Ulster Senior Football Club Championship 2010

[Milltown Row2]

Disillusioned you probably watched the game on TV so cant really comment on what went on in the game when the camera followed the ball.

BC1 if a team was more disciplined then the free count would be a lot lower thus cutting out the final score that was achieved surely!!!

[Hoof Hearted]

Have not read back any comments, so I'll give you my frank view on the game.

Beat by a hungrier team
Beat by a team that had the right tactics
Beat by a team that played better football
Beat by a team, that won't win the All Ireland
And has finally put to bed any notions that Cross aren't the best team in Ulster.

All I can say is this,

Fail to prepare - prepare to fail

over confident ?

[brokencrossbar1]

Disillusioned you probably watched the game on TV so cant really comment on what went on in the game when the camera followed the ball.

BC1 if a team was more disciplined then the free count would be a lot lower thus cutting out the final score that was achieved surely!!!

But 5-6 scores from frees would not be unusual generally in any game and given that 2 of those frees were in excess of 45 metres then this is an added factor.  Cross actually scored 7 from play.  St Galls scored what 3-4 from frees.  Frees win championship games at this time of year.  Slippy grounds, windy conditions, very little free flowing football.  Even the most disciplined team will give away 5-6 scorable frees every game.  Cross did it today, St Galls didn't take them.  What may or may not happen is immaterial.  Experience has shown me that these facts are pretty indisputable and will be the case in the rest of the championship matches before the championship is over.

[Milltown Row2]

Well I'll not say a team can be over confident playing against a team as successfull as Cross, that would be foolish thing, Ballinderry can vouch for that.

yes BC1 i agree with you regarding that teams all get frees at this time of year, but conditions were perfect, weather was great, we just didn't play well, cause Cross were better

[ONeill]

I didn't think Galls were all that physical. They don't really play that way. Both sides hit hard. Two best teams in Ulster although Galls didn't get out of second gear.

[Hoof Hearted]

Disillusioned you probably watched the game on TV so cant really comment on what went on in the game when the camera followed the ball.

BC1 if a team was more disciplined then the free count would be a lot lower thus cutting out the final score that was achieved surely!!!

But 5-6 scores from frees would not be unusual generally in any game and given that 2 of those frees were in excess of 45 metres then this is an added factor.  Cross actually scored 7 from play.  St Galls scored what 3-4 from frees. Frees win championship games at this time of year.  Slippy grounds, windy conditions, very little free flowing football.  Even the most disciplined team will give away 5-6 scorable frees every game.  Cross did it today, St Galls didn't take them.  What may or may not happen is immaterial.  Experience has shown me that these facts are pretty indisputable and will be the case in the rest of the championship matches before the championship is over.

exactly what Oisin said in his Gaelic Life Interview on Friday. when he pinged over the first few it was the first thing i thought off, he wasnt talking dung

[dundrumite]

Thought St Galls lack of discipline cost them today, summed up in the first minute by Aodhan Gallagher, whom slapped the ball out of a Cross players hands thus getting the ball moved up to a scoring position off about the 50 which Oisin slotted over. That kind of stuff cracks me up when watching underage teams play never mind Ulster senior club. Best team won on the day in a game I thought would go to the wire.

[Applesisapples]

No real challenge in the Antrim championship mixed with an inability to cope with Cross' robust rearguard was the downfall of the all ireland champions.

There is never a challenge in Antrim for them though, they are well used to it by now.

As opposed to Cross' passage to this stage I am referring to.

Did St John's not give them a game in Antrim this year?

No real challenge in the Antrim championship mixed with an inability to cope with Cross' robust rearguard was the downfall of the all ireland champions.

Puts into perspective a soft AI last year.

Stupid comment. Could easily say Cross have had a bye into the Ulster for the last 15 odd years then!? Although we know that isn't the case. Fair play to Cross they were immense today.

How is it stupid, who did they beat that could be deemed a big club?

[Armaghgeddon]

I remember the 2007 game between Galls and Cross and Galls tried beating Cross at the physical game and when that didnt work they turned to the more cynical type of football. The worst thing about it is that Cross bit this time and kept getting players booked when they were comfortably in the lead. At the end however cross could have won by alot more if they didn't try going for goals.

