Donegal v Kerry AIQF

[CorkMan]

I have to agree with what Brolly said last night. If a team stays with Kerry til the end of a game they are likely to beat them, if they have any sort of mental strength. Tyrone and Armagh did. Dublin did. Cork were as good as them each time they've played in Croke Park but weren't strong enough mentally. I think Donegal will stay with them til the end and will have the mental toughness and will beat them.

So you and the other Brolly believers must then believe that Kerry were the better team against Tyrone. If so this is an insult to Tyrone. Remember you can't have it both ways.

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

I'm not a 'Brolly believer'. Normally I wouldn't agree with a word he says but I think he makes a good point about Kerry. If a team is still in it against them with 5 or 10 mins to go, they will get beat against a top side more often than they'll win.

Where are you getting this shite about Joe McQuillan costing Kerry the All Ireland last year. Ref's make mistakes and I'm sure he made a few that benefited Kerry. Eoin Brosnan touching it on the ground in the square should have been a penalty, not a 20 metre free. Kerry threw that match away on their own, without McQuillans help.

[heffo]

I have to agree with what Brolly said last night. If a team stays with Kerry til the end of a game they are likely to beat them, if they have any sort of mental strength. Tyrone and Armagh did. Dublin did. Cork were as good as them each time they've played in Croke Park but weren't strong enough mentally. I think Donegal will stay with them til the end and will have the mental toughness and will beat them.

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

Kerry were much the better team alright!

If you want to see phantom frees look at the Olympic diver Darran O'Sullivan and the succession of soft frees he got.

Here is a photo of Brosnan touching the ball on the ground - http://fmcphotos.com/2011/09/19/dublin-v-kerry-all-ireland-football-final-2011/dublin-v-kerry-all-ireland-senior-football-final-2011-32/

As for not allowing for the 'time wasting' by Cluxton, Sheehan took six seconds longer over a free when Kerry were coasting, checking the wind, tying his laces and he didn't have to come up from the far end of the pitch.

[PAULD123]

I think that might be Seamus sorted then

[Seamus]

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

If McQuillan was so intent on a Dublin victory why did he not award a penalty against Brosnan which would have been the correct decision for the handling the ball in the small square?
McQuillan had turned away to follow the play up field when McMenamin double hopped the ball and so he missed it. It was not a deliberately biased decision against Kerry, just a mistake. The Dubs were lucky enough there as Sheehan would most like have pointed the free.
The last free which was awarded for a foot trip on McMenamin was a free. It was engineered to an extent in that Mac could have avoided the outstretched leg but why would he?
All the better teams have forwards who coax the referee into blowing for a free at times. Cooper is especially good at this.
McQuillan did not rob Kerry of an All Ireland. It was a great battle between 2 evenly matched teams and the Dubs won a narrow but deserved victory on the day.

Brosnan did not touch the ball on the ground end off. McMenaman hopped the ball twice, how convenient for Dublin that McQuillan did not "see" it. Sure he saw it  Keane's feet were firmly set on the ground, if there was a free at all it would be for charging, the proper decision would be for to allow play continue. Referees should not decide games on borderline incidences with what turned out to really be the last kick of the game. There was several more decisions that went Dublin's way, it was to most one sided refereeing performance I've seen since '82.

[heffo]

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

If McQuillan was so intent on a Dublin victory why did he not award a penalty against Brosnan which would have been the correct decision for the handling the ball in the small square?
McQuillan had turned away to follow the play up field when McMenamin double hopped the ball and so he missed it. It was not a deliberately biased decision against Kerry, just a mistake. The Dubs were lucky enough there as Sheehan would most like have pointed the free.
The last free which was awarded for a foot trip on McMenamin was a free. It was engineered to an extent in that Mac could have avoided the outstretched leg but why would he?
All the better teams have forwards who coax the referee into blowing for a free at times. Cooper is especially good at this.
McQuillan did not rob Kerry of an All Ireland. It was a great battle between 2 evenly matched teams and the Dubs won a narrow but deserved victory on the day.

Brosnan did not touch the ball on the ground end off. McMenaman hopped the ball twice, how convenient for Dublin that McQuillan did not "see" it. Sure he saw it  Keane's feet were firmly set on the ground, if there was a free at all it would be for charging, the proper decision would be for to allow play continue. Referees should not decide games on borderline incidences with what turned out to really be the last kick of the game. There was several more decisions that went Dublin's way, it was to most one sided refereeing performance I've seen since '82.

