The 2025 All Ireland Senior Football Championship (Sam Maguire Cup)

Paul Faloon should not be refereeing at this level, he is consistently inconsistent. Amazing that in a 20 point beating his poor performance still stood out.

That bench today... McFadden/Ferry, O'Boile, McConaigle, McBrearty, even McGee...Jamie Brennan and Niall O'Donnell too, all experienced players and all offer a lot at IC level. It's a serious strength.

They were ruthless today, and look good, a serious outfit.

One word of warning though, we've seen teams win big in semi finals today and lose out in the finals, I'd trust they won't lost their heads during the next fortnight but today won't necessarily help them.

The two best teams in the country in the final anyway, and an interest ion clash of styles. Kerry will need to be extremely precise if they concentrate on kicking the ball to their forwards because this Donegal can kill them on counter attacks of they are loose woth their passing.

I was at the game today, and I didn't see much wrong. Nothing obvious from watching it live there anyway. Of course, the TV cameras pick up more. What did he do wrong. He is a fit ref anyway - sprinting up and down the pitch.

Literally said the same thing to my son while watching. GAA refereeing is a political skill at this stage, apologies to Paul as it's completely out of his control.

The group stage has masked this years championship as being amazing. In fairness the games were good and the group stages helped the new rules. Preliminary and QFs and semis have been dire bar galways two games. Media are hyping it up based on the rules , semis last year much better games and Galway Dublin. I like the new rules but Gaelic football is far from back imo. It has a bit to go.

It’s been a good championship, it’s just a pity that the quarter finals onwards with the exception of Galway - Meath, have not been very exciting down the home stretch. But on a positive, the final looks like it’ll be some game and the two best teams this year have rightly made the final.

I feel sorry for you if this is the best championship you have ever experienced.

They can never match the best years while they have league stages and lots of the games gated behind pay per view, breaking up the flow of a team going on a run of wins.

The best championships are built around momentum and narratives, following a team through knockout games that always matter with the tension and excitement rising game by game until the very end.

Two pointers are no substitute for a real championship run.

Last year had more exciting and competitive games in the business end of the championship which should not be the case given HQ went out of their way to improve things. New rules has allowed the likes of D Clifford run riot. Donegal scored 3-26 and could have scored a lot more as had 42 shots on goal. Kerry with what they missed could easily have matched Donegal's score yesterday. Most Neutrals I'm sure for a good contest wants to see a good balance between defence and attack in games.

For some reason teams are running riot in the 3rd quarter.

All of those were 20 years and plus ago. It was open enough back then, without the blanket defense. The defensive structures were brought in then which made football stale for several years, and I think the general media commentary now is that the new rules have hugely improved the quality of the games as an entertainment spectacle.

No need to feel sorry for me. I've had a great year. Have seen more closer games this year than any other year. Watched some of them on the GAA+. Some on RTE/TG4 etc. And have been to more games this year than any other games. The 2 semi finals were obviously one-sided, but I don't go home from Croke Park crying. I take from it that I've witnessed quality players on show like Clifford, Murphy etc. Even if a game is one-sided, I still enjoy watching the skills on show, and to see what special moments they will conjour in a game.

You mention about following teams through knock-out. That's fine if you are from Kerry or Dublin etc. who (up until recently in Dublin's case) progress consistently to the latter stages of championship. But this year, we have had other teams like Meath and Louth breaking through. If the new rules can bring more teams into the reckoning of even getting to quarters or semis, then it is a good thing for me.

History shows the surprise packets always struggle the year after when making a semi final. Not sure meath football is back

When did he qualify as a physio?