Fermanagh v Dublin AIQ/Final

[AZOffaly]

Its laughable that people posting comments on a message board are lecturing other counties players on how they should behave in defeat. I hope that Leitrim, Waterford, Carlow etc are taking note the next time they get to a quarter final to make sure they storm off down the tunnel and ignore their supporters who want to celebrate their seasons journey.

If that's levelled at me I've lectured my own county in the same post for doing the same in the past.

It was a general comment not directed specifically at you but if your comparing Dublin to Fermanagh it's like comparing Real Madrid to Shamrock Rovers, hardly comparable.

I'm not lecturing anyone. Jaysus, how would I be entitled to lecture anyone? I just find it disconcerting. I realise I'm probably in a minority position, but when I was watching it, I found it uncomfortable viewing.

[haranguerer]

It may surprise some of you to learn that Fermanagh didn't start their campaign against Dublin. The reaction wasn't a reaction to losing gallantly to Dublin. It was celebrating a good season, the start of a new team. At the start of the year, we expected very little, but we got promotion, and a run to a quarter final for the first time in 10 years. Is that not achievement? Should it not be celebrated? People were saying to Jim McG they hoped they wouldn't be annihilated because the Dublin game was their victory lap. They also would have had a bit of hope, but they wouldn't want to sound like eejits saying it aloud. Yous are on saying they shouldn't be going down with an attitude like that, yet the very same people would have pissed themselves laughing if they'd been on here saying we should give them a good game. Make up your minds. Fermanagh had a great year, were justifiably proud, and were right to celebrate that at the close of their season, which happily was after a much better than expected performance v one of the best teams in the country (which, again happily, had a very enjoyable last ten min from a fermanagh perspective).

Next year, expectations will be higher - it will take more to earn applause. Its all relative, and thats the same for every team in the land.

[ONeill]

It's a bit mad that some seem to think they've a better understanding of how to behave after a defeat than a double All Ireland winning manager and a squad of players who play at a much higher level than anyone here on bigger stages. If Pete McGrath is grinning from ear to ear after a quarter final I'll trust his judgement that it was something to be happy about. A bit of common sense.

[AZOffaly]

It may surprise some of you to learn that Fermanagh didn't start their campaign against Dublin. The reaction wasn't a reaction to losing gallantly to Dublin. It was celebrating a good season, the start of a new team. At the start of the year, we expected very little, but we got promotion, and a run to a quarter final for the first time in 10 years. Is that not achievement? Should it not be celebrated? People were saying to Jim McG they hoped they wouldn't be annihilated because the Dublin game was their victory lap. They also would have had a bit of hope, but they wouldn't want to sound like eejits saying it aloud. Yous are on saying they shouldn't be going down with an attitude like that, yet the very same people would have pissed themselves laughing if they'd been on here saying we should give them a good game. Make up your minds. Fermanagh had a great year, were justifiably proud, and were right to celebrate that at the close of their season, which happily was after a much better than expected performance v one of the best teams in the country (which, again happily, had a very enjoyable last ten min from a fermanagh perspective).

Next year, expectations will be higher - it will take more to earn applause. Its all relative, and thats the same for every team in the land.

So the smiles and happiness was due to reflecting on a good season? Seconds after losing a quarter final? OK. Fair enough, I'm off base if so, but I just can't believe it. I think it was happiness that Dublin didn't blow them away on the scoreboard, but I am willing to admit I might be wrong. It has happened a couple of times in the past that I was wrong

[AZOffaly]

It's a bit mad that some seem to think they've a better understanding of how to behave after a defeat than a double All Ireland winning manager and a squad of players who play at a much higher level than anyone here on bigger stages. If Pete McGrath is grinning from ear to ear after a quarter final I'll trust his judgement that it was something to be happy about. A bit of common sense.

Like Jimmy McGuinness?

[deiseach]

Next year, expectations will be higher - it will take more to earn applause. Its all relative, and thats the same for every team in the land.

This. Although should Fermanagh folk express disappointment at (say) an Ulster final defeat to Donegal, ye'll get lectured for having ideas above your station.

[AZOffaly]

Next year, expectations will be higher - it will take more to earn applause. Its all relative, and thats the same for every team in the land.

This. Although should Fermanagh folk express disappointment at (say) an Ulster final defeat to Donegal, ye'll get lectured for having ideas above your station.

By whom?

