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Neither Meath or Donegal will wear alternative jerseys it has been confirmed. It will tough on the eyes.

They were saying on the football pod that Meath had asked to wear Navy. Surely that would have made more sense.

There needs to be guidelines for change kits at county level now to work around clashes. There's too many kits that are too similar. Tipp having a navy change strip was weird I thought. Rafferty in navy with the rest of the team in black wasn't great either.

Big Finbar had it right the whole time with the rugby boots and a toe-hoke as high and far as humanly possible

Casement Park 1999 stands out for me - Mickey McVeigh and Finbar tried the whole game to hit each other with a kick out - absolute boomers straight down the middle for the whole game.

    the height Finbar kickouts came in at weren't doing anyone any favours, nearly came down vertically, at club level no-one was catching them

With Mickey they were long range missiles. He landed one in the D that day from the 20m line. No hips left on him now. Those guys absolutely smashed the ball compared to the likes of Beggan and Patton today.

[Those couple of balls going over the sideline gave Kerry huge energy]

Thinking back now , I don't know why Rafferty didn't drive it as far as he could down the  field. He's easily capable  of hitting beyond midfield. Spread the game ,  push Kerry back. Get them away from the Armagh goal/arc

Yes, Kerry might still have won  the same amount of ball as they did , but they woukd have been further  away from  goals to do damage.  And as someone said , a  breaking ball  falling luckily could mean Conaty/McMullan etc  on his way towards the Kerry goal

Those couple of balls  going over the sideline gave Kerry  huge energy

Aiming for a target within a few yards of the sideline is beyond me too, once in a while maybe yes if someone is in space or on the run where you kick it into their path, but static targets with practically zero margin for error just seems silly, there was plenty of it over the weekend from a few teams, trying to create these sexy precision set piece plays at times when its not needed

The idea is that if the kickout misses its target the ball is more than likely going to go dead; a safer alternative to losing the kickout directly to the opposition with the ball in play.

That sounds like it's right but with a big crowd getting on it, the ball over the side line feels like a turnover

Big Finbar had it right the whole time with the rugby boots and a toe-hoke as high and far as humanly possible

Casement Park 1999 stands out for me - Mickey McVeigh and Finbar tried the whole game to hit each other with a kick out - absolute boomers straight down the middle for the whole game.

[the default position should have been get it as far away from goal as possible. Long ball down the middle]

Teams need to have a default tactic to go to when they're getting pressed on their kickouts. For every tactic there's a counter tactic.  Teams simply can't afford to get hammered on the kickout like that. Maybe Armagh did have  a tactic (hit it to the wings), and it just wasn't enough on the day. From where i was sitting high up in the Davin, Rafferty didn't have a lot of options to kick to. There wasn't much movement and the spaces were pretty much closed off. Eye of the needle stuff trying to pick out a player to ping it to in those circumstances.  So the only thing was to try and belt it as long as f... up the pitch and hope one of our players could break it or flick it on for a player running into oceans of space.  If a team like Kerry are pushing up, there's going to be space behind - they don't have 17 players on the pitch.  If we had got in behind them just the once, that would have scared them enough to stop pushing up. All ifs and maybes, but the lesson for other teams caught in the same scenario is have a tactic to go to, something that will break the cycle.  It's not the first time this has happened this year, with the effect of the new rules.  I saw Armagh do the same thing in the league match with Dublin.  Only difference was, it was in the first half and Dublin had a chance to regroup at half time.  The timing of Kerry's press was perfect for them - the third quarter when the game was there to be won, and Armagh didn't have the benefit of a half time analysis to figure out what was happening and a chance to regroup.  Plenty of learning there for Tyrone.

After 2 or so missed kickouts the default position should have been get it as far away from goal as possible. Long ball down the middle, even a side line ball further down the pitch would have bought them a few extra seconds. Still cant understand how even the keeper didnt think to change it up a bit.

That's the issue with programmed players who couldn't think for themselves and who are overcoached. Tyrone suffered from this problem for the last number of years under Harte.

