the ref gave Kerry a lot yesterday
the attacking the referees with bottle was more akin to “soccer” fans in the 80’s
God I love when you talk GAA mate, there’s a cadence and tempo to it thats almost balletic.
McManamon is one of the greatest players Dublin have ever had. It’s astonishing the key scores he’s got over the years, nobody has ever got better ones for Dublin.
The 2013 semi-final remains slightly ahead in terms of the greatness of the game, I think that was a greater performance by Dublin yesterday however. They just kept coming.
Talking about replicating games like yesterday on a more consistent basis via a league system is futile. You can’t replicate games like that on a regular basis. They are by definition the types of games that can only happen once a year at best because of what’s at stake.
But the semi-finals have produced some really classic games over the last five seasons. Atmosphere is always far better than the final too.
He also smiled at their players a lot more. That has huge significance im terms of making fellas feel secure and happy to play well.
I just saw that hit… Fucksake, the most blatant free you’ll ever see, he drove up with his shoulder into the head… How the fuck was it not given 
bizarre
O’Mahoney should have been carded as well
Head injury. Game has to stop immediately
Were you watching bogball, pal?
odd he didn’t stop for any Dublin head injuries
Surely Waterford v Cork 2004 must be included
yes, its around this time every year I get into it for a few weeks before detesting it again
Have that ticket for you mate
With regards to ref I thought he did ok but usual issue of lack of consistency so would call an over carrying or pick up foul now and then and ignore others, some frees could be given on first contact and other frees not given at all or much more hard won. Missed couple of the obvious hits. Gooch hit Connolly off the ball in front of linesman and nothing was done. Gooch hit out at Cooper in first half running up side line and nothing done. Umpire did well for goal, saw what was about to happen and moved onto the end line to give best view of it.
Kerry caused Dublin lots of problems and in boxing terms had Dublin on the ropes at end of first half but half time came in time and Dublin were able to regroup. The Kerry pressure on the kick outs paid off, led to two goals, point and Cluxton kicking one over side line. There is a lesson there for other teams but it takes massive energy to keep it up.
Kerry were confident of being able to match Dublin physically, matched Dublin running for a lot of the game. Bit of class told in the end and for all the talk of fitness both sides had players capable of hitting some great points and Dublin just had that bit more at the end.
Dublin had players at the end up front who had confidence and balls to take the ball on and take a shot. That counts for a lot when the game is there to be won or lost. Gavin has definitely empowered them and they had lots of leaders near the end - you feel they know they are fit as fuck and can keep going at teams. In contrast at end of first half they lacked leaders at the back to steady the ship.
Kilkenny was man marked yesterday and that limited him but he is such a good player when he gets on the ball he makes a pass or a score. Rock was also man marked and not sure he did a whole pile from play. McMahon and Cooper covered massive amounts of ground - popping up for scores and then running back to defend. Amazing energy levels. Combine it with Mcmanamon and McCarthy and their runs and it is so formidable.
Surprised a team has not put somebody on Cian O’Sullivan - he is clever, covers ground so well but no teams have gone to put pressure on him and remove him as an outlet. He organises everything in Dublin defence, if you could get at him then it would be interesting.
Really enjoyable game and despite the post game narrative Kerry could have won it. Dublin just got over the line.
Nobody outside of Ballyshitmanure gives a toss about your tiddling little Roman Catholic plank hockey game, mate.
Whats a pink nife? And why can’t you spell right proper like?
The ball was fisted 1048 times yesterday. It was kicked 367 times. That’s a 3:1 ratio of fisting… It certainly is fist ball.
Open and entertaining, but naive and lacked tactical nous. Technically it was superb. The reading of the game by both sets of players was the best i saw. Cooper, Sullivan, McMahon, Griffen, Crowley, Enright all made some outstandingly intelligent plays.
Yesterday was a chessgame played in serious battle.
You prefer hurling as a sport, and i accept average hurling can often still be much better than average football to watch. But great football like that is rare in any era and matches, for me, any football.
To play with the brain in such a heated game is impressive and Dublins conditioning for this is remarkable for amateurs. The coolness for the late scores was absolutely fantastic. Bar KK most hurlers just drive it down the putch when its in the melting pot.
My preference for hurling is slight and I come from Gaelic Football country in Wexford and always loved a good game of football.
I wouldn’t rate yesterday as high as the 2006 Dublin v Mayo game as Kerry didn’t take the game to Dublin between the 45th and 60 minute like they had to in order to win. They left the Dubs in it and it was only a matter of the superior fitness of Dublin to tell in the last 10 and injury time.
AFL team replicate that regularly, and thwy just have a go.
Finals are often deader atmospgere wise because of the bullshit presenting teams etc. The lull from Minor to Senor games etc is unsettling for tge crowd. You usually have loads of people beside each other who don’t know each other. Too much time to just sit tgere with idle chat.