Messages

[Nothing could happen to O'Shea!]

https://punditarena.com/gaa/gaelic-football/andrewdempsey/philly-mcmahon-explains-egos-mayo-side/

Philly trying to discredit O'Shea. The reality is O'Shea came on to aggravate Philly. It was a win win for O'Shea he was off of the pitch and upsetting Philly there was a chance of disrupting his game or getting him booked. Nothing could happen to O'Shea!

It would have been in mayo favour if action had been taken.   

Isn't it strange that winning an All Ireland Semifinal but losing a final is regarded as success by some Mayo supporters.

COYBIB

A interesting article by mayo secretary. Could that stoke the flames tomorrow?

https://www.sportsjoe.ie/gaa/dublin-came-back-onto-pitch-usual-arrogance-mayo-gaa-officer-slams-dublin-makes-case-var-introduced-242386

This is very old news and will have no bearing on this evening's game.

COYBIB

Serious meltdown over on reservoir dubs. 

The whole world is against them.

For a Kildare person you've an unhealthy obsession with Dublin GAA 

Well deserved win for Armagh tonight. But I'd venture to say that it will be the last time that Armagh will beat Dublin this year.

Those were the days ........

2002 Ciaran Whelan goal v Armagh

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=sWC5kFgTscg

[Dublin football]

Dublin football

Hope: to make it one-in-a-row

Expectation: team building will prevent us from making it through to the sharp end of the championship

Was he originally from Co Fermanagh, or am I mixing him up with some other old footballing legend?

I believe Des's father was from Co. Down.

The death has been announced of a legend of Dublin football and hurling – the great Des Ferguson.

Des was member of the St Vincent's club. He won All-Ireland football medals with Dublin in 1958 and 1963. He was also a fine hurler competing in the 1952 and 1961 All Ireland Hurling finals.

During the 1960s Des moved to Kells in Co. Meath and began a long association with Meath GAA through his club Gaeil Colmcille.

Des's son Terry Ferguson won two All Ireland football medals with Meath in 1987 and 1988.

Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.

https://www.anglocelt.ie/2021/11/03/death-of-kells-and-dublin-gaa-legend-des-ferguson/

Duoplies aren't much fun either if you're one of the other 30.
Playing in the  AI football Final has become a "Quadropoly" since 2014 and not much sign of anyone else breaking ut up.

Same as it ever was ....

Defense easier than attack. That's a hard selection to be honest...


Cluxton
Fitzsimmons
O'Carroll
McMahon
Small
O'Sullivan
McCaffrey
Fenton
McCarthy
Connolly
Kilkenny
Flynn
Bernard Brogan
O'Callaghan
Dean Rock

It's not easy to pick a better one than that.

[Whos going to track Morgan]

So, who's marking David Clifford, the other Clifford and Sean O'Shea?

I'd go hampsey, Meyler, Mcnamee...

I'd say Meyler will pick up O'Shea, Hampsey on Clifford and McNamee or possibly Mckernan on the other one. I actually think we have got decent match ups for these lads.

Who is going to pick up McCurry, McShane, Donnelly and Canavan?

Never mind McShane or McCurry.

Whos going to track Morgan?

Whoever's going to track him should have a chat with Paddy Andrews.

Not much talk now from the usual suspects about the Thousand Year Reich and Dublin's twenty All Irelands in a row. Everyone now seems to agree that we have indeed been looking at a golden generation of players.

Dublin 2011 to 2020 Ten Glorious Years.

The greatest Gaelic football team of all times. We're privileged to have lived through this era.

8 All Irelands
5 National Leagues
10 Leinster titles
Several record unbeaten runs
Dominated the All Star awards
Etc. etc. etc to name but a few

Sit back and enjoy the journey 

https://emea01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ftwitter.com%2FTheSundayGame%2Fstatus%2F1427031942713778177%3Fs%3D08&data=04%7C01%7C%7C8a68813034974f506e8a08d96176c1da%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637647984948063771%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=evhD9QU6fqfDFGIosNKJ2xabKcYxge2qvobZX5Qvs7I%3D&reserved=0

[Bitter as feck..]

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40360697.html?fbclid=IwAR1JKhEA_3wu6PTL9V3ItouAk5EXhAfteblEpkIlnm2Hp1syts5dkQVdpGY

Bitter as feck..

