes in their defence to attack. Donegal didn't come looking the ball, they did the exact same thing as Tyrone did in the semi last year, could've changed or wouldn't, so we all blame Dublin. A question if that had of been Kerry, do you think they would have sat back in their defensive shape and refused to press full tilt up the pitch on Dublin, not a chance in hell. Ulster football still is trapped in a negative mindset, Donegal who have without doubt developed their attacking game, like Tyrone don't seem to grasp that if your behind sitting in a defensive formation waiting for the opposition to be stupid enough to attack in numbers and loose the ball, you will get what Dublin served everytime from a quality team like Dublin. I fully applaud Dublin, it's Donegal who didn't go for the game

[tonto1888]

Very disappointing to see Dublin play that shtye for the last 10 mins.   I'm getting g fed up with football, time to bring in some changes before the entire entertainment aspect disappears...

More disappointing from Donegal not trying to press them I would say

[tonto1888]

A diktat to referees to work to rule when teams are taking the piss like that would help. Every time Kilkenny got the ball in that period he took a minimum 6 steps. Most players hit 5 steps without getting called up which is fair enough as it would destroy the game and a referee has to employ common sense but when the piss is taken like that something has to be done.

So five steps, which is illegal, is fair enough but 6 is taking the piss ? OK