Donaghy's "tackle" on Ryan

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

There's no 'advantage' rule either, but this was one occasion on which it should have been applied by Bannon -- he was much too quick to blow for the foul with Ryan back on his feet with his forward momentum intact. A little common sense would have helped. Donaghy did what most would have done in a similar circumstance, and will be inclined to do until the penalty is increased to match the crime.

[Bensars]

agreed fear, but the problem here once again, was not the rule but rather the application of the rule by Mr Bannon.

People call for rule changes, but the same problem wil persist,namely, how to interput the guidelines. Unfortunatley understanding of the rules and application are two different things.

[heffo]

Cluxton took McNamee down in a similar fashion in the Leinster final last year. He got a yellow card.

Swings & roundabouts.

[blanketattack]

It was a very soft tackle by Donaghy - more a glorified hug rather than any intent to injure Ryan.
Also going by where I was sitting it looked like Aidan O'Mahony would have intercepted Ryan anyway so it wouldn't have been sending off going by soccer's professional foul rule.
Also I'd have fancied Murphy to stop any goal attempt by Ryan seeing that he's not renowned for his shooting and his soloing was poor enough on Sunday so he may well have dropped it before getting a chance to shoot.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Maybe, maybe, maybe... 

Don't think anyone's saying Donaghy's tackle was malicious, it's more to do with the significance of stopping a run on goal at that point in the game.

[Hardy]

There is an advantage rule:

5.29 When a team commits an aggressive foul, the referee may allow play to continue if he considers it to be to the advantage of the offended team. Once he allows play to continue, he may not subsequently award a free for that foul. He shall apply the relevant penalty.

The problem with the rule is the second sentence. I think we should drop that clause, which would transform the rule into something like the rugby version.

[Fear ón Srath Bán]

Indeed Hardy, an advantage rule of sorts, but not really either. Advantage should be seen to accrue or free awarded.

[nrico2006]

Having said that, perhaps it's time to look at introducing  a straight red for this type of foul. I'd have no problem with a man getting sent off for deliberately playing the man (however innocuous the challenge) to stop a potential match winning score

Agreed, but not just confined to match winning scores.  If a plyer takes a man out when he has nobody else to beat then he should be off.  It was a smart tackle by Donaghy, but as previously mentioned if it had been committed by Whelan or Bellew you would never hear the end of it.  We are still hearing whinging with regards to Canavanas tackle in 2005, which was committed to waste time and was nowhere near to goal.

[turk]

Does anyone thing Ryan would have hit the corner flag probably if he was allowed advantage in any case?!!

[Croí na hÉireann]

Does anyone thing Ryan would have hit the corner flag probably if he was allowed advantage in any case?!!

Would Cosgroves ball not have been in the way??? 

[blast05]

Was it Bryan Cullen who took about 40 steps with the ball for Dublins first goal versus Laois?

Not to mention the ~14 he took for each of his 2 second half points.

Seriously though, i reckon Bannon got the Ryan/Donaghy decision right. He didn't give the free straight away, rather he seemed to blow it when Ryan was on the ground. At that instant it was a fair enough decision as it appeared unlikely that Ryan would get up, get control of the ball again (that is if he ever has actual control of it) and have a goal chance. A second later that decision did not seem as smart but what was Bannon to do ? had he played advantage and Ryan failed to gain control of the ball again, then it would have been play on and the crowd would have gone ballistic with him.
I don't agree at all with the idea of a red card offence

[Deal_Me_In]

There is an advantage rule:

5.29 When a team commits an aggressive foul, the referee may allow play to continue if he considers it to be to the advantage of the offended team. Once he allows play to continue, he may not subsequently award a free for that foul. He shall apply the relevant penalty.

The problem with the rule is the second sentence. I think we should drop that clause, which would transform the rule into something like the rugby version.

Agreed but i don't think that the advantage would last as long in football/hurling as it does in rugby.

[MacDanger]

Not disputing the ref's decision at all, what he did was entirely correct considering the rules. The OP wasn't focussing on the rules or the application of them but the blatantness of the foul itself.

Whether Ryan would have actually scored or not is beside the point, the fact that Donaghy would make such a blatant foul in such a crucial area of the field with the scores as they were makes it a red card for me. Usually when a player is taken down when going through it is when the fouling player has at least made half an attempt to tackle him, Donaghy just pulled him down without making even a token effort at tackling. The tackle was never going to hurt Ryan but the sheer cynicism of it is what makes it a serious offence in my book.

[Rossfan]

Am I being cynical or has RTE avoiding criticising foul play and bad behaviour over recent games got anything to do with the forthcoming awarding of TV rights to Gaelic Games?
Are they now turning into a SKY cheerleading see no evil hear no evil type of Station? 

[sligeach]

If you take out the Ref's "Performance" Kerry should have won by a lot more.

The vast majority of 50/50 decisions and some really bizarre ones were given Dublins way, especially in the second half.