All Ireland Championship 2025.

[tyrone08]

Armagh went for 4-5 goal chances which were never on. They were far better getting their points and reducing the gap. A few long balls should have been hit by Rafferty instead he targeted the same player 4 times who lost everyone of them.

[clonian]

To be fair to Armagh, they lost because they couldn't win their own kickout.  2024 rules they would not have gotten blitzed the way they did.  Didn't someone suggest a while back that the rule changes were tailor made for Kerry?  I know that's sour grapes but I had to write it.

I've been struggling with the kickout rules for over 5 months(since Kerry scored two goals off Derry kickouts at the end of their league game).  The team being scored on shouldn't be penalized the way the new rules punish them.  I've seen too many games in which one team goes on a 5-10 minute scoring spree because the opponent can't get any possession.

Yes I know each ball is 50/50, however if anyone has been keeping count I bet that the team winning its kickout immediately get a scoring opportunity maybe 10% of the time, or much less.  Whereas when a team loses it's kickout it seems to be under immediate threat at least 50% of the time.

Games shouldn't be won and lost just on kickouts.  The FRC needs to fix this.

Games have been won and lost on kick outs for years, it's just harder to retain your own kick out now.

[APM]

To be fair to Armagh, they lost because they couldn't win their own kickout.  2024 rules they would not have gotten blitzed the way they did.  Didn't someone suggest a while back that the rule changes were tailor made for Kerry?  I know that's sour grapes but I had to write it.

I've been struggling with the kickout rules for over 5 months(since Kerry scored two goals off Derry kickouts at the end of their league game).  The team being scored on shouldn't be penalized the way the new rules punish them.  I've seen too many games in which one team goes on a 5-10 minute scoring spree because the opponent can't get any possession.

Yes I know each ball is 50/50, however if anyone has been keeping count I bet that the team winning its kickout immediately get a scoring opportunity maybe 10% of the time, or much less.  Whereas when a team loses it's kickout it seems to be under immediate threat at least 50% of the time.

Games shouldn't be won and lost just on kickouts.  The FRC needs to fix this.

This is nonsense

[clonian]

Well yesterday was a big disappointment. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say you were beaten by a much better team in the day. It was a pleasure to watch Sean O'Shea yesterday. Well done Kerry

That would be my feeling too. As Peter Canavan said last night no team would have been able to live with Kerry during that 15 minute spell yesterday. I wouldn't want to have been in Ethan's boots during that period. He made his mistakes of course but I would put it down to a complete system meltdown rather than putting it completely at his door.  Momentum always was an important commodity in football but it's off the scales now.  If you lose it then it is very hard to get back.
A Kerry team with a chip on its' shoulder is a dangerous beast especially with that wasp Jack O'Connor in charge.  You can just hear him using all the negative comments in the dressing room.
I'd have concerns over what some of our older players might do now.  Hopefully they take their time and arrive at what's best for them.

It's true that no team would have been able to live with Kerry if they gift them possession 15 times in a row but I don't think most teams would do that. He'd have been better lumping a few up the middle but for whatever reason he decided now to. It happens all the time now when teams get on top and hit 7 or 8 points in a row, but 14 is unheard of in what was a tight game before that.

It begs the question: did Armagh have the right keeper in goal?  Rafferty is great, pure excitement.  However when the FRC altered its own rule change back in February, the advantage of the attacking keeper was lost.

Is it a fair question to ask could Armagh have done with Rafferty out around the middle?

I don't put all the blame on him though - I was there as a neutral and he had no options at times especially in that spell of dominance for Kerry. Armagh looked flat and Kerry had every angle covered. He launched one right over at one stage and Kerry managed to pick up the break.

[tonto1888]

Well yesterday was a big disappointment. Sometimes you have to hold your hands up and say you were beaten by a much better team in the day. It was a pleasure to watch Sean O'Shea yesterday. Well done Kerry

That would be my feeling too. As Peter Canavan said last night no team would have been able to live with Kerry during that 15 minute spell yesterday. I wouldn't want to have been in Ethan's boots during that period. He made his mistakes of course but I would put it down to a complete system meltdown rather than putting it completely at his door.  Momentum always was an important commodity in football but it's off the scales now.  If you lose it then it is very hard to get back.
A Kerry team with a chip on its' shoulder is a dangerous beast especially with that wasp Jack O'Connor in charge.  You can just hear him using all the negative comments in the dressing room.
I'd have concerns over what some of our older players might do now.  Hopefully they take their time and arrive at what's best for them.

It's true that no team would have been able to live with Kerry if they gift them possession 15 times in a row but I don't think most teams would do that. He'd have been better lumping a few up the middle but for whatever reason he decided now to. It happens all the time now when teams get on top and hit 7 or 8 points in a row, but 14 is unheard of in what was a tight game before that.

It begs the question: did Armagh have the right keeper in goal?  Rafferty is great, pure excitement.  However when the FRC altered its own rule change back in February, the advantage of the attacking keeper was lost.

I said to my brother at half time I would be bringing hughes on as Rafferty was having a bad day on kick outs. NOt all his fault mind you

[blanketattack]

The kick out rule was brought in to suit Kerry
Another lad wants the FRC to change the kick out rule .

