All Ireland Club SFC Semi-finals Feb 2016

[Throw ball]

Mayo teams should nearly be banned from All Ireland finals! It is a pity Cross got beat in semi final because at least they would have made a game of it. To be fair today's game reminded me of Armagh County finals the last few years. The team playing Cross doesn't turn up because of the occasion. We all know they are better than that but that is no use to anyone.
On the match itself the early scores meant that Boden could hold their blanket defence and catch Castlebar on the break. They were quick on the break and took their scores well. They remind me of how Tyrone play. Castlebar lost all sense of tactics and any attempt to beat the blanket.
The way Boden play is not like the majority of club teams and the strength of their county championship may be the reason. The Dublin club championship could also provide a longer term problem for the GAA in that there are so many outsiders transferring to Dublin clubs that the club championship may become too Dublincentric so to speak. It also makes it difficult for young Dubs to get playing for their club senior team. This may stop participation and all the money that has been spent will be wasted.
Related to this I would ask if today's win will mean as much to Paul Durkin as it will to the player who has been there from under 8? Would it have meant more to Durkin if he had won with his hometown club?

[brokencrossbar1]

Castlebar didn't turn up. I wonder did the 'bigger' semi wins for them and Cushendall get into their heads?  Both teams played similarly poorly and didn't cope with the day and intensity of the opposition. Fair play to BB and fair dues to Indy in calling the winner in a 4 horse race early on. CM are better than today but I don't see them being back.

[muppet]

Congrats to Ballyboden, the settled early and kept the scoreboard ticking over.

We never settled at all. We looked like a team used to runing on sand being put on an Olympic track. Very disappointed we never asked any real questions of them and didn't give a proper account of ourselves.

[From the Bunker]

Mayo teams should nearly be banned from All Ireland finals! It is a pity Cross got beat in semi final because at least they would have made a game of it. To be fair today's game reminded me of Armagh County finals the last few years. The team playing Cross doesn't turn up because of the occasion. We all know they are better than that but that is no use to anyone.
On the match itself the early scores meant that Boden could hold their blanket defence and catch Castlebar on the break. They were quick on the break and took their scores well. They remind me of how Tyrone play. Castlebar lost all sense of tactics and any attempt to beat the blanket.
The way Boden play is not like the majority of club teams and the strength of their county championship may be the reason. The Dublin club championship could also provide a longer term problem for the GAA in that there are so many outsiders transferring to Dublin clubs that the club championship may become too Dublincentric so to speak. It also makes it difficult for young Dubs to get playing for their club senior team. This may stop participation and all the money that has been spent will be wasted.
Related to this I would ask if today's win will mean as much to Paul Durkin as it will to the player who has been there from under 8? Would it have meant more to Durkin if he had won with his hometown club?

I'd say Paul Durcan will be pretty happy on his journey back to Qatar!

[sid waddell]

Utterly dreadful club final fare in both football and hurling for the second year in a row, played in front of a poor crowd with no atmosphere.

A disgrace that these matches were played in such good conditions - time to relegate them back to provincial pitches, and muck, wind and rain in December where they belong.

[heffo]

Congrats to Ballyboden, the settled early and kept the scoreboard ticking over.

We never settled at all. We looked like a team used to runing on sand being put on an Olympic track. Very disappointed we never asked any real questions of them and didn't give a proper account of ourselves.

Commiserations Muppet - I still can't get my head around that CB performance

[Captain Obvious]

Before the game you could have got Ballyboden at 4/1 to win that final. Only last night I checked 2016 Dublin championship odds and Ballyboden were fifth favourites to retain that title. Remarkable final win by Ballyboden well done to them however on the day it must be said Castlebar were truly awful.

[INDIANA]

Mayo teams should nearly be banned from All Ireland finals! It is a pity Cross got beat in semi final because at least they would have made a game of it. To be fair today's game reminded me of Armagh County finals the last few years. The team playing Cross doesn't turn up because of the occasion. We all know they are better than that but that is no use to anyone.
On the match itself the early scores meant that Boden could hold their blanket defence and catch Castlebar on the break. They were quick on the break and took their scores well. They remind me of how Tyrone play. Castlebar lost all sense of tactics and any attempt to beat the blanket.
The way Boden play is not like the majority of club teams and the strength of their county championship may be the reason. The Dublin club championship could also provide a longer term problem for the GAA in that there are so many outsiders transferring to Dublin clubs that the club championship may become too Dublincentric so to speak. It also makes it difficult for young Dubs to get playing for their club senior team. This may stop participation and all the money that has been spent will be wasted.
Related to this I would ask if today's win will mean as much to Paul Durkin as it will to the player who has been there from under 8? Would it have meant more to Durkin if he had won with his hometown club?