He did launch one in the 2nd half and Kerry got the break but he probably should've went again. When you're under pressure taking on difficult kicks isn't the right answer but they're coached to go for what seems like the higher % kick to the wing but that doesn't account for human error and really the fact that the Armagh team froze at the time. Similar happened in the 1st game, Galway got a few scores and the Meath keeper put one over the sideline handing the momentum back to Galway at the time. Putting a ball over the sideline at that point gets the crowd going too in that situation.

Years ago the older keepers would just launch a few as far as possible to break the momentum or go down with a groin injury to break the play up. Don't think you can do that anymore - does the keeper have to go off if he's 'down injured'?

What was the story with the slipping folks?  Understand that the tyrone game probably had the worst conditions and it was like bambi on ice at times.  Just one of those things?

I was there both days, have to agree.
Players were slipping a lot yesterday, seemed to be more prevalent on the 45 at canal end.
but was also noteable around other 45 also.

All 4 keepers slipped at kick outs too

Well yesterday was a big disappointment. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say you were beaten by a much better team in the day. It was a pleasure to watch Sean O'Shea yesterday. Well done Kerry

That would be my feeling too. As Peter Canavan said last night no team would have been able to live with Kerry during that 15 minute spell yesterday. I wouldn't want to have been in Ethan's boots during that period. He made his mistakes of course but I would put it down to a complete system meltdown rather than putting it completely at his door.  Momentum always was an important commodity in football but it's off the scales now.  If you lose it then it is very hard to get back.
A Kerry team with a chip on its' shoulder is a dangerous beast especially with that wasp Jack O'Connor in charge.  You can just hear him using all the negative comments in the dressing room.
I'd have concerns over what some of our older players might do now.  Hopefully they take their time and arrive at what's best for them.

It's true that no team would have been able to live with Kerry if they gift them possession 15 times in a row but I don't think most teams would do that. He'd have been better lumping a few up the middle but for whatever reason he decided now to. It happens all the time now when teams get on top and hit 7 or 8 points in a row, but 14 is unheard of in what was a tight game before that.

It begs the question: did Armagh have the right keeper in goal?  Rafferty is great, pure excitement.  However when the FRC altered its own rule change back in February, the advantage of the attacking keeper was lost.

Is it a fair question to ask could Armagh have done with Rafferty out around the middle?

I don't put all the blame on him though - I was there as a neutral and he had no options at times especially in that spell of dominance for Kerry. Armagh looked flat and Kerry had every angle covered. He launched one right over at one stage and Kerry managed to pick up the break.

To be fair to Armagh, they lost because they couldn't win their own kickout.  2024 rules they would not have gotten blitzed the way they did.  Didn't someone suggest a while back that the rule changes were tailor made for Kerry?  I know that's sour grapes but I had to write it.

I've been struggling with the kickout rules for over 5 months(since Kerry scored two goals off Derry kickouts at the end of their league game).  The team being scored on shouldn't be penalized the way the new rules punish them.  I've seen too many games in which one team goes on a 5-10 minute scoring spree because the opponent can't get any possession.

Yes I know each ball is 50/50, however if anyone has been keeping count I bet that the team winning its kickout immediately get a scoring opportunity maybe 10% of the time, or much less.  Whereas when a team loses it's kickout it seems to be under immediate threat at least 50% of the time.

Games shouldn't be won and lost just on kickouts.  The FRC needs to fix this.

Games have been won and lost on kick outs for years, it's just harder to retain your own kick out now.

Harry O'Neill from Antrim is one I remember my da talking about - must be the 40s though

I bought Upper Cusack. 708 maybe so in line with the 20 roughly.

I'd promised my daughter months ago that I'd try to get tickets for one of the double headers. She was looking to see David Clifford regardless so just so happens she'll also get to see Rian O'Neill and Shane Walsh all being well so should be a good experience for her.

Was that a juvenile ticket on ticketmaster?
Only juvenile I spotted were 701 or 713

Same there now. I went for 2 full price ones to get a decent seat on Sunday but had to pick 3 or 4 times to get them. Tickets seem to be going fast.

