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Mickey Harte was dreadful in the co commentator role yesterday. Came across as someone from a bygone era, who was more interested in Tyrone than the actual match.

Ticketmaster is a vile institution. With nothing else to gain or explore apart from inventing new ways to extract as much as possible from everyone it engages, it's at the sharp end of why monopolies hurt the end consumer.

But there's a reason why there's so little serious competition in their market. Multi venue booking systems with reserved seating are highly complex pieces of software. Once queuing systems and server latency are considered, it would be a mammoth task to take them on and do it even nearly as well.

The Dubliners. National treasures and icons no doubt.

They were though mostly interpreters of songs rather than songwriters, and for my money, every time Sinead O'Connor covered a Dubliners cover, she made it better. She was a better balladeer in my humble opinion.

So sticking to stuff that wouldn't have suited Sinead so much.


1. Rocky Road to Dublin.
2. Monto
3. Black Velvet Band

 

Same thing again there with the keep-ball tactics before halftime. When you've Enda McGinley rattling on about control and game-management you know you've the wrong rules in place.

I know there was instances of keep-ball before and the hooter came in but it's now established practice across all levels to kill time.

You're like a man swimming in clear blue, beautiful waters, on a sunny day on an uncrowded beach, surrounded by friends and family, complaining that some other family - keeping their distance - happens to be there.

You're upset but you don't know why.

What the f**k are you on about?

That you'd find misery in anything

Look at the Kerry and Mayo teams that tyrone played in 2021 and come back Wobbler?

It's not that Trap.

Tyrone didn't fluke an All Ireland. I'm not suggesting it.

But they'd baggage against Dublin. Properly heavy, can't f**king carry baggage.

The way they approached the AI final against Mayo was of a team that knew they'd unshackled a burden. It was brilliant. Mayo weren't ready for that. But they didn't beat the best team in Ireland that year. Mayo did.

Was it a flash in the pan from Armagh?

They did lose two games leading up to this

Kerry were poor enough by reports (missed first half) and the first 10 minutes they were second best..

Why do teams not hammer and press kick outs all the time?

We're going through an assimilation period.

It shouldn't be a surprise that Kerry get there quicker. They always have.

Meath shouldn't be a surprise either. For all O'Rourke's unwillingness to adapt to what is now old football, Meath got a jump start on new football by having him in place for a few years, as inadvertent as it may seem.

Dick Clerkin was right about this Armagh team.

What did he say about them?

Weakest team to ever win the AI.

They're better than the Tyrone team that won the 2021 All Ireland*

Nah, Tyrone 2021 had a tougher run and played better football. Last year's Championship overall was of a much lower standard. Indeed it was the worst quality season I can recall. Armagh deserved to win it though and their progress over the past few seasons and with a group of players who hadn't excelled at underage should be an inspiration to all. I wasn't convinced the new rules would suit them but they looked pretty good - until today. Margin of defeat actually flattered them.

Kerry looked very good. You'd have them and Donegal out in front of Tyrone and Meath at this stage.

No not sure about that.

Tyrone wouldn't have got within 10 points of Dublin. They didn't believe they could nor know how to do it. Mayo gave them a gift from heaven and they grabbed it with both hands.

Armagh were better winners.

And it hurts me to say it.

Armagh too slow to make changes and Kerry happily punched holes in the sides of the ship when going was good.

Blaine Hughes must feel like a mug.

10 points in 10 minutes and keep kerry scoreless? Would be some miracle

Blaine is honestly among the most shat upon players of all time.

Armagh were better with him. So much better.

You can have a back room staff of 50 and all the data in the world.

But if they're always looking for an edge instead of looking at the obvious, it's a waste of time. It's not data. It's not even information. It's gambling. And it makes zero sense. Makes even less sense in a set up so professional.

Sweeper keepers are for show. Real goalkeepers win things.

Same thing again there with the keep-ball tactics before halftime. When you've Enda McGinley rattling on about control and game-management you know you've the wrong rules in place.

I know there was instances of keep-ball before and the hooter came in but it's now established practice across all levels to kill time.

You're like a man swimming in clear blue, beautiful waters, on a sunny day on an uncrowded beach, surrounded by friends and family, complaining that some other family - keeping their distance - happens to be there.

You're upset but you don't know why.

Armagh not playing well so far

I've asked a group about this. Are Armagh a little flat / conservative, or are they game managing it to blow Kerry away.

I don't know. And I'm not sure it's possible to lull Kerry into a false sense of security. They're always smarter than that.

Should be a hell of a second half.

That was a warm up bout.

O'Shea running  riot for Kerry and Conaty for Armagh, Again another bad goalkeeper mistake for the goal.

I'd blame the defender more for that. He'd turned away from the ball.

Agreed

It's 14 years since Cluxton ate every moment of injury time on a free, making one person the sole evaluator of the gamesmanship v game management equation, and we now have people complaining that the transparent  hooter system is unfair?

The mind f**king boggles. It really does.

Why weren't Galway allowed to get the kick out away? There was 15 seconds left when that free was kicked..

If you're placing  all your eggs into a "win a kickout and get last score" basket, then failure is inevitable. Circumstances shouldn't matter.

Exhilarating second half. Proper throwback football. Better team won.

——

Somewhere along the line, someone really needs to challenge Pádraic Joyce about why all his key players are always injured. There's bad luck and then there's not learning.

was that really a foul for the lineball in lead up to donegal goal?
didn't see replay but didn't thunk there was a foul, wouldn't have been given in open play

Was thinking the same.

Donegal on top but the goal was the real momentum changer, and it's on the referee

I'd be biased towards the underdog no doubt.

But the ref especially in this second half has given the rub one way only. Whether it's steps, press tackling, pushes in the back, charging. It's all been blown one way.