What A Day For The Underdogs!

Shaque attack

i dont think antone predicted these results. the two favourites for sam are out now, it looks like it could go to anyone now. i was delighted for fermanagh especially, they really gave it everything they had today.
I was also delighted for joe brolly as he is one of the most annoying pudits on rte.

i wonder whos goin to lift sam now, are the dubs in with a shout

Flukey

That very thought crossed my mind today. Who is going to win it now? At least the Armagh and Tyrone fans can be consoled by the fact that the other team also lost! The way to beaet the blanket defence is to move the ball fast and that is what Fermanagh and Mayo did today. Whatever about Armagh having 14 men, Fermanagh were by far the better team and should have won by a lot more. They were knocking the ball wide for sport there today. After a poor start, going four points to nil down they settled and started to get through the Armagh defence and the rest is history. The scenes around Croke Park, as I looked onto the field from the Cusack Stand, were incredible. The pitched was mobbed by green and white. You'd think they had won the All-Ireland, and who knows...?

Mayo were fit and fast, as you would expect from a John Maughan team, and that is what was needed today. Ronan McGarrity kept Sean Cavanagh under control and the Mortimers did a lot of good work up front as of course did McDonald. Peter Canavan being sent on so early was a sign of worry on the Tyrone management. He got one nice point but not much more of the ball to do anything more. When they got the goal to come level you would have thought this could be the beginning of something, but it was in fact the end of their scoring. Did they suffer from the 6 day syndrome, or were they beaten by the better team? I think we know the answer to that one.

Now the whole Championship looks completely different. Once again we will see Sam changing hands. Today's results add something to it, even if we have lost the expected re-match of last year's final. Fermanagh and Mayo both play a good open style of football, which was the real winner of the day. A very interesting Semi-Final awaits us and before that another two very interesting games! As for Tyrone and Fermanagh, well, there is always next year!

Big Ears

1 major difference was the refs not letting the Armagh and Tyrone defences pull out of defenders like they normally do ,(normally winning them a free for over carrying or winning the ball iteslf) .

I know Armagh arent exactly the cleanist of teams but I was shocked to see 2 elbows and a punch from they're team on Fermanagh players .(granted one may have been accidentle ).

god knows who will win the All-Ireland , but for the first time this year im going to say that the Dubs have a chance .

im deleighted that Fermanagh won , and glad that Mayo did , its always great to see a more flairish style of football win .

Johnny 5

Don't go writing off Fermanagh or Derry for the title. Derry are on great form this year.

Remember Greece!

Big Ears

Johnny 5 wrote:

Don't go writing off Fermanagh or Derry for the title. Derry are on great form this year.

Remember Greece!

Yes they didnt lose once playing a defencive harrassment type football similiar to Armagh .

Flukey

It throws it wide open alright. The other teams will all be glad to see Armagh and Tyrone gone. Anything can happen now. Lots of very interesting final combinations now available.

Yavvy

Im a bit worried by that fact people are saying the dubs are in with a chance...dont jinx us you whouers ..

To my mind Fermanagh have been playing better football than anyone this last few months and I did preditc thme to beet Armagh. I thought Tyrone would be too classy for mayo...but it was wayo who showed real class....

As the other guys said football is the real winner here. Open, stylish football for all teams involved, good honest contest with underdogs winning out. now if dublin can cause one more upset against kerry i think we are in for the most unpredictable All Ireland in a long time .

Flukey

Dublin won't cause an upset, but if Kerry win then they will!

oscarBravo

I was at the game (premium level - w00t!) and I can't wait to see the highlights tonight. I'd be interested in some perspectives on the Mayo player/referee kerfuffle - from my perspective, hopping the ball was a very serious mistake, especially since Mayo retained possession after the incident. If he had to stop play, surely Mayo were entitled to a free?

One thing I took from both games (although I didn't see all of the first game) was that skillful technical play won out over the aggressive physical approach each time. The Mayo short, fast passing game seems to be the perfect antidote to the Tyrone "five-man tackle".

A final note - it makes a pleasant change to leave Croke Park after a Mayo game, having actually won!

cournioni

Ha... I'd say McNulty is feeling sick at this very moment. Damn right too, he had that coming to him for a long time now. Both he and Bellew were at the same crap against Cavan this year. I thought the referee had a good game, he called Armagh on every tug of the jersey. I hope other referees take heed. Hopefully Fermanagh go on to win it. They are playing the best football out of any of the teams left in the Championship and deserve to win it. I don't think anyone can write them off after Saturday's performance.

Imagine a county winning an All Ireland before they win their Provincial trophy!

Flukey

A Westmeath v Fermanagh final would be a novel one as neither have won it before and that has not happened since 1936 when Mayo beat Laois to win their first title. They won two more in 1950 and 1951 and are well overdue another. Fermanagh beware.

bdiddy

fair play to Fermanagh and we(Mayo) were delighted...some of the Tyrone and Armagh players were well dirty and some of the off the ball incidents were unbelievable....Gormely poking Andy Moran in the eye and David Brady gettin a shoulder in the face when he was gettin up off the ground come to mind immediatly...but alls fair when we won in the end.



