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Regrettably did not manage to get down, but I'd a few friends who made the trip and they talked about a great occasion. There's no doubt that Leeds have a great support in Ireland.

MR's description of the match seems to tally with what a lot of the experts have been saying. Stach stole the show and already looks like a brilliant piece of business, and the defence generally looked tight. The exception was Schmidt and it appears that Farke's dim view of his defensive capabilities were there for all to see on Saturday. He's due to go on loan to Werder Bremen, so a replacement is likely needed in that position.

The obvious gap though is up front, and it is unlikely that Piroe is going to have the ability to do what Bamford did in 2020/21 and score close to 20 goals in the top flight. I'd love to see him prove me wrong, but he looks like a top Championship striker, rather than a top striker.

The need for a new striker - and it is being acknowledged publicly by Farke - is an absolute priority, but it seems Leeds, as a newly promoted Club, are a name to be avoided by the top quality players, I'd guess for the reason that they'll be favourites to go down.   

[I think the 2024 final suffers from exaggeration as to how bad it was. The 2025 final on the other hand is benefitted by a need to portray the current game as vastly superior to the old one.]

Im obviously bias but the 2024 final was infinitely superior to the 20025 final.  I think the 2024 final suffers from exaggeration as to how bad it was.  The 2025 final on the other hand is benefitted by a need to portray the current game as vastly superior to the old one.

100% this.

The thought of going back to packed defences, crab football, the audible chat from the stands gives me the jitters tbh

I totally understand fellow Gaels have hugely differing thoughts and preferences on this from my own opinion, and I accept that they are likely to carry the day in this debate.

The one thing I would say, in reference to the bit I've kept from your post, is that last year, the great and the good came on to lambast the spectacle that was the 2024 All Ireland Final, and many referenced how the players calling to each other was clearly audible, in the context of what they seen as a poor contest on the pitch, which in turn was used to shout for the need for rule changes. And yet, the players were clearly audible talking to each other on Sunday, and there was plenty of lateral passing and holding the ball up, and there was little talk about it, albeit there was plenty of booing from the crowd.

Furthermore, we had the ridiculous spectacle of Kerry players soloing the ball back and forward, unimpeded, in front of the half way line, as three Donegal players watched on helplessly, only yards away, unable to intervene.

Maybe the new game is a much better spectacle, full of more scores and more exciting for many, but for me it's just not Gaelic Football. 

Thought it would be  a more detailed poll

Had to select  'some retained'  even though I'm only really in favour of one  new rule

You've spoken my thoughts more or less exactly. That's why I voted 'Some Retained'.

For me, I'd keep the tap and go, and ensure that backchat to the ref has a significant punishment, and then dispense with the rest.

Personal view only, but the changes have hugely benefitted the teams with the best forwards and punished those who rely on good defence. That to my mind corrupts the order of merit. Kerry may well have won this year's All Ireland anyway, but I don't think it is any coincidence that they did so in an absolute canter.

We played Antrim in the opening round of the Ulster Championship, and off the top of my head, won 1-35 to 1-24. The emphasis on the two point scores is now likely to increase pressure to have four point goals, and before you know it, teams will be regularly scoring 40 points plus. Many will argue, 'so what?', but for me, that's not Gaelic Football.

Like I said - a personal opinion only.   

Not really a fan of the Quo, but a shout out for their first ever single from 1968, which is an absolutely outstanding track.

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Rest In Peace, Mr Blonde.

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[point of the game was scored right at the start of the second half.]

point of the game was scored right at the start of the second half. Armagh done enough to keep the dubs at bay in the second half. We have levels to go up I think

I'm assuming you're talking about Rian's two-pointer into the wind, which was absolutely magnificent.

Given though that it's all about opinions, the point of the game, which was also the point of the Championship for me - and has been criminally overlooked - was Oisin Conaty's effort in the 30th minute. There were echoes of Maradona's goal against England in the Azteca in 1986.

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Amazing if that is true.

It looks like last year's promoted teams showed that there is a serious gap to teams like United and Spurs.  Proper investment is needed but it comes at a risk of not working out, and leaving the club in diffs.  When Villa were promoted they took a punt at serious investment and just about stayed up on the last day.

