Championship Memories

K-9

Trying to think of a Mulligan or Donaghy moment for this year and am stumped. Doesn't seem to have been any individual moments to light up the year.

Sligo winning Connacht, Monaghans great run, Louth doing well, after that, I'm stumped!

Kerrys late points against Dublin and Monaghan probably shaped the season in a similar way to those goals, but not as spectacular.

Anyway, championship memories folks?

For me, it was Kevin Cassidys perfectly legitimate goal against Armagh in injury time! Probably the moment in time that marked the end of that fantastic Armagh team, and I say that with regret just as much as it was sweet!

Nalced_irl

Well, could the fitness thread count as a championship moment? It did start during it afterall. Definately my highlight! For the Dubs, the 2 killer goals against Laois was a great moment as things seemed to be going against the plan at that stage. The win over Meath obviously would be a highlight also due to the rivalry. Not really much for us this year on the highlights front as we won the games we thought we would and lost the ones we thought also. No real surprises to make a highlight. When the final whistle came against Derry and we managed to hold on when we were really coming up against it would be the relieving moment of the championship anyway.

wow sierra

Seeing a last gasp Monaghan attack break down after Kerry drew level or went ahead and seeing Dara O'Sé emerge with the ball - he seems to have a mystical quality at times cropping up out of nowhere when he is most needed. While that game and Monaghans performance was great, I never really believed they would get over the finish line - I suppose they didn't have the self belief either.
My highlight of the year has to be the Minor championship. No offence meant to Derry but the Laois comeback against them and the Galway comeback in the final were brilliant. The way the Galway guy held on to the ball to get that goal was excellent and the Derry full forward was a serious player too. Seeing young Walsh (the second!) playing for Kerry was a joy too - made his brother from last year pale in comparison despite him being a wonder then. Wonderful game between Roscommon and Laois which unfortunatly wasn't on TV so didn't get much publicity. Loads of other highlights and great players from a great year at minor level.

It was a real privelage to be in Hyde Park to experience the sheer emotion of the Sligo win - even if it was a result of the worst standard Connaught Championship in years.

I suppose apart from that the first Dublin/Meath game was about the only excitement in the Senior Championship.

Nalced_irl

Ohhh, gotta add the last gasp Wicklow winning goal against Antrim in the Tommy Murphy Cup final. Was a great game for one i thought could be a non event and for Wicklow to take it like that was brilliant (no offence to Antrim also, i will shout for SOME Leinster teams apart from us ).

Marse

I must say, the Kerry V’s Monaghan game holds great memories for me. The Farney men really accounted for themselves well that day.
The game was one of the hardest hitting battles I’ve seen for a while. There were so many hard hitting, bone crunching but fair tackles to pick just one.
In fairness both teams hit as hard as each other and there were no handbags and lying down claiming a near death experience.
It was a good old fashioned game of football.

I’m sure for a neutral the Kerry V’s Dublin game was good to watch, if the result had been different I probably think so too!!!

The Limerick V’s Tipp games were all wars, which made for riveting games, for me anyhow.

Roll on the league.

ChippingSodbury

It's got to be the goal Begley scored at the end of the Limerick-Waterford semi final. Waterford had been behind for the whole game and had clawed their way back to what looked like a position where they could win the game (Offaly all over again...). But along came Begley and settled it. It was one of the most electric atmospheres I experienced at a game for years.

pd101

Nalced_irl wrote:

Ohhh, gotta add the last gasp Wicklow winning goal against Antrim in the Tommy Murphy Cup final. Was a great game for one i thought could be a non event and for Wicklow to take it like that was brilliant (no offence to Antrim also, i will shout for SOME Leinster teams apart from us ).

Yeah thats my moment of the year. Good to see Micko coming back for next year.

MrJoeSoap

1/ Everything Dan Shanahan did, but especially the goal in the replay against Cork in Croker.

2/ Ken McGraths unbelievable catch against Cork in Croker, which somehow managed to be left out of the Sunday Game. Also Brick Walsh's catch.

3/ Richie Bennis' after the semi-final victory over Waterford, and then seeing them destroyed by Kilkenny.

K-9

MrJoeSoap wrote:

1/ Everything Dan Shanahan did, but especially the goal in the replay against Cork in Croker.

2/ Ken McGraths unbelievable catch against Cork in Croker, which somehow managed to be left out of the Sunday Game. Also Brick Walsh's catch.

3/ Richie Bennis' after the semi-final victory over Waterford, and then seeing them destroyed by Kilkenny.

Didn't really have the Hurling in mind when starting the thread but definitely all the above.

