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

[tyroneman]

So which is it....

A) Kerry were the better team overall and deserved to win, despite the referee giving them a few handy frees
B) Kerry were clearly second best and the referee outrageously robbed Mayo
C) Both teams were pretty evenly matched and the referee possibly helped Kerry shade it with 1 or 2 debatable calls.

[ardtole]

 C for me. I thought the referee was shite throughout, and the rte panel should have focused more on this.

[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.

Were you in Limerick?

I certainly was.

[rrhf]

Either team deserved to win. Fairly even overall. Wrong decisions made the difference.

[lenny]

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.

Absolutely fantastic to watch the battle between 2 class players. Both did very well. With blanket defences now in vogue we rarely get the chance to watch a class forward being marked and marked well by just one player. Treat to watch. I don't like criticising refs and usually the mistakes balance out but on this occasion I just felt mayo ended up with the worst of the decisions.

[The Hill is Blue]

Epic game! Two valiant teams, both with unquenchable spirit. Having lived through every game of the 1991 Dublin/Meath saga I can empathise with Mayo supporters this morning. It's a terrible feeling to come out on the wrong side of a contest like that. After twenty three years I can still feel the desolation of that Sunday morning after the final game.

Well done to both teams.

[tyroneman]

Mayo will look back on the past few years and wonder where that final ingredient was. A tiring Dublin made it over the line, an average Kerry side (albeit with a few exceptional players sprinkled throughout) scraped past them.

Ultimately they had their chances and failed to take them. They had opportunities to put their foot on Kerry's neck yesterday and in the previous game but let the get back off the floor.

A shame such a dedicated bunch of players failed to lift Sam but its not given out on sentimentality.

[manfromdelmonte]

How Mayo were ahead after 20 mins was baffling.
They hadn't played at all.

Kerry were the better team overall.
Mayo got a few handy frees from the referee too.
I don't think he decided anything

[Dont Matter]

Kerry were the better team overall and deserved their win, the ref made some dodgy decisions against both sides, will the Gooch be ready for a cameo in the final? Overall a cracking game with great performances from some players on both sides but especially Donaghy and Moran for Kerry.

[highorlow]

Congrats to mike and the Kerry lads. Whatever way you look at it the best team won. It was a remarkable game where both sides gave their souls to the cause.

We are a lucky country to have these sports

James horan is a true leader and him and his team deserved more. All is not lost as these men have inspired young mayo bucks watching over the last few years. That's why we keep coming back for more.

Roll on 2015 and the FBD and best of luck to the new management team.

Maigh Eo go deo.

[Syferus]

Looking back, not long after Mayo got their last point (some 17 minutes from the end of the match), Barry John Keane dived into Colm Boyle's leg and won a very easy pointed free. He actually injured Boyle in the process and pretty much nullified him completely for the remainder of the game. Big swings in little things.

[theticklemister]

Horan , Horan, Horan........ If you would have read this thread during the week you would have seen me point out that Donaghy was the danger and Cafferky was not the man.

[ballinaman]

Looking back, not long after Mayo got their last point (some 17 minutes from the end of the match), Barry John Keane dived into Colm Boyle's leg and won a very easy pointed free. He actually injured Boyle in the process and pretty much nullified him completely for the remainder of the game. Big swings in little things.

Few clinker moments like that tipped it.
Looked at the midfield stats, sweet Jesus, worse than it seemed then being there. Very few short options on and the few that were ,missed by Robbie.
Cillian playing the 2nd half with one eye practically too.
The Enright pull down for the peno having just got a yellow, yellow + black = red.

It was a very hard match to ref, ferociously intense but just my gut feeling, a biased one I admit. Reilly having got Keegan the red last week and seeing it overturned felt he could balance the books a bit.

Thanks AZ for route in Old Cratloe road..no problems with journey or venue, even if it didn't feel like a AI Semi at all.

Credit to James Horan. Unreal difference from that faithful day in Longford. High standards that he implemented must be maintained or could easily slip back.

[Denn Forever]

Reilly having got Keegan the red last week and seeing it overturned felt he could balance the books a bit.

Didn't hear how Keegan was allowed to play.  What was the reason given for rescinding the Red card?  Who'd be referee when their decisions are over turned like this.

[Syferus]

Reilly having got Keegan the red last week and seeing it overturned felt he could balance the books a bit.

Didn't hear how Keegan was allowed to play.  What was the reason given for rescinding the Red card?  Who'd be referee when their decisions are over turned like this.

Something as minor that won't stop Wild Horse Duffy.