All Ireland Football Final 2010- Cork vs Down

bluearmy1 wrote:This Down team includes ........... and Hogan Cup-winning captain Kevin McKernan (Abbey 2006...Newry's darkest year)

I hope they behaved themselves that year ..........

Final thoughts

Recent history has shown that you can't predict AI winners in July - Last year Kerry stuttered, strugelled, bumbled their way through the back door and found form against the dubs - they year before Micky harte was for the chop then a meandering jaunt through the qualifiers until same as last year a match was lit against the dubs-
Down started the year as no hopers - and had a decent run through the qualifiers and then turned it on on the quarters - keeping momentum for the Kildare game.

Cork against Donegal and Tyrone last year showed us they have a serious gear - haven't produced it this year except in patches in Killarney and for 10 mins against the dubs-

My gut feeling is that this time they will time the extra gear for the right moment, and finally we will see their full potential when it matters.

I am off to bed lads early start in the morning heading of to see our minors collect the Tom Markham slan

bocerty wrote:I am off to bed lads early start in the morning heading of to see our minors collect the Tom Markham slan

I'd be confident Boc, despite the injuries. Munroe does not inspite faith, but I think that Tyrone, if they can match Cork for drive and power in midfield, have better footballers in most other positions.

And Ronan O'Neill looks exceptional.

Thomas Clarke wrote:
And Ronan O'Neill looks exceptional.

You can hum that tune again, he looked outstanding. Is he still Minor next year too??

Jonsmith wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:
And Ronan O'Neill looks exceptional.

You can hum that tune again, he looked outstanding. Is he still Minor next year too??

Brolly said on RTE that he has 2 more years after this year, but not sure how true that is. Certainly has one more year.

For me, he is the most exciting minor prospect that Tyrone have had since Sean Cavanagh.

bocerty wrote:I am off to bed lads early start in the morning heading of to see our minors collect the Tom Markham slan

Must go myself, flights at 7 so don't have long to go and need the kip before the trip!

I think Cork are going to run riot. Down look frightened when there on the ball. memories of 2004 and 2006 here.

Down taking the wrong options. Settling into the game but need to arrest the wide count sharpish

Thank God, I found live Crown Green bowls to watch on eurosport.

Let's hope the sponsors aren't watching the Down game.

patrique wrote:Thank God, I found live Crown Green bowls to watch on eurosport.

Let's hope the sponsors aren't watching the Down game.

Its a pretty poor game to be honest. Who's winning the bowls?

What the hell is McCartan at taking McComiskey and Poland off?

Cork getting a lot of soft frees but Down just failed to capitalise on their great start.

We'll never bloody hear the end of this now
I really hate Cork

An abysmil Final is a somewhat fitting end to one of the worst footballing championships in living memory

And a moments thought about age and memory.

Did Coulihan remember that Nicholaus Murphy was still in the panel or did someone tell him?

O'Connor man of the match, and Cork were the better side.

Was it one of the worst Championships in living memory because of Galway's abysmal year?

Longford beating Mayo

New Leinster Champions for the first time in 6 years?
The falling of the big 2 in Connaught?
Dublin not getting hammered in a q/f and running the eventual winners to 1 pt in the semi final?
An end to the Kerry Tyrone stranglehold that's been there since 2002?
The 4 provincial winners falling on their next day out?
The end of pitch invasions?
The fairy fort at the Canal End goal?

Great year 2010, roll on 2011

Worst Championship ever I reckon. If they are the two best teams in the land then football is going nowhere I fear. Cork only just about took the golden opportunity gifted to them of this soft All-Ireland.

Tale of two halves really. Difference was Cork just had that bit of leadership to bring on while Down's leaders did not feature.

Down as expected played with abandon but almost to the point of complacency. Hughes and Murtagh had two very bad mistakes which may well have cost Down a replay or God knows even a win.

I'm just too sore to give any real proper thought on the game right now but would like to congratulate Cork on their victory. They've come under a lot of flak this year but when it really mattered they rose to he occasion.

Maybe we were a bit unlucky to come up against a team that has tasted defeat on various occasions but overall luck had little to with it today.