Bored-Stupid

Seanies32 wrote:

For me, it was Kevin Cassidys perfectly legitimate goal against Armagh in injury time! Probably the moment in time that marked the end of that fantastic Armagh team, and I say that with regret just as much as it was sweet!

Perfectly legitimate??He was in the square......he fouled the keeper!!Yes its sour grapes but I dont think the boys are finished,might be good to get new ideas and have the mixture of young and experienced!

Best highlight for me was the Dublin V Kerry which (as a neutral) was great,weather beaming in and a great high intensity match!

blackbelt

Yes have to agree with Nalced about the Tommy Murphy Cup Final.Not the best quality football you will see but it was free flowing and full of drama with the entire province of Leinster shouting for Wicklow.

My personal favourite Dublin playing moment was not a goal but a point scored by Conal Keaney against Meath towards the end of that match to put a stamp on the game as it was a dogfight.That point just lifted all the Dubs in Croker.My other favourite Dublin championship memories was meeting the lads in Madigans after the Dublin games,particularly after the Derry game.

My non Dublin favourites include the Louth v Wicklow match saga,Limerick and Tipp in the hurling and the Monaghan v Kerry match.

Daysha

Where to start! Considering this's been the greatest hurling championship in many years, theres more than enough. In no particular order:

Waterford vs Cork in the Munster semi. Sunny weather, two teams sharing the greatest rivalry this century, 8 goals, fantastic points, and personally, the right result in the end! I dont think I ever got more excited than getting those 2 goals right before half time.

The second match of the Tipp Limerick trilogy. Limerick, seemingly down and out of it, somehow claw there way back into the match. And more specifically, the great respect shown between Bennis and Babs at the end.

Tipps victory over Cork, probably a bigger shock than Limerick beating Waterford all things considered. Not a huge crowd or a great atmosphere, but Tipps first victory over Cork in the Championship for around 15 years, and of course the result gave us two more amazing Cork Waterford matches.

Kens catch in the Wat/Cork replay. It just defied logic.

Eoin McGrath having the guts to go for goal at the end of the first quarter final match. If there was ever a heart in mouth time....

MrJoeSoap

deise59 wrote:

Kens catch in the Wat/Cork replay. It just defied logic.

Defied logic, gravity, reason, nature and more. It was the greatest single piece of skill I've ever seen in any sport. One of those moments where if you are sitting down you suddenly need to stand, and if you are standing you need to sit.

I didn't appreciate Brick Walsh's catch at the time but watching the replays it was unbelievable as well. It's these little pieces of focus and skill that make it the best sport on earth.

Orizio

MrJoeSoap wrote:

1/ Everything Dan Shanahan did, but especially the goal in the replay against Cork in Croker.

2/ Ken McGraths unbelievable catch against Cork in Croker, which somehow managed to be left out of the Sunday Game. Also Brick Walsh's catch.

3/ Richie Bennis' after the semi-final victory over Waterford, and then seeing them destroyed by Kilkenny.

That was literally straight in front of me. He was practically horizontal 5 foot in the air. Incredible stuff, as was Mc Grath's catch peddling backwards. TBH Brick Walsh gave one of the best hurling performances I have ever seen in Croker in that match against Cork.

Nalced_irl

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Defied logic, gravity, reason, nature and more. It was the greatest single piece of skill I've ever seen in any sport. One of those moments where if you are sitting down you suddenly need to stand, and if you are standing you need to sit.

I didn't appreciate Brick Walsh's catch at the time but watching the replays it was unbelievable as well. It's these little pieces of focus and skill that make it the best sport on earth.

Was that catch the one that came over his head from behind and he caught it on the run? If so it was an unbelievable catch.

MrJoeSoap

Thats the one.

An Citeog

I second the Ken McGrath catch. I was lucky enough to be in Croker to see it and it really did make me stand up out of my seat and applaud. I turned on the Sunday Game specifically to see that and was absolutely sickened when they didn't show it. :mad:

Het-Field

For me it was being in a hotel room in Dallas Texas, while the Leinster Final was in progress. It was 10am, and I was pacing up and down my room, in the shower (purposely facing Dublin), and finding out it was 1-4 to Laois and 0-3 to the Dubs. However, by the time I was going to 12pm Mass, the Dubs were ahead by 6, and it made the trip sweeter to know that I was coming back to Ireland to a quarter final. But I didnt even see that Leinster Final, yet it was as tense as hell

Also jumping on the 1pm train in Longford to get back to Croker for the Semi at 3.30pm.

