2013 All Ireland Final: Mayo v Dublin

[Qwerty28]

There as a neutral yesterday and thought there was a sense of almost anti climax at the finish....maybe I had bought into the Mayo dream of expecting them to finally do it, especially after the buzz generated from the minors victory.

Poor game overall, far too many turnovers and sloppy play from both sides. Fierce sympathy for Dillon, Higgins and any of the others with 4 final defeats, must be extremely hard to try and go at it again..

[Sidney]

Haven't seen any highlights and only going on the live viewing from where I was standing.

Mayo destroyed Dublin tactically in the first half but didn't make it pay, and they ran themselves into the ground doing it. The goal kept Dublin in it and was desperately soft from a defensive point of view. The last five minutes of the first half were crucial in keeping Dublin in it and I felt at half-time Dublin would win as the game opened up. At 0-8 to 1-2, another couple of Mayo scores would have had Dublin is serious trouble.

Mannion, McCaffrey and Kilkenny sunk without trace. The occasion was just too much for them I think. Kilkenny and Mannion in particular have faded a good bit as the season has gone on. Eoghan O'Gara's introduction improved the Dublin forward line hugely - the Dublin forwards bar Brogan were hiding and he gave them an extra outlet for ball - he showed for everything and took the right decisions in possession.

Dublin were much the better team in the second half when the game started to open up, as was predictable.

Taking off Freeman and Dillon were terrible mistakes by Horan. Mayo have always been at their best with Dillon directing things. He's an intelligent and calm footballer and to take him off for the last 15 minutes meant Mayo were rudderless, and worse they replaced him with the awful Varley who isn't up to it at this level. Taking Freeman off was another stupid decision. Although Cillian O'Connor didn't get injured, there was always a chance it could happen at any stage and Mayo would then have been without their two free takers.

I thought Dublin were in huge trouble with about seven or eight minutes left with O'Carroll concussed and O'Gara crocked and no subs left. Mayo had the chance there and then but they'd taken their leaders off. Dillon's absence actually allowed Brennan free reign to go forward.

Brennan's point reminded me of Paul Clarke's in 1995 - the exact same scenario and a very similar kick.

Dublin's full back line for the last ten minutes was Rory'Carroll right corner, Paul Flynn full back and Cian O'Sullivan left cormer. Somebody here mentioned Aidan O'Shea should have gone in full forward.

Dublin's third All-Ireland in a row to be won by one point. McAuley nailed on for Footballer of the Year now. A limited footballer in terms of skill but his importance to Dublin is incredible.

Unreal occasion. I feel desperately sorry for Mayo, despite winding Mayo people up here for the last few days.

[brokencrossbar1]

In regards to the free at the end, the ref is only allowed to tell a player how long is left or this is the last kick.  He can't say there will be time for another chance.  If he said there are 30 seconds left then that is fair enough but the ref played the amount of allocated time that he indicated and is not obliged to add anymore time on.  The reality is if you're relying on that as your defence then you have a paper thin excuse.

The reality is that Dublin were the better side.  I thought on and off the field they were sharper and made the right changes at the right times.  Freeman should not have been taken off. Conroy offered very little in his place. Kevin McLaughlin gave the best Colm McMenamin impression that I have seen for a very long time.  He won a world of ball but carried it fruitlessly, no return of any great note out of his ball carrying.  I thought that Andy Moran and SOS should have been left on and Conroy taken off when Barry Moran was introduced.  The ball was not sticking in the FF line and AOS would have been better deployed as a target to hit in the FF line with Andy Moran beside him feeding off.  AOS is not a MF and would be better deployed further up the field.  Dublin subs made an impact and O'Gara in particular showed he can play ball and is a perfect foil in my book for Brogan as he gets through a lot of hard running which creates serious space inside.  I think a FF line of Mannion, O'Gara and Brogan is a very dangerous line as there is great balance of space, strength, speed and guile. 

I don't know if Mayo can win it.  I think mentally they are weak.  They had their best chance of doing it this year for many years and fell up short again.  Winning is a habit as is losing, when you are 5 minutes from the final whistle and someone whispers in your ear 'sure you lot lose every year, '  it has an effect on the player.  I have seen it at first hand.  I feel sorry for the players, it is very hard to lose any game never mind an AI final.  I just don't think they are simply good enough.

[deiseach]

In regards to the free at the end, the ref is only allowed to tell a player how long is left or this is the last kick.  He can't say there will be time for another chance.  If he said there are 30 seconds left then that is fair enough but the ref played the amount of allocated time that he indicated and is not obliged to add anymore time on.  The reality is if you're relying on that as your defence then you have a paper thin excuse.

I did not know that. Makes sense too now that I think about it. Define 'one more play'. Still think timekeeping needs to be tightened up, but in the context of the match yesterday, fair enough.