Did you look at the picture I posted? I think you'll find he did touch it.

Keane's feet might have been firmly planted in the ground but not before he moved his leg out to trip McMenamin.

Funny McQuillan didn't spot the Cork player going a foot over the sideline before Cork scored the winner against Dublin in the 2010 Semi-final either and he certainly spotted 30-odd frees from somewhere to give against Dublin somehow.

Nothing worse than a bad loser Seamus, Kerry have a proud history and it wasn't built on crying after being beat fair and square.

[joemamas]

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

If McQuillan was so intent on a Dublin victory why did he not award a penalty against Brosnan which would have been the correct decision for the handling the ball in the small square?
McQuillan had turned away to follow the play up field when McMenamin double hopped the ball and so he missed it. It was not a deliberately biased decision against Kerry, just a mistake. The Dubs were lucky enough there as Sheehan would most like have pointed the free.
The last free which was awarded for a foot trip on McMenamin was a free. It was engineered to an extent in that Mac could have avoided the outstretched leg but why would he?
All the better teams have forwards who coax the referee into blowing for a free at times. Cooper is especially good at this.
McQuillan did not rob Kerry of an All Ireland. It was a great battle between 2 evenly matched teams and the Dubs won a narrow but deserved victory on the day.

Brosnan did not touch the ball on the ground end off. McMenaman hopped the ball twice, how convenient for Dublin that McQuillan did not "see" it. Sure he saw it  Keane's feet were firmly set on the ground, if there was a free at all it would be for charging, the proper decision would be for to allow play continue. Referees should not decide games on borderline incidences with what turned out to really be the last kick of the game. There was several more decisions that went Dublin's way, it was to most one sided refereeing performance I've seen since '82.

Did you look at the picture I posted? I think you'll find he did touch it.

Keane's feet might have been firmly planted in the ground but not before he moved his leg out to trip McMenamin.

Funny McQuillan didn't spot the Cork player going a foot over the sideline before Cork scored the winner against Dublin in the 2010 Semi-final either and he certainly spotted 30-odd frees from somewhere to give against Dublin somehow.

Nothing worse than a bad loser Seamus, Kerry have a proud history and it wasn't built on crying after being beat fair and square.

+1

In addition, as much as I like Kerry's skill level, I really hate the antics of Declan O Sullivan, Kieran Donahy and Colm Cooper, they never stop whining, constantly complaining to ref, and going baldheaded for him after a decision goes against them.

[Seamus]

Why we should ignore pundits like Joe Brolly
By Kieran Shannon

Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Reading or listening to what passes for most GAA commentary these days, you sometimes wonder why they bother, those brave souls-poor eejits that coach or play inter-county football.

For five straight years Kieran McGeeney has guided Kildare to the All-Ireland series when in the seven seasons before him Kildare hadn't even made it even once, yet a line of commentators label his team "underachievers" and ask where's the silverware.

Maybe Kildare are only the fifth or sixth best team in the country, but what's the shame in that? It seems to be lost on a lot of GAA pundits and writers sceptical of Kildare that they themselves aren't among the top five nationally in their own profession either.

We call it "Ah but" syndrome. Any achievement a team pulls off can be dismissed by an "Ah but" or a "But sure". Usually it's in relation to their calibre or list of defeated opponents. "But sure they've beaten nobody." Go through this year's All-Ireland quarter-finalists and it could be levelled at nearly all of them, except Cork, but sure that was only in the Munster championship.

There's one thing being a critic and another being a cynic. And The Sunday Game resident panellists are the worst offenders of belittling people without whom they wouldn't have anyone to get paid to commentate about.

Whereas their hurling counterparts Liam Sheedy and Cyril Farrell can observe and enjoy a match between two non-contenders like Wexford and Offaly on its own merits, the triumvirate of Brolly, Spillane and O'Rourke spent the early summer belittling or berating the honest efforts of Division Three teams like Wexford, Longford and Tipperary.

O'Rourke, Brolly and Spillane each in their own right still have a lot to offer GAA punditry but you can't keep having two or more of them on at once without either a younger, more informed panellist (Dara Ó Cinnéide and Anthony Tohill are sorely missed) or a stronger, more informed anchor.

