Munster SFC Final - Kerry v Cork

What a joke this is!

Not only do Cork & Kerry get virtual byes into at least the last 12 of the championship, but they also play the Munster final very early (7th July) in order to give the loser a few weeks to get their house in order for the qualifiers.

A total con, and another good reason why HQ must override the provincial councils and completely separate the provincials from the all ireland series.

"Yerra I can assure you that the Munster Council don't know their ***** from their elbows."

As if.....

Hi guys,

My tactical analysis on what was a really great job by Eamonn Fitzmaurice up here
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Emmet

We "may" have been looking at the same match Emmet, but here's a couple of points you omitted from your analysis:
1. Canty is finished as an Inter-County footballer and that's not 2013 news.
2. Clear evidence today why Cooper and O'Sullivan made TC's best of the last 25 years.
3. Cork selectors erred gravely with their starting 15 (too many daft selections to en-numerate).
4. Those Kerry backs, on today's display, will get roasted in August when pressurised.
5. Marty Duffy is a complete charlatan as a referee. Today's "performance" was risible.

Kerry survived, with, as you pointed out, canny use of their bench. May not be is such a position later on in the year. I can see them making the s/f's but beyond that... 

Well in reverse order
5. I rarely discuss the ref in columns. I tweeted during the second hal that he'd lost his handle.
4. Yes to Dublin/Donegal/Mayo. Won't get any of them on the Bank Holiday.
3. Yes. That's why I focussed on Alan O'Connor.
2. I never saw his list but no arguments from me.
1. Canty still contributes in attack. He's been a defensive liability for 3 years and I mentioned that specifically as why using him as a sweeper was a terrible idea.

Boxtyeater wrote:We "may" have been looking at the same match Emmet, but here's a couple of points you omitted from your analysis:
1. Canty is finished as an Inter-County footballer and that's not 2013 news.
2. Clear evidence today why Cooper and O'Sullivan made TC's best of the last 25 years.
3. Cork selectors erred gravely with their starting 15 (too many daft selections to en-numerate).
4. Those Kerry backs, on today's display, will get roasted in August when pressurised.
5. Marty Duffy is a complete charlatan as a referee. Today's "performance" was risible.

Kerry survived, with, as you pointed out, canny use of their bench. May not be is such a position later on in the year. I can see them making the s/f's but beyond that... 

100% agree with all of that. In a week that saw Warren Gatland put one 34 year old out to pasture, Conor Counihan needs to to the same to another. How Canty started/lasted the game is beyond me, and his presence reminds me of Brian Dooher's unfortunate last year in a Tyrone jersey - 'leadership' traits are nullified if you are a liability.

Counihan sent out a joke of a side today, leaving O'Connor and Sheehan on the bench. His treatment of young Cahalane was appalling, and the over-sized stopwatch hanging round his neck precludes 'I didn't realise there were only 10 seconds left in the half' as an excuse. Counihan's inability to install a basic defensive system has already cost his side at least 1 AI, and looks like it will cost them again this year.

Kerry continue to have the skill and pace to run up an early score against anyone, but a lot of their older campaigners are short on stamina. The are obviously contenders, but they wouldn't be in my top 3. They beat nothing today.

Omar showing his age here, but Cork tactics and preparation on a par with the Larry Tompkins sunburnt toe incident.

OMAR wrote:Omar showing his age here, but Cork tactics and preparation on a par with the Larry Tompkins sunburnt toe incident.

Taken from Hoganstand, in May 1993:

Summer arrived early on Leeside twelve months ago. Things were beginning to look good again for Larry following persistent and morale-shattering injuries. On the Sunday prior to the game against Kerry, he went jogging down the Mardyke. Dedicated as ever. It was a sunny afternoon, but breezy. After about half an hour’s light exercise he decided to sit on the bank to watch a schools game. Off came the runners. Later that night his feet were sore. Sunburn. Nothing to worry about. Cream was applied on the Monday and he intended to train on Tuesday. A burst blister. An infection. Antibiotics on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. On Sunday morning Dr. Con Murphy ruled him out of the big match. After thirty minutes he entered the fray but by that stage, Cork’s game plan had been sufficiently dismantled and Kerry won by ten points. “I shouldn’t have played. The whole affair was a nightmare for me. It was one of those freak situations which looked simple enough at the start, but then flared up two days before the game.”

said it before and i'll repeat myself yet again Counihan should be roaded out of Cork ASAP. He is a liability as a manager - the team the tactics the whole lot was a mess and this isnt the first time they have been found wanting under his leadership.