[squire_in_navy_slacks]

Wtf did Horan take SOShea off for ?? hes was miles ahead of Aidan on the day, hate to say it buckos but Aidan just doesnt have the wheels for the middle of the park

[DJGaliv]

Last two weeks have been looking forward to this game. A straight shootout between the two best teams of the county.
Both teams play 6 on 6 I was told.

Was it just me, or did it look like Dublin offered a huge amount of protection to their full back line in the first half bringing lads back? Add to that the systematic fouling to curb Mayo's momentum.
Both accusations that have been thrown at teams especially Ulster. And not a peep out of The Sunday Game crew. Isn't it no wonder you'd have a chip on your shoulder. You swear the All ireland winners died, you can't say a bad thing about them.

On the other hand, Mayo shouldn't and won't feel too aggrieved about the time at the end. That hawkeye decision at the start of the game could have changed everything. At least we know that machine is 100% reliable.

I would have liked to have seen a replay as neither team showed their best yesterday. I was shouting for Mayo, but I admire Dublin's style of play. Apart from glimpses of class from Brogan they didn't show it. Another day would be fascinating.

Anyone who was at the game, how did Dublin/Mayo line out defensively? It's difficult to see on tv.

[Applesisapples]

In regards to the free at the end, the ref is only allowed to tell a player how long is left or this is the last kick.  He can't say there will be time for another chance.  If he said there are 30 seconds left then that is fair enough but the ref played the amount of allocated time that he indicated and is not obliged to add anymore time on.  The reality is if you're relying on that as your defence then you have a paper thin excuse.

I did not know that. Makes sense too now that I think about it. Define 'one more play'. Still think timekeeping needs to be tightened up, but in the context of the match yesterday, fair enough.

Ref's are encouraged to say about x left, leaves room for more time if needed. But commonsense should have prevailed and Mayo be allowed to make one last play. But as I've said before they weren't likely to score. Galvin should read the honest and refreshing assessment given by Horan, now that was sportsmanship.

[yellowcard]

I can't believe Gavin came out with this tirade against the ref, did he have a few drinks in him and let his guard slip? There were a few marginal calls that went against Dublin in the first half but by and large Mayos tackiling was cleaner and executed better than Dublin's and I actually thought McQuillan had a fine game in the main. Mayo could easily argue over the incorrect 45m call in the first half and the stoppage time at the end of the game.

As for McAuley being POTY, I would say the chances are slim. He is a very limited footballer in terms of ability but is an absolute workhorse and was very important to Dublin all year. However in the absence of any standout footballers it could well be that someone like the Gooch could shade it this year. Personally I think it should go to Keith Higgins who was immense yesterday in a beaten team.

[Jinxy]

Since Ciaran McDonald retired Mayo have not had a forward that demands the ball when the chips are down.
The lack of pace in the FF line is a real problem too.
Not comparing us to Mayo by any means, but we recognised the need for pace and phased out our slower forwards this year.

[yellowcard]

Just after checking the betting and it seems like the bookies reckon McAuley is nailed on:

4/6 McAuley
15/8 Cooper
8 Brogan
16 Cluxton
20 Cian O'Sullivan

[AZOffaly]

Haven't seen any highlights and only going on the live viewing from where I was standing.

Mayo destroyed Dublin tactically in the first half but didn't make it pay, and they ran themselves into the ground doing it. The goal kept Dublin in it and was desperately soft from a defensive point of view. The last five minutes of the first half were crucial in keeping Dublin in it and I felt at half-time Dublin would win as the game opened up. At 0-8 to 1-2, another couple of Mayo scores would have had Dublin is serious trouble.

Mannion, McCaffrey and Kilkenny sunk without trace. The occasion was just too much for them I think. Kilkenny and Mannion in particular have faded a good bit as the season has gone on. Eoghan O'Gara's introduction improved the Dublin forward line hugely - the Dublin forwards bar Brogan were hiding and he gave them an extra outlet for ball - he showed for everything and took the right decisions in possession.

Dublin were much the better team in the second half when the game started to open up, as was predictable.

Taking off Freeman and Dillon were terrible mistakes by Horan. Mayo have always been at their best with Dillon directing things. He's an intelligent and calm footballer and to take him off for the last 15 minutes meant Mayo were rudderless, and worse they replaced him with the awful Varley who isn't up to it at this level. Taking Freeman off was another stupid decision. Although Cillian O'Connor didn't get injured, there was always a chance it could happen at any stage and Mayo would then have been without their two free takers.

I thought Dublin were in huge trouble with about seven or eight minutes left with O'Carroll concussed and O'Gara crocked and no subs left. Mayo had the chance there and then but they'd taken their leaders off. Dillon's absence actually allowed Brennan free reign to go forward.

Brennan's point reminded me of Paul Clarke's in 1995 - the exact same scenario and a very similar kick.

Dublin's full back line for the last ten minutes was Rory'Carroll right corner, Paul Flynn full back and Cian O'Sullivan left cormer. Somebody here mentioned Aidan O'Shea should have gone in full forward.

