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

All the smartarses putting together strawman arguments.

Of course money makes a difference, look at the correlation between funding and Dublin and Limericks success.

There may not be big money being pumped into Fossa but there is relatively big money pumped into Kerry development squads, underage teams, and the senior setup.

This means that lads like Clifford never had to endure second best while in the Kerry setup making the probability of players like him reaching his maximum potential far more likely.

This in itself is a positive feedback loop. Better funding means more success which makes playing football more attractive to youngsters in the county. Hence, maximising the potential playing pool of players playing the game at all ages.

I'm actually surprised posters don’t think funding plays any part. It’s head in the sand stuff!

Look at soccer and rugby domestically as examples. One is very well funded and the other isn’t. You think if the the IRFU hadn’t of had invested so much in the game in the last 30 years they’ve have had anywhere near the success they’ve enjoyed.

Thats a very decent picture of both games

I was very pessimistic about these two semis but they turned out to be very good games. I thought Derry were going to rely on hitting Kerry on the counter and parking the bus other than that, but teams now realise that if you sit back against Kerry and Dublin, they will pick you apart. They kept Kerry honest by running at them in huge numbers using the keeper as an extra man and punching holes and kicking scores, if there finishing had held up and they got the lead out to four points I think Kerry were goosed.

Both Dublin and Kerry seemed to be thrown by their opponents approach, Kerry really upped their tackling intensity in the second half and turned Derry over a few times. Monaghan never led Dublin which was a killer and Dublin powered on in the last 10 with Fenton and the bench to the fore. The approach fom the underdogs in both games was really interesting and made for good viewing.

If you expect refs to issue red cards for extending backsides then you’re on the side of what is laughable

Would you have any proof for any of that.

Show me where those counties are the ones blocking the release of figures. Show me sponsorship figures.

Funny how Kerry are suddenly getting mentioned because it suits the sour cnts.

Where is the crying about Cork, Tipp, Galway, Wicklow ?

When Fermanagh lose to Clare do we all get to cry about how O'Donnell is a sugar daddy.

How about when Wexford beat Carlow or Down beat Monaghan ?

Never said I expected the referee to do anything. It was dangerous play connecting with an opponent's head and should've been a red card. What the referee is likely to finish another matter. I'd say it's likely the referee didn't cop the exact nature of the incident at the time.

What is laughable is that David Clifford got a yellow card for a legitimate (in my view)/slightly mistimed (others will argue) shoulder while a head high full body-weight reckless charge doesn't get even a free. That is probably beyond laughable.