[yellowcard]

Its laughable that people posting comments on a message board are lecturing other counties players on how they should behave in defeat. I hope that Leitrim, Waterford, Carlow etc are taking note the next time they get to a quarter final to make sure they storm off down the tunnel and ignore their supporters who want to celebrate their seasons journey.

If that's levelled at me I've lectured my own county in the same post for doing the same in the past.

It was a general comment not directed specifically at you but if your comparing Dublin to Fermanagh it's like comparing Real Madrid to Shamrock Rovers, hardly comparable.

I'm not lecturing anyone. Jaysus, how would I be entitled to lecture anyone? I just find it disconcerting. I realise I'm probably in a minority position, but when I was watching it, I found it uncomfortable viewing.

I have found most of the championship uncomfortable viewing and the Kerry v Kildare match was far worse. The fact that Dublin were considered 1/200 to win a quarter final before a ball was thrown in is a concern for the overall state of the game. Fermanagh doing a lap of honour at the end of their season wouldn't worry me too much. Professional soccer players do it every season after their last home game, often with less justification for it. It doesn't mean that they aren't disappointed but they were probably reacting instinctively to their fans recognition for their seasons achievements. It's a step on the ladder for them but expectations will rise next year and I doubt if a similar result then would be greeted with the same enthusiasm. There appeared to be a bond between players and supporters that had to be acknowledged from the squad.

[deiseach]

Next year, expectations will be higher - it will take more to earn applause. Its all relative, and thats the same for every team in the land.

This. Although should Fermanagh folk express disappointment at (say) an Ulster final defeat to Donegal, ye'll get lectured for having ideas above your station.

By whom?

Not you

*runs*

[yellowcard]

It may surprise some of you to learn that Fermanagh didn't start their campaign against Dublin. The reaction wasn't a reaction to losing gallantly to Dublin. It was celebrating a good season, the start of a new team. At the start of the year, we expected very little, but we got promotion, and a run to a quarter final for the first time in 10 years. Is that not achievement? Should it not be celebrated? People were saying to Jim McG they hoped they wouldn't be annihilated because the Dublin game was their victory lap. They also would have had a bit of hope, but they wouldn't want to sound like eejits saying it aloud. Yous are on saying they shouldn't be going down with an attitude like that, yet the very same people would have pissed themselves laughing if they'd been on here saying we should give them a good game. Make up your minds. Fermanagh had a great year, were justifiably proud, and were right to celebrate that at the close of their season, which happily was after a much better than expected performance v one of the best teams in the country (which, again happily, had a very enjoyable last ten min from a fermanagh perspective).

Next year, expectations will be higher - it will take more to earn applause. Its all relative, and thats the same for every team in the land.

So the smiles and happiness was due to reflecting on a good season? Seconds after losing a quarter final? OK. Fair enough, I'm off base if so, but I just can't believe it. I think it was happiness that Dublin didn't blow them away on the scoreboard, but I am willing to admit I might be wrong. It has happened a couple of times in the past that I was wrong

I don't think there is any way they would have been coming off the field milking the acclaim if it had been a defeat in say the Leinster championship. It had everything to do with it being an acknowledgement of their seasons achievements imo.

[AZOffaly]

The Kildare performance was way worse than Fermanagh's. Absolutely. I'm not talking about the lap of honour. To be honest I didn't realise they had done that. I'm talking about the smiling and laughing among the players immediately after the game. Anyway, I've done this to death.

And by the way, I'm glad the Fermanagh fans applauded the players efforts on the pitch. It makes a refreshing change from the 'hang them from the highest tree' reactions that we see too often.

From a player's perspective, or a coaches, perspective I found the reaction odd and strange. That's all.

[Esmarelda]

Next year, expectations will be higher - it will take more to earn applause. Its all relative, and thats the same for every team in the land.

This. Although should Fermanagh folk express disappointment at (say) an Ulster final defeat to Donegal, ye'll get lectured for having ideas above your station.

I'd agree with this and what haranguerer said but the talk of the "good season" is all well and good having played well against Dublin. If they'd done a Kildare and lost heavily then I think the rest of the season would have been quickly forgotten.

But the expectation level is up in Fermanagh as are their hopes with talk of Ulster. The Dublin game should bring them on and I agree with Quigley in preferring a run like they've had rather than winning a B competition.