Dublin's third All-Ireland in a row to be won by one point. McAuley nailed on for Footballer of the Year now. A limited footballer in terms of skill but his importance to Dublin is incredible.

Unreal occasion. I feel desperately sorry for Mayo, despite winding Mayo people up here for the last few days.

Mannion came off injured in fairness to him. I actually think he's a good corner forward. The whole Dublin team was struggling at that stage, but as they got on top he would have done damage if he hadn't got hurt.

As for Dillon, I thought him coming off was fair enough to be honest. He wasn't giving that leadership, and his use of the ball was too laboured and deliberate. I felt himself and Kevin McLoughlin wasted good chances in the first half to set up more scores when Mayo were well on top. You can't be giving teams like Dublin escape clauses like that. A bit of vision and there were multiple crossfield passes which could have resulted in easy scores.

I don't know why Freeman was taken off. As I said earlier, it looked like Horan had it in his head that Conroy was coming on, and he looked like he was just waiting to pull the trigger on that move. Strange.

[INDIANA]

I can't believe Gavin came out with this tirade against the ref, did he have a few drinks in him and let his guard slip? There were a few marginal calls that went against Dublin in the first half but by and large Mayos tackiling was cleaner and executed better than Dublin's and I actually thought McQuillan had a fine game in the main. Mayo could easily argue over the incorrect 45m call in the first half and the stoppage time at the end of the game.

As for McAuley being POTY, I would say the chances are slim. He is a very limited footballer in terms of ability but is an absolute workhorse and was very important to Dublin all year. However in the absence of any standout footballers it could well be that someone like the Gooch could shade it this year. Personally I think it should go to Keith Higgins who was immense yesterday in a beaten team.

Mayo cynically fouled in the semi final last year so it's hypocritical for any poster to cry wolf now. Mc Auley is an incredible player. Anyone who thinks he's average doesn't know the game. He's the heartbeat of the Dublin team.
Donegal had the monopoly on average players winning an all ireland last year.

[brokencrossbar1]

I can't believe Gavin came out with this tirade against the ref, did he have a few drinks in him and let his guard slip? There were a few marginal calls that went against Dublin in the first half but by and large Mayos tackiling was cleaner and executed better than Dublin's and I actually thought McQuillan had a fine game in the main. Mayo could easily argue over the incorrect 45m call in the first half and the stoppage time at the end of the game.

As for McAuley being POTY, I would say the chances are slim. He is a very limited footballer in terms of ability but is an absolute workhorse and was very important to Dublin all year. However in the absence of any standout footballers it could well be that someone like the Gooch could shade it this year. Personally I think it should go to Keith Higgins who was immense yesterday in a beaten team.

Mayo cynically fouled in the semi final last year so it's hypocritical for any poster to cry wolf now. Mc Auley is an incredible player. Anyone who thinks he's average doesn't know the game. He's the heartbeat of the Dublin team.
Donegal had the monopoly on average players winning an all ireland last year.

I must go to the doctors as I find myself agreeing with you Indiana   Maybe it reflects on the type of player I was but to my mind MD and O'Gara are exactly the types of players that you need to win big games.  Players who are the glue that make the machine bigger than the other parts that are used to make it.  They win the hard ball and play the simple ball.  They make the Brogans et al look like the stars that they are.

[AZOffaly]

Missing the point Indy. I know everyone does it. I'd love Offaly to be in a position where a cynical foul means we win an All Ireland. What's a bit rich is Dublin saying they *weren't* cynical. I'd be saying something along the lines of " Yeah, look, that's the way these things go. The lads were out on their feet after a huge effort and really they were doing everything they could to stop Mayo winning the game. "

That's all they did, and that's all anyone else has done in the past as well. I'm no lover of Tyrone, but I respect them for all they've done, but they must be livid at how they got singled out for this.

[screenexile]

I can't believe Gavin came out with this tirade against the ref, did he have a few drinks in him and let his guard slip? There were a few marginal calls that went against Dublin in the first half but by and large Mayos tackiling was cleaner and executed better than Dublin's and I actually thought McQuillan had a fine game in the main. Mayo could easily argue over the incorrect 45m call in the first half and the stoppage time at the end of the game.

As for McAuley being POTY, I would say the chances are slim. He is a very limited footballer in terms of ability but is an absolute workhorse and was very important to Dublin all year. However in the absence of any standout footballers it could well be that someone like the Gooch could shade it this year. Personally I think it should go to Keith Higgins who was immense yesterday in a beaten team.

Mayo cynically fouled in the semi final last year so it's hypocritical for any poster to cry wolf now. Mc Auley is an incredible player. Anyone who thinks he's average doesn't know the game. He's the heartbeat of the Dublin team.
Donegal had the monopoly on average players winning an all ireland last year.

As did Dublin the year before!!!