Tyrone vs Mayo AISF Semi-Final - August 25th

[seafoid]

A good performance from about 25 mins onwards. They will look hard at the video to figure out what went wrong in the first 25 as that can't be allowed to happen again.

I can understand the comments on the ref, I thought he was chronic from a Mayo POV. TSG clearly demonstrated why Tyrone are entitled to feel aggrieved with him too. That takes some talent, to piss everyone off.

For Freeman's disallowed goal I saw the refs hand up and feared the worst. The penalty was just outside but definitely was a free.

The foot block discussion here is hilarious. The normal interpretation of the rule is that if your foot block the ball just as the kicker is striking it from the hand, then it is a free and instinctively players know it is dangerous as you could break the other player's foot. Kicking the ball off another player's foot or leg is a different thing.

Reading the rule it doesn't disagree with the above. The issue isn't distance, it is time. 'When the ball is kicked from the hand' (or whatever the wording is) means at that instant, or exactly as the ball is being kicked.

"you can only shoulder to shoulder tackle if the player is in possession"

What about two players running for a loose ball? Can they shoulder each other?

Must comment on the Tyrone fans who I thought were great before, during and after the match.

The main thing was to win, Muppet. Better to have things to work on than to go in overconfident.

I liked Horan's post match interview. Grinding, grinding
http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/football/2013/0825/470237-horan/

Once they get into the rhythm they are very good.

[sam03/05]

Deegan was a disgrace yesterday towards Tyrone.
It's bad when even he Sunday game highlight it.

[Saffrongael]

A good performance from about 25 mins onwards. They will look hard at the video to figure out what went wrong in the first 25 as that can't be allowed to happen again.

I can understand the comments on the ref, I thought he was chronic from a Mayo POV. TSG clearly demonstrated why Tyrone are entitled to feel aggrieved with him too. That takes some talent, to piss everyone off.

For Freeman's disallowed goal I saw the refs hand up and feared the worst. The penalty was just outside but definitely was a free.

The foot block discussion here is hilarious. The normal interpretation of the rule is that if your foot block the ball just as the kicker is striking it from the hand, then it is a free and instinctively players know it is dangerous as you could break the other player's foot. Kicking the ball off another player's foot or leg is a different thing.

Reading the rule it doesn't disagree with the above. The issue isn't distance, it is time. 'When the ball is kicked from the hand' (or whatever the wording is) means at that instant, or exactly as the ball is being kicked.

"you can only shoulder to shoulder tackle if the player is in possession"

What about two players running for a loose ball? Can they shoulder each other?

Must comment on the Tyrone fans who I thought were great before, during and after the match.

Can't have been posters on Gaa Board then.

[highorlow]

Deegan was a disgrace yesterday towards Tyrone.
It's bad when even he Sunday game highlight it.

A lot of talk about footblocks and penalties.

Some dodgy looking pick ups by Tyrone that weren't spotted and looked punishable, particularly for the 2nd point and either their 6th or 7th one.

Mayo did get a lot of 'soft' frees early on.

On the game itself all players contibuted in some fashion but in particular Seamus O'Shea who had some 2nd half along with Keith Higgins.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

As a great servant as he was Big Packie should call it a day, slow poderous and some awful kickouts, there were at least two points he could have pulled off the crossbar too but instead knocked them over

[Main Street]

When is a foot block not a foot block ?

Can anyone familiar with the rules clear this one up ?

I found this

"5.17 To block or attempt to block with the boot
when an opponent is kicking the ball from the
hand(s)."

Somebody else clarified that it has to be deemed dangerous play.

My reckoning is just that rule you quoted. You can't stick yer boot out to try and block a kick.

So was Martin Carney right ? It hit the Mayo lad's leg so it was not a foul ? It has to be the boot that makes contact with the ball when you put your boot in the way of the ball ?

It's a bad rule.

It's a daft rule, surely there is a huge difference between a lad using his boot to block a kick from hand from a distance of less than half metre to someone that is 2-3 metres away from the player kicking the ball.

It's not a daft rule,  but some people (including refs) have daft, dogmatic, black and white interpretations of that rule.
It's the nature of the rules covering dangerous play that the ref has to interpret the incident to see if it constitutes dangerous play.
The rule does need to be expanded to cover dangerous foot blocks that happen in the game when the ball is not just being kicked from the hands, incidents which the refs (incorrectly?) do blow up for a foul.

The ref was quite correct not to regard that incident yesterday as an aggressive foul.

[orangeman]

Well I posted after the Donegal match that Mayo needed a "dog" of a game and they certainly got it. Tyrone like I expected focussed on stopping Mayo from getting their customary good start that normally enabled them to have the match won by half time. Mayo regrouped, refocussed and won easily in the end.

