Shurimgreat wrote: » The way I tend to look at it is we are gradually nudging towards it. We were closer this year than last. This year we could have won it with some composure which has very little to do with skill or fitness levels and more to do with keeping a cool head and maintaining discipline. Last year the two own goals cost us. We managed to eliminate those mistakes this year as well as sticking with Clarke which is vital. If we were 2% off last year, we were 1% off this year. We aren't a million miles off winning Sam. Next year it will probably be us and the Dubs again. We definitely have the beating of them, if we keep our discipline and composure. Footballing wise we are their equals, which is amazing given they can pick from 1.5 million people, whereas we have a population of 130,000. So probably a time to look at the positives. How we will ever replace Andy Moran though when he does finally decide to hang up his boots is beyond me. If only as a 10-15 minute impact player he could still play a huge role. I genuinely hope when the dust is settled none of this team retire before next year. Give them a long break if needed.
endacl wrote: » OK. I was with you right up till this bit.
jmayo wrote: » I am mighty proud of them because they give kids a life lesson that the winners like the dubs can never hope to do, these guys show you that you never give up, you never throw in the towel no matter what life throws at you.
jmayo wrote: The likes of Wicklow, Westmeath, etc will never have the playing numbers that will give them the same class of 20-25 hungry motivated players as Dublin
Shurimgreat wrote: » Unless you are from Dublin, Croke Park couldn't give a flying fcuk. That's been made abundantly clear in the last decade. And it will continue for the foreseeable future unless they decide to take a drastic change in direction.
partyguinness wrote: » TBH it's not as clear cut as that. GAA is far tighter in rural areas and teams do not have the same pressure from other sports as in city areas. Now I know emigration can be an issue in rural counties. Agree. My club is from a smallish town 8,000 people. We have huge competition from Soccer, basketball, Cricket and sailing. We try and field teams at every age group and some years we can but the pressure on kids to play other sports is huge and we dont get them all to play GAA. The city clubs have massive problems with competition from soccer and rugby. Some have serious social issues. So it is not like we actually the massive pick it can look like. Would be interesting to see how many players Dublin actually have. partyguinness wrote: » Dublin has a huge population but I see it another way- it is great achievement for Dublin to bring it together and dominate when there is so much competition around. If you can collect in 20-25 hungry motivated players and a good coach you can go very far regardless of population. Mick O'Dwyer did it for years with Kildar, Wicklow and Laois, Paudi O'Se brought a Leinster title to West Meath, look at Ulster-it's like musical chairs. If you go back to the day Clare beat Kerry in Munster final in 1992. Pat Spillane said on much the same on Sunday game that every county has 15 players who if are committed and dedicated could do the same as Clare.
partyguinness wrote: » Dublin has a huge population but I see it another way- it is great achievement for Dublin to bring it together and dominate when there is so much competition around. If you can collect in 20-25 hungry motivated players and a good coach you can go very far regardless of population. Mick O'Dwyer did it for years with Kildar, Wicklow and Laois, Paudi O'Se brought a Leinster title to West Meath, look at Ulster-it's like musical chairs.
awec wrote: » I agree that the best team does not always win but the better team (very marginally) won yesterday. Dublin showed more composure and more ruthlessness when they were on top, Mayo failed to take enough of an advantage from their periods of dominance. Mayo's PROBLEM IS IN THE TOP SIX INCHES IMO, which unfortunately for them is a much more difficult issue to solve.
jmayo wrote: » I don't care if I am banned from this place or not, but the next person that mention a fooking curse... ... I will look for you, I will find you, and I will use 66 years of hurt and bate the shyte out of you using the handle off an auld turf spade.