P.S. i'd say some people in Kerry think they have sam all but won at this stage.

por

bdiddy wrote:

P.S. i'd say some people in Kerry think they have sam all but won at this stage.

Not sure about that, they are joint favs with Mayo at 15/8, but I have never found the Kerry crowd to be cocky, as the Dubs are, Kerry should beat Dublin but as we saw at the weekend the form book may as well be thrown out the window.

Waylander

Kerry's form book is a draw and a narrow victory against Limerick. I would have Kerry as favourites, not on form but on past performance from previous years, even though they have not had a good game since the league final. As a dub I am getting a bit sick now, of being told we are always shooting our mouths off about how well we are going to do. Over the last few months I have seen many people who dislike the dubs attempt to put words in our mouths, but I have not heard one dub say that Sam is coming home on these boards. Why do you think some dubs are inclined to mouth off on occassion, seeing as most of the rest of the country spends allot of time writing us off and putting us down?

cournioni

I don't think Dubs are cocky about winning Sam at all. I think it is a minority that are giving most true Dublin fans who actually have a knowledge of football a bad name. I've spoken to many Dublin fans and they actually said that it would be an injustice for Dublin to win it this year as so many teams are better, and I kind of agree with them. They also have a good knowledge of football outside of their own county. I was surprised at how much they knew about Cavan and other teams.

Flukey

True, we are not cocky. Kerry still have to get past us though. The way this year has been going, anything could happen.

redspider

I have to say that I am in total shock after the games on Sat. I only saw the second half of the Fer/Arm match and it was a to-ing and fro-ing game. I think we have to be honest and admit that it was not technically good football. It was hugely entertaining though. I think that Armagh had the skill to win the match, although I readily admit that Fer missed so many wides and on the day deserved their win. It still could have gone the other way though.

The second match was equally surprising. Especially at the 1-9 to 12 pts stage I thought that Tyrone would have taken them but I have to admit fair play to Mayo. I had them down as a team that up to now were over-rated, but I think they deserved their victory and the Tyr mgr wont be quibbling the result. It may mean changes for both teams.

I do think that both Arm and Tyr under-performed perhaps it being harder for them being such clear favourites in each match.

Either way, the race is now wide open, and who can say for certain who the winner will be. Could a real underdog win it this year? Even Dublin? I dont think Dublin are as bad as some people have been making out. Overall, I think any team of the remaining 6 could do it at this stage.

I'm still in shock .....

Croker

I dont think Mayo beating Tyrone is as big a shock as everyone is saying,
If your looking at form teams i think its fair to say that Mayo have been brilliant in Connaught, but then most people think Ulster teams are so much more "advanced" than the rest of the country - which is nonsense.
Mayo showed no respect for their opponents and played their own game which other teams were too afraid to do - this is ultimatley what gave them victory.

Flukey

Even Fermanagh's win is not as big a shock as some would say, although it certainly was the shock of the two results. Pace, fast ball and good support play was what one it for both teams. That is the way to beat the blanket defence.

Shaque attack

Croker wrote:

but then most people think Ulster teams are so much more "advanced" than the rest of the country - which is nonsense.

Couldn't agree more, that view is one that i think commentators such as joe brolly have tried to create. tbh northern teams have created a style of play which gives rise to better defending than most and a much more effecient way of using the ball but having watched a lot of the ulster championship and the games on saturday northern teams have major problems scoring mid to long range points that teams like mayo and kerry do naturally.

Flukey

A good team needs a good everything: dfence, midfield and attack. They also have to be able to work together. When they get it right, Tyrone and Armagh can get the mix right. Both failed to do so on Saturday. Both teams are more than just good defenders. They have some very nice and very effective players around the rest of the field that were very important in their recent success.

picasso

When will people see past all this blanket defence nonsense that has been hyped up by certain RTE pundits who got egg on their face when Armagh won two years ago? Armagh were the best team in the country that year. Tyrone were easily the best team in the country last year. Simple facts.

Fair play to Fermanagh, they were the hungrier team and moved around the pitch like cheetahs. They beat an Armagh team still capable of greatness (has everyone forgotton the brilliant football they played against Donegal?) , but who have played too many close games for too long, and have just got a bit war - weary.

Mayo were the most impressive of the lot, but Tyrone's season has been ripped apart by the death of Cormac Mcanallen.

So come on , give the winners some credit for playing good competitive football, and stop playing up the blanket defence mythology.

Poocher

Derry have been very quiet, i almost forgot they were still in with a shout!!! If they get Sean Marty back and fit and Paddy Bradley kickin points theyve a great shout. Micky Moran is a good tactician and coach and will have the derry side in fine form for taking on O Sés' men!!!!

As for the jacks, they are more than capable of beating a promising kerry side whose flaws were shown against the treaty county!! they need to contain darragh o se, you saw how tyrone fell to bits when Sean Cavanagh wasnt allowed to run the show last week!! And they have the backing of the Dublin crowd!! But I think that they'll have to perform on the day and not let slip, if it gos to a replay the kingdom might just have to much fire power up front. Would love to see a Doire vs atha claith semi, with the hill re-opened!!
Mouth watering!!