All Ireland Senior Club Football Championship Semi Finals

Squareball

I am just hearing that the Crokes/Ballymun game in Thurles this Saturday is all ticket.
Seems a bit strange to me?? But then again the GAA are probably afraid to have all that cash around with a big Ballymun contingent expected in town.............Only joking my fellow Munners (not joking about it being all ticket)......

Mon De Mun!!

ciaeim

Squareball wrote: »

I am just hearing that the Crokes/Ballymun game in Thurles this Saturday is all ticket.
Seems a bit strange to me?? But then again the GAA are probably afraid to have all that cash around with a big Ballymun contingent expected in town.............Only joking my fellow Munners (not joking about it being all ticket)......

Mon De Mun!!

Rumour is that gooch went over on his ankle and is out for tomorrow -:(

Yellowblackbird

ciaeim wrote: »

Rumour is that gooch went over on his ankle and is out for tomorrow -:(

You can't spread false rumors about what day the match is on.

Squareball

ciaeim wrote: »

Rumour is that gooch went over on his ankle and is out for tomorrow -:(

I also hear there was a big brawl at Ballymun Kickhams training last night and James McCarthy is out with two broken fingers and Alan Hubbard is doubtful after getting 18 stitches in a facial laceration. Crokes to take it easily now.:(

popebenny16

there will be ticket vans and so on around the ground.

Lar Corbett's bar - just off the square on way to the ground - is doing free tea/coffee/sambo's for both clubs supporters.

if you havent been before thurles is a good spot, ground is not far form the square, but parking could be a bit mental given the fact its a saturday. You could park on the Templemore Road on the way in, but the tipp institute beside the ground should also be open and also the Greyhound Stadium.

aidan24326

Why would it be all-ticket? There isn't likely to be more than 6 or 7,000 there?

keane2097

We've previews of the two games here if ye want to take a look:

http://www.livegaelic.com/news/all-ireland-club-championship-preview-st-brigids-vs-crossmaglen/
http://www.livegaelic.com/news/all-ireland-club-championship-preview-dr-crokes-vs-ballymun/

Really looking forward to the two games, the standard in this competition is just superb. It doesn't hurt that several of the teams remaining play a brilliant brand of football, Cross and Brigid's in particular.

ShamoBuc

keane2097 wrote: »

We've previews of the two games here if ye want to take a look:

http://www.livegaelic.com/news/all-ireland-club-championship-preview-st-brigids-vs-crossmaglen/
http://www.livegaelic.com/news/all-ireland-club-championship-preview-dr-crokes-vs-ballymun/

Really looking forward to the two games, the standard in this competition is just superb. It doesn't hurt that several of the teams remaining play a brilliant brand of football, Cross and Brigid's in particular.

lol....I've money on Cross and Crokes winning:pac:

DDC1990

Should be two great games today.

Think the Cross Brigids game will only have a kick of the ball in it.
Cross to win by 2. This will be a battle royale. Neither side will be afraid of it physically, and I expect some monster hitting. Cross have been here and seen it all. Their experience and their options off the bench should benifit them.

Crokes Ballymun will also be a great game. I expect Ballymun to try and rough up the very light Crokes forward line (not saying that they will be dirty, just try and play tight and physical). AFAIK all 6 Crokes forwards are 6'0 and under, and light. Crokes have a lot of experience at this level recently though, and I expect them to win by 4-5 points. Their quickness, attacking movements, and class footballers should get them through on a big pitch like Thurles.

keane2097

ShamoBuc wrote: »

lol....I've money on Cross and Crokes winning:pac:

Ah it might well work out. I've said elsewhere that both are rightly favourites but it's all about price and both the underdogs are undervalued imo.

I wouldn't expect there to be more thank two or three points between any of these teams on average.

ShamoBuc

They will certainly be tight games, might put a few bob on the double draw 72/1

Qwerty Dub

Crossmaglen / Crokes double for me.

Class will win out today I feel. Not sure if Ballymun will be able to replicate the level of hunger they had to get out of Dublin.

Makings of 2 great games.

Dirty Dingus McGee

3 very bad wides from frees by St Brigids in the first half.That could cost them in the end.The 2 from Frankie Dolan were absoultely shocking and he didnt learn his lesson from the first one he missed

tayto lover

Cross are always better in the second-half. I think they will pull away.
Great goals.

Syferus

Not really, there's a terrible crosswind that's making it very hard for kicks, particularly a right-footed kicker like Frankie on that side.

Always_Running

Those missed Dolan frees might come back to haunt. Not much between the sides both forwards lines has the beating of their defenders.

Dirty Dingus McGee

Syferus wrote: »

Not really, there's a terrible crosswind that's making it very hard for kicks, particularly a right-footed kicker like Frankie on that side.

He was 30 yards out.There may be a terrible cross wind and you could forgive the first miss but when he done the exact same thing again and insisted on his overly hooked run up and kicking style then he was asking for trouble.Approach the ball at a straighter anagle and kick it more firmly and he would have had a better chance of scoring in my opinion.Regardless of the wind and experienced free taker like Frankie shouldnt be missing frees from 30 yards out straight in front of the goals.

themandan6611

looks like a good crowd there

Always_Running

That was harder free scored by Frankie Dolan.

Tipperary animal lover

What absolute muck football on display, crossmaglen are dirty out and trying there bestest to get a fella sent off.

Just An Opinion

A right finish in store here lads, great stuff!

Lapin

How much time left lads ?

ShamoBuc

All over, 2-07 v 1-09 the 2nd goal was obviously the huge score. Cross lost

Tipperary animal lover

Well done st brigid's well deserved

Always_Running

Both sides kicked bad wides however the best side over the 60 minutes won. Well done to St Brigids

Just An Opinion

Well done Brigids a big scalp taking out the ever present 'Glen. Hoping for a Kickhams win now, best of luck men.

