A Bad Game To End A Bad Year good riddance to Football Championship 2015

mickey1979

I just thought this was a dreadful year of football. Well done to Dublin for winning it but even yesterdays final summed up the year. Just dreadful. Your thoughts

Stoner

I thought the westmeath Meath game was one of the most exciting comebacks I've seen in years. Fantastic celebrations too.

Figsy32

The hurling championship was dull too bar the Tipperary Galway game. Poor Summer Gaa wise.

skallywag

Have to agree, football has generally being deteriorating for many years now, and on several fronts. This year is the worst that I can remember though. I used to really enjoy both playing and watching the sport, but the way things are going I genuinely find it hard to get excited about it in any way. Give me hurling any day of the week, and that's coming from someone who would have until recently enjoyed both equally.

wonga77

Yesterdays game was very poor but I really dont think some people are not taking the weather into account, lashed down all day and it ruined any chance of a decent spectacle.

Grudaire

skallywag wrote:

Have to agree, football has generally being deteriorating for many years now, and on several fronts. This year is the worst that I can remember though. I used to really enjoy both playing and watching the sport, but the way things are going I genuinely find it hard to get excited about it in any way. Give me hurling any day of the week, and that's coming from someone who would have until recently enjoyed both equally.

Respectfully disagree with that narrative tbh.
I think it is exciting seeing teams setting up differently to try beat the opposition on a tactical level. Dublin showed up yesterday with a fast kicking attacking style which worked. Kerry lacked flexibility as demonstrated in the Gooch McMahon match up. Gooch should not be tracking back so far.

Sure it's not as pretty to watch when mistakes are frequent, but it's a sign that players have mere seconds on the ball. Skill levels have never been so high


Not just saying this as a dub, I think Donegal/Monaghan was an exciting tactical battle as have most big match ups over the last few years.

MfMan

I must be in the absolute minority, but I thought yesterday's match wasn't all bad, and would still take it any day ahead of 2 Ulster teams banging in to one another. For sure, conditions mitigated against proper flowing football, but IMHO there was a fair bit to admire from yesterday; great disciplined defensive play by Dublin, great support play also, excellent honesty of effort by both sides, a fair percentage of well-taken scores etc. I think it was much better than last year's turgid decider.

Davys Fits

I didnt think yesterdays game was that bad given the conditions. I saw alot worse during the year. Still, I wouldnt be too optimistic about the football championship for the next few years. Its really up to Mayo to make an impact and give us all something to shout about as I cant see any other county coming through. I firmly believe the hurling championship will strike back next year.

padd b1975

Very ordinary year I'm afraid.

Meath v Westmeath was probably the best of it, pity it only meant a hammering from Dublin to whoever won it.

Two provincial championships followed their usual template, while Ulster was it's usual dogfight and outside Cork v Kerry it was same old same old in Munster.

I think the quarters have lost something since they started playing them on different weekends, so it might be worth looking at returning to the norm if scheduling allows.

Nidgeweasel

A very disappointing championship. Had high hopes for a few counties who didn't deliver. No real stand out player although it was great to see a newcomer in Fenton and another young lad in Diarmuid O'Connor impose themselves on the championship.

Ulster was rotten. A run of dour, hideous with a nasty undercurrent to alot of them. Ulster though isn't it.

The rest were the same as always. zzzzzz.

Just feels abit stale.

Highlight for me was probably westmeath v meath and Ryan McHugh's goal against Galway. Enjoyed the two Dublin v Mayo games. Thought yesterday was a shocking game of football, now a lot of that is down to the conditions but it was error strewn and just not enjoyable. Dublin were the better team by a country mile.

Dublin are deserving champions and the big test for them now is to put All Ireland's back to back in 2016. It won't be long coming round.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Wasn't a vintage year but wasn't all bad either.


Yesterdays match was exciting and it was completely understandable the amount of mistakes being made considering how dreadful the conditions were.Bernard Brogan made bucket loads of mistakes yesterday and if one of the games most skilful players is making that amount of mistakes conditions must have been pretty bad.

