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Unbelievable that anyone can say that O'Leary should not have been suspended. He struck Graham Geraghty and for that he deserved a red card. For the referee to get another chance to do the right thing and still decide it was not a sending off offence is just plain wrong.

I hate to see any player missing an AI Final through suspension but if you're willing to strike on a football field then you should be willing to take the punishment that comes with that.

There have been numerous threads on this and other discussion boards regarding players that have suffered broken jaws and worse from being struck off the ball during football/hurling matches. No matter how hard the punch is if it connects in the wrong way then the victim can be seriously injured. By letting this go the GAA are condoning violence on the football field.

There was a poll on this board (or the old board) a couple of years ago choosing the best team of the last 20 years. 23 users picked teams with the team below the most popular:

John O'Leary

Robbie O'Malley
Darren Fay
Tony Scullion

Seamus Moynihan
Kieran McGeeney
Martin O'Connell

John McDermott
Anthony Tohill

Maurice Fitzgerald
Larry Tompkins
Trevor Giles

Colm O'Rourke
Peter Canavan
Mickey Linden

As the period in question is now 93->07 it could be argued that Robbie O'Malley, Larry Tompkins, Colm O'Rourke & Mickey Linden would drop off that team as their best football was past them by 93. In that case the next highest players up the list would be Kieran McKeever, Michael Donnelan, Steven McDonnell & Padraig Joyce. So the updated team would be:


John O'Leary    Dublin

Kieran McKeever   Derry
Darren Fay                   Meath
Tony Scullion   Derry

Seamus Moynihan   Kerry
Kieran McGeeney   Armagh
Martin O'Connell   Meath

John McDermott   Meath
Anthony Tohill   Derry

Maurice Fitzgerald   Kerry
Michael Donnelan   Galway
Trevor Giles   Meath

Steven McDonnell   Armagh
Peter Canavan   Tyrone
Padraig Joyce   Galway

Great game, great occasion and finally a bit of pride restored to Meath football. Can't see GG being suspended by video evidence so on that basis my team for the replay would be:

Murphy (Unfortunate for the goal, otherwise excellent)

Harrington (Solid and didn't let the occasion get to him, expect him to grow with experience)
Fay (Back close to his best, reads the game superbly)
McKeigue (Played very well, really stood up to the challenge in the last 20 mins)
Kenny (Never rated him before but done well, got stuck in and was a nuisance for the Dub forwards)
Moyles (Held the centre well, led as a captain should)
King (Kicked a lovely point but a little disappointed generally from open play)

Ward (Best midfielder on show, carried the game to Dublin almost on his own in first 15 mins)
Reilly (Crawford has had enough chances, Reilly better further back the field)

Geraghty (Would like to see him more involved in open play than on Sunday, extra game will bring his fitness on)
Sheridan (Kicked 3 points, shouldn't be allowed near a free, always looks like he could give more but overall a good performance)
Byrne (Great game, got through tonnes of work, discipline improved)
Bray (Must be in corner forward, extremely accurate, strong enough to win his own ball and beat his man)
Farrell (Should be well fired up after missing Sunday's game)
Ward (If it was only for the free's I'd have him on, but anyone that know's Meath club football would agree he also deserves his chance for what he can do from open play)

Declan -  can you order individual tickets already?