2017 All Ireland Senior Football Championship, Dublin's continued exploitation of its natural advantages

has anyone here said that Mayo should have scored more to account for the refs calls? I too think the ref was poor. However they still had enough of their own chances to win. It does not need to be one or the other. Mayo fucked up, again. Vaughan stupidly got sent off in one of the dumbest AI final red cards ever. Cillian O Connor missed a go ahead free in injury time that any decent right footed free taker would pop over. David Clarke had one kick out when behind and had to ensure they retained possession, and instead of going short or finding a man, he hit it long and wide and straight back to Dublin. Thats just 3 things that Mayo had, when one of them would have made a massive difference. Its also not mentioned Dohertys open goal chance, the dropped shots, the really poor wides.

I will give you though that I find it slightly odd how lauded this Dublin team are considering there has been very, very little between them and Mayo. It’s not like they are steam rolling Mayo and dominating them, they are squeaking by every time. Thats all they need to do though, but its not like in comparison the Kilkenny team ten years ago who were absolutely dominating all teams. Dublin have the measure of everyone, but Mayo have figured out how to beat them. Their only problem is that they havent beaten them when the opportunities have presented themselves.

Still though, given the way football has gone, winning 3 in a row is mighty impressive stuff.

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They had it in their own hands to win despite perceived refereeing mistakes and I stress the perceived part.

That’s the point. Take the role of the referee out if it and Mayo still should have done it.

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Mayo need to engineer a semi final meeting next year. They’ll never beat them in a final.

They’d just lose to Tyrone then

I agree completely with this.

It is sport. Decisions go for you and against you. Decisions are taken by referees that are human, and as has already been pointed out, are fatigued.

Mayo should have exited the Championship last year at the first round of the qualifiers had it not been for McQuillan giving them a penalty which never was the case.

The best team of all time can lose games too you know. They have.
And Kerry lost to Offaly and Cork.
Its the overall body of work that matters.

I lost sympathy for them after Vaughans stupidity.

However, as with most breakthrough wins, you often do have to be significantly better the first time to get over the line.

McQuillian had a clear overall 4 point turn around. Did not give a plain penalty and sent off a man, as silly as it was, in the wrong. Seemingly influenced by that cunt from Banteer who just loves controversy

Still, Mayo had it in their own vontrol to win.

Leaving all else aside and assuming Dublin did get soft ref decisions, COC had a handy free (for an inter county level freetaker) and missed it. Rock got one and nailed it. That’s the difference for me.

There was 6 minutes to go when COC got his free (handy, ah here), and Rock’s (much ‘handier’) was 6 minutes into injury time. You’re being very simplistic.

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Great does not have to mean completely dominant though. As i mentioned already, kerry lost plenty games in their “great” era

What make Dublin freat is they had to deal with a few other serious contenders at various times.

Kerry in 86 for instance was superb. The belief and consistancy to come back significant. However everyone remembers a Tyrone penaLty

It was a much harder free than Rocks. COC likes distance and the curve of his shot is different to other players.

I was not surprised by the miss

I think it just sums up the differences between the teams mentally. We should also acknowledge the ref played an extra 2 minutes of injury time in the vain hope the Mayo would get one more chance which is hardly a pro Dublin bias.

I don’t think anyone was, but isn’t that the issue?

I wasn’t talking about pro bias. I was amused at your simplifying of the free’s to suit your ‘narrative’.

Also the 2 minutes were added on because Rock took the bones of 90 seconds to take the free, and the Dublin fuckacting on the Mayo kickout. Not simply to give Mayo a ‘vain hope’.

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It wasn’t a difficult free at that level

Of course it was. It was the bones of 20 yards out on the sideline. Are you saying there are no difficult frees at that level?

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Also to be fair to rock Mayo were fucking electronics at him at that stage

The biggest thing COC struggles with is distance. Consistently.

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The Mayo electronic was lobbed at him as he was in his run up, it didn’t really account for the 89 or so seconds prior to that. I have no problem with him taking the time, its up to the referee to throw it up or add on the time. He did the latter. Nothing wrong with that.

Thought it was a reasonably tricky free as the angle was tight enough. COC still should’ve scored it mind you but it was far from a gimmee.

It was nowhere near the sideline it was about half way between the sideline and the goals. I’d expect a decent club level free taker to score it. Obviously the pressure was huge but it was the same for Rock who had 90 seconds of time to think about it