People have a ridiculously nostalgic view of football.If you look back through any championship season going back to the mid nineties (as far back as I can remember) there weren't a huge amount of great games in any championship season but it doesn't suit the media's narrative of constant negativity to point this out.

What do people actually expect from the championship.We have a championship which largely consists of matches between mismatched teams which reduces the competitiveness and thus the entertainment value it provides.The championship is basically like the FA cup and goes the same way, fairy dull in the early stages and then you get a few quality matches when there are no longer any mismatches.

There were plenty of enjoyable games this year.

Cork v Kerry (First match)
Tyrone v Donegal
Monaghan v Cavan
Laois v Kildare (First match)
Westmeath v Meath
The 3 All ireland semi finals.
and there were some decent qualifier matches aswell.

The only way to improve the entertainment value of the football and hurling championships (the hurling championship was even worse than the football this year) is to scrap the current system , divisionalise the championship and allow teams of similar abaility to play each other.Until that happens we'll have the same complaints over and over again.

The league provides more entertanment than the championship and is the secodndary competition.The league should really be the primary competition.

Paulzx

MfMan wrote: »

I must be in the absolute minority, but I thought yesterday's match wasn't all bad, and would still take it any day ahead of 2 Ulster teams banging in to one another. For sure, conditions mitigated against proper flowing football, but IMHO there was a fair bit to admire from yesterday; great disciplined defensive play by Dublin, great support play also, excellent honesty of effort by both sides, a fair percentage of well-taken scores etc. I think it was much better than last year's turgid decider.

I thought I was the only one!!!!!

Whilst far from a classic I thought yesterdays game wasn't as bad as some seem to be making out

Mehapoy

Paulzx wrote: »

I thought I was the only one!!!!!

Whilst far from a classic I thought yesterdays game wasn't as bad as some seem to be making out

Ya I thought it wasn't a bad game allowing for the terrible conditions,
Thought both championships were forgettable affairs this year, just feels like a lot of counties in both codes are underperforming at the moment and there are about 2-3(1 in hurling) way ahead of the rest...I mean even after Kerry losing yesterday its inevitable they'll be winning one again in the next few years...

Hesh's Umpire

Westmeath and Meath was a brilliant game as was the Mayo Dublin replay. The Kerry Cork draw wasn't bad either. Donegal v Galway was decent enough. Sligo beating Roscommon was entertaining for shock value and not many would have seen Wexford v Down which was a great game.

Utopia Parkway

wonga77 wrote: »

Yesterdays game was very poor but I really dont think some people are not taking the weather into account, lashed down all day and it ruined any chance of a decent spectacle.

True but I have seen plenty of good games in bad weather. Yesterday definitely wasn't one of them. It was very poor even allowing for the rain.

Only thing that made it moderately watchable was that it stayed relatively close but only because Dublin didn't take their chances during the game. They should have been out of sight mid way through the 2nd half.

AudreyHepburn

While yesterday's performance certainly wasn't either teams' A game, it certainly wasn't the appalling mess it's being made to be.

I wish people would take into account how bad the weather was before they start complaining.

BonnieSituation

Paulzx wrote: »

I thought I was the only one!!!!!

Whilst far from a classic I thought yesterdays game wasn't as bad as some seem to be making out

You're not the only one. Grand final.

Football overall has never been better. I'd hate to be going back to that hit and hope ****e. Hurling is getting worse.

Meath Westmeath, Roscommon Sligo, Fermanagh Roscommon, Donegal Tyrone, Donegal Monaghan, Tyrone Monaghan, Galway Mayo, Cork Kerry part 1, Mayo Donegal, Donegal Galway, Dublin Fermanagh, Dublin Mayo x 2, Kerry Tyrone, Dublin Kerry... All games I enjoyed this year for various reasons.