DDC1990

Lads what drama. Great entertainment altogether.

I always felt there would only be 2 points in it, but I thought that Cross would win out.

What a surprise to see Shane Curran in goals. Great to see him again! :P Is he in his 40's at this stage?

statesaver

Happy for them, even if they are a Roscommon club

Now that Cross are gone hopefully they can go all the way now and finally win the All Ireland, they've been very close over the last few years.

Just An Opinion

DDC1990 wrote: »

Lads what drama. Great entertainment altogether.

I always felt there would only be 2 points in it, but I thought that Cross would win out.

What a surprise to see Shane Curran in goals. Great to see him again! :P Is he in his 40's at this stage?

Yea a nice return to Croke Park for him, always remember his lively character in goal for Roscommon. Great finish to that hopefully something similar now in Thurles. Great stuff.

rossie1977

DDC1990 wrote: »

:P Is he in his 40's at this stage?

curran is 42 now, won a connacht minor back in 1989, he still the best keeper in roscommon for me too

Dirty Dingus McGee

How Cross only had 2 men booked is a mystery to me.When both teams decided to play football it was a god game although there was too much cynicism in the first 15 minutes of the second half.Great finish though and great resiliance by Brigids to bounce back. I thought they were gone after Cross's revival in the second half

DDC1990

rossie1977 wrote: »

curran is 42 now, won a connacht minor back in 1989, he still the best keeper in roscommon for me too

If Crokes don't win this afternoon, I really hope that St. Brigids do it.

Great characters on that team, with Dolan and Curran on the field and McStay and McHale off it. To see Curran win a club All Ireland at 42 would be something incredible.

Fair play to Crossmaglen as well. To lose McConville, and fight on. Then even down a man, they very nearly pulled a draw out of the bag.
They are some outfit. They will be back as strong next year.

SeaFields

That was very enjoyable. Thought cross had them with a few minutes to go. Your man that got sent off will be kicking himself, stupid stuff. Anyways good luck to brigids.

keane2097

Dirty Dingus McGee wrote: »

He was 30 yards out.There may be a terrible cross wind and you could forgive the first miss but when he done the exact same thing again and insisted on his overly hooked run up and kicking style then he was asking for trouble.Approach the ball at a straighter anagle and kick it more firmly and he would have had a better chance of scoring in my opinion.Regardless of the wind and experienced free taker like Frankie shouldnt be missing frees from 30 yards out straight in front of the goals.

Think the conditions were probably worse than you think.

Dirty Dingus McGee

keane2097 wrote: »

Think the conditions were probably worse than you think.

The probably were maybe i was a little hard on him but regardless of the conditions I would have expected a player of his caliibre to be able to score those type of frees.Doesnt matter a fiddlers now they won the match and thats all that matters

DDC1990

Class first score from Crokes.

Beautiful kickpass and a big score from Doolan.

0-1 to 0-00

EDIT: Good reply from Ted Furman- 1 a piece.

DDC1990

2 points to 1.

Dean Rock with a short free.

DDC1990

2 all.

Class dummy from the Gooch, and into Chris Brady, and over the bar.

EDIT: Ballymun way on top around the middle, but they have 6 wides already.

Crokes look dangerous when they get the ball.

1-2 to 0-2 now. Ted Furman. Was coming, Croke are getting hammered around the middle.

nice_guy80

what a save!

DDC1990

Ambrose gone for the Crokes.

Ballymun miss a chance from 2 yards. Great save with his boot.

'Mun have it easy unless something changes rapidly.

Rock misses the 45.

ShamoBuc

Ambrose O donovan taken off for Crokes - they are being wiped out at midfield.

Should have been another goal there - Crokes look in a bit of trouble.

DDC1990

1-3 to 0-2 Dean Rock with a big score.

jam08

McCarthy looks the complete footballer.

Kerrydude1981

Few of the Crokes lads seem to be stuck to the ground.

Kerrydude1981

jam08 wrote: »

McCarthy looks the complete footballer.

Very impressive so far,full forward Rock looks the part as well

SeaFields

Crokes will come back at them at some stage. Ballymun might rue those misses.

yabadabado

rossie1977 wrote: »

curran is 42 now, won a connacht minor back in 1989, he still the best keeper in roscommon for me too

Yeah and he was outfield that day afaik.Sound fella and still the best keeper in the county.

DDC1990

Super score from Daithí Casey.

Some disgusting sledging on Gooch by Davy Byrne, Marty Duffy stands there and watched him being fouled earlier.

1-3 to 0-3

EDIT: Lovely crossfield ball and Byrne slots a lovely score. 1-04 to 0-3

Kerrydude1981

Crokes will be happy to hear the half time whistle,their backs are getting a roasting and midfield has been cleaned out.

Still in it though

Super score from Gooch badly wanted

DDC1990

Great score from Gooch to put a goal between the sides at half time.

Great half from Ballymun. Rock, McCarthy, Byrne, Furman, McMahon all classy footballers.

Full back keeping good tabs on Gooch.

Crokes will be delighted to still be in the game after that half,b ut look so dangerous when they have the ball. Not out of this game by any stretch of the imagination.

EDIT: Have to say, maybe its the bigger pitch, but this game seems to have a much higher skill level then the last game. Both Crokes and Ballymun have kicked some fantastic scores, and the defending has been top class. McCarthy could make a push at midfield for Dublin. Big, Strong, Fit and great distribution.

yabadabado

impressed with Ballymun so far but Crokes have been poor .