Last Sunday night was a nadir. While Michael Lyster projected his scepticism of Joe Brolly's skewed and selective argument on the merits of Kerry, we'd prefer if it had been in the way of facts rather than rolling his eyes.

Brolly's attack on Kerry and Colm Cooper was the ultimate in "Ah but" punditry. He's gone close before. All last summer he dismissed every Dublin team of the last 25 years as "chokers". His reservations of Cork are well documented. But the way he downplayed the six All-Irelands Kerry have won over the last 15 years was pathetic.

According to Joe, "on all occasions — this is just a simple fact of life — whenever a team stands and stares them in the face for 70 minutes, Kerry have looked down... I have yet to see this Kerry team win in the face of adversity."

Yes, you have, Joe, if you care to remember. Twice against Armagh in 2000 and again when the counties met in the 2006 All-Ireland quarter-final — call it that year's final if you want, since you're so dismissive of Mayo. How can you forget all three days when your beloved Crossmaglen were well represented?

You can't just judiciously pick last year's All-Ireland final against Dublin and then forget about Kerry's victory over the same county in a 2007 All Ireland semi-final that was almost as epic as Derry's 1993 semi-final win over the Dubs, the game which forged much of your own reputation as a player.

They "faced adversity" against Galway in 2000 and 2008 and triumphed. And when they met proper Cork teams in 2008 and 2009 and in Munster in 2010 and 2011, Kerry, thanks in no small part to Cooper, carved out a way.

Joe can't keep dismissing Kerry's 2004 triumph either on the basis that they only beat Mayo; didn't that the same Mayo beat the mighty Tyrone?

Everyone has "choked'', Joe. Tyrone in 2004 and 2007 when Mayo and Meath put it up to them. Peter "The Great" got himself suspended in 1997 and sent off in 2001. Mikey Sheehy couldn't kick a free in Killarney in 1987 a week after conjuring up that last-minute goal down by the Lee.

Maybe it was Joe, in trying to break into TV, who behind the scenes put together that famous "Pele was crap" sequence for Baddiel and Skinner on Fantasy Football.

Maybe Kerry might lose to Donegal next weekend. If they do, it'll be just like when Tyrone met a hungrier, younger team in Cork in 2009, not because they lacked any bottle.

Everyone loses now and again, even Kerry.

Champions make their setbacks temporary and their victories permanent. Critics prefer to make their victories temporary and their setbacks permanent.

The trick for champions is to ignore the latter.

Maybe we all should until the likes of Joe wise up.

[Seamus]

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

If McQuillan was so intent on a Dublin victory why did he not award a penalty against Brosnan which would have been the correct decision for the handling the ball in the small square?
McQuillan had turned away to follow the play up field when McMenamin double hopped the ball and so he missed it. It was not a deliberately biased decision against Kerry, just a mistake. The Dubs were lucky enough there as Sheehan would most like have pointed the free.
The last free which was awarded for a foot trip on McMenamin was a free. It was engineered to an extent in that Mac could have avoided the outstretched leg but why would he?
All the better teams have forwards who coax the referee into blowing for a free at times. Cooper is especially good at this.
McQuillan did not rob Kerry of an All Ireland. It was a great battle between 2 evenly matched teams and the Dubs won a narrow but deserved victory on the day.

Brosnan did not touch the ball on the ground end off. McMenaman hopped the ball twice, how convenient for Dublin that McQuillan did not "see" it. Sure he saw it  Keane's feet were firmly set on the ground, if there was a free at all it would be for charging, the proper decision would be for to allow play continue. Referees should not decide games on borderline incidences with what turned out to really be the last kick of the game. There was several more decisions that went Dublin's way, it was to most one sided refereeing performance I've seen since '82.

Did you look at the picture I posted? I think you'll find he did touch it.

Keane's feet might have been firmly planted in the ground but not before he moved his leg out to trip McMenamin.

Funny McQuillan didn't spot the Cork player going a foot over the sideline before Cork scored the winner against Dublin in the 2010 Semi-final either and he certainly spotted 30-odd frees from somewhere to give against Dublin somehow.

Nothing worse than a bad loser Seamus, Kerry have a proud history and it wasn't built on crying after being beat fair and square.

The picture is not conclusive as his hands are not on the ball. McMenamin played for the free by charging into Keane. It should have been a non call. Referees should not decide games in such circumstances. Inept refereeing is the biggest problem in our game.

Just because a Kerryman brings up facts about a game he is considered a bad loser. I happened to have the best night of the year after that, not a sign of a bad loser.