Which comments specifically show David Hickey to be "bitter as feck"? Have a look at the last couple of paragraphs about Offaly's great win on Sunday.

Irish Examiner

Dublin football great Dr David Hickey expects Mayo to win the All-Ireland title but believes the performance of referee Conor Lane significantly contributed to Dublin's demise on Saturday.

Three-time All-Ireland winner Hickey, who described Mayo as a "tragic outfit" prior to last December's final clash with Dublin, is adamant the officiating worked in the favour of the Connacht champions.

"There were four atrocious decisions that swung the game. Number one, the (Rob Hennelly's) 50 that was missed. It was allowed to be retaken because Mayo had 16 men on the field when it was taken. Dublin were penalised for a Mayo transgression, because (Stephen) Coen didn't come off in time.

"Number two, the black card for (Colm) Basquel. He passed the ball and a Mayo man ran into his back. He's not obliged to step aside. A free that was awarded to Dublin was reversed and Mayo scored at the other end.

"Number three, the overcarrying free given against our goalkeeper (Evan Comerford) was an absolute disgrace. And number four, there is a lot of talk about John Small. The hit on Brian Howard just before half-time that effectively put him out of the game was a cowardly attack from behind. He was finished after that."

As far as tactics go, Hickey cited the decision of James Horan to take off captain Aidan O'Shea in the 49th minute as a key moment.

"I have to congratulate Mayo. The turning point for me was when O'Shea was taken off and I was impressed when that man Horan did that. I don't think O'Shea has ever played well in big games. Hickey predicts Mayo will beat Kerry who he expects will see off Tyrone on Saturday week.

"I think they stuck to their guns last Saturday and they were very impressive in extra-time but Dublin being down a man in extra-time on a wet day is an impossible situation. I don't think they're all that good, to be honest about it, and I think Dublin would beat them if they played again tomorrow.

"But I think they have a good chance of beating Kerry now although their history shows that when they have a big win in an All-Ireland semi-final, they think they are there. They did the same in 2012 when they beat us and they didn't turn up in the final.

"Providing they want it enough, they will win the All-Ireland. They're moving well at the moment and I think they're a better footballing team than Kerry are. I think your man (Pádraig) O'Hora is more than capable of taking care of (David) Clifford."

The Raheny man anticipates Dublin will return strong next year with so many having experienced championship defeat for the first time. He doesn't like how they are now being dismissed now that they have finally been defeated and perceived as a dirty team.

"This is not an epitaph. They lost three championship games out of 60-odd (championship) games. No other team in any other sports, the Los Angeles Lakers, the New York Yankees, Manchester United, goes 60 games without a defeat.

"I think this Dublin team will regroup. They have had 10 years without a break. They have been involved in almost every game that has mattered. They have won 95% of their games so I don't think they have much to worry about.

"Every winning streak comes to an end. In that position, you probably do believe a bit of the propaganda that says you're unbeatable but these are a great bunch of fellas, I'm very proud of them as a former Dublin footballer and it's very clear that they are the greatest team to have ever played football.

"They have done it in style. Everyone is now looking to demonise their reputation but to me they're an impeccable group of young fellas who have done wonderful social work around the city and are always available to publicise stuff. They're an exemplary bunch of lads."

Asked if he envisages Stephen Cluxton returning to the panel and Hickey's response is firmly in the negative.

"I think the fella who should come back is Paul Mannion. Paul is too good to be out of it. I don't know what Jack (McCaffrey) is at but his career is important to him and he's at the high end of medicine so it probably doesn't lend itself (to football). But Paul Mannion should be coaxed back."

The performance of the weekend for Hickey was Offaly's U20 All-Ireland final victory against Roscommon.

"The best team I have seen play football this year is the Offaly U20s. They are a breath of fresh air in football. I was so happy.

"They wiped the floor with Dublin, they wiped the floor with Cork, and they beat a very good Roscommon team. That Cork team was very good — their game against Kerry was great.

"They're playing beautiful football and I hope they don't split up now because of economic reasons or whatever. I hope most of them can stay together, progress at senior level, and in a couple of years or so be a real challenge to Dublin."

["There were four atrocious decisions that swung the game".]

I've just read David Hickey's comments in the Irish Examiner: "There were four atrocious decisions that swung the game".  All four points were valid and are ones with which I agree. You'd need to be pretty thin-skinned to get heated up about them.

https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/gaa/arid-40360697.html