Alan Brogan's point which copperfastented Dublin's win over Meath was great as well.

The Limerick v Tipperart saga was hurlings best story, while Dan Shanahan's second goal agianst Cork had me going nuts !!

Nalced_irl

MrJoeSoap wrote:

Thats the one.

That was a great catch. Not often you would have so many agree that a catch was a highlight but it deserves it in fairness. Was incredible.

K-9

Bored-Stupid wrote:

Perfectly legitimate??He was in the square......he fouled the keeper!!Yes its sour grapes but I dont think the boys are finished,might be good to get new ideas and have the mixture of young and experienced!

Best highlight for me was the Dublin V Kerry which (as a neutral) was great,weather beaming in and a great high intensity match!

Should have put the :rolleyes: in there. Meant the sweet, but pity it was the end of a few of that team!

Dublin V. Kerry as a match was great, but I'd put Kerry V. Moanaghan the same, as I saw it coming! I knew it was going to be a tight match, whereas everybody knew Dublin Kerry was going to be.

Might take a year or two for Armagh to get to be Top 3 again. Still dreading Clones next May! Could well be the Qualifier route for Donegal next year, but that's not a bad thing!

Going to be some Ulster championship next year. With Tyrone, Fermanagh, Armagh and Donegal on one side and Derry and Monaghan on the other. I wouldn't write off Down or Cavan on their day either!

8/9 teams have a realistic chance of getting to a Ulster Final, just like Monaghan this year!

Het-Field

Seanies32 wrote:

Should have put the :rolleyes: in there. Meant the sweet, but pity it was the end of a few of that team!

Dublin V. Kerry as a match was great, but I'd put Kerry V. Moanaghan the same, as I saw it coming! I knew it was going to be a tight match, whereas everybody knew Dublin Kerry was going to be.

Might take a year or two for Armagh to get to be Top 3 again. Still dreading Clones next May! Could well be the Qualifier route for Donegal next year, but that's not a bad thing!

Going to be some Ulster championship next year. With Tyrone, Fermanagh, Armagh and Donegal on one side and Derry and Monaghan on the other. I wouldn't write off Down or Cavan on their day either!

8/9 teams have a realistic chance of getting to a Ulster Final, just like Monaghan this year!

Realistically though, Northern football is going into the same type of regression that it did between 1996-2002.

Kingdom

Seanies32 wrote:

Going to be some Ulster championship next year. With Tyrone, Fermanagh, Armagh and Donegal on one side and Derry and Monaghan on the other. I wouldn't write off Down or Cavan on their day either!

8/9 teams have a realistic chance of getting to a Ulster Final, just like Monaghan this year!

Have the championship draws been made for next year?

K-9

Kingdom wrote:

Have the championship draws been made for next year?

Ulster has the home and away or Clones! :rolleyes: system so only has to make the draw every 2 years.

Jaysus, it'd going to be hard to win Ulster.

het-field wrote:

Realistically though, Northern football is going into the same type of regression that it did between 1996-2002.

No, the big difference since 01 is the qualifiers. 5 different Ulster teams have got to the QF's in our 2 last unsuccessful years. Tyrone will be back and Armagh, Down and Derry have been successful at underage level the last 5 years or so.

discopants

Found this on the Setanta website and it sums up some of the moments of the football season fairly well.

http://www.setantasports.com/en/Sport/News/Other-sports/2007/09/26/GAA-Feature-Football-Season-Review/?facets/sport-space/great-britain-locale/gaa/

blackbelt

Ha,that link from Setanta says Meath beat Derry.LOL all around.:D

I think Cahills block was a moment of the championship.One thing I remember vividly about that match was that it seemed as if the referee was giving Derry charity free kicks and it seemed to be going all wrong and we got the ball after an attack and started passing it around and the cheer for each pass was like a goal.It was if we were sticking it to Derry and the ref and cheering on the Dubs every pass.They are moments I'll never forget.

Keaneys point against Meath was magical.There was a sense of relief and joy when it happened.I was still cheering and shouting from whenst the ball was won in midfield.

Another moment for me was watching the Meath v Tyrone game in Spain with the gf.The Meath fans went mental.I also enjoyed the Louth v Wicklow match saga.

discopants

It said Down when I read it. Looking back, it was a fairly poor season. That whole Billy Morgan thing was a laugh though. He's an absolute nutter!

Kingdom

I have the moment of the Championship. The Gooch pointing out the pass for Killian Young to Dec Sullivan against Dublin for the goal that won the all-ireland

Thats the standout memory for me.