[Teo Lurley]

Why is everyone ignoring the elephant in the room?? Talk of multi tiered championships and all that crap is nonsense. Let's look at a few facts. Gaelic football was in good order, many different teams were competing at provincial and All Ireland level. It completely changed from when it was a 2 horse race for most of the 70's and early 80's. Cork and Meath came through, Down, Donegal, Derry won All Irelands, Mayo were getting to finals, Galway won a few, Armagh won their first, Tyrone won 3, Kerry also won a good few in this time but it was way more competitive. At provincial level you had Kildare, Laois, Westmeath, Offaly winning Leinster titles, Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim winning Connacht titles and anyone could win Ulster nearly. The game has been in great order for the past few decades. What has changed?

The top teams have been backed by huge sums of money! Dublin are the main culprits here. They have had their youth structures paid for by us for the past decade. This has brought talent through that has won them a few All Irelands. On the back of these wins they have got themselves some high level sponsors. These companies are pumping even more money into Dublin GAA. How are the other teams going to compete with this? There's only one way, they have to get there hands on huge sums of money also. Kerry have done this, Mayo have done this, Donegal have done this.

This is the one and only reason the top teams are pushing away from the rest. If you're able to pay for top level people to come in and look after the coaching, gym, nutrition programs and so forth and have your team prepared to a far higher standard than other teams, then it will result in that team having a far higher standard on the pitch. That's just basic common sense. Some teams are operating at a professional level, they're playing against amateur teams. There's only going to be one outcome in this scenario.

It's high level finance that is making the gap grow bigger, what we're left with is numerous whippings in the championship until the rich teams meet together in the latter stages. Eventually people will start to think what's the point of playing the early rounds and just get on with the top boys playing together. We already see it with this tiered system nonsense. Some teams are so far ahead that it will be impossible to reverse the advantages they have at this stage but the game will be ruined in a few years if we don't do anything soon. You can come up with any system you want, you can scrap provincial championships, you can play it on a champions league format but until the issue of financial doping is sorted it wont make one bit of difference.

[INDIANA]

Why is everyone ignoring the elephant in the room?? Talk of multi tiered championships and all that crap is nonsense. Let's look at a few facts. Gaelic football was in good order, many different teams were competing at provincial and All Ireland level. It completely changed from when it was a 2 horse race for most of the 70's and early 80's. Cork and Meath came through, Down, Donegal, Derry won All Irelands, Mayo were getting to finals, Galway won a few, Armagh won their first, Tyrone won 3, Kerry also won a good few in this time but it was way more competitive. At provincial level you had Kildare, Laois, Westmeath, Offaly winning Leinster titles, Sligo, Roscommon and Leitrim winning Connacht titles and anyone could win Ulster nearly. The game has been in great order for the past few decades. What has changed?

The top teams have been backed by huge sums of money! Dublin are the main culprits here. They have had their youth structures paid for by us for the past decade. This has brought talent through that has won them a few All Irelands. On the back of these wins they have got themselves some high level sponsors. These companies are pumping even more money into Dublin GAA. How are the other teams going to compete with this? There's only one way, they have to get there hands on huge sums of money also. Kerry have done this, Mayo have done this, Donegal have done this.

This is the one and only reason the top teams are pushing away from the rest. If you're able to pay for top level people to come in and look after the coaching, gym, nutrition programs and so forth and have your team prepared to a far higher standard than other teams, then it will result in that team having a far higher standard on the pitch. That's just basic common sense. Some teams are operating at a professional level, they're playing against amateur teams. There's only going to be one outcome in this scenario.

It's high level finance that is making the gap grow bigger, what we're left with is numerous whippings in the championship until the rich teams meet together in the latter stages. Eventually people will start to think what's the point of playing the early rounds and just get on with the top boys playing together. We already see it with this tiered system nonsense. Some teams are so far ahead that it will be impossible to reverse the advantages they have at this stage but the game will be ruined in a few years if we don't do anything soon. You can come up with any system you want, you can scrap provincial championships, you can play it on a champions league format but until the issue of financial doping is sorted it wont make one bit of difference.

Jaysus you talk some awful shite. If that's the height of Laois intelligence it's no wonder you're as bad as you are

[AZOffaly]

For the multi tier guys, here is the opinion of the ex-Kerry manager about the Christy Ring Cup. I'd fear exactly the same happening in the football.

http://www.independent.ie/sport/gaelic-games/hurling/the-christy-ring-final-is-played-in-front-of-noone-with-only-the-echo-of-your-own-voice-coming-back-at-you-31421404.html