Outsiders transferring in is a problem but as I've said before Dublin needs a different transfer policy then the rest of the country.

[armaghniac]

Castlebar didn't turn up. I wonder did the 'bigger' semi wins for them and Cushendall get into their heads?  Both teams played similarly poorly and didn't cope with the day and intensity of the opposition. Fair play to BB and fair dues to Indy in calling the winner in a 4 horse race early on. CM are better than today but I don't see them being back.

The 'Boden manager could motivate his team with something like "Castlebar have been in the final before, they've beaten previous champions in Corofin and Cross', we've managed to beat the Tipp champions in extra time, we really really need to up our game here". Probably the Castlebar manager didn't say the opposite, but it got into people's heads all the same. Boden were possibly a bit too relaxed in the semi final and almost got caught, but it was all or nothing for them today and they delivered, Castlebar did not.

I'd say you would have got brave odds for Boden +10!!

[From the Bunker]

Feel sorry for Mitchels! Thems the breaks. Easy for the various shouts from the stands and keyboard warriors to tell them they lacked this and they lacked that! These lads have put at least 15 months into this project, and it is a long Journey. A long Journey that can go wrong at any stage. Unfortunately it went badly wrong for Mitchels at the (very) final stage! A disappointing day for their neighbours, friends and family who the players have to return to and wade through the disappointment of today.

For those of you complaining about MAYO teams getting to finals! Well tough sh!te! If your your Club or county is good enough to beat us on the way to a final well and good. If not, well put up and shut up! Mitchel were in the final on merit and them not performing was their own business. They don't have to apologise to anyone out side their own town and club for the performance.

[seafoid]

Loads of other clubs have lost finals before winning. We had an awful day in 88 losing to Midleton while Clan na nGael lost to Burren. It was a miserable drive home. I think someone tipped the car for good measure. We ended up winning 3 titles. Success is all about how a team responds to the bad days.

[INDIANA]

Loads of other clubs have lost finals before winning. We had an awful day in 88 losing to Midleton while Clan na nGael lost to Burren. It was a miserable drive home. I think someone tipped the car for good measure. We ended up winning 3 titles. Success is all about how a team responds to the bad days.

you have to have the players. CM don't

[Throw ball]

Feel sorry for Mitchels! Thems the breaks. Easy for the various shouts from the stands and keyboard warriors to tell them they lacked this and they lacked that! These lads have put at least 15 months into this project, and it is a long Journey. A long Journey that can go wrong at any stage. Unfortunately it went badly wrong for Mitchels at the (very) final stage! A disappointing day for their neighbours, friends and family who the players have to return to and wade through the disappointment of today.

For those of you complaining about MAYO teams getting to finals! Well tough sh!te! If your your Club or county is good enough to beat us on the way to a final well and good. If not, well put up and shut up! Mitchel were in the final on merit and them not performing was their own business. They don't have to apologise to anyone out side their own town and club for the performance.

I was only joking. I wish my club were there but they are too afraid of Cross.

[seafoid]

Loads of other clubs have lost finals before winning. We had an awful day in 88 losing to Midleton while Clan na nGael lost to Burren. It was a miserable drive home. I think someone tipped the car for good measure. We ended up winning 3 titles. Success is all about how a team responds to the bad days.

you have to have the players. CM don't

FFS indy. New players come through, fellas learn fom defeat and journeymen play out of their skins  That is club. It is not the same as county.

[INDIANA]

Loads of other clubs have lost finals before winning. We had an awful day in 88 losing to Midleton while Clan na nGael lost to Burren. It was a miserable drive home. I think someone tipped the car for good measure. We ended up winning 3 titles. Success is all about how a team responds to the bad days.

you have to have the players. CM don't

FFS indy. New players come through, fellas learn fom defeat and journeymen play out of their skins  That is club. It is not the same as county.

They haven't learned anything from two years. Again I couldn't see the optimism beforehand. Boden had multiple county and former county players on view with a bench of senior inter county hurlers with huge fitness levels waiting to come on.

Everyone seemed to think CM just had to turn up today. If you matched the teams up beforehand everything pointed to a Boden win