Munster Final (1) was the best game quality wise all year. Wonderful.

slingerz

The thing about yesterdays game is it wasnt the blanket defence snoozefest that previous games/finals have been. Both sides wanted to attack, Dublin moreso than Kerry. Having a corner back getting up in support of the attack illustrates that.

i think it is refreshing to see that skillful scoring forwards paved the way to get both teams to the final. Fingers crossed the boring blanket defence that has riddled the game will not be a thing of the past and attacking scoring football will be in vogue as that is what every supporter/spectator wants to see

Similarly, the Kerry pressure on the Dublin kickouts will hopefully spell the end for the uncontested short kickouts and a high fielding competition at centre field will again be a part of the game

aveytare

slingerz wrote: »

The thing about yesterdays game is it wasnt the blanket defence snoozefest that previous games/finals have been. Both sides wanted to attack, Dublin moreso than Kerry. Having a corner back getting up in support of the attack illustrates that.

i think it is refreshing to see that skillful scoring forwards paved the way to get both teams to the final. Fingers crossed the boring blanket defence that has riddled the game will not be a thing of the past and attacking scoring football will be in vogue as that is what every supporter/spectator wants to see

Similarly, the Kerry pressure on the Dublin kickouts will hopefully spell the end for the uncontested short kickouts and a high fielding competition at centre field will again be a part of the game

I wouldn't say the example of McMahon attacking is particularly illustrative considering Donegal have a few scoring defenders. I think yesterday's final was as bad as last year's but the conditions probably didn't help. There have been good games in the rain before so I don't know.

lawred2

Poor game yesterday.. captivating but not hugely enjoyable.

Kerry were abject and while Dublin were superior; they were also cynical

Both finals were disappointing and overall I thought it was a disappointing year for both codes. There are only 2-3 counties in each code capable of competing. The rest are on a hiding to nothing.

EICVD

The Dubs just regained Sam, 3 times in 5 years now is it? Id call that a great football championship actually. Pretty much dominating Kerry all over the pitch & winning comfortably, Id call it a good game too.

Utopia Parkway

EICVD wrote: »

The Dubs just regained Sam, 3 times in 5 years now is it? Id call that a great football championship actually. Pretty much dominating Kerry all over the pitch & winning comfortably, Id call it a good game too.

I'm sure a lot of people would think it's a great championship if their own team wins it in the end.

breffni bogballer

overall the whole AI series was very poor, 1 team in leinster, 1 in conn, 1 in mun,and the usual jersey pulling/assault tactics and crap in ulster. Not a decent game in the qualifiers either,no great difference on the previous year

Shurimgreat

I thought yesterday's game wasn't bad either, especially compared to last years final. Funny thing is Kerry were still sort of in the game until the final whistle, in that they were looking for a goal to level the game. However they never looked like scoring that goal.

The high ball into Donaghy tactic has had its day by the way. Can Kerry with all its skill and tradition not come up with something more inventive? Its football from the dark ages. Its so easy to neutralise it if a defence is half decent. It was desperation stuff yesterday. Mayo had the same tactic with AOS and it was the same outcome.

As for it being a bad year, expect next year and the year after to be just as bad. Its blatently obvious to everyone bar the powers that be in the GAA that the gap between the elite and the rest is stretching exponentially. There are too many mismatched games with predictable outcomes.

We need more of the top teams playing each other and more of the bottom teams playing each other, probably in separate competitions. This is the only way to guarantee more close and exciting contests that aren't over after 20 minutes.

BonnieSituation

breffni bogballer wrote: »

overall the whole AI series was very poor, 1 team in leinster, 1 in conn, 1 in mun,and the usual jersey pulling/assault tactics and crap in ulster. Not a decent game in the qualifiers either,no great difference on the previous year

Breffni? Cavan man eh?

This fallacy about Ulster football really gets up my goat. Dismissed constantly and easily the best Provincial championship by a mile.

Paulzx

lawred2 wrote: »

Poor game yesterday.. captivating but not hugely enjoyable.

Kerry were abject and while Dublin were superior; they were also cynical

Both finals were disappointing and overall I thought it was a disappointing year for both codes. There are only 2-3 counties in each code capable of competing. The rest are on a hiding to nothing.

??????

I didn't think that either team was overly cynical yesterday.

breffni bogballer

BonnieSituation wrote: »

Breffni? Cavan man eh?

