Newbridge is a kip alright but Athy is approaching a hovel.
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Leinster finals even and if Iâm not mistaken one All-Ireland final.
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A town forgotten by those outside of it.
And wouldnât they be right to be fair?
Just when you think Tyrone canât get any worse luck with refereesâŚ
https://twitter.com/AodhanHarkin/status/1670830345351049216?t=QKa4a5-JFR3bcFiDpL5mdA&s=19
FOURTEEN green flags flew high last weekend. They were sorely needed. Despite the nets shaking Saturday and Sunday, the average number of goals per game in the 2023 senior football championship is at just 1.8.
The 2022 championship finished with an average of 2.6, the highest since 1989. According to GAA Stats, the lowest ever was 1888âs 0.71.
What is striking about last weekendâs goals is how they summarise all that is good about Gaelic football. Speed, skill, some risk for major reward.
It was Kildareâs Alex Beirne who went down on a breaking ball and sent a pass into Darragh Kirwan. His exquisite dummy bounce opened the door, Beirne continued his run, took a risk with the flick-on and hit a volley from outside the large rectangle.
Everyone, including marker Stefan Campbell, thought Galwayâs SeĂĄn Kelly was about to recycle possession. Instead, the rampaging full-back put his foot down and cooly slotted into the bottom corner.
Gaelic football is increasingly a possession game. It is also a power game. Even with the proliferation of well-designed defensive setups, pace and purpose can still penetrate. The more, the better.
Here are eight other observations as the All-Ireland football championship gets down to the kill or be killed phase.
Attack is the best form of defence
After 45 minutes of the Tailteann Cup quarter-final, James Naughton kicked a monster from off the ground for Limerickâs eighth point in a row. They led 0-14 to 0-9 but did not score again.
Laois forward Mark Barry curled over a superb point in response. From there Limerick mustered four wides including one clear goal chance. After 62 minutes, they tried to keep ball, recycle possession and kill the clock.
âI think this suits Laois at the moment,â said Laois legend Ross Munnelly on co-commentary. âLaois are waiting for a turnover to try and counterattack. Limerick are at their best when they are breaking the line and pushing you on the back foot.â
The only goal of the game came after a poor kick pass across the square. It was one defensive mistake that cost them dearly. However, a point-blank Donal OâSullivan save stopped a SeĂĄn OâFlynn goal before the final Laois score.
The goal concession was one memorable mistake at one end. Across that 24-minute scoreless spell, they made several at the other.
âI just think we stopped,â explained manager Mark Fitzgerald. âWe were trying to keep the scoreboard ticking over and we stopped doing that. We started to withdraw and Laois pushed up on us a little bit. That is still no excuse. We should have driven on and won.â
When quizzed on the goal, the Kerryman focused on what mattered most. They needed to put the foot down in the final quarter.
âLook it is just a game we should have won. End of story. You can say whatever you want about it, that is the nuts and bolts of it.â
Kevin Feelyâs character
After a remarkable recovery from an Achilles injury, Kevin Feely told this newspaper earlier this year about his big motivating factor to make it back on the field: âI really do think Kildare have the possibility to do something positive and I want to be part of that change. Becoming a more consistent, more respected top team.â
After kicking the winner against Roscommon last Sunday, he took part in yet another brilliant in-studio RTĂ interview. How difficult were the last few arduous months and all the spiteful talk that came with it?
âReally tough,â he said. âAbsolutely. There are times you donât want to leave the house. Everyone is in the same group and you are aware you are letting down so many people with the performances when they are not going the way they should be going.
âKildare is a real football county and they are proud people. They just want to see the jersey represented as best as it should be. We have no doubt we havenât been doing that.
âWe just decided we have to really stick together here, use that questioning of our character as fuel to pull together and be tighter as a team.â
Donât blink against Donegal
Donegal kicked 13 points against Monaghan in the first half last Saturday against Monaghan. Throughout those 35 minutes and again at the turnaround, the commentary focused on Monaghanâs defending and lack of contact in the tackle.
The challenge came from how and where they were shooting. In total Donegal had 18 attacks and 16 shots. Two points were from frees. Of the remaining 11, six were an immediate shot with no play. Four came after one single bounce. Meanwhile, only one Monaghan point came from a shot with no play.
Donegal trusted their forwards to convert from far out and difficult angles. Remarkably, 11 points came from outside the âscoring D.â CiarĂĄn Thompson, OisĂn Gallen and Conor OâDonnell all landed boomers from range. A timely warning for Tyrone this Saturday. They must press shooters and canât sit off. All Donegal need is a glimpse of the posts to let loose.
Galway play into Armaghâs hand
PĂĄdraic Joyce tends to take his time before emerging for the post-match media. That inclination is totally understandable. Why not take a chance to take some time and reflect on the tie? In Carrick-On-Shannon, he eventually emerged with one major worry.
