Messages

Sometimes adversity, or desperation brings out the best in a team.
Conceding two deflected goals, a patchwork defence, eventually with Bruno standing in at centre half. Maguire, Antony, Diallo and Maguire the unlikely heroes off the bench.

Liverpool looked electric for a while around when they plundered the two goals, but they were flat for long parts too.

It could be a sliding door moment in the two clubs' fortunes.
When Klopp goes, the underinvestment from Liverpool's tightwad owners will likely be laid bare.
A rebuild is needed anyway with Salah and Van Dijk nearing the exit.
In the 11 years since Ferguson retired and Utd imploded, Liverpool have only plundered a single league title, and when the Klopp fog clears, that shouldn't be viewed as hectic by any standard.

On the other hand, the INEOS regime at Utd have changed course and started to assemble a back office of people with a successful track record in running clubs, unlike the Goldman Sachs banker types which the Glazers had running the show.

Better team won, but why gift possession back to England with 90 seconds left?

I doubt Ireland had enough power and energy to ruck and recycle it in their own 22 for 90 seconds. England had already been bossing them for a while physically.

Wouldn't be a ruck, would be a maul with ball in hand... is a difference. Bad decision

Mauling is even harder to do for that long. At least in a series rucks you get breathers.

Anyway, once England know you can't or won't kick the ball away, they can push practically everybody up to the gain line.   Chances are Ireland would have lost possession or infringed.

Better team won, but why gift possession back to England with 90 seconds left?

I doubt Ireland had enough power and energy to ruck and recycle it in their own 22 for 90 seconds. England had already been bossing them for a while physically.

A valuable lesson for Ireland.
It's not that Ireland were complacent, they just need to better handle the underdog throwing everything at them.

I was thinking all week that this was a role reversal.
For a couple of decades when England were clearly the better team, Ireland would go at them like wolves. Making up for the lack of quality with sheer effort.

England nearly did the same to South Africa in October, but the difference was the Saffers squeaked it over the line.

It's a great way of manufacturing publicity though - Blur vs. Oasis.
Others fed it though. RTE with their camera cuts to the 10 on the bench after a kick gets missed or nailed.

The problem was that the debate lingered far too long.
And it surely contributed to Kidney losing his nerve and restoring ROG to 10 during the 2011 WC and Ireland invariably crashing out.

What percentage of Gaaboarders know the playing rules fully?

never fails to amaze me how many supporters at games haven't a clue about the rules,and they're usually the loudest! 

Yep, the fellas who roar for frees for 'two turns', 'showing the ball' or query why a player got pinged for picking up a 'rolling ball'.

Sexton's big break came when Felipe Contepomi pulled up injured in the '09 HC semi in Croke Park. After that he was in the driving seat and in fairness to him, he saw Leinster over the line for their first Heineken.

Dislodging ROG wasn't the only challenge Sexton - he was the better player and ROG's poor big tournament record meant he needed to be put out to grass anyway.
The Munster PR machine was at full throttle in this era, and they really hated the idea of their 'ligind' being usurped by some pup who yelled in ROG's face. That created the noise and sense of 'big debate' about the 10 jersey, when there really shouldn't have been any.

It used to be Barack Obama, it's Shane Lowry now.

The best to revive the Lions concept would have been to out Clive Woodward in charge, thus ensuring very closely fought matches against the Aussies.

I've been listening to most of these episodes and I'd highly recommend them.

Michael Foley recalls in great detail the events of a truly memorable summer. To this day there has never been a hurling championship like it for controversies, plot twists, and chaos.

It fully warrants the running time as there is so much to delve into. Other parts covered are Galway's football breakthrough and the Omagh Bombing which was a catastrophic event right at the start of the emerging peace agreement.

Foley himself as a journalist was in the dressing rooms at the time so you pick up some extra nuggets.
His recall and details are accurate, which is always a bonus.
He presents the events pretty fairly without putting on his own slant, or making it about himself. Like, it's clear that Gerlock went full Colonel Kurtz without the narrator needing to tell you as much.

Both of these links will bring you to the content:
https://soundcloud.com/officialgaa/the-summer-98-promo

https://open.spotify.com/show/5jDLDx4qH ... 66a6b04324

Was round at the neighbours last night for few Xmas drinks, chat turns to football and most are Liverpool fans, they watch Utd more nowadays than they did when Utd where winning the leagues consistently.

It seems a common trend for Liverpool fans seem to spend more time watching and talking about Man Utd.

There are parallels to when Van Gaal's time was up around Xmas 2015. Slow ponderous football, little cutting edge, and few goals.
The uncertainty of the Jim Ratcliffe buy in won't help, but I doubt Ten Hag will be part of his long term vision, when he does take control.

Work ongoing for the new stand in Newbridge. 3,000 seats is very modest in an overall development of €17.5 million.
I'm sure the prawn sandwiches will be nice though.

https://twitter.com/KildareGAA/status/1737787841696952514

RIP Johnny Flaherty.
In 1981 Galway were cruising, comfortably in the lead and then couldn't buy a score in the last 20 minutes.
Offaly started to eat into the lead and closed with 1-6 without reply.
Pat Delaney's high fielding and solo runs were immense and key to Offaly turning the game.

Flaherty's point off the stick before the goal was a lovely piece of wizardry.
Flaherty had been in America for most of the 70s when he would have been at his peak. He came back at just the right time to help push Offaly to make the breakthrough.

Notice it was Jimmy Cooney RIP, jabbing the butt of the hurl at the celebrating Offaly players.

There is part of me that admires the sheer brazenness of Martial and Rashford. They're not trying to hide their contempt for putting in a shift.

Some players at loggerheads with a club still put on a facade for the fans, badge kissing, running around to be noticed, throwing in dirty tackles.
These two are one step short of bringing an armchair and crossword puzzle onto the pitch with them.

In the Ferguson era, a player that got ahead of himself was gone - think of Ince, Beckham, Kanchelskis, Heinze and Tevez. Now it's completely flipped, players can down tools to usher the manager out the door.