The 2023 All Ireland Senior Football Championship (Sam Maguire Cup)

He was probably lucky not to get a black for that challenge, a deliberate enough pull down by the shoulders, but after that he was the best player in the field. His leap for the second half throw in set the tone and he ran the show for most of the second period.

McStay's buddies on the SG panel not questioning Mayo's selection, setup or strategy at all. Huge question marks in my view, chief among them them building a defence around a forward (Loftus) and an attack around Aidan, both of whom were quickly jettisoned as soon as things got serious, and going toe to toe/man on man against Dublin, which they clearly weren't able for. It's great to be positive about a good Dublin performance, but Mayo lacked soicj cohesion and composure at both ends of the field.

A sma cameo for Kevin McLoughlin today. A great trier and a brilliant player for Mayo for years. Will we see him again? I would doubt it, but he's always carried himself well over many years. He owes Mayo nothing.

Beg to differ on football, this weekends fare was poor, pulling ,dragging, tripping, neck high ‘tackles’ that would get red cards in rugby.

Far too much passing back and sideways and the ‘trick’ now seems to be charge at a defender with the ball, fall down and get a free.

Not a good watch even though both Kerry and Dublin at least tried to play and played very well

Derry and Monaghan will be puke to watch in the Semi Finals, hope Kerry and Dublin hammer them.

Some whine from McGeeney.

It should and it is. But 3 games in 3 weeks is stupid. It will become the same as the 6 day turnaround in the qualifier system. That was, eventually, widely recognised as being unfair. Only idiots who want to keep the status quo will say that there’s no problem with the 3 games in 3 weeks.

Intertresting question. I honestly think Monaghan are a team who play to their max based on the players available they make their own luck consistently. It is a combination of tactical, management, mental and skill. Based on players available.

It cannot be a fluke that Monaghan constantly show up against ‘experts’ favoured teams. League and championship. I know clowns like Brolly sneer at Monaghan’s success in the league. But that is just jealousy IMO.

Armagh do the exact opposite. The only consistent credit I would give Armagh is that they have nicer jerseys than Monaghan.

I would disagree on the ‘big two’ Dublin were nowhere near second for large periods of their existence. When Heffernan took over Dublin were a laughing stock. Poor crowds low interest. The feeling from players was that they would be embarrassed to say they were from Dublin!

From about the late 90’s until 09 Dublin were again a laughing stock. Even in the 80’s Dublin were more competitive Dublin only won one all Ireland. Only one all Ireland in the 90’s with a few hard luck stories.

But I remember reading a few years ago who the county is that lost the most AI’s ? The answer shocked/annoyed me. The answer is Kerry! Now that is consistent!

But that then stretches the championship out even longer exactly what the GAA does not want.

Plus I don’t buy into this fatigue thing. Only used as an excuse for teams when they lose. Lazy explanation given by Gooch for Mayo. But even McStay admitted it was Mayo’s own fault they got themselves in the position.

Plus you know and I know, if a team with shorter turn around wins what will be said? Oh ‘‘twas the ‘momentum’. They can spin it anyway.

Simply put if a team wants a longer turnaround top the AI series group and don’t be fluting around. Treat each game seriously.

Would you prefer they went out ball headed and got hammered by double figures and provide 'entertainment' like Mayo did?

Teams have to set up as they see fit, to give themselves a chance to win. Pats on the head and platitudes about 'playing the game the right way' butter no parsnips to be honest.

Would galway have taken the same beating? No. But that is more to do with their ultra defensive setup.

Would they have lost is the question? And the answer is yes.

The truth is galway are probably a bit over rated. They are able to beat ourselves in connacht on poorer pitches with bad conditions earlier in the year because it suits their system, but in the height of summer in croke park they wont beat the elite teams.

Typical Mayo scutter.... get a hammering and the deflection is we are still better than Galway

Mayo averaged 14 ppg in this years championship. 5 of those 6 games they could not reach the 15 point mark. Ultra Defensive Galway averaged 16 ppg [ excluding the Connacht Final .... left that out because it would be the first thing thrown back]. But hey Mayo are the ones to bring us Total Football. Every team plays at some stage with 13 or 14 behind the ball... Mayo included....

Whats the story with the fighting between fans at GAA games now, is this a new thing? sad to see, are we going to have to separate the fans now like in soccer?

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/iconic-hill-16-could-be-converted-to-seats-if-fights-continue-gaa-warns-amid-brawl-between-armagh-and-monaghan-fans/a1460846723.html

I have never seen such a miserable poster as @royalcelt.

The poster above takes glee in anything anti Dublin at all.

And I just remembered my first interaction with the poster above on baords.ie It was when the poster was hoovering around the Dublin thread (as would be a common accordance I found out later)

And I was chatting away in the Dublin thread as usual, I happened to be saying that I thought the AI 2011 was won by Dublin against the the run of play. Kerry switched off etc

Some of the Dublin posters didn't like it. And what happened next I received a gleeful PM from RoyalCelt who was clearly revelling in it. That is the sort of mindset that you are dealing with.

You would think that a proper GAA fan would be delighted that their team (in this case Meath) are in a final with a chance to win silverware T-Cup or not? Before a Dublin match or not? What difference?

Yet the poster manages to yet again make a complete misery guts of it. and turn it into yet another gripe about Dublin, which is the only reason they can tenuously post on this thread - as it then falls under the 'AI football championship.'

I honestly wonder does the above poster go to matches at all?

In my mind it is more like the poster @RoyalCelt moping along a lonely country road. With the head down kicking a stone, phone in hand, cursing about the Dubs and looking enviously at the Football Championship thread - waiting for something else Dublin related to whinge about.