Fermanagh v Dublin AIQ/Final

[Bensars]

I have a list of all Dublin's National Football results from 1926 (which presumably is when it started) to 2006.

In that time Dublin have played Fermanagh twice:
14/3/2004: Fermanagh 0-12 Dublin 0-12
19/3/2006: Fermanagh 0-9 Dublin 0-8
Did we meet again post 2006 or are Fermanagh the only team the Dubs have never beaten?

Great stat Hound, but in fairness that was during fermanaghs previous purple patch and coincided with Dublins confused period. The marching to the hill, the blue book, before turning all professional 

[haranguerer]

Would have been a nice little subplot, but Dublin beat Fermanagh comfortably in 2007. I don't think they've met since.

Still, they need a win to pull clear in the head to head

[Croí na hÉireann]

Would have been a nice little subplot, but Dublin beat Fermanagh comfortably in 2007. I don't think they've met since.

Still, they need a win to pull clear in the head to head

They haven't. In 2008 the league moved back to the 4 divisions that we still have. Dublin got promotion from Div 2, which Fermanagh were not it, and have remained in Div 1 since. IIRC, next year will be the first year Fermanagh will have played in Div 2 since the league was restructured.

[manfromdelmonte]

So basically Fermanagh have a flawless record v Dublin??

[ONeill]

They met in Parnell in 2007.

[sammymaguire]

Its Mission Impossible. Diarmuid Connolly v Marty O'Brien, Bernard Brogan v Niall Cassidy, Paul Flynn v James McMahon, MD McAuley v Eoin Donnelly, Kieran McManamon v Tiernan Daly... ah jaysus it'll be over after 20 minutes.  I have no idea what tactic they can take which will keep this game competitive for any length of time...

Hats off to everyone of them Fermanagh lads who've been involved this last 2 years under Pete, I just hope they don't take a mullering at the hands of the Dubs on Sunday afternoon... but they'll walk off the pitch with their heads held high regardless.

[manfromdelmonte]

I remember a certain quarter final game back in 2004 and Fermanagh being rank outsiders against one of the favourites for the All Ireland

[haranguerer]

Impossible surely.

But they got a tanking in 03 at the hands of Tyrone and had their best ever year in 04. And Dublin gave Monaghan a 17 point hiding last year, and they're back better this year...

Its great to be there, and the experience will stand to them. No shame in getting beaten, even stuffed, by this Dublin team; those are the teams you want to be facing, even if it will take a while to get near their level.

[general_lee]

If anyone wants to know how clubs in Armagh feel when they draw Crossmaglen this is a prime comparison. Of course both teams are beatable, just very few teams believe they can beat them.

[ExiledGael]

All this two tier chat this week is basically Fermanagh et al being told they shouldn't be on the same pitch as Dublin incase they get hammered.
Dublin have the capability to hammer pretty much anyone in the country on a good day. If we only want competitive games the 'top tier' Championship would be 5/6 teams at most.
So f**king what if we get well beaten by Dublin. Obviously I hope we don't but big wins happen in all sports around the world. The last few years in Champions League soccer has seen huge wins in latter stages for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, there are drubbings throughout the tournament. The analysis there is based on the brilliance of the victors, not how pathetic the losers were or how the elite could possibly run a competition without involving the also rans.
Jesus, only one team/man can win a sports tournament. The cream will rise to the top. All but one will lose, but that doesn't mean it's a disaster to fall short or be well beaten by one of the game's brilliant sides. It's like this nonsense of handing out medals for all to young players, rewarding the weaker. We don't need a medal or trophy to achieve our goals.
Competitive sport is about finding out who's best, the All-Ireland does that. If you're not the best, so be it. At least the way things are players in 'weaker' counties can aspire to be the best they can be, and if they get everything together and get on a roll, maybe take on the best in the game.
If a second tier Championship was announced right now for 2016 it would be a disaster for weaker counties. Managers would have a huge fight on their hands getting the best players in the county to commit, why bother? Levels of dedication and professionalism would inevitably drop for stronger teams in the lower tier. It's the same with teams coming from Division Three/Four etc into Championship, if you're not playing at a decent level it's almost impossible to then make that step up.
Interest in the Tommy Murphy cup was pathetic. Exit the provincial Championship and it would be open season on US transfers. Even more so than now. Is the Christy Ring/Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher a roaring success? Every year in hurling you hear the same arguments trotted out. One man saying 'we need to be playing the top teams to bring us on and help young players develop' another stating 'these heavy defeats are doing nothing for our development'.
I can think of one county manager (Louth) who said in the aftermath of a huge defeat that a two tier Championship would help them. They were after getting stuffed by Tipperary, who would still be at their level. It's putting a roof on aspirations, telling players you're not good enough so don't even bother. Niall Carew was saying the complete opposite in Irish News and he has managed/assisted right around the country at various levels.
The argument to that is that whoever wins second tier competition can get into top tier, but say a Fermanagh/Tipperary did win that, they would still be cannon fodder for Dublin/Mayo/Kerry in all probability the year after.
Heaney in IN today used example of US Masters saying any budding golfer can't go and take on the world's best. Ireland's Paul Dunne was one of the stories of the British Open a few weeks back. To be blunt, he fell apart on the final day and finished miles off the pace. Did you hear one pundit/expert/rival saying that these amateurs don't deserve that platform or shouldn't be on same course. Not a negative word. It was a great achievement to compete with best and get to that stage.
Not everyone can win the bloody thing, it's not all about the winners, the elite. This season has been a huge success for Fermanagh, regardless of what happens on Sunday.
As has been said earlier, we took a huge drubbing against Tyrone in 2003 and came back for more, Monaghan were destroyed last year in quarters but regrouped and raised the bar again.
Don't put a limit on what any player can achieve in a given year.