This fallacy about Ulster football really gets up my goat. Dismissed constantly and easily the best Provincial championship by a mile.

most competitive alright, most of the games are instantly forgetable, if u enjoy poor quality football thats ur perogitive

frostyjacks

Was really disappointed with yesterday's game, even allowing for the conditions. It was never going to live up to the hype, but I was expecting a higher standard from these two teams, the supposed saviours of Gaelic football. It was dung.

I don't think the gulf between the best and the rest is as big as some of the pundits were suggesting either. Most teams in div 1 and 2 would have fancied their chances yesterday.

Dirty Dingus McGee

frostyjacks wrote: »

Was really disappointed with yesterday's game, even allowing for the conditions. It was never going to live up to the hype, but I was expecting a higher standard from these two teams, the supposed saviours of Gaelic football. It was dung.

I don't think the gulf between the best and the rest is as big as some of the pundits were suggesting either. Most teams in div 1 and 2 would have fancied their chances yesterday.

Don't think so.

Dublin in reality hammered Kerry yesterday imagine what they would have done to lesser teams.

If skilful players like Bernard Brogan struggled in yesterdays conditions it would have affected weaker teams even more.

aveytare

breffni bogballer wrote: »

most competitive alright, most of the games are instantly forgetable, if u enjoy poor quality football thats ur perogitive

You could say the same about provincial matches in every province.

Shurimgreat

At the end of the day, most provincial games, exciting or not, are nothing games. They count for little. Sligo accounted for Roscommon and got demolished by Mayo, rendering their victory pretty meaningless. Many of these games only give the winners a chance to be walloped by the big boys. Fermanagh celebrating in Croke Park pretty much sums up the modern championship. No hope of beating one of the top counties, so might as well enjoy being beaten by them.

Shurimgreat

AudreyHepburn wrote: »

While yesterday's performance certainly wasn't either teams' A game, it certainly wasn't the appalling mess it's being made to be.

I wish people would take into account how bad the weather was before they start complaining.

Bad weather can account for a slippery ball, handling errors and the like, but it can't account for a succession of poor wides or very very poor shot selection and decision making, which I think was what marked it out as not a great game. Both sides kicked the ball away time and time again. The quality of kick passing and shooting was awful at times and had nothing to do with the weather.

cj maxx

Shurimgreat wrote: »

Bad weather can account for a slippery ball, handling errors and the like, but it can't account for a succession of poor wides or very very poor shot selection and decision making, which I think was what marked it out as not a great game. Both sides kicked the ball away time and time again. The quality of kick passing and shooting was awful at times and had nothing to do with the weather.

I think the weather must have played a big part in the horrendous wides.
Just basing that on the calibre of players who completely miscued/ sliced shots all day

Dirty Dingus McGee

Shurimgreat wrote: »

Bad weather can account for a slippery ball, handling errors and the like, but it can't account for a succession of poor wides or very very poor shot selection and decision making, which I think was what marked it out as not a great game. Both sides kicked the ball away time and time again. The quality of kick passing and shooting was awful at times and had nothing to do with the weather.

A lot of players could barely keep their balance out there yesterday.That can't help when you're shooting for a point.

The kick passing wasn't really that poor either .Most forwards want the ball kicked to them so that it bounces in front of them. It's always a better pass than one that goes straight to the chest and is what the players would do in most games however yesterday any time the ball hit the ground it flew away and make kick passing very difficult as well.

Yesterdays match was a perfect game too play long ball football but for some unknown reason Donaghy was left on the sideline for far too long frankly seeing the conditions he probably should have started.

The_Kew_Tour

As a Corkman I be only delighted to win a AI playing like Dublin did yesterday.

Dublin are Best team in country. They did what they had to do yesterday. Should have win by more.

cj maxx

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

A lot of players could barely keep their balance out there yesterday.That can't help when you're shooting for a point.

The kick passing wasn't really that poor either .Most forwards want the ball kicked to them so that it bounces in front of them. It's always a better pass than one that goes straight to the chest and is what the players would do in most games however yesterday any time the ball hit the ground it flew away and make kick passing very difficult as well.

Yesterdays match was a perfect game too play long ball football but for some unknown reason Donaghy was left on the sideline for far too long frankly seeing the conditions he probably should have started.

