Messages

With evenly matched teams it is boiling down to the KOs now. The space there is you should have a shot on goal in every attack. Possession football - as demonstrated by Kerry yesterday very well - remains king.

Personally I lament the loss of the "contest" between attacker and defender. The oul defender is hung out now - with the steps rule elasticaed to 9/10 there is literally no way to defend a good forward in the space there now is. I had a wee chuckle at the team of the year player videos last night as half the forwards were shown in slomo overcarrying constantly.

That said, I understand the sales value to the broader masses of big scores, extended attacking highlight reels and the opportunity to put inside forwards on a pedestal. The media aren't missing their chance, that's for sure.

It's early days so things may evolve in some way but good luck with the recruitment and development of defenders going forward. The best man marker in the country was taken for 9 points yesterday on the biggest stage - and in my view he played well.

Glad I don't spend any time thinking about it - unlike some...

[paid for]

Fun fact - hotels pubs restaurants chippys trains busses o'neills etc existed before the GPA

The GPA have paid for a report to justify funding and frame the GPA as indispensable

This is not an independent study, its advocacy economics/napkin maths 101 inflated by multipliers, assumptions, and the notion that every euro spent on a big match day somehow owes its existence solely to elite players

The GPA is sitting on the roof of a house built entirely by clubs and their leaders

The GPA has been strategically embedding itself, shifting from a "players' union" to an influential stakeholder inside GAA governance i.e. classic intuitional creep, its why they are so steadfast for integration, it creates holes and cracks for them to exploit and fill. Start as advocates, become embedded, shape policy, effectively co-govern: thats the vision

The GPAs latest pitch more money for elite amateurs is apparently about securing the future of Gaelic games for everyone - no harm Tom but thats an inverted pyramid of piffle

I won't be reading any of that as i'm not in the slightest but interested but if you don't think hotels, pubs, etc. don't benefit significantly from the IC season then you really shouldn't be in this conversation.

Six knock out games played in the all Ireland series...

Tyrone 0-23 Dublin 0-16
Donegal 1-26 Monaghan 1-20
Meath 2-16 Galway 2-15
Kerry 0-32 Armagh 1-21
Kerry 1-20 Tyrone 0-17
Donegal 3-26 Meath 0-15

No time limit but we can't keep the hand up forever so within 5 seconds the ref will make a decision based on the play..

I've yet to see an advantage given for anything longer bar the player making a mark from ball kicked into the 21 from outside the 45

Has anybody seen this applied for over 10 seconds?

Vast majority this season are beyond 10s

Is the Derry direction of travel in management terms not blindingly obvious here?

Go on

Gallagher back - cert

Bump

Is the Derry direction of travel in management terms not blindingly obvious here?

First time I've listened to a Katie Taylor interview in a while and there were very clear signs of cognitive decline for me. "Punch drunk" in old timers' language.

Her speech is distinctly slurred - over a year since I heard her. Surely people around her see this?

[Hurson]

The refs for the quarter finals

Monaghan v Donegal - Paddy Neilan (Roscommon)

Tyrone v Dublin - David Goldrick (Meath)

Meath v Galway- Martin McNally (Monaghan)

Armagh v Kerry - Brendan Cawley (Kildare)

Hurson and Faloon waiting for bigger days out?
Or McQuillan and Cassidy?

And Gough?
Whilst not a huge fan of Hurson I'd say that has to be right.

McQuillan and Cassidy wouldn't be considered at this stage surely.

I'm not sure the argument stands up that TC winners have become yoyo teams and. Ant bridge the gap.

Down finished second in their group this year and ran an All Ireland challenger very close. Meath have topped their group and will be formidable opposition in the quarter finals this weekend.

Westmeath returned to TC this year but were very competitive in Sam Maguire and division two and very unlucky to be relegated. Ultimately there is only room for 16 and teams have to lose out in any competitive environment.

The TC winners have had a very good opportunity then to push on - it is up to themselves to take it.

Is there another team field sport where 20 percent of the team are restricted from one half of the field, asking for a friend.

Go and watch a different sport

Lol could say the same for ones that have been complaining about the game over the past decade or so. Referee pulling keepers anymore on taking their time on kickouts? Patton seemed like he was out for a walk in the park there

That rule was quashed recently

No, it wasn't.

The 20s guidance was extended to 30s but at the referee's discretion.

It's down to refs discretion so anyone taking 30 seconds will end up being pulled.. did anyone time it?

Is it 30 seconds from the ball going dead or from the keeper setting the ball?

If the latter, definitely not 30 seconds.

Ball going dead.

Surely Monaghan should've been allowed one more play there

The only thing I can think off is that the ball was deemed out of play when the hooter blew.

You have to get it back in play before the hooter sounds - which O'Toole could have done.

Is there another team field sport where 20 percent of the team are restricted from one half of the field, asking for a friend.

Go and watch a different sport

Lol could say the same for ones that have been complaining about the game over the past decade or so. Referee pulling keepers anymore on taking their time on kickouts? Patton seemed like he was out for a walk in the park there

That rule was quashed recently

No, it wasn't.

The 20s guidance was extended to 30s but at the referee's discretion.

The keeper can collect the ball from a defender inside the big square.

Only if the ball is won in the square initially

Convenient for the Tyrone men tonight to sit behind a warped interpretation of the rules but if you have any perspective you will see what's coming down the line for all of us.

A good ref is going to struggle with these rules on his own. A bad one - like tonight - will ruin games and dictate the outcome.

Personally I prefer football to decide the outcome of games.