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National games development centre? Are they having a laugh? It's the Dublin games development centre and everyone knows it.

Just to comment on the game and not go on a rant against the joke of a manager. I'll direct my anger at a certain Marty Duffy instead. So Evan O'Carroll was on a yellow card that was harsh in my opinion. In the second half he tracks back and tackles a Meath player on our 45. Maybe it was a free but it was an innocuous challenge, the ref thought the same and just awarded a free. The Meath manager Dowd goes mad knowing that O'Carroll was on a yellow, the Meatn crowd (who vastly outnumbered ours) followed Dowds lead and went mad. The linesman in front of the stand happened to be Marty Duffy. He decides he wants to get involved so he calls the ref over. After a short conversation O'Carroll is called back and given a second yellow card and sent off.
We were 2 points up at the time. It would have made no difference to our survival in division 2 and we probably would have lost the match anyway but you know the saying 'the ref never changes his mind'? Well if you have a manager run onto the field complaining, a noisy bunch of Meath people screaming and Marty Duffy for assistance then it is possible for the ref to change his mind. I hate Marty Duffy. And his brother.

I might comment on the game at a later time but just have a listen to this joker:

https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/mick-lillis-post-laois-loss-in-the-nfl-to-meath

He hasn't got a clue. Defensive football is not in Laois' psyche? It's only northern teams that play defensively? You'd think we were Kerry or something the way he's going on and guess what? They play as defensively as anyone. He's the first manager to drag us to division 3 of the national league since 1991! We conceded 136 points in the league, that's worse than everyone including London, it's an average of over 19 points a game. And then we have to play Dublin soon and that's only if we get by Wicklow. Play like that and Dublin will score 10 goals against us.

Giovanni, you're talking nonsense. The effort the players have been putting into every game has been clear for all to see. They all have been giving everything. It's obvious from watching that they are not organised, the set up is all wrong. That's in attack and defence. In every game we see examples of half backs, midfielders and half forwards sprinting back trying to cover runs. It's impossible to defend this way. You have to be facing the play to defend correctly. Plus our players around the middle don't have the pace to track runs.
This is obvious to all, except our management team it appears. Previous managers have realised this and organised our defence. That was with inferior squads. Let's not forget in the recent past we were so stuck for defenders that we had Kevin Meaney at full back, Lillis at full back, O'Loghlin centre back, Jamie Kavanagh corner back, we even had to convert Peter O'Leary into a corner back!! This management team has the best squad we've had for years but they look like they're dragging us to division 3 for the first time since 1991!!!
How the manager can be defended is beyond me, he hasn't even organised a pitch to train on according to himself. He's so bad he doesn't even have excuses, he just says he doesn't know what's going on. It's embarrassing. The players are doing everything asked of them, they're not world beaters, they won't be winning Leinster titles but they deserve better than the current set up. I'm really dreading what Dublin will do to us and that's if we beat Wicklow. It needs to be sorted out now.

The point both Fermanagh and Armagh got over the weekend is absolutely vital. It means Fermanagh are now safe unless Armagh draw and Meath or Laois hammer the other team by 15+ points. Armagh now just have to beat Derry, without the point v Tyrone they would have had to beat Derry, hope Fermanagh lost to Tyrone and beaten Laois or Meath on score difference. For Laois and Meath they have to beat each other and hope Derry can beat Armagh in Armagh. Derry have nothing to play for, can't get promoted or relegated so it looks likely that Laois and Meath are heading to division 3.

I somehow forgot that Meath picked up a point against Derry. This gives them a better chance of staying up and puts Armagh in more trouble. If Meath and Fermanagh win then Armagh will be relegated no matter what they do against Derry.

Get this man out. Sounds like he doesn't want to be there. Terrible defeatist attitude and he hasn't a clue.

https://soundcloud.com/midlandssport/mick-lillis-post-cavan

That's an embarrassing interview and it's not the first one. He doesn't have to first idea as to why we never had a chance of winning the game never mind trying to fix it. He said there's not a lot between the two teams (us and Cavan), I think player wise he's right but apart from that he's way off. Cavan had an easy win because they were set up properly. I still can't believe he hasn't got a training pitch sorted out. Embarrassing.