[heffo]

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

If McQuillan was so intent on a Dublin victory why did he not award a penalty against Brosnan which would have been the correct decision for the handling the ball in the small square?
McQuillan had turned away to follow the play up field when McMenamin double hopped the ball and so he missed it. It was not a deliberately biased decision against Kerry, just a mistake. The Dubs were lucky enough there as Sheehan would most like have pointed the free.
The last free which was awarded for a foot trip on McMenamin was a free. It was engineered to an extent in that Mac could have avoided the outstretched leg but why would he?
All the better teams have forwards who coax the referee into blowing for a free at times. Cooper is especially good at this.
McQuillan did not rob Kerry of an All Ireland. It was a great battle between 2 evenly matched teams and the Dubs won a narrow but deserved victory on the day.

Brosnan did not touch the ball on the ground end off. McMenaman hopped the ball twice, how convenient for Dublin that McQuillan did not "see" it. Sure he saw it  Keane's feet were firmly set on the ground, if there was a free at all it would be for charging, the proper decision would be for to allow play continue. Referees should not decide games on borderline incidences with what turned out to really be the last kick of the game. There was several more decisions that went Dublin's way, it was to most one sided refereeing performance I've seen since '82.

Did you look at the picture I posted? I think you'll find he did touch it.

Keane's feet might have been firmly planted in the ground but not before he moved his leg out to trip McMenamin.

Funny McQuillan didn't spot the Cork player going a foot over the sideline before Cork scored the winner against Dublin in the 2010 Semi-final either and he certainly spotted 30-odd frees from somewhere to give against Dublin somehow.

Nothing worse than a bad loser Seamus, Kerry have a proud history and it wasn't built on crying after being beat fair and square.

The picture is not conclusive as his hands are not on the ball. McMenamin played for the free by charging into Keane. It should have been a non call. Referees should not decide games in such circumstances. Inept refereeing is the biggest problem in our game.

Just because a Kerryman brings up facts about a game he is considered a bad loser. I happened to have the best night of the year after that, not a sign of a bad loser.

You haven't brought up any facts, you've posted some woefully inaccurate opinions.

You have your chance now Sunday to get your AI back - lets hope ye can do it and all the mouthing from the Kerry players & O'Connor can stop and they let their football do the talking.

[Coddler]

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

If McQuillan was so intent on a Dublin victory why did he not award a penalty against Brosnan which would have been the correct decision for the handling the ball in the small square?
McQuillan had turned away to follow the play up field when McMenamin double hopped the ball and so he missed it. It was not a deliberately biased decision against Kerry, just a mistake. The Dubs were lucky enough there as Sheehan would most like have pointed the free.
The last free which was awarded for a foot trip on McMenamin was a free. It was engineered to an extent in that Mac could have avoided the outstretched leg but why would he?
All the better teams have forwards who coax the referee into blowing for a free at times. Cooper is especially good at this.
McQuillan did not rob Kerry of an All Ireland. It was a great battle between 2 evenly matched teams and the Dubs won a narrow but deserved victory on the day.

Brosnan did not touch the ball on the ground end off. McMenaman hopped the ball twice, how convenient for Dublin that McQuillan did not "see" it. Sure he saw it  Keane's feet were firmly set on the ground, if there was a free at all it would be for charging, the proper decision would be for to allow play continue. Referees should not decide games on borderline incidences with what turned out to really be the last kick of the game. There was several more decisions that went Dublin's way, it was to most one sided refereeing performance I've seen since '82.

Ok. I tried to be reasonable but I see you're not for turning from your myopia. Just suck it up Seamus. We whipped that all Ireland out from under your smug Kerry noses and you're just going to have to live with it. The most bitter Kerry defeat since 82 I would imagine. Look on the bright side. At least you didn't have the victory T-shirts printed up beforehand this time around..............

[Seamus]

I have absolutely no problem with Dublin winning, I do not begrudge them in the slightest and congratulate them whole heartily . It's McQuillan I've the problem with. By the way I'm not bitter about '82 either. I even believe that Darby's goal was perfect, the referee was correct in not awarding a free.

[Coddler]

I have absolutely no problem with Dublin winning, I do not begrudge them in the slightest and congratulate them whole heartily . It's McQuillan I've the problem with. By the way I'm not bitter about '82 either. I even believe that Darby's goal was perfect, the referee was correct in not awarding a free.