[Fermanaghandsam]

Well said Exiledgael. Give me a run in the qualifiers and a potential big win over a pointless B competition every time!! Among the players I don't think there is any support for a tiered comp, personnally I just think the idea is been drove by the media as it's easy column inches and sound bites!

A tiered system would just make the strong stronger and the weak weaker!

[Owenmoresider]

All this two tier chat this week is basically Fermanagh et al being told they shouldn't be on the same pitch as Dublin incase they get hammered.
Dublin have the capability to hammer pretty much anyone in the country on a good day. If we only want competitive games the 'top tier' Championship would be 5/6 teams at most.
So f**king what if we get well beaten by Dublin. Obviously I hope we don't but big wins happen in all sports around the world. The last few years in Champions League soccer has seen huge wins in latter stages for Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, there are drubbings throughout the tournament. The analysis there is based on the brilliance of the victors, not how pathetic the losers were or how the elite could possibly run a competition without involving the also rans.
Jesus, only one team/man can win a sports tournament. The cream will rise to the top. All but one will lose, but that doesn't mean it's a disaster to fall short or be well beaten by one of the game's brilliant sides. It's like this nonsense of handing out medals for all to young players, rewarding the weaker. We don't need a medal or trophy to achieve our goals.
Competitive sport is about finding out who's best, the All-Ireland does that. If you're not the best, so be it. At least the way things are players in 'weaker' counties can aspire to be the best they can be, and if they get everything together and get on a roll, maybe take on the best in the game.
If a second tier Championship was announced right now for 2016 it would be a disaster for weaker counties. Managers would have a huge fight on their hands getting the best players in the county to commit, why bother? Levels of dedication and professionalism would inevitably drop for stronger teams in the lower tier. It's the same with teams coming from Division Three/Four etc into Championship, if you're not playing at a decent level it's almost impossible to then make that step up.
Interest in the Tommy Murphy cup was pathetic. Exit the provincial Championship and it would be open season on US transfers. Even more so than now. Is the Christy Ring/Nicky Rackard and Lory Meagher a roaring success? Every year in hurling you hear the same arguments trotted out. One man saying 'we need to be playing the top teams to bring us on and help young players develop' another stating 'these heavy defeats are doing nothing for our development'.
I can think of one county manager (Louth) who said in the aftermath of a huge defeat that a two tier Championship would help them. They were after getting stuffed by Tipperary, who would still be at their level. It's putting a roof on aspirations, telling players you're not good enough so don't even bother. Niall Carew was saying the complete opposite in Irish News and he has managed/assisted right around the country at various levels.
The argument to that is that whoever wins second tier competition can get into top tier, but say a Fermanagh/Tipperary did win that, they would still be cannon fodder for Dublin/Mayo/Kerry in all probability the year after.
Heaney in IN today used example of US Masters saying any budding golfer can't go and take on the world's best. Ireland's Paul Dunne was one of the stories of the British Open a few weeks back. To be blunt, he fell apart on the final day and finished miles off the pace. Did you hear one pundit/expert/rival saying that these amateurs don't deserve that platform or shouldn't be on same course. Not a negative word. It was a great achievement to compete with best and get to that stage.
Not everyone can win the bloody thing, it's not all about the winners, the elite. This season has been a huge success for Fermanagh, regardless of what happens on Sunday.
As has been said earlier, we took a huge drubbing against Tyrone in 2003 and came back for more, Monaghan were destroyed last year in quarters but regrouped and raised the bar again.
Don't put a limit on what any player can achieve in a given year.

Well bloody said.

[trileacman]

Dublin will tank Fermanagh. That said all this Joe Brolly/two tier system is complete bollocks, we tried it before the Tommy Murphy Cup and everyone f**king hated it.

If we're looking for teams to throw out of the championship system then why throw out a team that consistently punches above their weight? I'd say chuck out perennial underachievers and those who shit the togs at every available opportunity, i.e. Derry.

[INDIANA]

Difficult game in prospect for Dublin.

Fermanagh have all the momentum and beat Westmeath well.

Well organised defensive structure that they are comfortable with.

I think it will be tight enough with Dublin eventually wearing them down.

probably through the bench.

Have a lot of time for Fermanagh though .

[Farrandeelin]

If Fermanagh only manage two scores in the first half an hour, they'll struggle hugely on Sunday. That said I think McGrath will have learned lessons from the Westmeath game. I'm sure he has studied the Dublin-Westmeath game too. Can't see anything other than a Dublin win, but I hope Fermanagh don't give in as easily as a lot of other opponents this year. (Mayo this year in the league included)