Uibh Fhaili v Ath Cliath

[Hound]

Deehan got a large round of applause from the Hill when he was been taken from the pitch.

meathie, Alan Brogan scored two points.

Dublin played great for the first 13 minutes, and were as bad as Offaly for the remainder.

Terrble game of football, very little entertainment value. And the ref, Michael Collins, was as much to blame as the players were. He had an awful game and would not let the game flow at all.

At the time I wouldnt have allowed the goal, but from viewing the replay once it seems the right decision. The defender definitely put the ball in his own net with his arm, and I'm pretty sure Vaughan didnt touch him until after the ball was in, as they both crashed into the net.

Still I would have preferred if it had not been given. Brogan's poor punch didnt deserve a goal, and it ended the game as a contest.

Anyone know who got man of the match. A difficult decision! I would have gone for Whelan. Ryan, Cahill and Cullen were the other contenders discussed around my bar stool last night.

[Dinny Breen]

Anyone know who got man of the match. A difficult decision! I would have gone for Whelan

Do I miss something when I watch Dublin play because I didn't think he was great yesterday, where does one get those blue tinted glasses....

[Declan]

Brutal game altogether and showed up Dublin's failings up front. David Henry got MoM. Offlay really were brutal and after the first 15 mins Dublin only played for about 10 mins  to any real pattern at all. Maybe a hangover from the Meath games but it was a game to be endured rather than enjoyed. Couldn't let it go without commenting on Collins. I thought he was a disgrace and did his utmost to ruin the game. Fussy, narky and plain wrong on a number of incidents. How the f**k he booked Keany when he was pulled down by Slattery I don't know and some of his decisions re travelling were mad to say the least. As Ollie Murphy said they shot the wrong Michael Collins. He should never be let near an intercounty game again   

[The Hill is Blue]

Anyone know who got man of the match. A difficult decision! I would have gone for Whelan. Ryan, Cahill and Cullen were the other contenders discussed around my bar stool last night.

David Henry got MOM

[Bord na Mona man]

Deehan got a large round of applause from the Hill when he was been taken from the pitch.

About 1/3 of the Hill appeared to be clapping when he went off, a very noticeable ambulance noise chant was coming out of the Hill while he received treatment.
Even if they all clapped afterwards, it still doesn't hide that the initial the fact that their instant reaction was to cheer his injury like it was a Dublin score.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

A very poor game yesterday...but at least it should keep the hype about Dublin down to a minimum and provide the managment and players with plenty to improve on...
Defensively sound (another good game by McConnell at full back)and good in the midfield but poor shooting up front...it certainly seemed the players were tired after last week....

As for Michael Collins....if it wasn't for the fact that the game was over after about 15 mins it would have been serious....that had to be the worst reffing I have seen at a match...its not often you hear fans laughing when frees get given against them but that was happening yesterday as even the Offaly fans near us couldn't work out why they were getting frees...

[Hound]

Deehan got a large round of applause from the Hill when he was been taken from the pitch.

About 1/3 of the Hill appeared to be clapping when he went off, a very noticeable ambulance noise chant was coming out of the Hill while he received treatment.
Even if they all clapped afterwards, it still doesn't hide that the initial the fact that their instant reaction was to cheer his injury like it was a Dublin score.

Ah calm down BnMm, and come down from that pedestal.

It was a race for the ball between Henry and Deehan, a race Deehan was winning (and also this was very shortly after the Hill had had a great laugh at Deehan for him thinking he'd scored a point when the whistle had long gone. Then suddenlly Deehan goes down spectacularly and Henry therefore wins the ball. An instant roar went up to signify the Dubliun winning the ball and to laugh at the funny fall. As you said yourself it was clearly a pulled hamstring rather than anything serious (if you think a Hill full of Offaly men wouldnt have reacted in the same way if a KK corner forward pulled up in front of them, then you're kidding yourself). An ambulance chant did go up among  segment of supporters when the golf cart came on - but you're always going to get that, at least it didnt last long. And Deehan did get a fine round of applause as he left the field.