Kickout rule should have suit us yesterday given Kerry were missing their main midfielder but that didn't go to script.

Yes, Kerry started with probably their 5th and 6th choice midfielders, with only a handful of games between them prior to yesterday, along with their 4th choice centreback and wingback (once O'Sullivan went off injured). Prior to the game Kerry would have snapped your hand off if offered to play with the old kickout rules.

[RedHand88]

Any time for the scheduling announcement?

[Blowitupref]

Monaghan v Donegal - actually missed the first half with match traffic but was listening on the wireless. 2nd half Monaghan completely fell apart and Donegal were in complete control. Should probably have won by more. Donegal looked really strong in that 2nd half. Seems to be how they've played most of the year, with an ok first half then blow teams away in the last 20mins. Can they keep doing this? They have on paper the easier draw for to make the final.

Tyrone v Dublin - a poor game in general. Felt like neither team really hit top gear until Tyrone in the last 10 mins. Perhaps it's in indication of the quality of both sides at the minute though? Tyrone just about deserved it, but will need to seriously up their game if they are to get close to Kerry. Dessie stepping down perhaps the final phase of that great Dublin team and a period of rebuilding needed.

Galway v Meath - Would have bet the house on Galway before this game, but Meath are fearless. I only saw the highlights of this one but it looked like a great game. Will Joyce be under pressure now? Will Meath be a Cinderella story?

Kerry v Armagh - seemed to be evenly matched until Kerry blew them away in the 2nd half. Armagh looked really ordinary. I said early in the year these new rules were brought in to suit the likes of Kerry, and that the kickout rule was an unfair one. The fact you have to keep kicking the ball into an area where you are being over-run is crazy in my view. Kerry took full advantage of it yesterday and Armagh were wiped out in that middle 8 sector. The quality of this Kerry team came through yesterday and I think they will be hard stopped now if they can be consistent.

For 50 minutes and much like Dublin v Tyrone it was a poor game in general.  0-11 to 0-9 with more wides and shots kicked short than scores it was the match with most amount of slipping also.    Last 20 minutes more of game broke out,  2-5 to 2-6 in scoring.

[An Watcher]

What was the story with the slipping folks?  Understand that the tyrone game probably had the worst conditions and it was like bambi on ice at times.  Just one of those things?

[joemamas]

Galway will probably never win an all ireland now will they?

Which is sad to see

Fair play to Meath despite not playing their best....there's an all Ireland in that team maybe not this year but in the coming years.

been saying this all year. Youngest team in quarterfinals. This will all add to them going forward next year and the year after. Best all round players since 96/04. Future looks very bright. I believe will dominate Leinster over next 5 years with our main opposition been Offaly. Louth I think will slip back , dubs are in rebuild mode. And Kildare are a basket case. We are the coming team with minor all ire winners and Leinster u20s yet to feature.
The future is bright the future is green and gold.
Hon the royal

Great to win but let's not get ahead of ourselves.

Juice
FYI, They are two WUM's
btw great win.

[joemamas]

What was the story with the slipping folks?  Understand that the tyrone game probably had the worst conditions and it was like bambi on ice at times.  Just one of those things?

I was there both days, have to agree.
Players were slipping a lot yesterday, seemed to be more prevalent on the 45 at canal end.
but was also noteable around other 45 also.

[clonian]

What was the story with the slipping folks?  Understand that the tyrone game probably had the worst conditions and it was like bambi on ice at times.  Just one of those things?

I was there both days, have to agree.
Players were slipping a lot yesterday, seemed to be more prevalent on the 45 at canal end.
but was also noteable around other 45 also.

All 4 keepers slipped at kick outs too

[tiempo]

What was the story with the slipping folks?  Understand that the tyrone game probably had the worst conditions and it was like bambi on ice at times.  Just one of those things?

I was there both days, have to agree.
Players were slipping a lot yesterday, seemed to be more prevalent on the 45 at canal end.
but was also noteable around other 45 also.

All 4 keepers slipped at kick outs too

poofs

[Blowitupref]

Any time for the scheduling announcement?

Saturday 12 July

All-Ireland SFC semi-final
Kerry v Tyrone, Croke Park, 5pm - RTE/BBC


Tailteann Cup final
Kildare v Limerick, Croke Park, 2.30pm - RTE

Sunday 13 July

All-Ireland SFC semi-final
Meath v Donegal, Croke Park, 4pm - RTE/BBC

All-Ireland JFC final
New York or Warwickshire v Kilkenny or London, Croke Park, 1.30pm - TG4 YouTube

[JoG2]

But Outside D'Arcy of Galway very few of these kickouts are won clean, it's all mostly break ball. A team can be on top for 50/60mins and still get beat in the last 10mins. Under the old rules that wouldn't happen.

I think that's great and adds to the jeopardy of the thing and before if a team was 6 points up heading to the last 10 mins the game was completely over now you can't leave in case a comeback is on.

Teams are going to have to develop a set play kickout to break momentum. I imagine we'll see more of these next year becuase once you go on a run of losing possession in midfield things can get bad very quickly!

Great? It's by far the worst rule of the new rules*, has turned the game into a game of luck re kickouts. At some stage it'll be dropped.
Folk talk about working on the kickout, but there's v little you can do to gain an advantage

* love most of the new rules