Tír Eoghain v An Mhí (AI Quarter Final '07)

[Hardy]

Peter on the Royals:

4 - Meath are not 'catch-and-kick' team but Coyle will enjoy that tag
5 - A lot of ball was hit early but all to the advantage of the forwards

Fair play to Peter for cop on. Most of the pundits have been on about high ball, catch and kick. I said here last week that Meath's delivery to the forwards was the best I've seen
from any team his year with a mix of diagonal ball from one wing to the other, good ball along the same wing to the forward's advantage and the occasional high one, trusting good footballers to win their one-on-ones. That was the case too on Saturday, but more so.

Tea or coffee?

[Sandy Hill]

Mints on the way!

[ONeill]

Hard to bate a big boul of lumpy custard on its own.

I think if Peter was in the pub his words wouldn't be as restricted as in the paper.

Peter's pub translation:

1 - Going by the first 20 mins, the supporters' over-confidence of beating Meath seemed to have rubbed off on the players.
FFS, the cocky bastards got what they deserved. They only know success. I was bred on skelps and whallops from the dirtiest hoors in the country whilst losing and learned how to win the hard way. Fcukers needed a good batin.

2 - Tyrone either underestimated Meath or paid them too much respect
FFS, see above

3 - Very disheartening to see Tyrone not as fired up as they should have been, showing less hunger than Meath, esp after '96.
FFS Mickey, instil a bit a fight in them. No fcukin fire in the bellies.

4 - More than 11 player played below their full potential
FFS, what's been going on in training since the Ulster final - twas the same then.

5 - Tyrone finally nailed the Meath attack with 15 mins left but poor decision making cost them as well as erratic shooting
FFS lads, have you learned nothing from me.

6 - Dooher's leadership was badly missed towards the end. His presence would have ensured no-one panicked and not went for goals.
FFS, see above

7 - To win Sam again, Tyrone need all the injured men fit and Mickey Harte at the helm.
Gizza Job.

[ONeill]

Peter's pub talk. Mark 2:

He also maintains the mental attitude of Derry and Monaghan will dictate their fortunes this weekend. Be prepared to win at all costs - don't just play well and compete. Derry's defence can curtail Dublin's attack. McCloy can handle Keaney and Lockhart should shadow Brogan. Dubs are strong in the tackle and hunt in packs. If Derry trail by 1-2 points with 10 mins left, they'll take it.

FFS yz Oak Leaf illegitimates, I know yz ken play dorty. 'Member Johnny? I fcukin do. All I'm sayin is this. The only way te bate the cocky Liffey boys is te ram it up them from the start. 'Member Mayo and the Hill? Do anything. Win at all costs. In their faces. Play nice and they'll pish all over ye. Rile Whelan. Wind up Vaughan. They'll crack like they always do.

[orangeman]

Did anybody read the suggestion in the papers yesterday about the proposed new format for the football championship ? It proposed giving the provincial winners another chance if they're beat in the quarter final -
Like this year, the four provincial winners would play each other - the winners go straight into the semi finals and the losers would get another game against the qualifier winners to progress to the semis ?

What do you think ?

[tintin25]

Did anybody read the suggestion in the papers yesterday about the proposed new format for the football championship ? It proposed giving the provincial winners another chance if they're beat in the quarter final -
Like this year, the four provincial winners would play each other - the winners go straight into the semi finals and the losers would get another game against the qualifier winners to progress to the semis ?

What do you think ?

Complete nonsense. Can't keep chopping and changing. Provincial winners have known the story since the introduction of the qualifiers in 2001...deal with it.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

It depends, if the remaining two provincial champions are dumped out this weekend too the calls will grow shriller for a change. If it's broken, it needs fixing, simple as; it matters not how long it's been in place if it doesn't work.

[Hardy]

All depends on how Dublin do on Saturday, as to what the media will decide must be done.

I don't see much wrong. Everybody gets a second chance, if needed, in the provincial championships. Nobody gets a second chance in the All-Ireland Championship. I remember checking the statistics before and finding that the results are about even between provincial champions and qualifiers reaching the semi-finals. That indicates to me that it's not broken at all. Unless you'd contend that provincial champions should have a better record than qualifiers, having shown themselves to be the best team in their provinces. There might be something in that.

[ONeill]

I think the time gap may be more of an issue (esp for provincial winners). What colour do Kerry play in again?

[Hardy]

I've checked the statistics again - of the 26 quarter finals played to date, the provincial champions have reached the semi-final from 14, a 54% success rate.

[orangeman]

Armagh had a long wait last year and their defeat was blamed on the long gap - If Dublin are beat, we'll definitely see a change - but personally I don't buy into this delay thing.

[ONeill]

Do you not think that's a fairly low percentage for provincial champions? Not far off being 'less likely' to progress.

[Hardy]

Do you not think that's a fairly low percentage for provincial champions? Not far off being 'less likely' to progress.

I dunno - depends how you look at it. You could say you'd expect a 50/50 result between the top eight teams in the country every year. Or you could say the draw is biased, with unbeaten provincial champions in one side and losers in the other, in which case you should expect the provincial champions to do better.

There may be another factor, aside from the long lay-off and the argument about whether it's better to have fewer or more matches. For the provincial champions, the quarter-final is their first all-or-nothing match. They've had the qualifier escape route and therefore, arguably, lower intensity in every other match, while the qualifiers have had up to three do-or-die matches before the QF, to get accustomed to the win-or-you're-dead situation.

[DUBSFORSAM1]

The biggest problem is the fact that the qualifiers are getting the benefits of matches and aren't playing on consecutive weekends so that the provincial champions are having too long a wait....

The provincial champions should have no more than 3/4 weeks at most before they play their quarter-final....If that means the qualifiers etc play on consecutive weekends then that is the price they should pay for being beaten....

[orangeman]

I don't really accept the thing about the delay - last Sunday Kilkenny won their way through to the AI final - Cork and limerick play this week - will Kilkenny have an added advanatage because they're their a week earlier or will this be a disadvantage to them ?