To substitute a lad with the half virtually over tells you all you need to know about him and again i think he done the very same thing in a game not too long ago.

the only man who made Counihan look good yesterday was Duffy, if he is one of the top refs in the country we are fooked. He got so many calls wrong yesterday at times you wondered was he suffering sun stroke or had he an ear piece in listening to Wimbledon or something. His call on Coopers wonderfully executed tackle was a joke, he couldnt have seen what happened from his angle but saw fit to call it as a foul, i hope the assessors go to town on him,

Was a lot of shadow boxing in that game yesterday it's hard to judge either side TBH. I think Cork now know their strongest 15 or least they should while both won't be as loose on the marking in the knock out stages.

emmetryan wrote:Well in reverse order
5. I rarely discuss the ref in columns. I tweeted during the second hal that he'd lost his handle.
4. Yes to Dublin/Donegal/Mayo. Won't get any of them on the Bank Holiday.
3. Yes. That's why I focussed on Alan O'Connor.
2. I never saw his list but no arguments from me.
1. Canty still contributes in attack. He's been a defensive liability for 3 years and I mentioned that specifically as why using him as a sweeper was a terrible idea.

I wouldn't be so quick to put Mayo in that top bracket yet. The likes of Tyrone,Cork could take them out on bank holiday weekend.

Hi guys,

I've put together a video analysing some of the issues Cork had defensively yesterday. You can check it out here:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Thanks,
Emmet

And as for Mayo, I've had them graded at 3 since the year started and haven't moved them yet.

emmetryan wrote:Hi guys,

I've put together a video analysing some of the issues Cork had defensively yesterday. You can check it out here:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Pardon me, I've skipped it Emmet because it was pathetic. In the interest of football, going forward, were you to gain accredation, you might look at the great "last men standing" displays of the real greats:
The men arriving/creating the final killer ball....Canavan, Joyce, Brogan, O'Sullivan, Cooper..

The ordinary patron has fook all time for analysis, yours included.

Boxtyeater wrote:

emmetryan wrote:Hi guys,

I've put together a video analysing some of the issues Cork had defensively yesterday. You can check it out here:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Pardon me, I've skipped it Emmet because it was pathetic. In the interest of football, going forward, were you to gain accredation, you might look at the great "last men standing" displays of the real greats:
The men arriving/creating the final killer ball....Canavan, Joyce, Brogan, O'Sullivan, Cooper..

The ordinary patron has fook all time for analysis, yours included.

Boxty slams Emmet's piece as pathetic! 

emmetryan wrote:

And as for Mayo, I've had them graded at 3 since the year started and haven't moved them yet.

Is the grade rolled over from last year? Mayo haven't played top eight side in the championship yet. They lost to Dublin twice,Tyrone,Kildare and Down in the league. Coming through Connacht championship without a test won't help them either nor their high rank/expectations.

RMDrive wrote:
[Boxty slams Emmet's piece as pathetic! 

Yaw, He only slings his blogs in here for free.....

Not  a debator, an hideaway, loner type, unable to fight his opinion  out front...

RMDrive wrote:

Boxtyeater wrote:

emmetryan wrote:Hi guys,

I've put together a video analysing some of the issues Cork had defensively yesterday. You can check it out here:
[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Pardon me, I've skipped it Emmet because it was pathetic. In the interest of football, going forward, were you to gain accredation, you might look at the great "last men standing" displays of the real greats:
The men arriving/creating the final killer ball....Canavan, Joyce, Brogan, O'Sullivan, Cooper..

The ordinary patron has fook all time for analysis, yours included.

Boxty slams Emmet's piece as pathetic! 

I know!!!  

Thomas Clarke wrote:What a joke this is!

Not only do Cork & Kerry get virtual byes into at least the last 12 of the championship, but they also play the Munster final very early (7th July) in order to give the loser a few weeks to get their house in order for the qualifiers.

A total con, and another good reason why HQ must override the provincial councils and completely separate the provincials from the all ireland series.

There was a tweet from the official GAA twiter account yesterday stating that Kerry have reached the All Ireland QF for the past 13 years, i replied stating your point, that they virtually get a bye into the last 12 every year due to a lop-sided championship format and that considering that it wasn't really that impressive! I got some great responses hammering me, oddly the GAA account didn't reply!

Boxtyeater wrote:

RMDrive wrote:
[Boxty slams Emmet's piece as pathetic! 

Yaw, He only slings his blogs in here for free.....

Not  a debator, an hideaway, loner type, unable to fight his opinion  out front...

Umm Boxty I responded to literally all the points you made in the last post you made about one of my blogs. Believe it or not I want to engage on them as if ye say nothing then I have no idea how to make them better. Although I am confused how you can label something you didn't watch as pathetic.

Gaa_lover wrote:

emmetryan wrote:

And as for Mayo, I've had them graded at 3 since the year started and haven't moved them yet.

Is the grade rolled over from last year? Mayo haven't played top eight side in the championship yet. They lost to Dublin twice,Tyrone,Kildare and Down in the league. Coming through Connacht championship without a test won't help them either nor their high rank/expectations.