Donal55 wrote: » So in two consecutive years Mayo were the better team and yet lost. Some might say they're 'cursed'.
djPSB wrote: » The suggestion that the score board always indicates which team was better is wrong. Most of the time but not always. Not yesterday. Mayo played better than Dublin in last year's game too but then decided to score two own goals.
partyguinness wrote: » TBH it's not as clear cut as that. GAA is far tighter in rural areas and teams do not have the same pressure from other sports as in city areas. Now I know emigration can be an issue in rural counties. Dublin has a huge population but I see it another way- it is great achievement for Dublin to bring it together and dominate when there is so much competition around. If you can collect in 20-25 hungry motivated players and a good coach you can go very far regardless of population. Mick O'Dwyer did it for years with Kildar, Wicklow and Laois, Paudi O'Se brought a Leinster title to West Meath, look at Ulster-it's like musical chairs.
djPSB wrote: » So if Jason Doherty finished the goal instead of blasting it at Cluxton and went on to win, then Mayo would suddenly be better? Mayo were better, just weren't ruthless once again.
djPSB wrote: So if Jason Doherty finished the goal instead of blasting it at Cluxton and went on to win, then Mayo would suddenly be better?
partyguinness wrote: » I don't mean to be a prick or troll but Mayo were not the better team- they didn't win and neither were Dublin jammy dodgers who scrapped their way to an AI. But as you said and I even used the same word- Dublin were efficient and yes Mayo had more wides but that in itself proves that Mayo were not the better team. The team that wins is the better team no matter how it's done and any suggestion to the contrary is grasping at straws. Sorry.
djPSB wrote: » Mayo were the better team. Player ratings in today's media reflect this. Vaughan has to take large proportion of blame. Not easy on him but crazy crazy act. Doherty goal miss. Massive. COC missed frees. Don't think a team 'deserves' an All Ireland making above mistakes. Dublin just more efficient and should be thankful to Mayo for the last two All Irelands. Other teams may not have been as generous.
Oldira wrote: » But I have. 5 Final and tw semi final losses in 7 years with my club. A lub title is every bit as important to the people as a county one.
_Dara_ wrote: » It's vverrrry easy to say that from the outside. You don't really know unless you've experienced it. Many Mayo fans are still hopeful but many are thoroughly fed up too. Both positions are valid. For me personally, there is only so much positivity I can muster and I exhausted those reserves a few years ago.
Oldira wrote: » So while Mayo feel really down today my county and nearly all other would swap places with you for the thrill of the ride.
_Dara_ wrote: » I'm forever saying this, if we're to lose, I much prefer a hammering. When that happens, it's less agonising and there is absolutely no doubt that the best team won. I know but at this stage and actually for the last few All-Irelands, I've viewed Mayo making the final with nothing but dread. I used to feel as excited as anyone at it, now it's just groan-inducing to me. That ain't good. And the platitudes from neutrals before the final and after the inevitable loss just are so sickening at this stage. I know what I'm about to say will be unpopular but I'm actually almost allergic to us making finals at this stage. It's made me hypersensitive or something but now it's almost unbearable. :P My hubs will tell you but I actually let out a sad sigh at the final whistle against Kerry.
jmayo wrote: » If this Mayo team fall away next year then it is going to be depressing for all football supporters bar the ones in Dublin. At least they are giving them a game and making it watchable for neutrals. Mayo are big box office and there is always the "what if" aspect to the story. Croke Park HQ should be damn glad of this team and their fans. When this team falls away and it is surely going to happen in the near future as we can't expect them to keep going back to the well, the GAA football championship will be a lot poorer for their absence on the big days.
jr86 wrote: » When mayo gave the ball away in the second half at any stage you just knew a dubs score was coming. I can't ever remember a team as clinical I really think itll be a long, long time before they lose a championship game again as depressing as it sounds for mayo supporters
_Dara_ wrote: » Those fine margins never go our way though. We are never on the right side. I dunno, 2006-2011 was a lean time for us and it was almost a relief! I think a lot of it is down to the slightly OTT support. I honestly think that puts a lot of pressure on the lads. The more times we lose, the more intense a faction of our supporters get. C'mon, you know what I mean. Just be cool, people! The players are great, I really don't know how they do it. So I'm not criticising them at all.
partyguinness wrote: » Mayo and indeed Connaught has a great ability to bounce back. I watched Cork annihilate Mayo in the 1993 semi-final. It was so bad that all the talk afterwards was about the death of not Mayo but Connaught football. There was even whispers about the need for the Connaught championship at all!! Now that was only 3 years before 1996...so there is always doom and gloom at times like this. Sure I have had to listen to Kerrymen for the last 30 years bull****ting away about how bad things are and no talent coming through- broken record...:rolleyes: Galway have just won the hurling.
The high horse brigade wrote: » Why is there no mention of the eye gouging by OGara. This has no place in any sport