Your dead right , hindsight is 20/20 and all but as you say , every time the ball hit the ground it slid rather than bounce , and by the time donaghy was on dublin could afford to treble mark him

Shurimgreat

I usually use this as a reference point for when people give out about wet weather. When Kerry played Galway in 2008 it was in worse conditions than yesterday and yet it was one of the best exhibitions of shoot on sight scoring in the history of Croke Park. Both teams did great in terrible conditions and scored some wonderful points from all angles.

So if those Galway and Kerry teams could play and shoot brilliantly in wet weather why didn't the same happen yesterday? There are other incidences of really good games in poor conditions, I'm sure people can recall such games. Stop using wet weather as an excuse for poor foot passing, inaccurate shooting, turn overs, and poor decision making as well as players fouling the ball and being caught in possession.

bucketybuck

Shurimgreat wrote: »

So if those Galway and Kerry teams could play and shoot brilliantly in wet weather why didn't the same happen yesterday?

Because it wasn't played at walking pace?

Dirty Dingus McGee

Shurimgreat wrote: »

I usually use this as a reference point for when people give out about wet weather. When Kerry played Galway in 2008 it was in worse conditions than yesterday and yet it was one of the best exhibitions of shoot on sight scoring in the history of Croke Park. Both teams did great in terrible conditions and scored some wonderful points from all angles.

So if those Galway and Kerry teams could play and shoot brilliantly in wet weather why didn't the same happen yesterday? There are other incidences of really good games in poor conditions, I'm sure people can recall such games. Stop using wet weather as an excuse for poor foot passing, inaccurate shooting, turn overs, and poor decision making as well as players fouling the ball and being caught in possession.

That game was basically played like a challenge match.Kerry piddled around with Galway. As soon as Galway got the goal Kerry moved up a gear and beat them with a degree of comfort.There was very little intensity in that game and therefore it was a nice match to watch but not a serious championship match.

aveytare

bucketybuck wrote: »

Because it wasn't played at walking pace?

Tyrone played Dublin in pretty awful conditions in 2008, shot the lights out and their all-round handling and passing were brilliant. Maybe the conditions were particularly bad yesterday? I honestly don't know. The Kerry Tyrone match this year wasn't bad either and the weather was rubbish.

Shurimgreat

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

That game was basically played like a challenge match.Kerry piddled around with Galway. As soon as Galway got the goal Kerry moved up a gear and beat them with a degree of comfort.There was very little intensity in that game and therefore it was a nice match to watch but not a serious championship match.

Or maybe it was the fact that both sides had some of the greatest forwards ever to grace the game, you know forwards who could actually put the ball over the bar rather than balloon it wide and blame the wet conditions. There was far more intensity to it than yesterdays game where players had acres of space and still ballooned it wide time after time.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Shurimgreat wrote: »

Or maybe it was the fact that both sides had some of the greatest forwards ever to grace the game, you know forwards who could actually put the ball over the bar rather than balloon it wide and blame the wet conditions. There was far more intensity to it than yesterdays game where players had acres of space and still ballooned it wide time after time.

and Bernard Brogan,Colm Cooper,James O'Donoghue,Paul Flynn,Diarmuid Connolly,Ciaran Kilkenny,Brian Sheehan are not great forwards.

There was no real intensity to that game in 2008.Frankly I wish it never happened as it gets referred to time and again as a great game of football when it clearly wasn't.

aveytare

Shurimgreat wrote: »

Or maybe it was the fact that both sides had some of the greatest forwards ever to grace the game, you know forwards who could actually put the ball over the bar rather than balloon it wide and blame the wet conditions. There was far more intensity to it than yesterdays game where players had acres of space and still ballooned it wide time after time.

Meehan ran riot but barring the goal no other player scored more than one point for Galway. At the same time Kerry were better during the noughties than they are now.

B17G

Wish the GAA would get rid of this 'A' and 'B' sh*te in the qualifier draw structure. Some level of unpredictability needs to come back into it to liven it up.

frostyjacks

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Don't think so.