In fact they won playing poorly for alot of the match. This was probably the best way they could have entered an AI final. If (as I suspect) Dublin will be their AI opponents then they wont go in as favorites based on today's performance.

For most of the first half today Mayo were all too easily dispossessed and forced in to shooting from angles that they shouldn't have been shooting from. In other words they allowed Tyrone to do to them what they've been doing to other teams all year.

The lazy analysis suggests that Mayo were frozen/nervous/anxious etc about the big occasion in the first half. Uncomfortable with the favorite's tag and so forth. I actually think it was the opposite. Mayo were over confident.... didn't show due respect to a proud but limited Tyrone side and were casual in their approach to the match. Coming off a performance where they blitzed the AI champions probably meant they entered today's match in an anti climatic (albeit subconscious) mode.

Once they engaged with their manager at half time where he presumably pointed out a "back to basics" 2nd half path to them they won pulling up. They pushed up... ran through the middle... supported each other.... shot on the run.... dominated midfield. In other words typical Mayo 2013.

The worries going in to the AI final....... most of their scores in this years championship have come from the supporting player off the shoulder of the player on the run. In order to execute this type of game plan you must be utterly dominant. During the first half today they were on the back foot and if you need scores in this type of situation you need your inside forwards to be creative and instinctive in order to magic scores out of nothing. That didnt happen for most of the first half as they were instead forced in to half shooting from impossible angles.

Cillian O'Connor has been an immense contributer to their 2013 scoring board to date. He can ghost in and make a point or very often a goal (as in Donegal match) out of nothing. If he has dislocated the same shoulder again he will be an inestimable loss.

I'm a huge fan of James Horan. I'm a huge fan of Andy Moran. But even in the Donegal match Andy was behind his man. In a tighter match like today he was even more so. Why did he remain on the field so long ? Is Andy the only achilles heel that James H has? Conroy (despite obvious sharpness due to lack of match practice) caused more problems for the opposition than Andy did in the last 2 matches. Conroy is  a natural forward. Andy is a few months short of his return to best form. Conroy should start the AI final. Andy should be the impact sub.

Mayo are on the precipice of greatness. They  really deserve this AI title. However in order to win it they will have to be at their level best for 70 minutes. I think they can tick this box. I certainly hope so.

PS Carney should not be commentating on matches involving Mayo. Fantastic player for Donegal and Mayo but unable to conceal his obvious bias.

2nd PS Tyrone can hold their heads high. Their 2013 model is a pale reflection of their 03-08 ones. They are in the process of merging young talent with experience. Yet for at least half of today's AI semi they were more than competitive. They are a great example of good attitude and maxing out to the best of your ability.

Excellent post RM.

[screenexile]

Mickey Harte wasn't happy about the tackle on Peter Harte... it looks perfect to me!



Rather than blame the ref or the Mayo man I'd be screaming at the man who played such a hospital pass!!

[Jinxy]

As a great servant as he was Big Packie should call it a day, slow poderous and some awful kickouts, there were at least two points he could have pulled off the crossbar too but instead knocked them over

I thought that myself.
A man his size should be catching them.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

As a great servant as he was Big Packie should call it a day, slow poderous and some awful kickouts, there were at least two points he could have pulled off the crossbar too but instead knocked them over

I thought that myself.
A man his size should be catching them.

Indeed looked like he was carrying a back injury of some sorts, because he couldnt rise off the ground at all ......................ah well

[sam03/05]

As a great servant as he was Big Packie should call it a day, slow poderous and some awful kickouts, there were at least two points he could have pulled off the crossbar too but instead knocked them over

I thought that myself.
A man his size should be catching them.

He is a terrible goalkeeper. No chance that clown could save a penalty. but his kickouts are woeful. So slow and clueless, more often than not he puts the player in serious bother when he goes short. There are three or four much better keepers than him in the county. Morgan was a massive loss this year.

Indeed looked like he was carrying a back injury of some sorts, because he couldnt rise off the ground at all ......................ah well

One in particular looked like he had jumped far too early and was back on the ground by the time the ball reached him.

