UC 2010: Aontroim vs Tír Eoghain 23rd May, Páirc Mhic Asmaint

[Zapatista]

And there was a few know alls last week  posting that the sideline ball ruling wouldnt cause any constirnation or possible conflict in games 

I would been very surprised if someone could have predicted the linesman would raise his flag for a technical foul and then lower it because the ref didn't see him.
 
It seemed like the linesman just decided to put his flag down for some reason.

[Zapatista]

Couple of interesting stats from 'enhance analysis' from the Irish News:

- Tyrone only dropped one ball short into keepers arms as opposed to 5 for Antrim.

- 64% of Antrims scores came from kick outs where as 68%
of Tyrones scores came from counter attacks.

- Both teams broke even on breaking ball, 20 breaks won each. However, Antrim won 5 clean catches compared to Tyrones 2 (but we are all aware that Tyrone rarely ever win the high fielding count).

- Turnover count was almost even with Antrim turning over 36 times and Tyrone 35.

- Finally, Tyrone fared marginally better in the shot effieciency stakes with 59% success rate compared to Antrims 56%.

All in all the game seemed to be pretty tight from the stats side but in reality Tyrone were always the superior team. Their ability to score clinical goals and to grab points here and there when Antrim looked like closing in always kept them in control.

Many of the counter attacks came from Antrim mistakes which can't be relied on in future games. Tyrone will need to raise the scores from kickouts percentage.

[NAG1]

Im not that concerned about that incident because I think the game is stop start enough, without another stoppage to it. But the fact is that the ref and linesman are mic'd up so therefore there would have been a conversation held over their radio's for the game to be allowed to go ahead.

[longrunsthefox]

Quick question about the new rules.

Antrim got a line ball in and around the 25min.  Tony Scullion took it, had his foot/feet inside the sideline, and under the new shitty rules, the linesman immediately raised his flag (which I thought resulted in a hop ball, 13m from the sideline)  Anyways, Tyrone ended up winning the line ball (A misplaced pass by Scullion), ricey broke up the field, played it to Dooher who scored.

Is this an example of Pat McE playing the advantage rule?

No- it is an example of Pat getting carried away with his own press about how he lets game flow. Now he makes up the rules as he goes along. If it were to be a free to Tyrone there would be some justification but Tyrone were not due an advantage for the indiscretion. Should have been a hop ball.   

[imtommygunn]

It was poor by the linesman whoever he was but in the grand scheme of things I don't think it made much difference.

Tyrone's two goals came from antrim mistakes as did at least that point.

Mistakes in county football will be punished and need to be minimised as much as possible. We are talking unforced errors here too.

That's not to take away from Tyrone. We need to stop making such fundamental errors if we're to compete at this level.

[Zulu]

He was dead right to leave the game flow, if he brought it back he would have rewarded Antrim for breaking the rules.

[OverThePostsAWide]

...Looking back, Tyrone could have been totally out of reach by half time-opted for points when goals were possible.

+1

...Am surprised that Dooher didn't get a bigger mention-thought he was immense- on TV he was in the corner of the screen almost the whole way through the first half.

Watching it live I thought his contribution was more talismanic than real. Loughrey had him well marshalled and was still able to do his own thing. He got a bit more freedom when Scullion moved onto him for short periods.

He took his point well. There were better options available at the time - perhaps maybe even a goal chance? - but it was an important marker for himself and the team.

He was really struggling by the time he was taken off - which is not surprising given the heat and his long lay-off. He still has the vision and accuracy but only time - and not bleep tests - will tell whether he has the legs for a long summer.

Cavanagh fisted point if the pressure was on could as easily be a goal-Dooher's point could have been a goal.  Hub almost got another.  Antrim had one chance and took it.  It could very easily have been a rout. 
I just feel that Dooher's main qualities lie off the ball and when he went off space started to appear around the middle and Antrim's half forward line.  I suppose hard to see on TV.

When I said "+1" above I meant I agreed with you! 