There's lots of work needed at underage level but this is the best senior squad we'll have in a long time. We have Kingston and O'Loughlin in their prime, strong, experienced players like Quigley and Timmons. Meaney, Walsh, Merideth, Cahilane actually on the squad and a few very good young players. After this there's not a lot coming through.
We're wasting this opportunity to get the best out of what we have. No offence to Lillis but he's just not up to it, he's actually a step back from O'Flatharta! A successful senior team encourages young players to take up the game. Finances are tight but could those appointed to find a new manager not find anything better?
I had a check on my earlier stat. It turns out we haven't been in division 3 since 1991!

Are the Roscommon players allowed to wear protective glasses for this game? It won't save them from the biting but it might save their eyes.

The point both Fermanagh and Armagh got over the weekend is absolutely vital. It means Fermanagh are now safe unless Armagh draw and Meath or Laois hammer the other team by 15+ points. Armagh now just have to beat Derry, without the point v Tyrone they would have had to beat Derry, hope Fermanagh lost to Tyrone and beaten Laois or Meath on score difference. For Laois and Meath they have to beat each other and hope Derry can beat Armagh in Armagh. Derry have nothing to play for, can't get promoted or relegated so it looks likely that Laois and Meath are heading to division 3.

We haven't been in the 3rd tier of league football since 2002. We've stayed up in division 2 for the past few years with worse squads than we have this year. If we go down the blame lies firmly at Lillis' door.
Edit: And that was when it was division 1a and 1b and division 2a and 2b. So not really the third tier.

It's really worrying that no lessons have been learned yet. Our defence was left wide open far too often but that has happened in nearly every match. On numerous occasions Cavan had a simple tap over point with no Laois man near him. They ran at us and always had a man on the overlap. It's far too easy.
Even in attack there doesn't seem to be a plan. It's a case of get the ball to the Kingstons or O'Carroll and let them at it from there. This is not how the game works anymore, this is not club football. You need systems and strategies, just telling them to go out and give it their all won't cut it.
For the game itself, Cavan were comfortable for the most part. They opened up a lead against the wind and we never really got close. We had a 10/15 minute spell in the second half where Cavan sat back but we couldn't open them up, only cutting the lead to 3. If they needed it I think Cavan could easily have won by more.
Brody had a decent game, the short kick outs are working well although some were definitely shorter than 13 yards! Our defence individually were fine, there's nothing much they can do with no protection. Timmons is vital to us. We were 50/50 in midfield, Quigley had his usual few good catches and Meaney got a harsh black card.
O'Loughlin had to move back to midfield, he's doing well in a more attacking role. Kingston had a bad game by his standards but when he moved into full forward towards the end he caused a lot of trouble. He had a shot saved and caught three long balls in a row but was surrounded by Cavan players, the last chance was worked out to Ross who should have goaled.
Merideth can do excellent things then follow it up with very average stuff. O'Carroll with the right ball is very dangerous. It was nice to see Ross back, he kicked 2 points. The other subs didn't do much although Farrell kicked a nice point. Walsh or Cahilane didn't come on  which was surprising I thought.
We have to beat Meath in the last game and hope Armagh lose to Derry. Unlikely I think and us and Meath are likely to be relegated. To be relegated with the best squad we've had in years would be a sad indictment of the management team. Looking ahead we have Wicklow who we should beat but then Dublin. If we go out against them the way we're playing now I fear real embarrassment.

It wasn't Dublin's fault, Donegal came with an utterly negative game plan that would suggest Gallagher hasn't a clue. The key to the blanket's success was the fact teams weren't patient, now that teams know to re-cycle it only serves to make the game unwatchable. Nobody will win an All Ireland playing Donegal's style again.

In fairness I don't think any style will win the All Ireland anymore. Amateurs competing against professionals will never work. Dublin should win every year, how can they not?

http://youtu.be/PXSpBsBMIgY

http://youtu.be/PXSpBsBMIgY

Lads, there's video evidence. It's there for all to see. Dublin player sticks his thumb into the eye of the Donegal player. Disgusting eye gouging.

No. The Dublin player pushes the Donegal player in the face. In the course of that push, his hand travels across the Donegal player's face, and the thumb makes contact with the eye. But it's not a gouge. It's an accidental contact.

If you want to talk about actual gouging, this is what that looks like:



That's actual gouging in an All-Ireland Final that should have been dealt with, but wasn't. Tonight's stuff is nothing.

Look at the video on the last page again. He first tries to push him and when the Donegal player is clearly besting him he pokes his thumb into his eye. Just watch the video, it's there. You're right to point out that it seems to be a common tactic for Dublin players however.