Correct. Don't think they were the only ones recently, too. I was thinking of Forest in that regard - didn't they get something like 20 players in and sailed very close to the wind in their first season back up. It's all a tightrope.

I note too that Leicester are back in trouble in terms of spending, and may be staring down the barrel of a points deduction for next season. Many lessons to be learned.

We need a goalkeeper, a left back, a central midfielder, a no 10 and a striker, as well as possibly a central defender and a winger, preferably without loans which have seldom worked in the past.

The rumour mill is already in full swing as regards recruitment for next season, with many of the positions you have outlined MR, being discussed. Lot of talk about a £40 million swoop for Caoimhin Kelleher and Tsimikas to fill the keeper and left back positions. Getting Kelleher though might be difficult, due to the competition, as already talk of Villa coming in for him in anticipation of Martinez leaving. Aaron Ramsdale also being linked. Firpo has been offered a new contract, but nothing signed yet, with Real Betis sniffing around.

A range of forwards being mentioned. Solomon is likely to be signed on a permanent deal and strikers mentioned include Vladyslav Vanat of Dynamo Kiev (who I'd never heard of, up until yesterday!).

49ers Enterprises have also raised a further £120 million through a share issue, with the money to be spent on both stadium redevelopment and transfers. It is reckoned that the transfer kitty will now be north of £150 million, which is likely to be needed if we are to have any chance of surviving.

George Wendt.

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Gutted to hear this. Feels like I've lost a friend.

[Unfortunately the excellence of the overall team performance was undone at crucial stages by a few individual errors.]

How about a supporter puts the blame on their team for what happened. Ever comment on here is, it's out of line BUT!!!

Donegal boy shouldn't have done what he done. Armagh ones shouldn't have reacted the way they did. But he did and they did. It'll be dealt with and we will move on. Sin é

It's very clear there's little or no sympathy for McFadden Ferry bar from his own. He fucked around and found out, tighten him. There might be suspensions but there'll be few regrets imo - and 2 well motivated teams.

There's definitely shades of 2005 around all of this. We won the Ulster title against Tyrone and properly over-celebrated a win after a match that had its fair share of spite and nastiness. It came back to bite us in the AI semi.  Will history repeat itself??

All ifs and buts but Armagh had plenty of chances that day to win it but kicked too many wides.
If we meet Donegal again I'd expect us to be highly motivated and focused after this defeat.  But would also expect Donegal to be honed in on winning an AI. Would probably be another very tight one!

I don't believe 'over celebrating' the 2005 Ulster Final victory in anyway contributed to the semi-final loss. Armagh actually played their best game of 2005 against Tyrone in that match. Unfortunately the excellence of the overall team performance was undone at crucial stages by a few individual errors.

And for what it's worth, I don't believe the Ulster Final victory was over celebrated at all.

Might have had something to do with the other team being even more excellent, no?

The other team was excellent, young Red, no doubt - but the errors I'm thinking of were individual misjudgements, albeit probably brought about by the pressure of the situation. Unforced errors, as Dan Maskell used to say at Wimbledon.

How about a supporter puts the blame on their team for what happened. Ever comment on here is, it's out of line BUT!!!

Donegal boy shouldn't have done what he done. Armagh ones shouldn't have reacted the way they did. But he did and they did. It'll be dealt with and we will move on. Sin é

It's very clear there's little or no sympathy for McFadden Ferry bar from his own. He fucked around and found out, tighten him. There might be suspensions but there'll be few regrets imo - and 2 well motivated teams.

There's definitely shades of 2005 around all of this. We won the Ulster title against Tyrone and properly over-celebrated a win after a match that had its fair share of spite and nastiness. It came back to bite us in the AI semi.  Will history repeat itself??

All ifs and buts but Armagh had plenty of chances that day to win it but kicked too many wides.
If we meet Donegal again I'd expect us to be highly motivated and focused after this defeat.  But would also expect Donegal to be honed in on winning an AI. Would probably be another very tight one!

I don't believe 'over celebrating' the 2005 Ulster Final victory in anyway contributed to the semi-final loss. Armagh actually played their best game of 2005 against Tyrone in that match. Unfortunately the excellence of the overall team performance was undone at crucial stages by a few individual errors.

And for what it's worth, I don't believe the Ulster Final victory was over celebrated at all.