Tyrone vs Dublin

[CCOVICH]

Fair enough, if that makes it a second rate sport to you then thats understandable I suppose, that kind of thing its all part of the game and is hardly an issue. I suppose they should run on and go "Hey there jolly ol' chap, what a spiffing game this is, I should hope I score a point today." Nah, lets stick to a physical game but I am not condoning violence as we saw in the Dublin Tyrone game.

Players pushing and digging other players off the ball is a load of crap, and it has nothing to do with the 'physical' nature of the GAA as far as I am concerned. It's just an attempt to goad the other player into some kind of reaction.

To me, a physical team is one that has fit and strong players-players that are able to win or protect ball in a tackle, using strength to shoulder another player off the ball, players that retain their speed and agression for over 70 minutes etc. etc. Anything involving pushing, punching, kicking etc. is unnecessarily violent and against the rules. Allowing players to push other players only tends to lead to more serious incidents.

I think it was last year that I saw a player going to shake hands with the opposing player at the start of the game. The opposing player took the hand offered to him, but then drew in the other player and punched him in the ribs. A great example of the kind of crap that Purple is referring to above in action.

 

[SteelBlue05]

Dont take me up wrong, I am not in support for off the ball incidents or anything like that but you cant expect the odd bit of shoving or shouldering occuring when a new sub comes on etc, its all part of the game. It sounds like you want a kind of game that isnt going to happen, there will always be handbags on the pitch, no need to over react to it.

 

[SteelBlue05]

I think it was last year that I saw a player going to shake hands with the opposing player at the start of the game. The opposing player took the hand offered to him, but then drew in the other player and punched him in the ribs. A great example of the kind of crap that Purple is referring to above in action.

Come on, not the worst thing in the world now is it? How many games are played each weekend during the GAA club season? Certainly hundreds and its not like there a widespread problem. When was the last time you played GAA?

 

[extopia]

I thought that Whelan was largely responsible for starting the melee as it was he who grabbed the Tyrone player on the ground and tried to haul him up.

Looked to me like Wheelo was trying to help him up! And it certainly looked like a dive.

Having said that, I didn't watch the game live and the highlights were very disjointed.

There's a game like this every year. There's a fuss, and then it blows over.

Ironically, one of the cleanest (and best) games I attended last year was the Tyrone-Armagh semi-final. Rivetting, full of skill, and hardly any dirty stuff to talk about (at least by the standards of these two teams, which admittedly are pretty physical).

One of the Tyrone boys slapped a Dub (Whelan?) right from the throw in. Personally I think it was a ****e game, but at least the Dubs had the gumption to stand up to the abuse and beat the All-Ireland champions in their own back yard.

Fair play to them. It won't have gone unnoticed.

 

[Purple]

Come on, not the worst thing in the world now is it? How many games are played each weekend during the GAA club season? Certainly hundreds and its not like there a widespread problem. When was the last time you played GAA?

No, it's not the worst thing in the world, but I would suggest that it is the norm, not the exception. That, for me, detracts from the game.

 

[lynchtp]

What about Bertie?
He should shut his face and keep his Royal Blue North Dublin gob shut.
He would have been calling on the GAA to ban any other team for this (in the hope Dublin might win something) especially had it been Kerry or Armagh in the dubs place on Sunday.

 

[extopia]

Bertie .... would have been calling on the GAA to ban any other team for this (in the hope Dublin might win something) especially had it been Kerry or Armagh in the dubs place on Sunday.

Are you suggesting that Dublin started it? All they were doing were standing up for themselves. I agree with the earlier poster who suggested that this is the only way to beat Tyrone and Armagh.

 

[CCOVICH]

So two wrongs make a right? Fair enough. Let's keep that attitude and everything will work out fine.

 

[extopia]

No, as it happens I don't think it makes for an entertaining game. The referee should have stopped it as soon as it became obvious that the game was out of control.

 

[Humpback]

Was discussing this further last night and the conclusion that 2 out of 3 of us came to was that if it had been anyone else but Dublin who'd gone up and done the same thing, that there would have been praise all round for that other team, and Tyrone would have been properly depicted in the poor light that they should be.

It's just unfortunate that it was the Dubs, which has brought forward much of the anti-Dublin bias, and in my opinion, has slightly let Tyrone, and they way that they play, off the hook.

If Kerry had gone up there and done the same thing, the country as a whole, particularly the media, would have come out saying "finally" Kerry had learned how to handle the northern teams.

 

[SteelBlue05]

No, it's not the worst thing in the world, but I would suggest that it is the norm, not the exception. That, for me, detracts from the game.

You say that is the norm, I'd just like to know what you are basing that on? After 12 years of playing club football surely I would have come to the same conclusion as you but I really think it is the exception.

Are you basing it on watching the odd game or watchin games every weekend or playing games every weekend or what? And if you have been playing then what county are you playing in?

 

[Humpback]

You say that is the norm, I'd just like to know what you are basing that on? After 12 years of playing club football surely I would have come to the same conclusion as you but I really think it is the exception.

Are you basing it on watching the odd game or watchin games every weekend or playing games every weekend or what? And if you have been playing then what county are you playing in?

