Dara O'Cinneide

[Mitch Bucannon]

Anyone any thoughts on the aforementioned Dara as an analyst on The Sunday Game?  He has to be the best out there at the moment.  Not only does he know his stuff but he comes across as as a gentleman in the process.   Do us a favour RTE and move him onto the commentary as well and get rid of that eejit Martin Carney - christ he is rubbish!!

[balladmaker]

Agree!  Dara is the best by a mile, he knows his stuff, talks alot of sense and puts it across very well.  As for that gobshite Tommy Lyons, he is only interested in sound bites, for a man who was once supposedly a successful manager, he talks alot of tripe just to be heard!

I  would put Tohill a close second, he also is well clued in and calls it as he sees it.

[darbyo]

Agree O'Cinneide is very good, except when he analyzing the Kerry games, I think he is so close to the current bunch of players that he can't critically analyze them as he would another team. Tohill is still a bit wooden for my liking.

[MaroonAndWhite]

Theres a fierce element of the cute Kerry hoor about O'Cinneide but as ye say, hes the best there is at the minute. I wouldnt mind Tohill coming across as wooden....theres no shite out of him and id appreciate that much more than a gobshite like Brolly getting personal about players in his comments

[darbyo]

I'd like to see a few more journalists or managers/players from the 80's or 90's, these guy's would have less of a connection with current county set ups and might therefore be willing to give more insightful and if needs be cutting analyze. I know what you're saying about unnecessary personal comments but neither do we need to listen to bland, neutral comments like we're often dish up.

[paddypastit]

Darbyo - journalists ye say... what do they know.  The whole point of these pundits is to get fellas that, supposedly know what it is like down there in the dressing room / on the field.  My only issues is that they don't recycle them often enough.  Only O'Cinnede and Tohill  have been introduced in recent years although put your money on Ciaran Whelan being the Dublin face / voice once he hangs up his Puma flippers gloves. Hopefully that will see the back of arse boxer Lyons.  Also what about a fresh Wesht of Ireland voice?  The hurling boys are miles ahead of the football - Farrell, Duignan, Finnerty, O'Grady are all good.

[Loup Bandit]

Dara is a good man, Ok! Him and tohill are the best because they can relate to the modern game.
Tommy Lyons needs a good kicking!

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

One of the best is Dara, always happy to see him in that chair. Don't mind Anthony Tohill either, a bit inanimate but without the bullshit and calls it straight.

[orangeman]

Jesus but I hate that Mc Stay man !

[ONeill]

Hate's a strong word. We're all God's children.

[darbyo]

Darbyo - journalists ye say... what do they know.  The whole point of these pundits is to get fellas that, supposedly know what it is like down there in the dressing room / on the field.

Why not journalists, I think Duggan and Humphries (of the Times) write with a lot of sense. Many others, regardless of whether you always agree with them, have valid opinions, they go to more games than any ex-player and they don't have connections to the panels so the would be more willing to criticize players.

[Dinny Breen]

O'Cinneide, Tohill and Duigan are a breath of fresh air. I agree that the hurling analysis is much better than the football..

[paddypastit]

Of course there are journalists that write well, and tell good stories and put colour into the tales of people, but the object as I understand it of the 'pundit' is to explain 'why' whatever happened happened and to give some insight as to what the people involved might have been feeling and what it was in their minds that turned them around.  Especially they are supposed to reflect the role of key individuals on or off the field that made a difference and most particularly what the manager and key players have said... you know the 'he'll be down  there in the dressing room now telling them...' type of thing.  I've been in dressing rooms of every shape size and context up to and including Croke Pk in August, and I've yet to see a journalist in that room.  For sure there are some well informed journalists, and a few that know the game well, a few even that play or played it, but a lot of them are looking at a game and seeing what happens... few really know why.  There might be a bunch of lads in a press box, but only a very small number really know why things are happening and then they all form a collective view over an hour and ten minutes based on the knowledge of one or two or the louder / older ones. 

[Real Talk]

Yes, I think Dara should get Spillane's job and keep Lyons in Dublin or Mayo anywhere but not on TV

I think Quinn, McHugh should also go with Burns in charge and 2 fresh faces in, say Paddy Heaney and Kevin Madden we needs personalities to brighten up the analysis

[Davitt Man]

I think mcstay is a good co-commentator, miles better than carney he is useless, he hasnt a clue whats happening half the time, i seroiusly dont like bernard flynn, he is not up to it at all