USFC: Fermanagh v Down: Brewster Park: 3/6/12

[Brick Tamlin]

Any man that thinks that Keenan was buried prior to the sendin off needs his head read.
Can you honestly tell me that Keenan was buried and that he probably struck out in self defence?
Do you agree or disagree that ye run the gauntlet these days if you lift a hand to your opponent?

in farness your reasoned and measured argument does have its merits...i can see the point youre making there..

[nrico2006]

Any man that thinks that Keenan was buried prior to the sendin off needs his head read.
Can you honestly tell me that Keenan was buried and that he probably struck out in self defence?
Do you agree or disagree that ye run the gauntlet these days if you lift a hand to your opponent?

in farness your reasoned and measured argument does have its merits...i can see the point youre making there..

Of course he was buried, what other are you going to try and paint it?

[whitegoodman]

Jes some of u are away in the head if ya think he was burried, ive seen harder hits at an under 12 match.

Come on a bit of perspective here boys, it was a late shoulder which didnt cause injury in any way.  It was a "letting him know he was there" tackle, many of which will be seen this sunday and have been seen for many years without being referred to as being burried.

Christ this place is getting worse....

[PAULD123]

Keenan was buried after the ball had gone--he got up, Laverty was approaching him and he half swung at his stomach, almost in self defence expecting to be hit by Laverty, he didnt follow through or put any power into his 'punch.' Laverty disgraced himself lying down holding his bollix when any 'strike' was not near that region. Poor, Ashley Young type act.

The game was over at this point. I turned the radio off. Anything thereafter was nothing. The game was over.

Ah come on seriously. How can you even propose these comments. You weren't even watching it. Now let's get your lie out of the way, Laverty was not approaching him he was walking away in fact he saw him and walked in a different direction. Keenan had to walk over to him to hit him. But I guess the radio didn't tell you that

http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=3306761 (Min 17:56)

Self defence??? Wouldn't that require something to defend himself against? As Laverty didn't move to strike him, didn't raise his hands, didn't even try to shoulder him wouldn't that mean Keenan had nothing to defend himself against? So yeah that's right it would just be a pre-emptive assault then? Maybe I could walk up and punch you in the street and then say "your honour it was almost in self defence". Self-defence, behave!

As for half-swung. What the hell does that mean? Did he swing or not? Are you suggesting we only send of for striking if it is a "really good one"? Yeah maybe your right, Keenan shouldn't have been sent off after all he never even broke one of Laverty's ribs.

In your own statement you try everything you can to try to make it sound like it wasn't wrong. But lets be clear even you say he punched a player. That's it dead simple - he punched a player (off the ball). So even your own comment means it's a red card. Now stop being silly

[Gold]

Keenan was buried after the ball had gone--he got up, Laverty was approaching him and he half swung at his stomach, almost in self defence expecting to be hit by Laverty, he didnt follow through or put any power into his 'punch.' Laverty disgraced himself lying down holding his bollix when any 'strike' was not near that region. Poor, Ashley Young type act.

The game was over at this point. I turned the radio off. Anything thereafter was nothing. The game was over.

Ah come on seriously. How can you even propose these comments. You weren't even watching it. Now let's get your lie out of the way, Laverty was not approaching him he was walking away in fact he saw him and walked in a different direction. Keenan had to walk over to him to hit him. But I guess the radio didn't tell you that

http://www.rte.ie/player/#!v=3306761 (Min 17:56)

Self defence??? Wouldn't that require something to defend himself against? As Laverty didn't move to strike him, didn't raise his hands, didn't even try to shoulder him wouldn't that mean Keenan had nothing to defend himself against? So yeah that's right it would just be a pre-emptive assault then? Maybe I could walk up and punch you in the street and then say "your honour it was almost in self defence". Self-defence, behave!

As for half-swung. What the hell does that mean? Did he swing or not? Are you suggesting we only send of for striking if it is a "really good one"? Yeah maybe your right, Keenan shouldn't have been sent off after all he never even broke one of Laverty's ribs.

In your own statement you try everything you can to try to make it sound like it wasn't wrong. But lets be clear even you say he punched a player. That's it dead simple - he punched a player (off the ball). So even your own comment means it's a red card. Now stop being silly

I'm neutral, dont give a f**k who won. I did turn the radio off.

I watched the first half deferred on BBC. Couldnt watch the 2nd, was brutal. Game was over after sending off.

Laverty let himself down. If you rolled about like that you'd have to be disgusted with yourself. Feigning pain/injury.

Rivaldo and Ashley Young would hang their heads in shame

Ask for striking, it does merit a red card, my chagrin is that it would not have been noticed by any official if Laverty had have stayed on his feet. Luis Nani himself wouldnt have went down

[Hardy]

The sad thing is, you're both right.