âOur turnovers killed us and fed into Armaghâs energy and their game plan.â
The numbers reflect that flaw. Both teams scored from the throw-in. Galway were more productive on their own kickout while Armagh were marginally more effective on the oppositions, winning two and scoring from both.
Turnovers swung the fixture. Galway scored 0-4 from 10. Armagh scored 0-9 from 18. Kieran McGeeneyâs side feed on hitting hard and breaking fast. On Sunday they found a feast.
Time to update the black card
On GAAGO, Michael Murphy was incredulous. A Tyrone quick break had Conn Kilpatrick in on goal until Kevin Maguire took him out.
âIf we are being consistent with applying this rule, Kevin Maguire was the last man back. Again, Conn Kilpatrick was in on goal. I donât think there was a covering defender whatsoever. Apply the rules weâve seen over the last few weeks, and it is a penalty.â
Meanwhile, referee Noel Mooney was adamant. Despite protestations from Kieran McGeary and his Tyrone team-mates, he could not give a penalty. He gestured repeatedly an arm across the neck. It was a high tackle but not a black card infringement. The black card applies to a deliberate pull down, a deliberate trip or to deliberately collide with an option (third-man tackle).
The 2021 Congress rule change was in relation to the denial of a goal-scoring opportunity with a cynical foul. If this cynical behaviour is committed, either inside the 20-metre line or the semi-circular arc, a penalty is awarded.
Rule changes force players to change. Since the black card came in pull-downs become pull backs. A cynical trip to stop a quick counter-attack is now a cynical full-arm wrap. It is time the rule was broadened to cover these infringements as well.
Dual dream is not dead
And they said it couldnât be done. OâDonovan Rossaâs Gerard Walsh was a surprise inclusion in Antrimâs squad for the Tailteann Cup quarter-final last weekend. Having hurled for Darren Gleesonâs side this season, Walsh came on for the footballers on Sunday to help Andy McEnteeâs side to a four-point victory over Carlow.
Psychological turnaround as important as the physical one
The big carrot that came with topping the group was a precious two-week break. Suddenly, the preliminary quarter-final sides face two games in two weeks and that will take its toll.
However, mentally teams face a challenge as well. Not since 2019 have Galway lost a championship game and had another outing in the same competition. That was a totally different group. How will their youthful cohort deal with the disappointment of last Sundayâs loss to Armagh? Davy Burke suggested some of the Roscommon hype may have seeped in subconsciously.
Will they address that this week? After beating Armagh, Mattie Donnelly pointedly referenced the fact it was Tyroneâs first win in five championship games. They go to Ballybofey on Saturday with a record of one win in six. This is a test of bodies and of minds.
Matchup mania
One of the consequences of these 14 vs 14 mini-versions of attack vs defence is the heightened importance of matchups. Galwayâs Kelly sized up Campbell and took his opportunity last Sunday. In the second half it was obvious that the more athletic Ciaran Mackin had been instructed to tag him and curb the captainâs influence. One decisive dual can decide a contest.
This weekend is brimming with blockbuster showdowns. Can Donegalâs Brendan McCole keep up his remarkable form against a recently rested Darren McCurry? Will Corkâs Brian Hurley recover to take on All-Star candidate Brian Stack? How will Kildareâs front-foot half-forward line deal with the punching power of Karl OâConnell and Conor McCarthy? Is a week of rest and cryotherapy enough time for SeĂĄn Kelly to make it back and battle with Mayoâs Aidan OâShea once again? Who takes Shane Walsh?
Either way, with so many even, knockout games, the attitude amongst players and the general public will be exactly the same.
Bring it on.
Maurice is a very astute observer of the game.
I understand why @Fulvio_From_Aughnacloy got it wrong, he is fairly new to gaelic football and still trying to understand the game, we should be encouraging lads like that rather than criticising them. But Michael Murphy refereed loads of games during his time with Donegal, he should have known better.
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https://twitter.com/irish_news/status/1671405892045004801?t=ySqjCYrQOtgQHkYzDSbfgg&s=19
Nail on head from Kenny Archer
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Can you copy and paste please.
Bullseye from Archer.
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Give a dog a rightfully earned bad name
Very unlikely this team starts.
https://twitter.com/galway_gaa/status/1671994195823689729?s=61&t=ywRfELeDxVX6PcFItqXOXw
The rumour is Sweeney in for Kelly so Hernon slots in at fullback and Finnerty is corner-forward for Comer so Walsh goes full.
Weâre fucked
No way they put Hernon full-back. Doubt they risk Mulkerrin either given how little football heâs played for over a year now. Fitzgerald is my guess.
Kelly was still in a boot Tuesday evening, he must have gone down to that stream Joe Canning used to bathe in
Musta been cunts paddleboarding in it so he couldnât use it
Hernon will take AOS if kelly doesnât play with johnny mcgrath on o Donoghue imo.
Comer has to play if hes any way right at all. Hard to see a win without kelly & comer.