Their arse they would. Kerry were a year younger and fresher in 08 and couldnât even beat a dying Tyrone then. Cork stumbled past a flash in the pan Down and Dublin scraped over the line v a Dadâs Army Kerry in 11.
Horan has done a great job with them because all those young players heâs introduced to his Mayo side were basically beaten all the way up through the age grades by Galway. Yet he invariably gets a tune out of them at senior. Itâs remarkable really and speaks to the professionalism of his set-up there.
1 Like
Whatâs striking for me this year is the physical transformation in the likes of Conroy and OâDonoghue, in about 8 months they look like really physical players in contrast to last year.
Yeah, Conroy is bursting out his jersey this year. Really added muscle to his frame. In contrast the jersey is still flapping loose off the torsos of our young lads.
The young Kerry lads are the same. Were transformed over the winter lockdown.
1 Like
The sweeper was cracked by '09, talent wise the preceding teams are possibly better but tactically they would be eaten alive. Older teams would be at a big disadvantage athletically too
Clare in 2017. Same evening as Waterford v kk if I remember correctly.
1 Like
Cork were as tactically stupid a team as you could get. Mayo are not a tactically clever team. Both teams possessed absolutely serious athleticism, Mayo have better footballers than Cork though.
I have no recollection of it but it would make sense if I was in Thurles the same night.
I watched their extra time win over Cork that same year in the Firgrove in Mitchelstown eating a lovely carvery after the Tipp v Clare Quarter Final in Pairc Ui Chaoimh.
Point being it wasnât for free
Agreed. Itâs not a slight on Horan at all who is doing an excellent job, but itâs probably a little easier to do a rebuild when going with more of a focus on very good athletes than very good footballers. Especially if your development squads are churning out lots of very good athletes who can play some football.
1 Like
Fair about Cork tactically but if I recall they only had one player under 6ft. They would steamroll any of the older teams
Iâm open to correction but it was the same day as the lions v New Zealand second test. I remember being on the beer at 7 am in glenbeigh for the game. Stammering home at about 10 o clock and rising from the dead for the gaa games.
2 Likes
I donât think they would.
I think they were not very good tactically, they were not very good footballing wise. What is that Cork teamâs most notable scalp? A victory over an aging Tyrone team in terminal decline? They could never beat Kerry when it mattered. Dublin were pretty average until the point Gavin took over. Mayo were a soft touch until Horan arrived on the scene.
No thatâs not what I think. I think you have venerated for years the brief period in history where Ulster teams dominated the all Ireland. It was just another example of it. Hence @Fulvio Gold.
1 Like
No. Youâd be wrong and you must be stupid to come to that conclusion.
Ulster teams won 3 of 6 All Irelands 02-07.
Ulster teams won 1 of 4 All Irelands 08-11.
Ulster teams won 1 of 10 All Irelands 12-20.
So in fact Ulster teams were as statistically successful in the weak era as they were in the strong eras. 1 in 4 vs 4 in 15 is more or less the same ratio.
Once again, your arrogance walks you into a hole.
That Tyrone team hadnât much to beat in fairness from 03 to 08. Kerry werenât great, Dublin were shite and the likes of Galway, Mayo, cork and Meath were useless as well.
Look Tyrone had as much bother winning Ulster titles back then as they had All Irelands. Ulster was where the real competition was.
Interesting that you say that Kerry team wasnât great though as Kerry people would have you believe that was one of their greatest ever teams and certainly their best side since the 80s.
Or were Tyrone just not as good as you think? Didnât they get knocked out Meath by one year?
I see you have moved the goalposts now after your last point was destroyed.
Carry on.
You didnât destroy any point. The main contenders were all crap between 03 and 08. Since 08 itâs pretty much Dublin, Mayo, Donegal, Kerry and Tyrone whoâve been the 5 best teams.
Between 03 and 08 those four teams bar Tyrone were not good.
Itâs possible Tyrone made hay in a very weak era.