Actually I had them at 2 for year-end of 2013 with Cork at 3 and Dublin at 4. The off-field switches within Dublin had me jump them to 2 and right now, for me and naturally this goes for all my points, it's a toss up between them and Donegal for top spot. The reasons I have Mayo rated so highly are pretty simple. They have a solid depth of talent, benches come into play big time in the summer. While they had issues in the league, their overall development through the spring was promising. The Moran/O'Connor injury issues aren't a straight swap but the difference in losing COC isn't enough for me to drop them down a place. You highlight the one concern I'd have with them in your last sentence. Playing a weak provincial schedule won't help but Donegal will, likely, be the only provincial winner to face more than one D1 team en route to August so it's not like all the teams going to the quarters have been ideally battle-tested. In Mayo's case it comes down to how they treat the games they get, they have focused heavily on putting together complete performances irrespective of the opposition. That's all they can do between now and August.

emmetryan wrote:

Gaa_lover wrote:

emmetryan wrote:

And as for Mayo, I've had them graded at 3 since the year started and haven't moved them yet.

Is the grade rolled over from last year? Mayo haven't played top eight side in the championship yet. They lost to Dublin twice,Tyrone,Kildare and Down in the league. Coming through Connacht championship without a test won't help them either nor their high rank/expectations.

Actually I had them at 2 for year-end of 2013 with Cork at 3 and Dublin at 4. The off-field switches within Dublin had me jump them to 2 and right now, for me and naturally this goes for all my points, it's a toss up between them and Donegal for top spot. The reasons I have Mayo rated so highly are pretty simple. They have a solid depth of talent, benches come into play big time in the summer. While they had issues in the league, their overall development through the spring was promising. The Moran/O'Connor injury issues aren't a straight swap but the difference in losing COC isn't enough for me to drop them down a place. You highlight the one concern I'd have with them in your last sentence. Playing a weak provincial schedule won't help but Donegal will, likely, be the only provincial winner to face more than one D1 team en route to August so it's not like all the teams going to the quarters have been ideally battle-tested. In Mayo's case it comes down to how they treat the games they get, they have focused heavily on putting together complete performances irrespective of the opposition. That's all they can do between now and August.

Is Mayos depth of talent better than say Cork or Kerry? i think the Munster teams have better forward options and at the end of the day it's scores that wins games. The strongest part of the Mayo team is their half back line they have so many options that they have to start some of them in the half forward line.

Last year Mayo were given scare against Sligo they learnt more out of that game than they did against Roscommon,Galway this year and they will learn nothing against London. Dublin have been in this position before of not been tested in Leinster then getting caught cold in August, IMO the jury is still out on Mayo it will be interesting if they can live up to the high expectations.

Gaa_lover wrote:
Is Mayos depth of talent better than say Cork or Kerry? i think the Munster teams have better forward options and at the end of the day it's scores that wins games. The strongest part of the Mayo team is their half back line they have so many options that they have to start some of them in the half forward line.

Last year Mayo were given scare against Sligo they learnt more out of that game than they did against Roscommon,Galway this year and they will learn nothing against London. Dublin have been in this position before of not been tested in Leinster then getting caught cold in August, IMO the jury is still out on Mayo it will be interesting if they can live up to the high expectations.

I have strong reservations over Kerry's bench. Fitzmaurice did a fantastic job at the weekend but I just don't see them having the options that Dublin/Donegal/Mayo have. Regarding Cork's bench, I used to believe it was deeper than Mayo's but that was because I sorely under-rated the latter. Some players are far more naturally suited to coming off the bench (See: Feeney, Richie and yes I am aware he's started a lot this year but I expect that to change) whereas others can adopt starting or bench roles with ease like Jason O'Connor. The main thing I like about the attacking options Mayo have in reserve is that Horan can choose to press on with his existing approach or change the point of attack depending on how he uses them. That can make a big difference in the final 20 minutes of a game.

emmetryan wrote: The main thing I like about the attacking options Mayo have in reserve is that Horan can choose to press on with his existing approach or change the point of attack depending on how he uses them.

I wonder is that due to having more adaptable personnel, or having a manager with a better idea of how to use them.

I agree with you on Kerry's bench - the league showed how weak it is, particularly in attack. To add to Sunday's starting 15, you have Bryan Sheehan, Brosnan, Donaghy and O'Mahony - all very useful if going well, but only O'Mahony has looked anything like his old self of late.

I did, however, like Fionn Fitzgerald when he came on last Sunday - he is light, but looks like a nice footballer. Jonathan Lyne also looked fairly good in the league before his injury.

bald eagle wrote:

Thomas Clarke wrote:What a joke this is!

Not only do Cork & Kerry get virtual byes into at least the last 12 of the championship, but they also play the Munster final very early (7th July) in order to give the loser a few weeks to get their house in order for the qualifiers.

A total con, and another good reason why HQ must override the provincial councils and completely separate the provincials from the all ireland series.

There was a tweet from the official GAA twiter account yesterday stating that Kerry have reached the All Ireland QF for the past 13 years, i replied stating your point, that they virtually get a bye into the last 12 every year due to a lop-sided championship format and that considering that it wasn't really that impressive!  I got some great responses hammering me, oddly the GAA account didn't reply!

Keep putting it up to them, BE! If they are going to welcome provincial gifts with open arms, at least they should have the decency to admit they receive them!