[elguapo]

Originally Posted by keane2097

2008 All Ireland final, we were probably marginally the better team that year but got our tactics and selection woefully wrong on final day. Would have avoided so much rubbish that we're still dealing with to this very day from certain "journalists".

1000% agree. That Tyrone team wasn't a patch on the 2005 team, but the line got so many things wrong that day it was almost untrue.

For all that, if the Tyrone keeper's foot hadn't kept out Declan's shot with 5 minutes to go we could well have been celebrating 3-in-a-row. Was heartbreaking to watch it on Hill 16. Christ, even writing this is putting me a bad mood.

[Mountainlad]

While we were nowhere near winning, and a far worse team, if we had beaten Kilkenny in the 2008 All-Ireland Final...well we'd have been all-ireland champions. And we'd have denied them 3 in a row. Lot of defeats for Waterford have had an 'if only' quality about them.

[Padkir]

Any one of the 89, 96, 97, 04 or 06 All Ireland finals! Poor Mayo! I think if they won in 96 or 97 they would have gone on to win a few more after that! Think 04 was possibly their best team but I doubt anyone was going to beat Kerry that year!

[MfMan]

Originally Posted by Syferus

1998 ranckles me ever more, losing to Galway in the Connacht final replay after extra-time at the Hyde. If not for a late mistake by Derek Connellan that led to a Michael Donnellen goal we had as much a shot as Galway did of bringing Sam across the Shannon. The draw shook out with Derry in the semi and Kildare in the final and both would have been 50-50 games at worst. Ah, what could have been.

No, ye wouldn't really. Galway scraped through that day (and in the drawn game) yes, but those games really made the team and they improved no end in Croker. Rossie's simply didn't have the attacking power or defenders like De Paor or Mannion, Derry would in all probability have beaten ye. Ditto 2001.

For Galway hurlers, I'm still getting therapy after 1990. This was to be the day when the rancour of Keady '89 was to be confined to a bad memory, when we would finally beat Cork in a final and cement our place as one of the greatest sides in the history of the game. Instead, after a bad start we hurled them off the field in the first half thanks to Joe Cooney but tactically fell apart in the second half (a great weakness of Farrell's). Officialdom didn't help; Eanna Ryan being called back for a free in when a goal looked certain, Martin Naughton's 65 that wasn't given. We've never exorcised that day IMHO, only an AI win will banish those demons.

[iDave]

Meath V Galway 2001. Seemed like it was ours for the taking after the Kerry result. Meath football hasnt recovered from it.

[yabadabado]

Originally Posted by deccurley

I remember it well. A big shkyball that he let drop through his arms. It was an awful pity as there was nothing to choose between the 2 teams. Eddie Lohan was scoring from all angles. We should have beaten them the first day in Tuam as it was!

In fairness to Thompson he did catch the long ball but got caught in possession when he was surrounded by 2 or 3 Galway players, dropped it and donnellan had a tap in.

Was the game in Tuam the day where Neary came on as a sub and was sent off within a minute of getting on, for throwing a dig?

[Green Giant]

2005 AI semi final Clare v Cork

The ultimate one that got away

[Diabhal Beag]

The 2005 All-Ireland Final Cork-Galway. Would have been amazing to win the double that day with the minors winning earlier. That said myself and the father were probably the only two Galwegians in the Hill that day. Cork fans made for an amazing atmosphere.

[Browney7]

2009 Munster football final against Cork. If I could go back and roar at seanie buckley to have the belief to shoot. We left that one behind and we really rattled Cork.

In hurling Id change 1996 without a doubt. We should never have lost that day. Extra man for lions portion of game. 1994 was a freak, 1996 was a car crash. Still cant listen to dancing at the crossroads

[mfceiling]

Originally Posted by elguapo

1000% agree. That Tyrone team wasn't a patch on the 2005 team, but the line got so many things wrong that day it was almost untrue.

For all that, if the Tyrone keeper's foot hadn't kept out Declan's shot with 5 minutes to go we could well have been celebrating 3-in-a-row. Was heartbreaking to watch it on Hill 16. Christ, even writing this is putting me a bad mood.

Kicking high balls into donaghy and walsh was never going to win that match....it was brutal to watch kerry that day.

Got my ticket from a kerry friend that morning and his mate informed me that the game was going to be like a training session for kerry!!


For me the 1986 final.

[teednab-el]

Originally Posted by mfceiling

Kicking high balls into donaghy and walsh was never going to win that match....it was brutal to watch kerry that day.

Got my ticket from a kerry friend that morning and his mate informed me that the game was going to be like a training session for kerry!!


For me the 1986 final.

it was meant to be a guaranteed win for Kerry, a matter of just turning up and collecting the trophy. I can remember so clearly the cockiness of many a Kerry fan and how easy this game would be for them. Made for a glorious day when this great Kerry team failed to beat Tyrone that day.

[corcaigh07]

since the 2009 AI football final was already mentioned, the 2006 Al Under 21 final springs to my mind, Cork were robbed by circumstances against Mayo in that final, it was in Ennis and a very small Cork support, a ref who was terrible on the day, Joe McQuillan (who has improved since in fairness) and facing a county who really were due one!

thankfully things did balance out when we won the 2007 Under-21 when we were fairly fortunate to beat Laois.

If I could change a different county's result, I'd go for Limerick in the Munster Final of 2004 or 2005, not 100% but it was definitely after a Kerry/Cork Minor final down in Killarney.

Limerick went 3 points to nothing up in the early stages and the Limerick support were giving it socks! Then the cynical Kerry play came to the fore when needed, so much off the ball fouling, it was ridiculous.

Kerry eventually dragged themselves out of that hole and won by 5 points in the end. The way that Kerry win was portrayed in the media was sick as well, giving Limerick no credit and praising Kerry that they were too good etc. Absolute nonsense. A tougher ref would have done that game the world of good. That Limerick loss hurt more to me than most of Cork's losses to them!

[Kojak]

Originally Posted by Green Giant

2005 AI semi final Clare v Cork

The ultimate one that got away

If Colin Lynch hadn't hit so many bad wides (5 from him alone iirc) then Clare would have won the semi, and most likely won the final against Galway

[Just An Opinion]

Oh I could pick any of a few over the past decade, but the 2010 football semi final v Cork after leading the game from first to last minute only to be pipped at the line was soul destroying. Also Kildare in the '00 Leinster final Armagh in the '02 semi Mayo in the '06 semi and Cork again in the '11 league final leave sour tastes of regret.

[Comic Book Guy]

Originally Posted by Syferus

1998 ranckles me ever more, losing to Galway in the Connacht final replay after extra-time at the Hyde. If not for a late mistake by Derek Connellan that led to a Michael Donnellen goal we had as much a shot as Galway did of bringing Sam across the Shannon. The draw shook out with Derry in the semi and Kildare in the final and both would have been 50-50 games at worst. Ah, what could have been.

It was Derek Thompson. Yeah that defeat was hard to swallow but i will never forgive that f****n Shemus Prior who had a spec savers moment in the first game failing to award a 21 yard free straight in front of the posts in last minute when we were a point up for a clear pick up off the ground by Gary Fahey