[popinpopout]

Gaelic Football when played between 2 good teams is about momentum for the winners.  Either team let loose will destroy the other in their spell.The referee did not let tyrone take advantage of the momentum and dominance  and kept Mayo in touch, this was not reciprocated later in the game. I heard the term arrogance being used to describe the performance.  It was as if his mind was made up as to what was to happen before it happened and there was to be no changing.  Hence the Mayo free when they could have had a goal, but bear in mind Tyrone had stopped.  A different referee and O Shea was off the field also.  But back to the game and what Tyrone could have done to win it..
The loss of Stevie O Neill and Harte was ultimately disastrous.  Despite some nice points.  The work rate from the full forward line wasnt up to scratch hence the opening point from play after 32mins - ironically young Coney improved this but the game was over. 
Tyrone were carrying 6 - 7 subs in their programme who would have been more or less making their debut had they been brought into action, in other words they probably shouldnt have been there or we should have seen more that them over the year.  I wonder what some of the lads on their last legs think of this idea of giving them bench experience for next year.  Next year is a never never.  Tyrone have got to few enough semifinals to have this attitude.  There are a number of footballers who need to thanked and let go, they have been injured perennially over the last few years and are now starting to look like they are a poor investment in time, focus and physio bills - sometimes the body just isnt fit for county demands and management need to look at this.. Tyrone need to pick proven fit men for their panel next year.  The onus should be on footballers to prove their strength and athletic capability for the rigours of a season.  I feel our management could communicate better with clubs going forward and guys should rehabilitate with their clubs until they are fit to return for their county.    Sean Cavanagh must also be made captain - I think he has earned it more than anyone. 
I sincerely hope Mayo push on now.  They still start games weak and had Tyrone been allowed to push further in front the result would have been the same as last years final. .  I fear that Mayo are still a confidence team and that can be fragile enough at times particularly when they are on front of goals They must work on that.  They are a class act in full flow, but they will not get kind punditry or refereeing V Dubs or Kerry.  I also fear that their best team isnt starting and there are no room for passengers on and off the field.  Their supporters are a class act and iits up to the team to deliver for them.  Horan has the makings of an ai winning manager, I hope they do it and I will be there to cheer them on, having seen them beat in 6 finals previously, I swore I would never go back but this year might be different.   On a lesser note I watched on as a so called steward giving dogs abuse to Tyrone fans in front of me being totally unprofessional and antagonising, totally buying the rte line, and instead of doing his job creating a potential problem.  This will be the ultimate legacy of rte punditry - a lack of respect for Tyrone football people.  Amongst other things do these guys get paid? What happens when the steward at some point gets a well deserved slap for their auld guff.   
Finally it was a decent season for Tyrone football. No silverware but a top 4 finish and it was highly enjoyable, as Tyrone folk we thank our management and players for their hard work, and new plans can be hatched in time.   

All told I think Mickey and the management team will be delighted with their progress this season. We are in a rebuilding process after all. An excellent league showing built confidence for a good championship run. The Donegal defeat was a kick in the teeth but analysis of the stats would have shown we were more than competitive and a six point loss wasn't a reflection on that. As for the championship I think a quarter final berth was the aim.....the fact we reached the semi was a bonus and the experience gained from that for the majority of the lads can't be bought. Things rarely go as planned during games....the injury to Harte was a massive blow as he was an important cog in the wheel for us.....Stevie going off less so given he was replaced by Ronan who in my opinion should have had much more game time this season to bring him on, despite the fact he was returning from serious injury. I would expect one or two more retirements now from the older players. Yesterday's game will have demonstrated that we can be as competitive as any team in the country, and that you can have all the fancy footballers in the world but 99 times out of 100 hunger, steel and stubbornness will win the day. Some of the less experienced lads will know that now. I thought the two best players on the pitch for us yesterday were Colm and McGinley.... We are short a couple of players and I'm sure there will be new faces on the panel come the new year. A year ahead of where I thought we would be...another 2 and we will be challenging in finals and not semis!

[orangeman]

Mayo racked up 1-8 of their 1-16 total from nine Tyrone fouls. One was Dermot Carlin dragging down Colm Boyle for the penalty, which replays showed was actually outside the parallelogram. Another six resulted in pointed frees, while two scores came off quickly taken frees to inside forwards.




From Irish Times.

[Estimator]

I thought Deegan was poor for both sides. I don't think he was harder on Tyrone than Mayo. Tyrone had a few dodgy decisions that went their direction. Watching the game in real time I thought that Carlin had fouled inside the area. I called foot block on the penalty call at the other end, the patrons sitting beside me in the pub had not got a clue what I was on about. They didn't know about that rule.
O`Shea should be embarrassed with holding his face, although I think he realised very quickly that it was a daft thing to do and he didn't continue the act for any length of time.

[ONeill]

Thought McGinley and McCarron played well enough.

Big Pack is very dodgy with the short kick outs. Not his forte. That one he gave away which led to a free was a kick in the balls.

Conor Gormley battled to the last. Some warrior.