[Main Street]

That punch wouldn't have burst a wet paper bag and hard to believe that anyone bought that ridiculous simulation, however the umpire did.

If the ref had seen the late challenge, the 'punch' and the simulation of being hit by a haymaker, would he have sent off Keenan or just given him a yellow?

[PAULD123]

That punch wouldn't have burst a wet paper bag and hard to believe that anyone bought that ridiculous simulation, however the umpire did.

If the ref had seen the late challenge, the 'punch' and the simulation of being hit by a haymaker, would he have sent off Keenan or just given him a yellow?

What rule book do you read from. Would you like a link to the GAA rule book? Perhaps you are getting confused with the rules of boxing?

Simulation is when something never happened. The punch did happen so its not simulation. Exaggeration is a different matter but who are you to say how much it hurt or if it was exaggerated, you didn't receive it?. But Laverty did not simulate being punched - he WAS punched.

Simple answer to your question - If the ref had seen the punch from Keenan he would have sent him off for striking. End of Story. If the referee saw a player walk up to another player and punch him in the guts who was doing nothing to him then the referee will send him off All day long every day of the week.

Well at least you have your silly question answered

[SHEEDY]

It was a sending off. Keenan can have no complaints. Laverty did appear to make a meal of it but that doesn't make it any less a sending off.

Fermanagh were cheated though. Maybe not cheated out of the game but certainly cheated out of a fair shot at it.

the other 14 fermanagh players were cheated out of a shot at it by the foolish actions of darryl keenan. no one else.

[eiled in the bushes]

I was supporting Fermanagh today, but I must ask....what makes a clear example of striking off the ball an 'unfair sending off?'?

In context of all what happened in the game up until that point, it was unfair. Keenan himself  had just been thoroughly flattened off the ball by a player passing by, he got up and stupidly threw some sort of a punch while passing by another player, who went down roaring in agony, did he clutch his face when falling?
It was a hard game to watch. Down won't mind that they got though it without being seriously stretched.

clutched his face!!!!!!! he wasn't from tyrone

[PAULD123]

The single most important thing is that Fermanagh were never as good as Down. All other debates aside Down were superior and each time a question was asked they came back and built a lead. Anyone who thinks that some individual incidents affected the final outcome (a Down victory) is really clutching at straws.

Having said that there are several talking points and sad to say the game was so poor that they have taken far higher priority than the actual football played:

Keenan - Deserved a red it is preposterous for anyone to claim anything different. A simple unprovoked punch into someone's midriff.

Brannigan - Definitely punched McGrath. If he gets suspended I can not see any Down fan complaining about an injustice. If there is one mitigation it is that McGrath clearly lifts his shoulder forcibly into Brannigan's genital area. It wasn't a simple case of just trying to stand up. I suspect that is the reason McGrath "just got on with it". He probably was relieved enough to get away with his own sly move. But don't mistake me. I am not excusing Brannigan - he should have seen red and it wouldn't be the first swing he has had at an opponent. But if he hadn't swung at McGrath I think TV replays would have been condemning McGrath for what he did.

Laverty - Did pick the ball off the ground, no real doubt about that. I think it's hard to blame officials though, it was at speed, he was bending and did poke his toe forward. Dead easy to see on TV but at the time it probably looked legit. But no doubt clean lift and he was very lucky to get away with it.

Maguire - Ran into a Brannigan and fell over. The free kick should not have been given as there was no foul. This resulted in a Fermanagh goal. Down were as much to blame for failing to play to the whistle and mark-up.

Laverty - fouled at least six times without a free being given in easy scoreable positions. Take off the goal and add the six frees and Down already are in profit. As was pointed out, at one stage, he was punched twice while on the ground and the referee did nothing.

Corrigan - Could have had 2-3 frees. All would have been wide out but still deserved his frees

Quigley - Who needs Dan Gordon, Brendan McCardle cleaned him out

Bad refereeing decisions - Syl Doyle took a poor game and managed to make it abysmal. I think him the worst referee in county football because he is dangerous. He reffed the Laois vs Down league match when four players had to get taken off injured and no one was punished for any of the offences. His premise is "letting the game flow" but that actually just means allowing fouls to happen, with increasing intensity and ultimately resulting in players getting injured, the game being decimated by fouling, and no one having a chance to play proper football. Both sides could point to a dozen times their players were fouled and nothing happened. both sides could highlight at least half a dozen times each that the opposition should have received cards but no punishment was handed out.

There is as much one compliant for Down as Fermanagh. Doyle is a terrible referee who seems to think the rules are only for guidance and he can make up his own set of rules. But he is not a cheat, Fermanagh were not cheated. They were beaten by the better side. It is just a pity that so many other aspects of the game became the talking points.

