All this league positivity talk and yet no thread for the final

[yellowcard]

I think it's been a really good league and has shown that the gap between the top 6 and the rest isn't so big. The performances of Monaghan and Donegal were the biggest surprise, I thought both would have been involved in the relgation scrap but those 2 and Tyrone will fight out the Ulster championship this summer. Dublin to me look like a team that have plateaued and possibly peaked. They no longer play the swashbuckling attacking football of 2014 when they created umpteen goal chances in every game. Maybe the loss of the unbeaten record might help them play with more freedom but they are no longer tha all attacking force that they were 3 years ago. kilkenny has summed up the evolution of this Dublin side. They have turned to pragmatism rather than creative play.

The standout players that I've seen in this years league have been David Moran, Paul Geaney and Ryan McHugh all of whom are now firmly in the top half dozen players in the country imo.

[omagh_gael]

I think it's been a really good league and has shown that the gap between the top 6 and the rest isn't so big. The performances of Monaghan and Donegal were the biggest surprise, I thought both would have been involved in the relgation scrap but those 2 and Tyrone will fight out the Ulster championship this summer. Dublin to me look like a team that have plateaued and possibly peaked. They no longer play the swashbuckling attacking football of 2014 when they created umpteen goal chances in every game. Maybe the loss of the unbeaten record might help them play with more freedom but they are no longer tha all attacking force that they were 3 years ago. kilkenny has summed up the evolution of this Dublin side. They have turned to pragmatism rather than creative play.

The standout players that I've seen in this years league have been David Moran, Paul Geaney and Ryan McHugh all of whom are now firmly in the top half dozen players in the country imo.

Not sure about this, in fact, I would say the opposite!

[GalwayBayBoy]

Not sure there really is a top 6 to be honest. There is Dublin, Kerry and possibly Mayo with Kerry on an upward swing and Mayo maybe on the beginnings of a slight downward swing. Not sure Monaghan, Tyrone are quite at that level really. Donegal is harder to figure out as they've had so much turnover. The Summer will probably tell us more about them.

[Syferus]

Not sure there really is a top 6 to be honest. There is Dublin, Kerry and possibly Mayo with Kerry on an upward swing and Mayo maybe on the beginnings of a slight downward swing. Not sure Monaghan, Tyrone are quite at that level really. Donegal is harder to figure out as they've had so much turnover. The Summer will probably tell us more about them.

There's Dublin and then there's everyone else. Mayo are still a better match-up against Dublin than Kerry.

[Rossfan]

Will you stop embarrassing the rest of us Rossies with your sh1te.

[Syferus]

Will you stop embarrassing the rest of us Rossies with your sh1te.

You embarrass yourself enough for the both of us.

[Farrandeelin]

Not sure there really is a top 6 to be honest. There is Dublin, Kerry and possibly Mayo with Kerry on an upward swing and Mayo maybe on the beginnings of a slight downward swing. Not sure Monaghan, Tyrone are quite at that level really. Donegal is harder to figure out as they've had so much turnover. The Summer will probably tell us more about them.

There's Dublin and then there's everyone else. Mayo are still a better match-up against Dublin than Kerry.

Don't agree with you regarding Mayo being a better match-up. While it was 'only the league' final on Sunday, I have a feeling that Kerry will put it up to the Dubs once again later on.

[yellowcard]

I think it's been a really good league and has shown that the gap between the top 6 and the rest isn't so big. The performances of Monaghan and Donegal were the biggest surprise, I thought both would have been involved in the relgation scrap but those 2 and Tyrone will fight out the Ulster championship this summer. Dublin to me look like a team that have plateaued and possibly peaked. They no longer play the swashbuckling attacking football of 2014 when they created umpteen goal chances in every game. Maybe the loss of the unbeaten record might help them play with more freedom but they are no longer tha all attacking force that they were 3 years ago. kilkenny has summed up the evolution of this Dublin side. They have turned to pragmatism rather than creative play.

The standout players that I've seen in this years league have been David Moran, Paul Geaney and Ryan McHugh all of whom are now firmly in the top half dozen players in the country imo.

Not sure about this, in fact, I would say the opposite!

I did in fact mean to say the opposite, that there is a gap between the top 6 and the rest. I believe that the 3 Ulster sides will struggle to maintain a season long peak though and think that Sam will fall between the other 3 if I'm being kind to Mayo.

[macdanger2]

I thought the way Jack Barry limited the effectiveness of Fenton on Sunday was the most interesting thing other teams can take from the game, he really makes dublin tick.

[highorlow]

Did Kerry use 2 or 3 "blood" subs the last day?

[AZOffaly]

Did Kerry use 2 or 3 "blood" subs the last day?

Is there a limit on the amount of blood subs you can use by the way? Or because a blood sub is usually mandated by the referee, is it separate from your allocation of 6 in total?

I should know this.

[Rossfan]

I think there's no limit.
While sending a lad off for blood us up to the ref there seems no limit to the amount if time the temporary sub can stay on the field which leaves it very open to abuse by cynical Counties like Kerry.
Another one for Jarlath and his boys to tidy up

[From the Bunker]

I think there's no limit.
While sending a lad off for blood us up to the ref there seems no limit to the amount if time the temporary sub can stay on the field which leaves it very open to abuse by cynical Counties like Kerry.
Another one for Jarlath and his boys to tidy up

I know Cormac Reilly made Mayo count at least one of Cillian O'Connor/Aidan O'Shea Blood subs as a real substitution after their bad collision in 2014. Limited Horans options considerably in a such a tight, energy sapping game.

No surprise there, Cormac is the weakest Referee in the game. Just thought I'd mention that for the 35467th time!

[Fuzzman]

Was good to see Kerry finally beat the Dubs which will give them and others some hope.
However, I think the Dubs have been in third gear so far and have been toying with teams so far. They've played a lot of new faces throughout the league and I think it's still theirs to lose. They've become much more defensively organised and when they have Cooper, O'Sullivan, McCarthy, McCaffrey and McMahon all back they will be tough to break down.
I can see them beating the exhausted Ulster champions in the semifinal to set up another Kerry or Mayo final.

Donegal will be worth watching though as I believe their new boys on the block are all big tall fast lads who I think will beat the Dubs tomorrow.

[seafoid]

Was good to see Kerry finally beat the Dubs which will give them and others some hope.
However, I think the Dubs have been in third gear so far and have been toying with teams so far. They've played a lot of new faces throughout the league and I think it's still theirs to lose. They've become much more defensively organised and when they have Cooper, O'Sullivan, McCarthy, McCaffrey and McMahon all back they will be tough to break down.
I can see them beating the exhausted Ulster champions in the semifinal to set up another Kerry or Mayo final.

Donegal will be worth watching though as I believe their new boys on the block are all big tall fast lads who I think will beat the Dubs tomorrow.

I wouldn't be that sure about the Dubs, Fuzzman 3 in a row is a huge ask and Kerry had the Dubs in trouble the last day. They don't seem to be as far ahead of the pack as the Kilkenny hurlers were  in 2008 for example.