Fair enough. We'll agree to differ on McQuillan's performance.

[camanchero]

this should be a clinker of a game.
Lets see what tactics Jim McGuinness rolls out on Sunday.
With cork inconsistent and possibly mentally fragile at times, Dublin in second season syndrome and still not anywhere near hitting form yet, the winners of this game will be in pole position...

this is the best time of the year - for Gaelic football and to be an Irishman (or woman)

Really looking forward to this wekends games- and am heading to croker for Sunday !

[RMDrive]

So how do people think the Dublin v Kerry QF will go? Lots of debate on it in this thread ...

[Canalman]

In the Dublin game Kerry did not choke either. Kerry of course were much the better team. Joe McQuillan was the reason why the Dubs won. Colm O'Rourke highlighted this in articles after the game. Dublin got "three points from phantom frees in the first half alone" (Colm's words). In the second half Eoin Brosnan made probably the best defensive play of the year but was unjustly penalised for touching the ball on the ground in the small square resulting in another gifted point. Kerry were in cruise control and Dublin had given up (and McQuillan) until the error for the goal.  When the sides were level with about two minutes to go McMennaman hopped the ball twice on the Dublin 45 directly in front of the posts and one yard from McQuillan, result no free to Kerry and Dublin went up the field and pointed. The way Sheehan way playing he would have pointed the free that should have been. This was a two point swing.  To Kerry's credit they came back and equalised with a great GUTSY point from Kieran Donaghy. Enter McQuillan again in injury time with another phantom free which won the game for Dublin. He also never allowed for the time wasted in taking the free. Impossible for any team to overcome this.

If McQuillan was so intent on a Dublin victory why did he not award a penalty against Brosnan which would have been the correct decision for the handling the ball in the small square?
McQuillan had turned away to follow the play up field when McMenamin double hopped the ball and so he missed it. It was not a deliberately biased decision against Kerry, just a mistake. The Dubs were lucky enough there as Sheehan would most like have pointed the free.
The last free which was awarded for a foot trip on McMenamin was a free. It was engineered to an extent in that Mac could have avoided the outstretched leg but why would he?
All the better teams have forwards who coax the referee into blowing for a free at times. Cooper is especially good at this.
McQuillan did not rob Kerry of an All Ireland. It was a great battle between 2 evenly matched teams and the Dubs won a narrow but deserved victory on the day.

Brosnan did not touch the ball on the ground end off. McMenaman hopped the ball twice, how convenient for Dublin that McQuillan did not "see" it. Sure he saw it  Keane's feet were firmly set on the ground, if there was a free at all it would be for charging, the proper decision would be for to allow play continue. Referees should not decide games on borderline incidences with what turned out to really be the last kick of the game. There was several more decisions that went Dublin's way, it was to most one sided refereeing performance I've seen since '82.

Did you look at the picture I posted? I think you'll find he did touch it.

Keane's feet might have been firmly planted in the ground but not before he moved his leg out to trip McMenamin.

Funny McQuillan didn't spot the Cork player going a foot over the sideline before Cork scored the winner against Dublin in the 2010 Semi-final either and he certainly spotted 30-odd frees from somewhere to give against Dublin somehow.

Nothing worse than a bad loser Seamus, Kerry have a proud history and it wasn't built on crying after being beat fair and square.

Not to mention the following

1 Declan O'Sullivan's flaying elbow into Kevin Nolan which could have been a straight red. (for the record I don't think it deserved one as Brennan's tackle didn't also)
2 Illegal palmed point scored by Donaghy
3 The taking of 10 steps by Declan O'Sullivan (sorry Declan) in front of the Cusack Stand  late in the game which went unpunished.

Just pointing out that imvho of course that there were decisions last September which didn't go Dublin's way as they didn't in the 1978 and 1985 AIFs also. Cork posters here also will point to crucial decisions in the 2 AIFs they lost to Kerry that didn't go their way.

We got the break in 1995 v Tyrone just as they in turn  got the soft penalty against us in 2005.

That's football I suppose.

Apologies to the Donegal posters for having to reply in  this thread.

In fairness to Kerry as has been  much touted the winning of this year's All Ireland by them will be undoubtedly their greatest of recent times.
By beating Tyrone, Donegal, Cork (possibly) and Dublin ( if we get there ) their greatness will be acclaimed by all.