[Hound]

Anyone know who got man of the match. A difficult decision! I would have gone for Whelan

Do I miss something when I watch Dublin play because I didn't think he was great yesterday, where does one get those blue tinted glasses....

Did Dublin not win midfield then?

As I said I thought it was a hard game to pick man of the match from. In my opinion Dublin laid the foundation for the victory by winning the midfield battle, so I personally would have had it betwen Whelan and Ryan. Whelan's point and accurate distribution just edging it.

Surprised that Henry got it. But he is one of my favourite players so I'm glad for him. With ball in hand he'd a poor first half, giving it away or kicking it over the sidleine more than once. He was very good defensively - but personally I would have said McConnell was our best player in the full back line (although he probably had the easiest job of the three). 

[mannix]

pillar reckons the dubs were tired after the meath games, these lads are in the prime of their lives and fit as fiddles.How they can be tired after 70 minutes of football with 30 lads sharing the same ball is beyond me.
how many of the dubs are physical workers digging trenches during the week, not many i think.
its clear the dubs have not progressed any since last year,meath had them in the first game(ref saved the day)yesterday another travesty by the ref allowed a square ball to stand.This luck (terrified refs) will run out when a tyrone or donegal crowd hit croker and intimidate the ref as much as the dubs do.
tired after a weeks rest? not possible at this level, not possible.

[Northside Dub]

Terrible attempt of a wind up

[Hound]

pillar reckons the dubs were tired after the meath games, these lads are in the prime of their lives and fit as fiddles.How they can be tired after 70 minutes of football with 30 lads sharing the same ball is beyond me.
how many of the dubs are physical workers digging trenches during the week, not many i think.
its clear the dubs have not progressed any since last year,meath had them in the first game(ref saved the day)yesterday another travesty by the ref allowed a square ball to stand.This luck (terrified refs) will run out when a tyrone or donegal crowd hit croker and intimidate the ref as much as the dubs do.
tired after a weeks rest? not possible at this level, not possible.

Do you understand the square ball rule? 
But I agree that Offaly would have went on to win had the goal not stood 

Please God, Dublin wont have to put up with that useless hoor Collins again

[tayto]

Ah calm down BnMm, and come down from that pedestal.

It was a race for the ball between Henry and Deehan, a race Deehan was winning (and also this was very shortly after the Hill had had a great laugh at Deehan for him thinking he'd scored a point when the whistle had long gone. Then suddenlly Deehan goes down spectacularly and Henry therefore wins the ball. An instant roar went up to signify the Dubliun winning the ball and to laugh at the funny fall. As you said yourself it was clearly a pulled hamstring rather than anything serious (if you think a Hill full of Offaly men wouldnt have reacted in the same way if a KK corner forward pulled up in front of them, then you're kidding yourself). An ambulance chant did go up among  segment of supporters when the golf cart came on - but you're always going to get that, at least it didnt last long. And Deehan did get a fine round of applause as he left the field.

Thought Deehan had slipped myself.
As for taking offense at ambulence noises when the cart came on ... 
Thought he got a very sporting round of applause going off but sher play that down if it suits your case. 
I dont like having a go at refs but dear god collins was brutal yesterday. 

[Uladh]

count yourselves lucky... the clown who did the derry/monaghan game was far worse. he out collinsed collins.

[AZOffaly]

Despite the flattering scoreline, this is far more disappointing than last years 9 point beating. Last year we were in the game, albeit by our fingernails, until midway through the second half. Yesterday we never got going at all, and Dublin were never remotely under pressure. The only time we looked like giving them something to think about was the last 15 minutes of the first half, when we finally started winning breaks and winning ball around the middle of the park. Unfortunately we then kicked some woeful wides from frees and plays, and generally dithered around with the ball and spurned opportunities. We seemed rudderless and without a plan when we were attacking.

As I said, Dublin will give you a chance, but we were far, far too poor on the day to do anything about it.

I don't have time, or quite frankly the motivation, for a big recap, so a few random thoughts.