Kingdom

Seanies32 wrote:

Ulster has the home and away or Clones! :rolleyes: system so only has to make the draw every 2 years.
QUOTE]


Seanies

Does that mean that the draw (bar where the games are played) is the same 2 years running? Never knew that!

K-9

Kingdom wrote:

Seanies

Does that mean that the draw (bar where the games are played) is the same 2 years running? Never knew that!

Yeah, when the draw is being made they usually say, every second year, Ulster is already done!

hurlingguy

Well this season will proberly be my most memorable.
Went to my 1st All-Ireland Final on the 1st Sunday in Sept and my 2nd All-Ireland 2 weeks later to watch us win the 2 in a row.

bennyc

Colm McFadden's punch on Brian Dooher

Seriously would have to be the Tommy Freeman show in the second half of the Donegal Game in Omagh,

K-9

Kingdom wrote: »

Seanies

Does that mean that the draw (bar where the games are played) is the same 2 years running? Never knew that!

My bad post! changed last year. Should've copped, Donegal Down last year and Donegal Armagh this year.

cruiserweight

Kingdom wrote: »

Seanies32 wrote:

Ulster has the home and away or Clones! :rolleyes: system so only has to make the draw every 2 years.
QUOTE]


Seanies

Does that mean that the draw (bar where the games are played) is the same 2 years running? Never knew that!

Nope new draw this year, made tonight, there is another thread about it here

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055165368

K-9

See post before you! Already owned up!;) Some draw though!

kevmy

As a Mayoman not an awful lot of good memories this year.

One outstanding individual display I did see this year from a Mayo player was by Pearse Hanley in the U-21 Connacht Final against Roscommon. Absolutely magical. It's a terrible blow to Mayo football that is gone to Oz. The nearest thing I've seen to a Ciaran Mc successor in Mayo.

From the Senior Championship Eamonn O Hara's goal in the Connacht Final was the moment for me

Tomthepost

Gaelic Football moment of year
Eamon O'Hara's goal against Galway. They were always going to win after this. I'm a Kerryman by the way but nothing Kerry done this year stood out like Donaghy's goal against Armagh in 06.

Hurling moment of year
Cork V Waterford (the first game) Last minute and one point down Eoin Kelly comes through on goal and has the balls to go for goal.
Donal Og makes an amazing save and the referee rather diplomatically eventually gives a free in and the game ends in a draw.

Tomthepost

kevmy wrote: »

One outstanding individual display I did see this year from a Mayo player was by Pearse Hanley in the U-21 Connacht Final against Roscommon. Absolutely magical. It's a terrible blow to Mayo football that is gone to Oz. The nearest thing I've seen to a Ciaran Mc successor in Mayo.

'Ciaran Mc' i think ye might be better off without such an 'individual' It is a team game afterall.

MrJoeSoap

Tomthepost wrote: »

Cork V Waterford (the first game) Last minute and one point down Eoin Kelly comes through on goal and has the balls to go for goal.
Donal Og makes an amazing save and the referee rather diplomatically eventually gives a free in and the game ends in a draw.

It was technically the second Cork-Waterford game and it was Eoin McGrath, not Kelly!

I watched this in a bar in Perth, Australia, and one of the Cork lads behind me (after the final whistle) said of Kelly's resulting free...

"Sure if he'd any balls he'd have gone for goal"

Tomthepost

pretty sure it was Kelly but I stand to be corrected if wrong. Can any Waterford man clarify
Also 'technically' it was the first game although they did earlier play in the Munster Championship which 'techically' is a different competition.;)

johnnyrotten123

it was technically Eoin McGrath and Kelly hit the free, technically...ah sure we will have to le the Kerryman off the hook with that one...

moments of the hurling championship - Shanahan's point from the left sideline in the first (second) game and his goal off the ground past Cusack in the second (third) and of course, Fitzhenry's last-minute winning goal against Tipp, hadn't beaten them in the championship since 68.

Mr. Incognito

The gooch's two goals against Cork.

The turning shot in the Munster Final and the fisted goal in the All Ireland. Two individual pieces of magic.

MrJoeSoap

Tomthepost wrote: »

pretty sure it was Kelly but I stand to be corrected if wrong.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=16mezU3EMdg

Its on this video, 45 seconds in.

blackbelt

Thinking of this the other day but a moment of the championship was Joe Brolly (before Dublin v Offaly) reaction to finding out that Monaghan defeated Derry.

All Joe could do was look down at his shoes with a smirk on his face with disbelief.That was truly a moment of the championship.:D

Kerry On Tour

god i hate joe brolly!!!