I think people are talking about the games that they watch, and in that situation, me included, the playing of the game in the Tyrone and Armagh way is becoming more prevalent.

It is unfortunate, and an indictment of the GAA authorities, that the only way teams feel that they can beat these teams now is to sink to their low and despicable level, thereby ruining even more games for the spectator.

Whether or not someone plays/played the game, or whether they watch club games is besides the point. For someone who follows GAA at a particular level e.g. senior intercountry, the spectacle is being spoiled by such thuggery and bully-boy tactics, as exemplified by Tyrone and Armagh, and more recently Dublin.

And before, Steelblue05, you reinforce the point that you play the game, and watch club games, remember, that if your association depended only on people who play the game, and watch club games, for it's income, it wouldn't be in such a strong financial position, so please don't try to come the superior with other posters who may not be as involved as you.

 

[SteelBlue05]

And before, Steelblue05, you reinforce the point that you play the game, and watch club games, remember, that if your association depended only on people who play the game, and watch club games, for it's income, it wouldn't be in such a strong financial position, so please don't try to come the superior with other posters who may not be as involved as you.

My point is that sweeping statements implying widespread thuggery in GAA are hardly valid if thats based on watching a few games. Just because I might be involved more in the GAA than other posters doesnt mean I am trying to be "superior" as you say, but it does imply my opinion is probably more valid than others on this topic (and thats not meant to sound superior!)

I am particularly defending the opinion that there is some problem at club and underage level which is what Purple stated.

Your opinion is based on watching senior county football but that is just one grade of many (and even with that,how many bad incidents have there been at senior county level in the last 10 years relative to the number of games played? Not many). I think there is a tendancy to sensationalise these things..

 

[colc1]

What about Bertie?
He should shut his face and keep his Royal Blue North Dublin gob shut.
He would have been calling on the GAA to ban any other team for this (in the hope Dublin might win something)

This shocking anti-Dublin bias is uncalled for in a civilised, some people are just so jealous of Dublin, thats pathetic especially from an adult

 

[SteelBlue05]

This shocking anti-Dublin bias is uncalled for in a civilised, some people are just so jealous of Dublin, thats pathetic especially from an adult

Well I'd say some of it stems from the opinion of a lot of Dublin people that in Ireland there is "Dublin" and "down the country", I think they tend to position themselves in that way so any bias back against Dublin is hardly surprising.

 

[Purple]

What about Bertie?
He should shut his face and keep his Royal Blue North Dublin gob shut.
He would have been calling on the GAA to ban any other team for this (in the hope Dublin might win something) especially had it been Kerry or Armagh in the dubs place on Sunday.

I think that post should be ignored before this thread goes completely off topic.

 

[CCOVICH]

There is no point in the 'Dubs vs. the Rest of The Country'argument/debate, that's one that's for the pub or www.boards.ie.

I don't know if that what was what RDJ was getting at originally, I would prefer if the thread was on the general issue of discipline in the GAA, but it's not really my call, however most of us seem to agree that discipline is an issue that the GAA needs to take decisive action on if it is to remain an appealing sport to watch and play.

I played GAA until very recently. I may play again, I'm just too lazy or have other things on my plate at the moment. I didn't experience any serious violence that I can recall, but I witnessed plenty of other crap. I was in a position to ignore most pushing and pulling because I was fairly level headed and physically big enough to put someone on their ass in a 50/50 challenge. My toughest opponents were those that were faster, stronger or more skillful. The runt who would start goading you wasn't worth worrying about. Pity a certain Donegal corner forward didn't think the same way.

My cousin had his jaw broken in a Dublin league match a few years ago. A referee was assaulted at a club (that I used to play underage for) game in Donegal last year. I remember a friend giving a cowardly kick to his opponent in an underage game while the referee's back was turned.

They are all sensational incidents alright.

 

[Humpback]

There is no point in the 'Dubs vs. the Rest of The Country'argument/debate, that's one that's for the pub or www.boards.ie.

I don't know if that what was what RDJ was getting at originally, I would prefer if the thread was on the general issue of discipline in the GAA, but it's not really my call, however most of us seem to agree that discipline is an issue that the GAA needs to take decisive action on if it is to remain an appealing sport to watch and play.

It wasn't my original point, no. Succinctly -

1. Fair play to Dublin for going to Tyrone and playing them at their own game.

And by extension,

2. Dublin will get more abuse for having done this than any other team doing the same thing, such as Kerry, because they are Dublin.

3. It's ultimately sad, and should remain the focus of this discussion, that a team has to resort to such ugly tactics in order to beat the All Ireland champions who won the title by those exact same ugly, bullying and intimadatory, and ultimately cheating methods.

 

[CCOVICH]

If people are going to just citicise other teams as opposing to having a focus on the wider issue, then I'll leave you to it.

There is more than one way to skin a cat-trying improving the standard of football your own county plays rather than resorting to such 'tactics'.

For what it's worth, I don't recall seeing any

ugly, bullying and intimadatory, and ultimately cheating methods

in last year's All Ireland Final, or in the Dublin/Tyrone Quarter Final.