[sandwiches_in_the_boot]

Watching the square ball decision over and over. It looks like when it was kicked in high by Cavanagh. Took a bounce outside the square, Finucane then just beats Hub to it, pats it down inside the box. Cavanagh comes in, hits off him, Hughes then pats at it trying to control it. He then kicks it, it's not clear if he is inside or out at this point, McHugh says Hub kicks it from outside the small rectangle. Finucane and an Antrim player manage to save it between them inside before it deflects off them and comes to Cavanagh who knocks it in, from what looks like inside the box. What isn't clear is whether Cavanagh was inside when Hub kicked it.

Now is it even technically a square ball if the opposing keeper saves and another player fists it in from inside the box? The idea of the rule is not stop players standing on the goal line beside the keeper when the high ball comes in, a bit like the offside rule in soccer. That's how I interpret it anyway.

Goal would have stood in 90% of cases, IMO.

[stibhan]

He was dead right to leave the game flow, if he brought it back he would have rewarded Antrim for breaking the rules.

No he wasn't. It wouldn't be rewarding anyone, it would be applying the rules of the game. By saying 'breaking the rules' you act as if its a heinous crime to step onto the pitch, when in any case Tyrone 'broke the rules' in a fashion by putting the ball out of play in the first place. It was a horrible bit of refereeing and was completely unfair.

[sandwiches_in_the_boot]

He was dead right to leave the game flow, if he brought it back he would have rewarded Antrim for breaking the rules.

No he wasn't. It wouldn't be rewarding anyone, it would be applying the rules of the game. By saying 'breaking the rules' you act as if its a heinous crime to step onto the pitch, when in any case Tyrone 'broke the rules' in a fashion by putting the ball out of play in the first place. It was a horrible bit of refereeing and was completely unfair.

[A Quinn Martin Production]

He was dead right to leave the game flow, if he brought it back he would have rewarded Antrim for breaking the rules.

That's because we now know that Tyrone scored from the ensuing play.  PMcE couldn't have known that at the time.  Earlier in the game S Cavanagh?  was blown up for the same infringement and Tyrone won the subsequent throw in...a reward for breaking the rules

[A Quinn Martin Production]

He was dead right to leave the game flow, if he brought it back he would have rewarded Antrim for breaking the rules.

No he wasn't. It wouldn't be rewarding anyone, it would be applying the rules of the game. By saying 'breaking the rules' you act as if its a heinous crime to step onto the pitch, when in any case Tyrone 'broke the rules' in a fashion by putting the ball out of play in the first place. It was a horrible bit of refereeing and was completely unfair.

Oh dear sitb...this will haunt you later in the summer...

[stibhan]

He was dead right to leave the game flow, if he brought it back he would have rewarded Antrim for breaking the rules.

No he wasn't. It wouldn't be rewarding anyone, it would be applying the rules of the game. By saying 'breaking the rules' you act as if its a heinous crime to step onto the pitch, when in any case Tyrone 'broke the rules' in a fashion by putting the ball out of play in the first place. It was a horrible bit of refereeing and was completely unfair.

I was actually referencing Father Todd Unctious, but nice picture.

[rrhf]

Happy enough albeit we pulled the pin a bit in the second half, but sure there was no real danger.  Anybody see the meatwagons on the andytown road with the flegs hanging off them.  I presume they werent the real deal.  lovely sunny day with more lovely sunny days ahead.  Dooher was great, and those mc mahon cubs can play a bit.     

[OverThePostsAWide]

See the Irish News managed to dedicate the back page to Baker's sour grapes courtesy of Archer...

Watched the game back there, Mugsy's steal was legit, took it clean, Brady stumbled after losing the ball.

Bit perplexed at them giving Niblock MOTM when the rest of the team were rated so low, apart from CJ McGourty. Also don't agree that Davey Harte should be rated higher than Cathal McCarron.

I've no complaints about this goal, but he did pull Brady's shirt....technically a foul but I don't think McEneany could have seen it.  How he missed Mulligan's throw for the first goal mind you...

We agree on the second goal, but I actually think the first goal was legit. I have watched the replay several times and I can see Mulligan remove his striking hand away from the ball before the "strike" with the fingers. Not very far and not a haymaker by any means but I do think there was clear air between the ball and his striking hand before the striking action. I'm not sure McEneaney could have seen a "clear striking action" though in realtime if it took me 3 or 4 replays. Maybe that's what makes him such a good referee  <duck>