Dublin in reality hammered Kerry yesterday imagine what they would have done to lesser teams.

If skilful players like Bernard Brogan struggled in yesterdays conditions it would have affected weaker teams even more.

It was only wet conditions, it wasn't like they were playing in a hurricane. If Tyrone went out and played that sort of dour football, and had a player gouge one of the opposition player's eyes, there would be uproar.

Ceist_Beag

Nidgeweasel wrote: »

Highlight for me was probably westmeath v meath and Ryan McHugh's goal against Galway.

If I were to pick one highlight from that game Nidge it would be Murphys point earlier on. As beautiful a full forwards point as you will ever see, it was perfect in every way.

Dirty Dingus McGee

frostyjacks wrote: »

It was only wet conditions, it wasn't like they were playing in a hurricane. If Tyrone went out and played that sort of dour football, and had a player gouge one of the opposition player's eyes, there would be uproar.

Nothing dour about the way Dublin played yesterday they created 4 goal chances during the game 2 of them were sitters that should have been scored.

As I said on numerous times already the conditions must have been pretty bad because even the really skilful players struggled wth them and it was quite obvious alot ofmplayers were having trouble staying on their feet.

Who cares about whether there would have been uproar if Tyrone were paying yesterday.Tyrone weren't playing yesterday so it's completely irrelevant whether there would ahve been an uproar had they been playing.A few members of the media showing incosistency is hardly something you can blame Dublin for or use as a stick to beat them with.I think most people agree McMahon should be getting a big suspension.I haven't heard anyone complain about the way Tyrone play the game just a few unsavoury incoidents they've been involved in this year.

frostyjacks

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

Nothing dour about the way Dublin played yesterday they created 4 goal chances during the game 2 of them were sitters that should have been scored.

As I said on numerous times already the conditions must have been pretty bad because even the really skilful players struggled wth them and it was quite obvious alot ofmplayers were having trouble staying on their feet.

Who cares about whether there would have been uproar if Tyrone were paying yesterday.Tyrone weren't playing yesterday so it's completely irrelevant whether there would ahve been an uproar had they been playing.A few members of the media showing incosistency is hardly something you can blame Dublin for or use as a stick to beat them with.I think most people agree McMahon should be getting a big suspension.I haven't heard anyone complain about the way Tyrone play the game just a few unsavoury incoidents they've been involved in this year.

But you can blame Dublin for engaging in a mass brawl against Armagh that they swept under the carpet, for kicking, punching and diving against Mayo, and now gouging against Kerry. They get a free pass from RTE.

BonnieSituation

breffni bogballer wrote: »

most competitive alright, most of the games are instantly forgetable, if u enjoy poor quality football thats ur perogitive

They really aren't. Tyrone v Donegal this year is a case in point as is the Ulster Final.

If a lot of people had their way we'd return to that hit and hope ****e of the 70s and 80s.
Thankfully a lot of people don't have their way.

Paulzx

People seem to be unable to differentiate between slow handpassing across the field and backwards with fast paced offloads. There's nothing more exciting than players moving forward at pace in their opponents half, offloading the ball with a handpass and taking it back on the sprint to take a scoring chance.

Handpassing is not boring per se. It's slow, aimless handpassing with no attacking impetus that's boring.

It's the same with kick passing. I fail to see how aimless high balls lobbed forward can be classed "true" football. Targeted kick passes low in front of a forward provide huge excitement and pace for the game and are also effective.

Every tactic has it's time and place and the game will always change

Green_Tae

There are problems attached to the game - technical and disciplinary problems in the actual rules of the game and also the very structures of the competitions themselves and change is long overdue.

Consider what the game would be like if everything the Football Development Committee had proposed in the nineties was taken onboard? i) pick-up off the ground - a faster game with less rucks and thow-ins. ii) 13-a-side - more space, more one-on-ones leading to more scores, particularly goals and in this environment the kick-pass becomes even more dangerous iii) free-kicks taken on the run, up to 13 metres from where the foul originally took place - again faster game, players are no longer forced to retake frees because they moved the ball a couple of yards, now we have a stronger disincentive to foul.