AI Football Final 2010: An Corcaigh vs An Dún

[INDIANA]

How aidan walsh didn't get nominated is unbelievable. Really is the cast of the Muppet Show concerning the Sunday game pundits now.

[tyroneboi]

Goulding did as much from play as O'Connor did. There was no real stand out performers from Cork but it was an excellent team performance in the 2nd half.

[SLIGONIAN]

I called Adrain Walsh a donkey a few weeks, can i take it back , whilst he is not the most gifted footballer of all time, hes one of the best ball winners i ever seen, it was a joy to watch him today at his best. I couldnt believe the size of him either, savage of a man, good ball carrier and stayed away from shooting today for the betterment of the team. Cant believe he wasnt nominated for MOFTM.

It was absolute honour to be there today and watch both games, Cork minor management will be kicking themselves not bringing on24 earlier as he caused havoc for tyrone. Cost them the game not having a target man.

The atmosphere was awesome and whilst Cork were outnred they made a fair bit more noise than the Down crowd.

[In the Onion Bag]

Not long home and full of Guinness.

Before going to bed I want to say congrats and well done Cork.  You were too many for us today and you deserve Sam.   

[Bogball XV]

Goulding did as much from play as O'Connor did. There was no real stand out performers from Cork but it was an excellent team performance in the 2nd half.

o'connor got 2 fantastic and inspirational points from play - maybe i was impressed because I didn't believe that he had it in him (or any cork forward for that matter)

[ross4life]

Not long home and full of Guinness.

Before going to bed I want to say congrats and well done Cork.  You were too many for us today and you deserve Sam.   

Make sure you tilt you head back, wouldn't want to spill any of the black stuff

[cokers]

On the balance of todays game I believe Cork were worthy winners. Their strength in depth coupled with the excellent second half midfield domination proved to be a bridge to far for us today.

Talk of this team having no outstanding players can now be swept under the carpet. A very well balanced side.

Wont get into post mortems but looking forward to downs next few years.

Congratulations Cork

[tintin25]

Cork were worthy winners in the end.  Down have had a great year, but this same team would be just as likely to lose in the first round of the Ulster Championship next year to Fermanagh or Cavan! 

[Pangurban]

Congrats to Cork, we never got going in second half and better team won. Still very proud of our lads, and we will be back. Enjoy your party by the Lee

[cadhlancian]

A lot of people here talking about Daniel Goulding "only " scoring frees and 45's? What a load of dung! Had we in Tyrone had such a freetaker this year , things may have been different for the red hands. Donnacha O'Connor handled the ball for the FIRST time after 25 mins, and kicked a good free with that. He did kick a couple of really nice points after that, actually great points TBH. But Goulding dragged Cork back into this with those 45's and frees.

[Zapatista]

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/championship/2010/0919/cork_down_sfcfinal2010.html



Do you think he enjoyed that?

[nrico2006]

"Down don't lose All Ireland Finals." RIP.

Fair f**ks to Cork. They had nothing in the first half but they had the bench.

Thaank god we won't hear about not losing finals anymore, was getting a bit tiresome over the past week.  Down have had a great season in reflection, nobody would have predicted them reaching the AIF at the start of the year. 

Will they do anything of note next year though?  Their key players are their older ones (Danny Hughes and Coulter), and they are pushing on abit.  Their objective next year should be to try and get near the top of the pile in Ulster, but given how Tyrone handled them this year and with the talent coming through, along with Brennan getting his hands on the Derry job plus Armagh another year down the line in development I really can't see it.

[NAG1]

Would agree that Cork deserved it on the balance of the game.

Just a point on the commentating thought it shockingly biased in favour of Cork, couldnt hide his displeasure in the first half when Down were on top and the opposite the other way around in the second. Just my observation.

[Naomh Pol CLG]

Well done Cork..You have earned that All Ireland over the last few years....Fully deserved..

In hope our boys kick on next year and we a are young enough squad to expect at least one All Ireland from this crop!

BTW: Heard a horrible rumour yesterday that Marty Clarke has agreed a huge contract to go back to Collingwood!

[bcarrier]

Well done to Cork and thanks to Down for a good season.

Walsh was huge for Cork yesterday..... kept Cork going when wheels nearly came off in the first half. A fully fit Ambrose might have been enough to give Down a bit more in the sector but ultimately the difference between the teams was Gouldings accuracy with frees and in particular the 3 45s. Clarke missed one from a similar position in first half and played a few short which might have been in Ambrose's range. Also thought Gordons ( dubious) booking meant he had to stand off O'Connor a bit more ....small things matter in a one point game.   

Poland was again excellent and along with McKernan has shown himself to be very comfortable at this level.  It might be stating the bleedin obvious when you lose an all ireland by a point but Down arent that short  ....if we could get Ambrose back and the full forward position sorted during the national league ( John Clarke has been a great servant to Down but is a bit short of pace/ strength/ height  to worry defences at county level) then maybe  we can hang around for a few years...it is a long way back though. Gaainfo http://www.gaainfo.com/rankings/index.php ranks us in 5th now but I do think things have levelled out ....Cork only beat the 18th ranked county after extra time and Down struggled against the 25th ranked one this year.   

   
Rank      County   Points
1       Cork   1822.45
2       Kerry   1768.88
3       Dublin   1733.71
4       Tyrone   1665.81
5       Down   1632.26
6       Mayo   1611.08
7       Meath   1585.08
8       Armagh   1564.94
9       Kildare   1546.13
10       Monaghan   1531.33
11       Galway   1517.11
12       Derry   1511.39
13       Donegal   1478.22
14       Wexford   1380.53
15       Louth   1374.62
16       Sligo   1367.57
17       Laois   1339.96
18       Limerick   1317.00
19       Antrim   1301.58
20       Tipperary   1266.01
21       Cavan   1259.42
22       Roscommon   1245.09
23       Westmeath   1234.28
24       Fermanagh   1227.81
25       Offaly   1220.40
26       Wicklow   1151.50
27       Longford   1128.21
28       Waterford   1052.46
29       Leitrim   1035.73
30       Clare   996.53
31       Carlow   929.46
32       London   644.23
33       New York   611.87
34       Kilkenny   409.35