Maigh Eo v Ciarrai, 1700, 30ú Lúnasa, Gaelic Grounds

[orangeman]

Replays normally never up to the first game, but today was pure gold. It doesn't come much better than today's game - yes there were plenty of mistakes and poor play but you just couldn't take your eyes off it. Credit to both teams. Over the course of 2 games, Kerry just about deserved it in my view.

[Sidney]

Very entertaining game if not of the greatest quality ever seen.

Reilly lost control early, but the players knew going in that he'd be reluctant to show any red cards after what happened with Keegan. There was real needle and there were incidents all over the place. I thought it was a poor refereeing performance with Kerry getting several very soft decisions.

James Horan has done a fine job with Mayo but he was never able to organise a full back line and it has been a consistent blind spot for him. Donaghy caused Mayo problems all day and they never got to grips with him. Mayo probably need a fresh voice at this stage if they're to ever get over the line with this team. They probably won't anyway now.

Mayo's running style told against them in extra-time. They aren't less fit than Kerry but the way they play is more punishing. Kerry let the ball do the work far more. Mayo needed to be more direct and let the ball in to the full forward line more in extra-time - they kept playing it around outside the 45 when there was space inside.

Limerick coped just fine as a venue and all the bullshit written during the week was just that. Only 36,000 turned up. Doubt it would have been much more at Croke Park.

[johnpower]

What a game thought Mayo had it well done Lyne .keith Higgins some defender

[Wildweasel74]

higgins is a good defender but what did his man score of him the day?

[Mike Sheehy]

higgins is a good defender but what did his man score of him the day?

He scored 2-6 I believe but you cant count the two penalties against Higgins. I think he scored about 2 or 3 from play ??.

but you are missing the point. As a Kerry fan watching that game I can tell you Higgins was immense. I was screaming at O'Donoghue to play it safe, lay it off but he didn't listen and kept going for it and Higgins kept stopping him. I'd say Higgins  won most of the one on one battles either dispossessing, blocking or forcing him to lay it off but JOD still did damage with that little space that he got  and that's why it was so great to watch. The supreme corner back denying the supreme corner forward but the corner forward still being deadly off scraps.

[Wildweasel74]

Think 4 from play, its OK been on the ball and showing all the time but i rather have my corner back not been seen along with the man he was on, O`Donghue missed a sitter from 20m early on and the Donaghy goal came off  a deflected shot from the same man.when u look at that plus free for a debatable penalty, Higgins give him enough room to do damage, mayo should have played a man in front of him but to be honest this was likely more required in front of the fullback as most of the problems and result goals and penalties came from here.

The ref was poor but that not why mayo lost the game, you went 6 up early on, and where in control then threw it away, didn't change the full back who was getting destroyed, very poor at midfield, no top class forwards, maybe Mayo fans should look at them reasons for losing the game. The point to take the game into extra time didn't look like a free to level it, Kerry got some dubious frees in extra time but i thought Kerry Had the match won in normal time.

The great game hides the fact that Kerry were very poor in the 1st half in the scoring dept plus all goals give away probably slack , though O`Connor did good work for the penalty.

What happened at the end is unacceptable when a ref has to run off the field, the Garda should have arrested the pitch encroaches, maybe then it stop Dick running onto the field, it was nearly a re-run of the Louth - Meath game 4yrs ago with people trying to tackle the ref.

[Dinny Breen]

Being very harsh on ref. That was a seriously physical game and ref didn't do too bad. Missed a few decision for both teams. If I were to state one thing that cost Mayo I'd say it was the sideline being too slow to change. Donaghy caused total chaos, they got a warning in the 1st game and still learnt nothing and left a man on him today for 67min despite him not even competing in the air. Mayo were also surprisingly very poor at midfield. Hard to see them come back but wasnt refs fault they lost to better team on the day.

The referee was shit absolute horse shit.

[ranch]

Can only imagine what the reaction would have been had Armagh been involved in the scenes near the end.

As for the outcry against Aaron Findon for shoving the Donegal team doctor a few weeks ago, I'm guessing there'll be a similar response to the beahviour of some of the Kerry players who grappled with the member of the Mayo coaching staff?

[whitey]

We had the winning of it in our own hands, but in a game that was bound to be "tipped by a grain of rice" to have that many big decisions go against you at vital times makes it almost impossible to get over the finish line.

The only bottling done today was done by the referee

[Ohtoohtobe]

Thought Reilly had a decent game in normal time tbh penalty calls were all reasonable and only mistake on cards was not giving Enright a black.
He lost the plot a little in extra time though, the free against Keane as he went for a ball with Donaghy was ridiculous, and a crucial one, as Mayo were two up iirc. The next one against Boyle was harsh too.
Apart from that he was ok. A referee trying to control a game that fast on a pitch that big is going to make a few mistakes over the course of 90 minutes.

[Johnnybegood]

higgins is a good defender but what did his man score of him the day?

4 points?

You will also notice that the second penalty that O'Donoghue got was not a penalty. The Referee hastily awarded this. He then consulted his umpire who told him Cafferkey had got the ball first. So he could not give him the Card he should have as he realised he had made a mistake, but he could not over rule the penalty decision.

slide tackle, definite peno!

[waterfordlad]

Hard luck to Mayo. Exciting game but a lot of cynicism in it especially near the end. This business of players lying on the ball and throwing it away to stop quick frees should be a black card offence as it causes a lot of frustration and led to the fracas at the end. Ref gave some soft frees to Kerry in extra time so you can understand Mayo's annoyance with him. It was a hard game to ref as was physical from the start. Last weeks 2nd half was better for pure football but both games were great entertainment.

[DuffleKing]

higgins is a good defender but what did his man score of him the day?

4 points?

You will also notice that the second penalty that O'Donoghue got was not a penalty. The Referee hastily awarded this. He then consulted his umpire who told him Cafferkey had got the ball first. So he could not give him the Card he should have as he realised he had made a mistake, but he could not over rule the penalty decision.

slide tackle, definite peno!

There is no rules against a "slide tackle" as you call it - this is not soccer.

The only argument Reilly could make is that it was dangerous play

[tyroneman]

A slide tackle 8/10 times will get blown up as dangerous play on a football pitch.

Even in soccer its dodgy trying one.

[rrhf]

Referees in gaelic football often decide the big games. His wrong decisions gave kerry 7 points in normal time.