Would also liek to congratulate our young Down team for re-igniting the flame in Down. The past few weeks have been great. I could never begrudge players Graham Canty an All-Ireland medal any more than I would have begrudged Dermot Early getting one. The Down team is still young and has learned much this year and though they could not continue our old record of never losing a final they honoured the team of 1960 with their honesty, creativity, and ultimately, their graciousness in defeat.

2011 should be interesting!

Overall a poor end to what has been a poor championship. The final was remarkable only for the lack of so-called hand passing,.. giving a glimmer of hope to the purists that this phase of the game may be nearing an end.
Cork fell over the line so to speak, because the quality of their performance must leave them isolated as the solid worst and most unimaginative team to win Sam in a lifetime...Down were a major disappointment, Coulter or Clarke never got going, nobody else stood up to the plate, routed at midfield and woeful decisions re: shot-taking at times makes them but a shadow of the great Down teams that have adorned Croke Park on big days.....there was no Mickey Lindens there today..

Cork were there for the taking in the first 30 mins.....Had Down goaled and opened a 6+ gap they would have folded...For all their physique and fitness, I'm coming back to Patrique's view that a couple of knacky scoring forwards aligned to a proven free-taker, augmented by a solid set of backs will get you there....
That said, Goulding was top class on the frees for them today and carried them home...

They'll be statues to Frank Murphy on the South Mall yet I fear...

I'd agree with all that Boxty. I said on here that, if Cork won, it would be the worst forward line to win an all-ireland in living memory. After having seen the game, the rest of the team could be tarred with the same brush.

Down were plucky, and nearly got an undeserved win, but the reality is that Cork were the better of two very average sides. Cork won because they won the key battles. Shields had Coulter in his pocket, and O'Leary did a very good job on Clarke. The much maligned Aidan Walsh (surely some of his critics must now start to admit that he is a fine prospect?) dominated midfield, and O'Connor, Goulding & Sheehan exposed the Down full-back line. Down, on the other hand, won the minor battles between wing forwards and wing backs, while Cork were ruling the centre of the field and the FF/FB lines.

Down can feel proud of their achievements this year. They came from nowhere and were almost won Sam. Whether or not they will do as well next year is very debatable, but they have a good backroom team and a lot of the side is quite young. Finding another forward to replace Coulter over the next couple of years is essential if progress is to be continued.

As for Cork, average as they are, they are the champions and, as they too are a young side, they could be around for a while to come. More's the pity though, given their almost complete lack of skill and creativity. But well done to them for today.

I'll admit Aidan Walsh proved me wrong today with a fine performance. Today he cut out a lot of the silly mistakes that had marred some of his previous appearances. He fielded some great ball and has a great engine.

Donncha O'Conner picked off some fine points today.

Thomas Clarke wrote:The much maligned Aidan Walsh (surely some of his critics must now start to admit that he is a fine prospect?) dominated midfield

Walsh was excellent today but IMO for the first time this season. He is young and is likely to get better as he matures and if this happens he will become a fine player.

I actually enjoyed the game hugely. Cork probably played consistently worse football than any of the last 4/5 seasons and find themselves with Sam. Murphy was great when he came on and Canty definitely raised the tempo. When Cork let the ball in quickly they pointed nearly every time. I cannot understand why they do not do this with their big target men. You would think they learned this v Dublin but again today they didn;t do it til the 2nd half and it won them the game.

Jonsmith wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:
And Ronan O'Neill looks exceptional.

You can hum that tune again, he looked outstanding. Is he still Minor next year too??

he is only 16 so has 2 years left yet his brother was on the 2008 minor winning team and his father played on the 73 minor team which lost to Cork - whether he makes it to senior football is anyones guess my own personal opinion is he might disappear up is own backside first seems to be the sort of guy that reads too much about himself and believes all of it. I hope i am wrong as he is a wonderful footballer though i thought our FF was our best player too and has been all season.

bocerty wrote:though i thought our FF was our best player too and has been all season.

Aye and he deservedly got MotM too.

Jayo Cluxton wrote:

bocerty wrote:though i thought our FF was our best player too and has been all season.

Aye and he deservedly got MotM too.

just seen that - he has been excellent all year (think he is related to Mugsys_barber) his movement is great and his workrate is to be commended he knows were the posts are too which is a bonus.