[thewanderer]

St Galls proved yesterday that it didnt have the right attitude to win an ulster/all-ireland this year. you cant have players running around america and then returning expecting to beat tested teams. ie armagh championship was very competitive this year and either dromintee or st pats would have beaten galls yesterday. Their tactics of trying to physically compete with cross and then carrying the balls into tackles from defence doesnt work. still have to say that cross relied on oisins frees which he was carried for ps wish we had him and we would have a pocketfull of medals. as  for the clowns from o donnells this is a regular position with men being sent off. i beleive they have the worst disipline record in antrim maybe ireland with matches regularily not finished without a number of dismissals as proved yesterday, but well done grange. as for the irish news tipsters haha ur love of antrim teams is gone for the year.

[nrico2006]

someone said cross are f**ked if they need to bring back john mac,well if galls are bringing on ohare i know who is f**ked!

Very true, has he done any training since 2002?

It was very evident from the start yesterday that St Galls were trying to match Cross physically, but they went about it with cheap late hits and digs whereas Cross hit fair and hard.  The shoulder from Hanratty on Gallagher was immense, and it really lay down the marker to the St Galls players who until that stage were hitting men late when they were after kicking the ball or firing sly punches to the sides of peoples heads.  There was a huge contrast in attitudes from the beginning, as someone already mentioned Gallagher hitting ther ball out of a Cross players hands at the start when a free had been given, well alot of the time I saw Cross give away a free their players just rolled the ball towards the opposition player and got on with it without any yapping.  They seemed very well disciplined apart from the moment of madness from Morgan (did he slide in or slip?).  Tony, Stephen and Aaron Kernan seemed to have an unbelievable amount of possession, and they used it well.  The Cross forward line showed up well in front of their man each time and their link up play up front was very good.  The Red for Hanratty was very harsh, especially in comparison with the deliberate swing of the elbow from McGourty at a mans head moments earlier which the referee clearly seen.  How did he not get a straight red for that?

[isourboydownyet]

someone said cross are f**ked if they need to bring back john mac,well if galls are bringing on ohare i know who is f**ked!

Very true, has he done any training since 2002?

It was very evident from the start yesterday that St Galls were trying to match Cross physically, but they went about it with cheap late hits and digs whereas Cross hit fair and hard.  The shoulder from Hanratty on Gallagher was immense, and it really lay down the marker to the St Galls players who until that stage were hitting men late when they were after kicking the ball or firing sly punches to the sides of peoples heads.  There was a huge contrast in attitudes from the beginning, as someone already mentioned Gallagher hitting ther ball out of a Cross players hands at the start when a free had been given, well alot of the time I saw Cross give away a free their players just rolled the ball towards the opposition player and got on with it without any yapping.  They seemed very well disciplined apart from the moment of madness from Morgan (did he slide in or slip?).  Tony, Stephen and Aaron Kernan seemed to have an unbelievable amount of possession, and they used it well.  The Cross forward line showed up well in front of their man each time and their link up play up front was very good.  The Red for Hanratty was very harsh, especially in comparison with the deliberate swing of the elbow from McGourty at a mans head moments earlier which the referee clearly seen.  How did he not get a straight red for that?

noticed that myself but that has always been there way,as we (bellaghy) learnt to our own down fall in a ulster final,while we were yapping at the ref cross had the ball in the back of the net!
look at francie after he gave away the penalty,just set down the ball and walked away without a murmour,mcgourty and gallagher never shout there mouth.

[Winnie Peg]

Absolutely true. Those wee angels from Cross wouldn't say boo to a goose. Never give sly digs or anythjing like that and for poor Francie, why do other players always pick on him knowing that he has never touched anyone in his life. Just ask Micky Linden.

[DirtyDozen12]

Overall Cross where far more hungier on the day than St Galls but nobody has commented on the penalties.  I actually think if Galls had scored their penalty at that stage they would have went on to win the game as i felt they had the momentum.  Also thought that the penalty Cross where awarded was incredibly soft, 9 times out of 10 you dont see them given.  Think it was overall the turning point, Cross where well on top at that stage but Galls where in touching distance i always felt up to that.  Felt sorry for Niblock who i thought had a good game, anything that was kicked up to him, he was out in front and won.  He struck his penalty well, low and hard, great save just and i felt that the game hung on the 2 penalties.  Take nothing away from Cross though, where def the team that wanted it more oin the day, just thought it would have made for an interesting last 15 minutes had Galls netted. 

Home advantage a big thing too in the lster Championship games as it showed this weekend.

[brokencrossbar1]

Absolutely true. Those wee angels from Cross wouldn't say boo to a goose. Never give sly digs or anythjing like that and for poor Francie, why do other players always pick on him knowing that he has never touched anyone in his life. Just ask Micky Linden.

Give over you, bloody empty vessel