Anyone know why Down GAA were allowed to streamed the Down-Louth game but the GAA refused to allow Armagh GAA stream the Armagh-Derry game?

The audio was streamed officially - some found/shared a link to the private stream. I think every game has that for media viewing etc.

2017 Hyundai Tuscon, engine light came on and it is losing power in the higher gears. Doesn't really accelerate in 5th or 6th but not too bad in the lower gears. Any ideas if it is serious or likely to get worse?

I had an i40 that went into limp mode a few times, turned out to be a diesel filter problem. They're very sensitive to any contaminates in the fuel.

The LGFA and camogs working around each other is a good thing - it was overdue. It just needs an overall controller now over the 4 codes for fixtures clashes etc. Teams with one field do get overlooked in the fixture lists.

I think the Europa league final might of had a bigger effect on refs available on Wednesday night than people want to admit
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Is the Down County Board not the overall controller?
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Not in the sense that someone is checking for fixture clashes etc. It's similar with the hurling and football too
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The hurling and football fixtures are set by the master fixtures calendar shared with the clubs prior to the leagues kicking off.


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I meant more around championship fixtures at the end of the year. We've had clashes there especially when you've got dual lads playing for 2 different clubs.

Ladies game nights were changed this year, with Mondays and Wednesdays now having both male and female matches needing referees.

The Saturday evening for ladies football is no more, with that slot being criminally underutilised.

The motivation for change seemed to be largely around accommodation of clubs that offered camogie, but did little to consider clubs with one pitch. A series of mad proposals which got voted through.

It was fine the way it was.

Ladies footballers generally seem happier to play on Thursday nights as opposed to Saturdays. Given the age profiles of many ladies teams, that is understandable. Maybe one of the juvenile leagues could use that slot instead. Though there will be times that it clashes with other sports played by many underage players. In terms of making fixtures there isn't a huge amount that can be done. It is simply down to a lack of referees.

Down LGFA and Down Camogie got together over the winter and devised a fixture schedule which was devised to allow girls to play both codes and not be pulled from pillar to post, this is a knock on effect.

What do you mean by the knock on effect?

LGFA out the same night as juvenile football stretching the referees pool.

I'm not so sure it was "fine the way it was" previously either. There were more and more clashes between LGFA and camogie than enough throughout the year over fixtures.

The LGFA and camogs working around each other is a good thing - it was overdue. It just needs an overall controller now over the 4 codes for fixtures clashes etc. Teams with one field do get overlooked in the fixture lists.

I think the Europa league final might of had a bigger effect on refs available on Wednesday night than people want to admit

Is the Down County Board not the overall controller?

Not in the sense that someone is checking for fixture clashes etc. It's similar with the hurling and football too

Ladies game nights were changed this year, with Mondays and Wednesdays now having both male and female matches needing referees.

The Saturday evening for ladies football is no more, with that slot being criminally underutilised.

The motivation for change seemed to be largely around accommodation of clubs that offered camogie, but did little to consider clubs with one pitch. A series of mad proposals which got voted through.

It was fine the way it was.

Ladies footballers generally seem happier to play on Thursday nights as opposed to Saturdays. Given the age profiles of many ladies teams, that is understandable. Maybe one of the juvenile leagues could use that slot instead. Though there will be times that it clashes with other sports played by many underage players. In terms of making fixtures there isn't a huge amount that can be done. It is simply down to a lack of referees.

Down LGFA and Down Camogie got together over the winter and devised a fixture schedule which was devised to allow girls to play both codes and not be pulled from pillar to post, this is a knock on effect.

What do you mean by the knock on effect?

LGFA out the same night as juvenile football stretching the referees pool.

I'm not so sure it was "fine the way it was" previously either. There were more and more clashes between LGFA and camogie than enough throughout the year over fixtures.

The LGFA and camogs working around each other is a good thing - it was overdue. It just needs an overall controller now over the 4 codes for fixtures clashes etc. Teams with one field do get overlooked in the fixture lists.

I think the Europa league final might of had a bigger effect on refs available on Wednesday night than people want to admit