1) Late Crowd. Again. Why wait for them? If they can't be arsed getting to Croker on time, why should the GAA be arsed waiting for them. This is not a dig at the dubs, as plenty of them, as BnM man says, were Offaly fans.

2) Physical strength. Offaly are supposed to have been in the gym since the autumn. Well if they have been, there must have been a lot of chatting around the water cooler. Every time we were tackled we spilled the ball. Not good enough and something that must be addressed before we will really be a serious team.

3) Lack of game plan. Offaly seemed to have one plan early on. Lump it into the full forward line. For a variety of reasons like being behind their men, spilling greasy ball, bad delivery etc, that did not work once in the first 20 minutes. The team started to panic then, and we were treated to the most headless exhibition of hand passing to death. When we were losing the ball in contact, this was suicide.

4) Niall McNamee. Not an infallible day at the office, as the greasy conditions early on, and a few dodgy frees, mitigated against a great performance, but yet again he carried the fight up front on his own practically. PJ Ward was , as we feared he might, found out against a better class of opponent. His style should still have a future with Offaly, but he needs to improve to take the pressure off Nialler.

5) Booing freetakers. Why?

6) Michael Collins almost rode the Dubs on his own. He was our man of the match. Some of the over carrying decisions were crazy. Ironically he may have gotten the goal decision wrong, as many of our lads claimed neither Joe Quinn or Vaughan got a touch to Brogans hand pass.

7) Our full back line getting turned. In general, I thought our backs played fairly well, and Keane, Evans and Quinn all had decent moments. However, I counted 5 occasions where a full back was turned inside out along our own goall line. That is primary school stuff and is something that has got to be emphasised. Stay goal side for Jaysus sake.

Karol Slattery. Really struggled on Bernard Brogan early, but came into the game and has the heart of a lion. Took savage belts (fair) from a variety of bigger Dubs, and he kept getting up and putting his body in again. Won't be proud of his blatant drag down of Keaney, and I was disappointed to see him do it, but his courage the rest of the game was great to see.

9) Scum bag Offaly fans. I would like to apologise to anyone seated around sections 308-309-310 for the behaviour of about 10-15 young 'heros' who were there supporting Offaly. I was too far away to say anything to them, but unfortunately I was close enough to hear their chants. 'I'd rather be a paki than a dub', ' The referees a w*nker' etc etc. Obviously they are not representative, but they are a fantastic ad for afternoon drinking, mob culture and soccer culture.  Our own mini version of the scummy Dubs element. The Dubs get slated for their element, despite the majority of Dubs being the soundest, and on that basis we deserve a few brickbats for these little eejits. Watching the game I was disappointed, but not embarassed. I was proud of the likes of Conor Evans, Karol Slattery, Sean Ryan, Paul McConway and Niall McNamee. I was ashamed to be from the same county as the young lads in 308 or wherever they were.

10) The Dubs. Whatever about our failings, the Dubs again were there for the taking yesterday, and in my mind there are serious questions about whether they are good enough. Fair enough, they must have been a little tired after the MEath games, and maybe they were a bit surprised at how poor Offaly were, but the Dubs (after a great start in both halves) simply fell away and were a ragged outfit. Very soft up the middle whenever Offaly ran at them (and avoided contact), and with the same old failings in front of goal. Dublin were poor yesterday, and but for the fact that we were woeful, a surprise was on the cards. I know they are better than they showed, but there are still some fundemental weaknesses there.

11) Thank God there are no qualifiers


Best of luck to Dublin in their quest for Sam, despite point 10 above. I think it would be good for Leinster for them to win it, and it would probably sate their hunger a bit as well. For us, it is back to the drawing board, and if some of the stories from the camp are true, it will be back to the drawing board with a lot of new faces.

[Gnevin]

Have to say they without a doubt the that was the most pathetic attempt at Reffin a match i've ever seen. What he gave 75% of the free for i'll never know. Dublin looked poor but Collins wouldn't let them string more than 3 balls together without calling a free.