The 2024 All Ireland Senior Football Championship (Sam Maguire Cup)

I was watching a Year Til Sunday during the week and what struck me was John O Mahony saying after the All Ireland semi final win over Derry that they had five weeks to get ready for the final. Looking back that was a ridiculous time to have to wait. Now we have both Galway and Armagh with two short weeks before the big day. Armagh with an extra days rest although dont think that will be of any advantage. I wonder are the players happy with the two week build up i think thats about right. Maybe three weeks at a push.

Connolly a great player? Too hot headed and washed up at 30. Unreliable. Court case recently too. Clifford is a different level to him (waiting for someone to bring up All-Ireland medals)

This is the sort of nonsense that we are talking about.

Clifford is a different level to Connolly.

Why? Based on what?

He hasn't actually done nearly enough yet to deserve that sort of accolade but still some will throw it out as a given. Its not a given at all, not even close.

I'm a non-Galwegian and am convinced Walsh was the best player on the pitch that day. Yet, Clifford won MOTM and Kevin McStay said he had never seen the likes of it despite several scores coming from marks. You would think he had done something amazing rather than playing well in an All Ireland winning team in a relatively open game of football against a team that actually allows you to play. It's actually trying to get Clifford back into perspective some of us are, rather than needing to. It is from the angle of claims that he is the greatest footballer ever that this perspective issue is coming. Nobody is saying he didn't play well in an All Ireland final.

Disappointing end but after a brilliant year, no complaints. We clearly struggled in attack in the last 20 minutes. Apparently we were playing into a wind in 2nd half so that might explain so many shots into keepers hands. Also They looked very tired toward the end, more so than Galway. In Jim’s first stint the improvement in strength, conditioning, speed and stamina between year 1 and 2 was huge so I would hope he can repeat that. Whether that potential is there this time remains to be seen. 

WRT to kick outs I’ve been saying all year that I think we drop off for most- our press isn’t that effective and we’ve been conceding a lot of easy scores off opposition kick outs due to being out of position, whereas when we get our defence set we are much harder to break down. Just seems to me we’re losing more than we’re gaining pushing up on kick outs. 

Personally I would rather have had mcbrearty on the pitch at the end when we were struggling for scores- he has a great track record of coming on the loop and kicking clutch scores in these situations. 

Daragh O Baoile and Niall O Donnell have had a disappointing drop in form-when you think of the scores they kicked in the Ulster final we could have done with a couple of those down the stretch today. 

Given we got out of jail against Tyrone and Armagh can’t really complain when we ran out of luck today. 
Im sure I’m not the only one who can’t wait for next season

Thought Mogan was poor today but will probably still get his all star. Langan, McCole and Gallen have to be contenders as well, though obviously they won’t all get in. 

Finally, Congratulations to Galway. Fully deserved and I’ll certainly be shouting for them in the Final🤞

They have more than the great Spillane.

Didn’t the Galway keeper stop one going over the bar as well? It was odd early on in game Donegal were very accurate, more accurate than Galway. By the end Donegal were taking tired/half hearted shots.

They have and fair play to them, but out of context to the poster I replied to.

pure nonsense

Unreliable? Wow, call the Guards now.

MOTM could have gone to either of them that day. If Galway won, it would've gone to Walsh. When the media say there was a "shootout" between Clifford and Walsh, its a myth. Walsh scored 9, with 4 or 5 coming from frees/marks. Clifford scored 8, with 4 or 5 coming from frees/marks. Literally one point separating 2 top class players. But it's not like either of them shot the lights out from play so the meaningless MOTM award went to the one on the winning team is all.

In 2003 my dad and I went to see Donegal play Armagh in the National League game in Ballybofey, it was one of those GAA memories that has stayed with me all my life. 

I was a teenager at the time and the previous September my dad and I were lucky enough to be in Croke Park to see Armagh win their first and only All Ireland. To this day I have never heard a roar in Croker like the one when Oisin McConville hit the back of the net. Kerry had been 4 points up at half time and were cruising but then Joe Kernan smashed his medal off the dressing room wall and the rest as they say is history. Up until then I hadn’t experienced that height of joy and euphoria that the GAA brings out in people, the scenes at the final whistle were incredible.

Fast forward to the league game the following spring. Donegal had also had a positive 2002 season having brought Dublin to a replay in the quarter final, and I was quietly hoping we could snatch a win off the reigning All Ireland champions. 

Well, Armagh won, but in all honesty I remember very little about the game. The memory that lasts from this day was the two gentlemen from Armagh who were standing behind my dad and I on the terrace all decked out in their Orchard colours. They were in their 60s or 70s and from the moment they arrived you could feel a buzz about them, talking to each other openly and loudly - almost as if there was no one else there.

The Donegal players (including one Jim McGuinness) gave Armagh a guard of honour as they entered the field, and when they emerged the two men behind us lit up “HELLO!!! ITS THE ALL IRELAND CHAMPIONS!! HEL-LO!”

Donegal started brightly, but towards the end of the second half Armagh were gaining more control. The lads referred to each player by their first name, as if they were their own sons…Diarmuid, Oisin, Kieran…and their excitement was intoxicating. 

Armaghs control of the game was secured just before half time with a goal from, who else, Oisin McConville. “HELLO!!!! HELLO OISIN!!! THE ALL IRELAND CHAMPIONS ARE HERE!”

It was arrogance, but not in a spiteful way. It was pride and joy and my dad and I couldn’t help but enjoy it. We talked more about the lads than the game in the car on the way home.

There are times even now when I’m watching sport and a team or a player suddenly shows up I shout “HELLO!” at the TV. 

That’s 21 years ago and I’d have to wonder if those gentlemen are still with us. Armagh are back in an All Ireland final and I hope the younger generations get to experience that joy and euphoria. 

Good luck to Armagh, and good luck to Galway. I hope it’s a cracker.

What difference does a court case make to a players playing ability? As for Connolly on the pitch yes he crossed the line a few times. But he got more controlled as he got older, even playing in a "quarter back" position for Dublin at one stage. A very versatile player. The truth is being a top player they are invariably targeted by opponents.

Connolly is not one I would think of as a hot head, that would be more Marc Vaughan. Now that fella was a right head the ball. Not as good as he thought he was, either.

He has yet to do it?

What is it exactly about Cliffords senior career so far that people seem to be missing?

In the 2019 final replay as a 20 year old he scored 4 from play. The modern day record in a final is 5 from play (Joyce 01). In the 2021 semi he scored 6 from play in an absolutely collosal display. 22 semi v Dublin, 5 from play and man of the match, again collosal. Motm in the 22 final. 2023 semi, 5 from play again and motm.

These are literally the biggest games a footballer can play and at 25 he has more standout performances in them than just about anyone. How can you be "yet to do it" when you've won footballer of the year twice and have 5 all stars

We were waiting for this to happen with Clifford. People get bored by brilliance and after a while just want to tear it back down. He'll have his redemption arc now next year or the next and everyone will be back in love with him