[RadioGAAGAA]

They may have been beaten by a better side but the better side also had more players than them when they shouldn't have, which helps.

Ach, away and cry me a river.

Keenan was caught, Choc wasn't. If you want to be sure your not gonna get sent off - don't f**k around. Sh!t happens. The general lack of discipline in matches these days is shocking - do managers not point out the obvious; when was the last time someone was actually injured by a "sly dig" and how many people were sent off in the past few weeks for trying the same "sly dig". You'd near wonder why they don't have a zero tolerance approach to it - regardless of whether the referee catches you or not.



Aside from being a Down man and happy with the win alone, I'm also happy to see such a defensively minded team out of the Ulster Championship.

[CitySlicker11]

Typical form from Laverty on Sunday, we will probably see something similar before the summer is out from him.

[haranguerer]

The single most important thing is that Fermanagh were never as good as Down. All other debates aside Down were superior and each time a question was asked they came back and built a lead. Anyone who thinks that some individual incidents affected the final outcome (a Down victory) is really clutching at straws.

Having said that there are several talking points and sad to say the game was so poor that they have taken far higher priority than the actual football played:

Keenan - Deserved a red it is preposterous for anyone to claim anything different. A simple unprovoked punch into someone's midriff.

Brannigan - Definitely punched McGrath. If he gets suspended I can not see any Down fan complaining about an injustice. If there is one mitigation it is that McGrath clearly lifts his shoulder forcibly into Brannigan's genital area. It wasn't a simple case of just trying to stand up. I suspect that is the reason McGrath "just got on with it". He probably was relieved enough to get away with his own sly move. But don't mistake me. I am not excusing Brannigan - he should have seen red and it wouldn't be the first swing he has had at an opponent. But if he hadn't swung at McGrath I think TV replays would have been condemning McGrath for what he did.

Laverty - Did pick the ball off the ground, no real doubt about that. I think it's hard to blame officials though, it was at speed, he was bending and did poke his toe forward. Dead easy to see on TV but at the time it probably looked legit. But no doubt clean lift and he was very lucky to get away with it.

Maguire - Ran into a Brannigan and fell over. The free kick should not have been given as there was no foul. This resulted in a Fermanagh goal. Down were as much to blame for failing to play to the whistle and mark-up.

Laverty - fouled at least six times without a free being given in easy scoreable positions. Take off the goal and add the six frees and Down already are in profit. As was pointed out, at one stage, he was punched twice while on the ground and the referee did nothing.

Corrigan - Could have had 2-3 frees. All would have been wide out but still deserved his frees

Quigley - Who needs Dan Gordon, Brendan McCardle cleaned him out

Bad refereeing decisions - Syl Doyle took a poor game and managed to make it abysmal. I think him the worst referee in county football because he is dangerous. He reffed the Laois vs Down league match when four players had to get taken off injured and no one was punished for any of the offences. His premise is "letting the game flow" but that actually just means allowing fouls to happen, with increasing intensity and ultimately resulting in players getting injured, the game being decimated by fouling, and no one having a chance to play proper football. Both sides could point to a dozen times their players were fouled and nothing happened. both sides could highlight at least half a dozen times each that the opposition should have received cards but no punishment was handed out.

There is as much one compliant for Down as Fermanagh. Doyle is a terrible referee who seems to think the rules are only for guidance and he can make up his own set of rules. But he is not a cheat, Fermanagh were not cheated. They were beaten by the better side. It is just a pity that so many other aspects of the game became the talking points.

You're talking shite on almost all of the above. The fact is, it was 15 v 14 - how can you say Down were always better and going to be better? fermanagh came out worse in all the refs decisions, thats rubbish re laverty, and BOTH down goals were touched on the ground, not just the second one. McArdle was playing basketball down the line at one stage, which resulted in a point, mcgrath got booked for somethgin rogers had done to him earlier without even a free, etc etc. Fermanagh were hard done by.

The fact of the matter is however that these things happen; they lost, and thats that, and it may well be that they still would have lost had the game been refereed properly, but I'm sick of you and others coming on to revise what actually happened.

And another thing, the ball wasnt put near quigley in the 15 min he was on, so I dont know how youd be impressed with mcardles performance on him!!

[Mourne Rover]

The ball was played to Quigley in space down the right wing, in front of the main stand, within minutes of his arrival.  McArdle ushered hin to the sideline, knocked the ball neatly out of his hands and out of play and was correctly given the kick by the linesman. Quigley complained to the linesman and the referee, and spent most of the rest of the game giving off to his team-mates. They did not look very impressed.